cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
U.S. National Laboratory Research Supporting Low Wind Speed Technology

Harvesting wind energy from sites with lower annual average wind speeds at costs comparable to what can now be achieved in higher wind sites is an international challenge. It requires pushing the technology to optimize the use of materials and machinery and tuning the structure to withstand the loads unique to the lower wind speed sites. The U.S. Department of Energy’s laboratories— The National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL and Sandia National Laboratories—are engaged in both basic science and applied research to overcome current technology limitations and enhance the individual components necessary to achieve costeffective low wind speed turbines. Technology improvements are necessary in three principal areas to minimize the cost of electricity production at lower wind speed sites.
Physicochemical properties of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls aid in predicting their interactions with rat sulfotransferase 1A1 (rSULT1A1).

Abstract Hydroxylated metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (OHPCBs) interact with rat sulfotransferase 1A1 (rSULT1A1) as substrates and inhibitors. Previous studies have shown that there are complex and incompletely understood structure–activity relationships governing the interaction of rSULT1A1 with these molecules. Furthermore, modification of the enzyme with glutathione disulfide (GSSG) results in the conversion of some OHPCBs from inhibitors to substrates. We have now examined estimated values for the acid-dissociation constant (Ka) and the octanol–water distribution coefficient (D), as well as experimentally determined dissociation constants for enzyme complexes, to assist in the prediction of interactions of OHPCBs with rSULT1A1. Under reducing conditions, initial velocities for rSULT1A1-catalyzed sulfation exhibited a positive correlation with pKa and a negative correlation with log D of the OHPCBs. IC50 values of inhibitory OHPCBs decreased with decreasing pKa values for both the glutathione (GSH)-pretreated and GSSG-pretreated forms of rSULT1A1. Comparison of GSH- and GSSG-pretreated forms of rSULT1A1 with respect to binding of OHPCB in the presence and absence of adenosine 3′,5′-diphosphate (PAP) revealed that the dissociation constants with the two redox states of the enzyme were similar for each OHPCB. Thus, pKa and log D values are useful in predicting the binding of OHPCBs to the two redox forms of rSULT1A1 as well as the rates of sulfation of those OHPCBs that are substrates. However, the differences in substrate specificity for OHPCBs that are seen with changes in redox status of the enzyme are not directly related to specific structural effects of individual OHPCBs within inhibitory enzyme–PAP–OHPCB complexes.
Spatial distribution of near‐infrared and optical emission properties in the bipolar nebula Menzel 3

Ground-based optical spectra combined with near-infrared spectra and images of the young bipolar planetary nebula Menzel 3 (Mz 3) reveal positional variations in extinction, excitation, density and other characteristics. Interstellar extinction is probably less than A V = 2.65, while extinction toward the nucleus is approximately 4.6 mag. The lobes show stratified ionization, with high-excitation emission localized at high latitudes. Quantitative analysis using the CLOUDY spectral synthesis code suggests that the polar lobes 'see' an excitation source similar to a blackbody of roughly 36000 K and 10000 L O ., and chemical abundances reveal that the ejecta have He enhanced by a factor of ∼2, and N enhanced more strongly, with N/O∼1. The lobes are probably radiatively excited, but shocks may heat the 'blisters' at the polar axis. The bright, unresolved nucleus has a crowded emission spectrum distinct from the diffuse bipolar lobes, and it indicates high electron densities of 10 6 -10 7 cm - 3 . An equatorial disc-like geometry for dense gas in the nucleus is likely. The nucleus also shows a nearly power-law continuum; when corrected for reddening it may require two stars, one hot star and one cool giant, along with hot ∼900-K dust. A distance up to ∼2.5 kpc is possible. In general, the spectral characteristics of Mz 3 are similar to those of the well-studied nebula M 2-9, and the two objects may share a similar evolutionary history. However, an important difference between them is that Mz 3 appears to be mostly devoid of molecular hydrogen, while infrared H 2 lines are conspicuous in M 2-9.
Electronically-scanned ophthalmic ultrasound

Abstract A linear-array ultrasonic system has been developed for ophthalmic application. The clinical apparatus gives real-time digital imaging at higher speeds and sensitivity compared to contemporary mechanically-scanned single transducer equipment. The linear-array system is electronically scanned to produce 60 images s −1 with 64 graytone levels. The 256 × 580 pixel B -mode image is presented simultaneously with an A -mode display on a television monitor. Fast-frame imaging at high sensitivity has special advantages in ophthalmic differential diagnosis enabling a more comprehensive evaluation of retinal, vitreous and orbital pathology. Imaging of fine blood vessels has improved ultrasonic diagnosis of ocular neoplasms and inflammatory conditions. Clinical advantages of this apparatus and special technical specifications are discussed in this report.
Frequency selected ultrafast infrared vibrational echo studies of liquids, glasses, and proteins

