cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Averaging methods in predator-prey systems and related biological models.

We use the averaging techniques of Krylov-Bogoliubov-Mitropolsky (K-B-M) to solve several nonlinear models with oscillatory behavior. Specifically, we study in detail a class of one predator-one prey systems which incorporate a functional response of the predator. The K-B-M method allows us to calculate, under certain conditions, the radius of the limit cycle, and the renormalized frequency of the system's response. The limitations of weak nonlinearity are not crucial to our qualitative results, although care must be taken to check the strength of the nonlinearity whenever quantitative results are obtained. Finally, we show how to find, near equilibrium points, an “equivalent linear” model, by renormalizing our coefficients of interaction. The method, widely used in control theory, gives indications of being useful for the study of many species models.
Cooperation and Competition in the Global Economy: Issues and Strategies

The article presents a review of the book “Cooperation and Competition in the Global Economy: Issues and Strategies,” edited by Antonio Furino.
Incremental Models of Policy Formulation and Non‐incremental Changes: Critical Review and Synthesis1

SUMMARY This paper critically reviews two major models of incrementalism and four explanations for non-incremental policy making. Key differences between these models are identified and a model of policy formulation which integrates incremental and non-incremental models is developed. Theoretical and methodological implications of this model are identified and research propositions are developed.
Polygonal chain approximation: a query based approach

In this paper we present a new, query based approach for approximating polygonal chains in the plane. We give a few results based on this approach, some of more general interest, and propose a greedy heuristic to speed up the computation. Our algorithms are simple, based on standard geometric operations, and thus suitable for efficient implementation. We also show that the query based approach can be used to obtain a subquadratic time exact algorithm with infinite beam criterion and Euclidean distance metric if some condition on the input path holds. Although in a special case, this is the first subquadratic result for path approximation with Euclidean distance metric.
Numerical Computations of Elastic Wave Equations

An improved numerical scheme is introduced for solving a set of three-dimensional parabolic elastic wave equations. The new scheme is based on the combination of an ordinary differential equation method and a finite difference scheme. A stability analysis of the numerical method is presented along with a numerical example in which computational accuracy is verified by comparison with an exact three-dimensional analytic solution.
Effective intracortical microstimulation parameters applied to primary motor cortex for evoking forelimb movements to stable spatial end points

High-frequency, long-duration intracortical microstimulation (HFLD-ICMS) applied to motor cortex is recognized as a useful and informative method for corticomotor mapping by evoking natural-appearing movements of the limb to consistent stable end-point positions. An important feature of these movements is that stimulation of a specific site in motor cortex evokes movement to the same spatial end point regardless of the starting position of the limb. The goal of this study was to delineate effective stimulus parameters for evoking forelimb movements to stable spatial end points from HFLD-ICMS applied to primary motor cortex (M1) in awake monkeys. We investigated stimulation of M1 as combinations of frequency (30–400 Hz), amplitude (30–200 μA), and duration (0.5–2 s) while concurrently recording electromyographic (EMG) activity from 24 forelimb muscles and movement kinematics with a motion capture system. Our results suggest a range of parameters (80–140 Hz, 80–140 μA, and 1,000-ms train duration) that are effective and safe for evoking forelimb translocation with subsequent stabilization at a spatial end point. The mean time for stimulation to elicit successful movement of the forelimb to a stable spatial end point was 475.8 ± 170.9 ms. Median successful frequency and amplitude were 110 Hz and 110 μA, respectively. Attenuated parameters resulted in inconsistent, truncated, or undetectable movements, while intensified parameters yielded no change to movement end points and increased potential for large-scale physiological spread and adverse focal motor effects. Establishing cortical stimulation parameters yielding consistent forelimb movements to stable spatial end points forms the basis for a systematic and comprehensive mapping of M1 in terms of evoked movements and associated muscle synergies. Additionally, the results increase our understanding of how the central nervous system may encode movement.
Remote sensing of patterns of cardiac activity on an ambulatory subject using millimeter-wave interferometry and statistical methods

Using a 94-GHz millimeter-wave interferometer, we are able to calculate the relative displacement of an object. When aimed at the chest of a human subject, we measure the minute motions of the chest due to cardiac activity. After processing the data using a wavelet multiresolution decomposition, we are able to obtain a signal with peaks at heartbeat temporal locations. In order for these heartbeat temporal locations to be accurate, the reflected signal must not be very noisy. Since there is noise in all but the most ideal conditions, we created a statistical algorithm in order to compensate for unconfident temporal locations as computed by