Ultrafast infrared frequency selected vibrational echo (FSVE) experiments are used to study temperature-dependent dynamic interactions in liquids, glasses, and proteins. Vibrational echo experiments measure vibrational dephasing. In general, the large bandwidths associated with ultrashort IR pulses will excite multiple vibrational transitions of a molecular system. In addition to the 0- 1 transition of a particular mode of interest, the 1-2 transition, other modes, combination bands, and modes of other species can be excited. A one-dimensional vibrational echo experiment involving multiple transitions can be difficult to address theoretically. By selecting the proper detection wavelengths (a frequency slice through a 2D time-frequency vibrational echo), FSVE makes it possible to effectively isolate a two state system (in terms of the dynamical experimental observables) from within a complex multistate system. First, the FSVE method is used to study the dynamics of CO stretching mode of RuTPPCOPy (TPP = 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin, Py = pyridine) in two solvents: poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF). The results demonstrate the fundamental difference in the influence of a glassy and a liquid solvent on vibrational dephasing. In PMMA, a glass at all temperatures studied, the dephasing rate is linear in temperature. In 2-MTHF, the dephasing is linear for temperatures below Tg, but it changes form, becoming very steep slightly above Tg. Calculations using a model frequency-frequency correlation function (FFCF) show that the different temperature dependences in PMMA and 2-MTHF can be modeled in a unified manner, with at least two solvent motions contributing to the dephasing in liquids, that is, inertial and diffusive motions. FSVE is then applied to the study of the dynamics of the protein myoglobin in water by observing the vibrational dephasing of the stretching mode of CO bound to the active site of myoglobin (Mb-CO). The A 1 and A 3 conformational substates of Mb-CO are found to have different dephasing rates with different temperature dependences. A frequency-frequency correlation function derived from molecular dynamics simulations of Mb-CO at 298 K is used to calculate the vibrational echo decay. The calculated decay shows substantial agreement with the experimentally measured decays. The FSVE experiment probes protein dynamics and provides an observable that can be used to test structural assignments for the Mb-CO conformational substates.
Optimization of diesel, methyl tallowate and ethanol blend for reducing emissions from diesel engine

Abstract A Cummins N14-410 engine was operated on different fuels produced by blending methyl tallowate and ethanol with No. 2 diesel fuel. Four fuel blends, namely: neat No. 2 diesel fuel; and 80:13:7, 70:19·5:10·5 and 60:26:14 (% v/v) blends of diesel:methyl tallowate:ethanol, were prepared and tested for engine performance and emission analyses. Engine performance and emission data were used to optimize the blend of diesel fuel:methyl tallowate:ethanol for reducing engine emissions. The emissions were found to be minimum with a 80:13:7 blend of diesel:methyl tallowate:ethanol, without a significant drop in engine power output.
Stability of helical polyamino acids in solution at high temperatures

Optical rotatory dispersion studies have been carried out at temperatures up to 150 °C. on poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) in α-chloronaphthalene and N-methylcaprolactam, and on poly-e-carbobenzoxy-L-lysine, poly-δ-carbobenzoxy-L-ornithine, and poly(L-glutamic acid) in N-methylacetamide. The Moffitt-Yang −b0 values were large in all cases, but significant decreases in −b0 were observed at the upper temperature limits of the study suggesting that a transition region was being entered. Polymer degradation generally precluded examination of the systems through the suggested transition region.
Rod Outer Segment Maintenance Is Enhanced in the Presence of bFGF, CNTF and GDNF ☆

We employed a morphological assay of outer segment collapse to determine if growth factors or other supplements directly affect dissociated rod photoreceptors in vitro. The morphological changes in outer segments were correlated with the light responsiveness of rods. Time-lapse video microscopy was used to observe the collapse of rod outer segments from isolated single cells and small clumps of cells. A consistent pattern of outer segment collapse into the inner segment was observed, yielding a convenient assay of the effects of neurotrophic factors on photoreceptor functional maintenance. The functional state of rods, defined as light-responsiveness, was measured with suction electrode recordings and matched with the various stages of outer segment collapse. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and glial cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) at a high concentration, yielded statistically significant improvements in rat outer segment survival times. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), which rescues photoreceptors in several rodent models of retinal degeneration, produced a significant increase in survival time in the presence of the cofactor heparin. In 4 out of 10 cases using human tisue, bFGF also yielded a significant increase in survival times. When brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was applied to rat rods, outer segment survival times did not change. Outer segments collapsed more quickly when either pigment epithelial cell derived factor (PEDF) or sugar N-acetyl D-galactosamine (NAD-gal) were present. Our results show that rod photoreceptors can respond to bFGF, GDNF and CNTF in vitro and provide evidence for a direct effect of these neurotrophic factors on rods. The rapid collapse of isolated photoreceptors in this model provides a convenient means for testing various neurotrophic agents and the induced cellular responses.
Portal film quality: A multiple institutional study

The variation in quality of the several thousand portal films submitted to the Quality Assurance Review Center (QARC) has been substantial. To ascertain the nature and severity of this problem, a detailed study of ‘‘whole brain’’ portal films which were taken at 23 different radiotherapy departments for patients entered on three national leukemia studies was performed. Each film was analyzed in two ways: (a) independent subjective evaluation by four experienced radiotherapists and (b) measurement of objective parameters. Scores from 416 evaluations together with measured parameters were stored in a data base system for easy statistical manipulation. The dependence of perceived film quality on these objective parameters has been correlated and is the subject of this report.
A Conceptual Model for Benchmarking Performance in Public Sector Ethics Programs: The Missing Link in Government Accountability?

Abstract Ever since Osborne and Gaebler's Reinventing Government[1], the federal government's National Performance Review Act,[2] the American Society for Public Administration's (ASPA's) Center for Accountability and Performance and Hartry's primer on Performance Measurement,[3] performance, outcome measurement and accountability have been guiding principles for government at the close of the 20th Century. Government and society have changed, and performance (and tools of performance measurement) has taken center stage as citizens expect more and better government for less. But governments themselves have demanded performance in order to operate in the complex, interdependent, global and technologically-based environment facing all organizations in the 21st Century. Productivity and efficiency concerns are at the heart of the performance orientation of government but so too are accountability and ethics. The application of benchmarking to ethics programs administered by federal, state and local ethics co...
Benefit corporations at a crossroads: As lawyers weigh in, companies weigh their options

Abstract Should your company become a benefit corporation? In a comprehensive set of law review opinions, this installation of Business Law & Ethics Corner uncovers several fundamental issues to consider. First, the main premise for the benefit corporation—the legal preeminence of the shareholder primacy norm—may be unfounded. Second, benefit corporations may increase director liability and company costs. Third, contrary to the stated goal of such laws, benefit corporations do not empower stakeholders, and therefore are not substantially different from traditional corporations. Many legal analysts argue that, paradoxically, benefit corporations actually inhibit corporate social responsibility efforts by perpetuating the myth that business corporations do not have the flexibility to pursue social missions, and by claiming to, but failing to, empower stakeholders. They argue that the benefit corporation form is likely to increase corporate greenwashing, and that it enhances public cynicism about all corporations by creating competing sets of ‘beneficial’ and ‘other’ corporations. In the face of widespread acclaim for the benefit corporation, both corporate directors and researchers should take these significant concerns into account.
Method of surface topography retrieval by direct solution of sparse weighted seminormal equations

A new method is presented to estimate the topography of a rough surface. A formulation is provided in which immediate measurements and a priori observations of surface elevation, slope and curvature, are considered simultaneously as a linear algebraic system of finite difference equations. Least squares solutions are computed directly by sparse orthogonal-triangular (QR) factorization of the weighted seminormal equations, an approach made practical for large systems with powerful computational hardware and algorithms that have become available recently. Retrievals are demonstrated from synthetic slope data and from measurements of slope on a rough water surface. The method provides a general approach to retrieving topography from measurements of elevation, slope and curvature.
Carbon nanotubes size classification, characterization and nasal airway deposition

Workers and researchers in the carbon nanotubes (CNT)-related industries and laboratories might be exposed to CNT aerosols while generating and handling CNT materials. From the viewpoint of occupational health, it is essential to study the deposition of CNT aerosol in the human respiratory tract to investigate the potential adverse health effects. In this study, a human nasal airway replica and two types of CNT materials were employed to conduct CNT nasal airway deposition studies. The two CNT materials were aerosolized by a nebulizer-based wet generation method, with size classified by three designated classification diameters (51, 101 and 215 nm), and then characterized individually in terms of their morphology and aerodynamic diameter. The nasal deposition experiments were carried out by delivering the size classified CNTs into the nasal airway replica in three different inspiratory flow rates. From the characterization study, it showed that the morphology of the size classified CNTs could be in a variety of complex shapes with their physical dimension much larger than their classification diameter. In addition, it was found that the aerodynamic diameters of the classified CNTs were slightly smaller than their classification diameter. The nasal deposition data acquired in this study showed that the deposition efficiency of CNTs in the nasal airway were generally less than 0.1, which implies that the majority of the CNTs inhaled into the nose could easily penetrate through the entire nasal airway and transit further down to the lower airways, possibly causing adverse health effects.
The possible cause and effect graphs (PCEG) model for fault diagnosis-II. Applications

Abstract Probable cause and effect graphs (PCEG) have been proposed by Wilcox and Himmelblau ( Computers chem. Engng 18 , 103–116, 1993) as an extension of and improvement over the use of signed digraphs for fault diagnosis. Here we provide two detailed examples of the application of PCEG to processes of interest to chemical engineers, a heat exchanger and a chemical plant. The examples indicate that the PCEG size, and hence the computational effort, depends primarily on the degree of detail sought (and available) for the fault model of the process. Increased resolution of diagnosis via additional sensor measurements is feasible, but relating explanations to small sets of measurements would be preferred for efficiency in diagnosis.
Underreporting of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging procedures in inpatient claims data.

Background: ICD-9-CM procedure codes in inpatient claims data are used for a wide range of purposes, such as monitoring utilization, costs, and quality, and adjusting for patient risk. However, many procedures may be underreported because they are not required for reimbursement via Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) assignment (non-DRG procedures). Objectives: This study examined the extent and variability of ICD-9-CM procedure code reporting for 2 commonly employed non-DRG imaging procedures, computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Research Design: Using nonfederal hospital inpatient claims (n = 56,091) from Washington State Inpatient Data for 1997, ICD-9-CM procedure and Universal Billing revenue codes for CT and MRI were compared by payer and hospital characteristics. Results: When compared with revenue codes, ICD-9-CM procedure coding was found to be considerably underreported and variable, with only 33% of CT and 43% of MRI procedures being recorded. Moreover, the frequency of underreporting of both procedures did not appear to be random, with 31 of 72 hospitals that reported revenue codes for the CT not recording any ICD-9-CM codes for the procedure. Of the 48 hospitals that reported revenue codes for the MRI, 15 failed to record any ICD-9-CM codes that indicated its use. Statistically significant differences in median coding frequencies by teaching and rural status were found for both procedures, while ownership was an important factor in CT reporting variability. Conclusions: This nonrandom variability in reporting can potentially bias utilization studies as well as risk-adjustment outcome estimates of techniques that rely on reporting of these procedures (eg, APR-DRG and AHRQ CCS). An effort to define a universally agreed upon list of non-DRG procedures to be coded in all US hospitals would greatly improve the capacity of health services researchers to conduct important utilization, outcome and policy studies.
The critical temperatures of multicomponent hydrocarbon systems

The critical temperature of any multicomponent hydrocarbon system may be established solely from the normal boiling points of the pure constituents. Such mixtures may include normal paraffins, isoparaffins, olefins, acetylenes, naphthenes, and aromatics and may contain an unlimited number of components. An expression has been developed for the prediction of the critical temperatures of mixtures and has been tested on fifty-five hydrocarbon systems containing from two to five components. For 208 binary mixtures the deviations from reported values were calculated, and the maximum deviations resulting from each system were averaged for the forty-one binary systems to produce an average maximum deviation of 0.91% based on degrees absolute. For twenty-eight multicomponent mixtures reported for nine ternary, two quaternary, and three quinary systems the average deviation was 1.03%. This method presents a simple and accurate means of establishing the critical temperature of any multicomponent hydrocarbon mixture as long as the ratio of the normal boiling points of the heaviest and lightest components present in the mixture does not exceed the prescribed limits.
PCLS IIR digital filters with simultaneous frequency response magnitude and group delay specifications

This paper presents the peak-constrained least-squares (PCLS) approach to designing IIR digital filters. PCLS IIR digital filters that meet simultaneous specifications on the frequency response magnitude and the group delay are introduced. As a point of reference, we consider the IIR digital filter design problem that appears in Deczky's (1972) classic paper and in the popular textbook by Oppenheim and Schafer (1989). In addition, the same design problem appears in the IIR filter design chapter by Higgins and Munson (1993) in the Handbook for Digital Signal Processing. By using our new algorithm with simultaneous optimization of the frequency response magnitude and the group delay, we obtain a dramatic improvement in the solution of this classic IIR digital filter design problem. Starting from the same filter structure and the same specifications for the frequency response magnitude as in the works of Deczky, Oppenheim and Schafer, and Higgins and Munson, we are able to reduce the group delay ripple by a factor of 35. In another design problem that originated in Deczky's work, we use PCLS optimization to reduce the group delay ripple by a factor of 40 at the same time we reduce the stopband energy by 6 dB, without sacrificing any other performance measure. The group delay ripple in this IIR digital filter example is reduced to only /spl plusmn/0.002 samples.
Simultaneous Saccharification and Co-Fermentation of Crystalline Cellulose and Sugar Cane Bagasse Hemicellulose Hydrolysate to Lactate by a Thermotolerant Acidophilic Bacillus sp.

Polylactides produced from renewable feedstocks, such as corn starch, are being developed as alternatives to plastics derived from petroleum. In addition to corn, other less expensive biomass resources can be readily converted to component sugars (glucose, xylose, etc.) by enzyme and/or chemical treatment for fermentation to optically pure lactic acid to reduce the cost of lactic acid. Lactic acid bacteria used by the industry lack the ability to ferment pentoses (hemicellulose-derived xylose and arabinose), and their growth and fermentation optima also differ from the optimal conditions for the activity of fungal cellulases required for depolymerization of cellulose. To reduce the overall cost of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of cellulose, we have isolated bacterial biocatalysts that can grow and ferment all sugars in the biomass at conditions that are also optimal for fungal cellulases. SSF of Solka Floc cellulose by one such isolate, Bacillus sp. strain 36D1, yielded l(+)-lactic acid at an optical purity higher than 95% with cellulase (Spezyme CE; Genencor International) added at about 10 FPU/g cellulose, with a product yield of about 90% of the expected maximum. Volumetric productivity of SSF to lactic acid was optimal between culture pH values of 4.5 and 5.5 at 50 degrees C. At a constant pH of 5.0, volumetric productivity of lactic acid was maximal at 55 degrees C. Strain 36D1 also co-fermented cellulose-derived glucose and sugar cane bagasse hemicellulose-derived xylose simultaneously (SSCF). In a batch SSCF of 40% acid-treated hemicellulose hydrolysate (over-limed) and 20 g/L Solka Floc cellulose, strain 36D1 produced about 35 g/L lactic acid in about 144 h with 15 FPU of Spezyme CE/g cellulose. The maximum volumetric productivity of lactic acid in this SSCF was 6.7 mmol/L (h). Cellulose-derived lactic acid contributed to about 30% of this total lactic acid. These results show that Bacillus sp. strain 36D1 is well-suited for simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation of all of the biomass-derived sugars to lactic acid.
Vesicle-associated brain myosin-V can be activated to catalyze actin-based transport.

Myosin-V has been linked to actin-based organelle transport by a variety of genetic, biochemical and localization studies. However, it has yet to be determined whether myosin-V functions as an organelle motor. To further investigate this possibility, we conducted a biochemical and functional analysis of organelle-associated brain myosin-V. Using the initial fractionation steps of an established protocol for the purification of brain myosin-V, we isolated a population of brain microsomes that is approx. fivefold enriched for myosin-V, and is similarly enriched for synaptic vesicle proteins. As demonstrated by immunoelectron microscopy, myosin-V associates with 30–40% of the vesicles in this population. Although a majority of myosin-V-associated vesicles also label with the synaptic vesicle marker protein, SV2, less than half of the total SV2-positive vesicles label with myosin-V. The average size of myosin-V/SV2 double-labeled vesicles (90+/−45 nm) is larger than vesicles that label only with SV2 antibodies (60+/−30 nm). To determine if these vesicles are capable of actin-based transport, we used an in vitro actin filament motility assay in which vesicles were adsorbed to motility assay substrates. As isolated, the myosin-V-associated vesicle fraction was nonmotile. However, vesicles pre-treated with ice-cold 0.1% Triton X-100 supported actin filament motility at rates comparable to those on purified myosin-V. This dilute detergent treatment did not disrupt vesicle integrity. Furthermore, while this treatment removed over 80% of the total vesicle proteins, myosin-V remained tightly vesicle-associated. Finally, function-blocking antibodies against the myosin-V motor domain completely inhibited motility on these substrates. These studies provide direct evidence that vesicle-associated myosin-V is capable of actin transport, and suggest that the activity of myosin-V may be regulated by proteins or lipids on the vesicle surface.
THE EVEREST II REALISM CONTINUED ACCESS STUDY: EFFECTIVENESS OF TRANSCATHETER REDUCTION OF SIGNIFICANT MITRAL REGURGITATION IN SURGICAL CANDIDATES

The EVEREST II REALISM Continued Access study (REALISM) is a prospective, multi–center, continued access study to collect data on the “real world” use of the MitraClip device in both high and non–high surgical risk patients. Enrollment in the non–high risk arm was initiated in January 2009
The Development and Consistency of Luther's Attitude to Religious Liberty

The development and consistency of Luther's attitude to religious liberty is still the occasion of much diversity of opinion. By some it is contended that he broke radically with an earlier liberalism. By none is a measure of change denied, but certain writers would minimize the change by insisting that Luther was essentially intolerant from the beginning, others by representing him as fundamentally tolerant to the end. Still others find him incurably inconsistent.
A conceptual design of a compact multi-channel real-time analog signal acquisition and processing system

This work presents a conceptual design of a compact, hardware reconfigurable and multi-channel real-time data acquisition system. The focus of this paper is on designing a fast synchronous interface module for the channel multiplexing circuit that is as close as possible to the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) settling time. This will maximize the total number of multiplexed channels in simultaneous acquisition. Thus, the samples can be correctly reconstructed. The significance of this design is in collecting and processing multi-channel multiplexed real-time data sources without the need of a personnel computer. The new proposed design is compact and achieves high multiplexing data acquisition accuracy as shown by synthesis results.
Point-set registration of tagged HE-3 images using a structurally-based Jensen-Shannon divergence measure within a deterministic annealing framework

Helium-3 tagged magnetic resonance imaging has demonstrated potential for calculating pulmonary deformation from medical imagery. Such measurements are useful for determining the biomechanical properties of the lung. Unfortunately, the relative facility of visually tracking deformation via the high contrast tag lines has not transferred readily to the algorithmic domain of automatically establishing tag-line correspondences. We proffer a solution to this dilemma by translating the problem into a unique point-set registration scenario. Not only does this permit capitalizing on certain spectral aspects of tagged MRI but registration can be performed within a deterministic annealing framework for decreased susceptibility to local minima.
The apparent selection on neutral marker loci in partially inbreeding populations

Deterministic computer calculations were used to investigate the effects on the fitnesses of genotypes at neutral loci that are caused by associations with several linked or unlinked selected loci, in partially self fertilizing populations. Both mutation to partially recessive alleles and heterozygote advantage at the selected loci were studied. In the heterozygote advantage models, either arbitrary linkage between all loci was modelled, with a single neutral locus, or many unlinked selected and neutral loci were modelled. Large apparent overdominance could be generated in all types of model studied. As has previously been suggested, these types of effect can explain the observed associations between fitness and heterozygosity in partially inbreeding populations. There were also apparent fitness differences between the genotypes at the neutral locus among the progeny produced by selfing, especially with linkage between the neutral and selected loci. There is thus no genotype-independent fitness value for these progeny. Marker based methods for estimating the relative fitness of selfed and outcrossed progeny assume equality of these fitnesses, and will therefore be inaccurate (with in most cases a bias towards overestimating the degree of inbreeding depression) when there is linkage between the neutral marker loci and loci determining fitness.
Release of a Neurosecretory Hormone as Peptide by Electrical Stimulation of Crab Pericardial Organs

1. Saline which had bathed an isolated crab pericardial organ was chromatographed on a column of Sephadex G-25. The fractions were divided and assayed for cardioexcitor activity and for ninhydrin colour following hydrolysis. 2. Fluid from pericardial organs which had been stimulated electrically to give a maximum propagated compound action potential showed both cardio-excitor activity and ninhydrin colour. These were always in the same fractions, which corresponded to the volume for elution of small peptides. Fluid from unstimulated preparations gave negative assays. 3. The cardio-excitor activity of fluid from stimulated pericardial organs and of distilled-water homogenates of pericardial organs behaved identically in Sephadex G-25 chromatography. 4. No evidence could be obtained of the cardio-excitor peptide binding to a protein. 5. This work provides evidence that neural stimulation of crab pericardial organs results in release to the bathing fluid of cardio-excitor hormone as free peptide.
Stability analysis of state-space realizations for two-dimensional filters with overflow nonlinearities

We utilize the second method of Lyapunov to establish sufficient conditions for the global asymptotic stability of the trivial solution of percent nonlinear, shift-invariant 2-D (two-dimensional) systems. We apply this result in the stability analysis of 2-D quarter plane state-space digital filters, which are endowed with a general class of overflow nonlinearities. Utilizing the l/sub /spl infin// vector norm and the p/sup th/ power of the l/sub p/ vector norm for 1/spl les/p >
Specialties Without Roots: The Utilization of New Services

One important difference between occupational specialties is their relation to their prospective clientele. In the distant past, the now established "old" professions grew up in a world of neighborhoods and villages in answer to specific demands made by a clientele. An example of this historical development is to be found in medical practice, whose roots in client demand are well documented. Over the centuries, medical practice extended its domain by coopting or wresting away such folk or quack practices1 as that of the bonesetter,2 the cataract gouger, and the clap doctor,3 practices firmly rooted in popular demand. Historically, there is little doubt of medicine's root in a lay clientele's desire for specific help for problems which were recognized by the clientele itself to be problems. Medical practice dealt with such problems more or less in the way that the clientele expected.
Weighted OFDM and MDFB for Embedded PLC over Time-Varying Block Transmission

Thanks to the existing infrastructure of power line cables, power line communication (PLC) is being considered an excellent candidate for indoor/outdoor applications. The power line channel is time-varying due to the appliances that are connected to outlets since appliances often exhibit input impedance that is a function of the instantaneous amplitude of the mains voltage which, in turn, causes a periodically time varying channel response. Hence, constructing a discrete time varying block channel model in the time domain that captures the cyclostationary nature of the channel response, we propose here the overall input output relationship for power line network simulator for multiple appliances cascaded. Thereafter, we apply two types of multirate filter bank precoder schemes, weighted orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and waveletbased maximally decimated filter bank (MDFB), to our test channel model for error probability performance, where the model naturally allows for more realistic evaluation of modulation and coding strategies, resilient to the peculiar type of distortion encountered in this harsh medium.
Dynamic Prefetching of Data Tiles for Interactive Visualization

In this paper, we present ForeCache, a general-purpose tool for exploratory browsing of large datasets. ForeCache utilizes a client-server architecture, where the user interacts with a lightweight client-side interface to browse datasets, and the data to be browsed is retrieved from a DBMS running on a back-end server. We assume a detail-on-demand browsing paradigm, and optimize the back-end support for this paradigm by inserting a separate middleware layer in front of the DBMS. To improve response times, the middleware layer fetches data ahead of the user as she explores a dataset. We consider two different mechanisms for prefetching: (a) learning what to fetch from the user's recent movements, and (b) using data characteristics (e.g., histograms) to find data similar to what the user has viewed in the past. We incorporate these mechanisms into a single prediction engine that adjusts its prediction strategies over time, based on changes in the user's behavior. We evaluated our prediction engine with a user study, and found that our dynamic prefetching strategy provides: (1) significant improvements in overall latency when compared with non-prefetching systems (430% improvement); and (2) substantial improvements in both prediction accuracy (25% improvement) and latency (88% improvement) relative to existing prefetching techniques.
Internationalizing 'Engaged' Learning: A Multi-Modal Approach Enhancing Travel Study in Cuba

This paper presents the results of a pilot project to enhance the international travel study program at the University of Nebraska Omaha through an innovative integration of service and experiential learning techniques in a course titled "Cuba at the Crossroads". This course is designed to enhance the student’s knowledge and understanding of what I term "global engaged learning" that specifically seeks to integrate civic participation and political learning in an international context. The service learning dimension of the project includes the development of a deep understanding of the political, economic and social context of the Cuban reality where the students work with a Cuban social service organization to promote well-being and sustainability in Cuban society through service learning projects. The students also engage in a dynamic set of encounters with the members of the social service organization, as well as economists, urban planners, artists, and journalists on the impact of political change in Cuba. The outcomes are measured through the completion of the projects, as well as, the dialogical journaling and reflection exercises drawn from the service learning literature and the integration of course materials - lectures, readings, discussions and site visits while in Cuba.
Cellular Traction Stresses in Disease Progression

Cells use contractile forces to both move and sense their environment. Here, we will discuss how changes in these forces can result in disease progression.
NATURAL RELEASE OF EPICHLOE TYPHINA ASCOSPORES AND ITS TEMPORAL RELATIONSHIP TO FLY PARASITISM

Epichloe typhina (Clavicipitaceae), a fungal endophyte of Elymus virginicus and other grasses, is parasitized by larvae ofthe fly Phorbia phrenione (Anthomyiidae). Ascospores released from E. typhina stromata on intact, uncut E. virginicus culms were collected and counted at two field sites in Missouri to determine when ascospores were naturally discharged from perithecia. Consumption of perithecia by larvae of P. phrenione was also monitored. The time period over which larvae consumed perithecia was compared with the timing of ascospore release in order to assess the impact of larvae on the numbers of ascospores discharged. Ascospores were liberated from stromata on uncut host plants as intact filaments and underwent iterative germination under nonstressful conditions. The number of ascospores collected was highly variable among days, stromata, and sites. Yet, ascospores were not liberated until at least 88% of total larval feeding had occurred. Larvae consumed at least some perithecia on 28% of stromata, removing an average of 22% of the surface area of each stroma. Because larvae consume perithecia before most ascospores are released, P. phrenione should substantially reduce ascospore release by the fungus.
Caring for colleagues, VIPs, friends, and family members

There may be no higher professional honor than being asked to care for a colleague, a “very important person” (VIP), a friend, or a family member. However, these requests can be problematic if they are not addressed properly. The following strategies can help physicians avoid pitfalls when faced with these situations, keeping in mind that all cases are different, and you must use your best judgment in choosing a course of action.
Transbronchial biopsy in patients with pulmonary eosinophilic granuloma: Comparison with findings on open lung biopsy

We evaluated the findings on transbronchial biopsy specimens in reference to open lung biopsy specimens from 12 patients with pulmonary eosinophilic granuloma. Features in transbronchial biopsy specimens were further contrasted to those of patients with interstitial fibrosis and nondiagnostic biopsy specimens for localized lesions. Transbronchial biopsy specimens were randomized and graded for histologic features and cellularity. Patients with eosinophilic granuloma had more macrophages (P < .05) but equivalent numbers of eosinophils, neutrophils, and Langerhans' cells compared with those of the other two groups. Only two endoscopic biopsy specimens were histologically diagnostic or highly consistent with eosinophilic granuloma. We conclude that the diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma is possible on transbronchial biopsy but requires a high index of suspicion. The demonstration of Langerhans' cells by immunohistochemical staining for S100 protein is a useful adjunct. The low diagnostic yield for eosinophilic granuloma on transbronchial biopsy results from inadequate sampling and from the nonspecific appearance of discrete lesions in small tissue samples.
A novel and simple approach to the good process performance of methane recovery from lignocellulosic biomass alone.

Background Solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) has been increasingly used for lignocellulosic biomass treatment. However, the separate reactor required for pretreatment prior digestion, poor treatment capacity, and process stability inhibit further development of the SS-AD. In this study, a novel method called SS-AD with simultaneous urea treatment and soil addition was proposed. The process performance of methane yield from rape straw was investigated by adopting the method.
Rapidly fatal advanced EGFR -mutated lung cancers and the need for rapid tumor genotyping in clinical practice

Abstract Use of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is associated with dramatic, durable, and tolerable responses and side effect profiles, respectively, when applied for palliation of advanced EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Expert guidelines recommend that EGFR mutation testing results should be available within 10 working days of receipt of tumor specimen by the testing laboratory; in circumstances where the tumor specimen needs to be sent to an external laboratory for testing, the sample should be sent within 3 working days of receiving the request for testing. We report here 2 cases, out of 109 EGFR-mutated (exon 19 deletion or L858R) NSCLCs seen at our institution, experiencing rapid clinical deterioration and death within the window of time prescribed by consensus testing guidelines. We hypothesize that a faster turn-around time may have changed the clinical outcome. Improving rapid turnaround times for tumor genotyping may afford more optimal palliation vis-a-vis early initiation of oral targeted therapy in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
Therapy response assessment and patient outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: FDG PET hopkins criteria versus residual neck node size and morphologic features

OBJECTIVE. This study investigates the prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT qualitative therapy assessment (Hopkins criteria) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) with residual neck nodes after definitive chemoradiation therapy and compares the Hopkins criteria with anatomic nodal size and morphologic features for prediction of survival outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 72 patients with HNSCC, with negative primary tumor and positive residual neck nodes (CT criteria > 1 cm short-axis diameter) after the completion of definitive chemoradiation therapy, were included. PET/CT was performed 6–24 weeks after completion of treatment. FDG uptake in residual nodes on PET/CT was interpreted using a structured qualitative 5-point scale (Hopkins criteria). The 5-point scale was dichotomized to negative (scores 1, 2, and 3) or positive (scores 4 and 5) results. Cystic or necrotic nodes were defined as those with central low attenuation with a relatively hyperdense capsule. Kaplan-M...
Atlas: on the expression of spatial-keyword group queries using extended relational constructs

The popularity of GPS-enabled cellular devices introduced numerous applications, e.g., social networks, micro-blogs, and crowd-powered reviews. These applications produce large amounts of geo-tagged textual data that need to be processed and queried. Nowadays, many complex spatio-textual operators and their matching complex indexing structures are being proposed in the literature to process this spatio-textual data. For example, there exist several complex variations of the spatio-textual group queries that retrieve groups of objects that collectively satisfy certain spatial and textual criteria. However, having complex operators is against the spirit of SQL and relational algebra. In contrast to these complex spatio-textual operators, in relational algebra, simple relational operators are offered, e.g., relational selects, projects, order by, and group by, that are composable to form more complex queries. In this paper, we introduce Atlas, an SQL extension to express complex spatial-keyword group queries. Atlas follows the philosophy of SQL and relational algebra in that it uses simple declarative spatial and textual building-block operators and predicates to extend SQL. Not only that Atlas can represent spatio-textual group queries from the literature, but also it can compose other important queries, e.g., retrieve spatio-textual groups from subsets of object datasets where the selected subset satisfies user-defined relational predicates and the groups of close-by objects contain miss-spelled keywords. We demonstrate that Atlas is able to represent a wide range of spatial-keyword queries that existing indexes and algorithms would not be able to address. The building- block paradigm adopted by Atlas creates room for query optimization, where multiple query execution plans can be formed.
Reflectance-mode interferometric near-infrared spectroscopy quantifies brain absorption, scattering, and blood flow index in vivo

Interferometric near-infrared spectroscopy (iNIRS) is a new technique that measures time-of-flight- (TOF-) resolved autocorrelations in turbid media, enabling simultaneous estimation of optical and dynamical properties. Here, we demonstrate reflectance-mode iNIRS for noninvasive monitoring of a mouse brain in vivo. A method for more precise quantification with less static interference from superficial layers, based on separating static and dynamic components of the optical field autocorrelation, is presented. Absolute values of absorption, reduced scattering, and blood flow index (BFI) are measured, and changes in BFI and absorption are monitored during a hypercapnic challenge. Absorption changes from TOF-resolved iNIRS agree with absorption changes from continuous wave NIRS analysis, based on TOF-integrated light intensity changes, an effective path length, and the modified Beer-Lambert Law. Thus, iNIRS is a promising approach for quantitative and noninvasive monitoring of perfusion and optical properties in vivo.
A Neuromorph's Prospectus

As transistors shrink to nanoscale dimensions, trapped electrons--blocking "lanes" of electron traffic--are making it difficult for digital computers to work. In stark contrast, the brain works fine with single-lane nanoscale devices that are intermittently blocked (ion channels). Conjecturing that it achieves error-tolerance by combining analog dendritic computation with digital axonal communication, neuromorphic engineers (neuromorphs) began emulating dendrites with subthreshold analog circuits and axons with asynchronous digital circuits in the mid-1980s. Three decades in, researchers achieved a consequential scale with Neurogrid--the first neuromorphic system that has billions of synaptic connections. Researchers then tackled the challenge of mapping arbitrary computations onto neuromorphic chips in a manner robust to lanes intermittently--or even permanently--blocked by trapped electrons. Having demonstrated scalability and programmability, they now seek to encode continuous signals with spike trains in a manner that promises greater energy efficiency than all-analog or all-digital computing across a five-decade precision range.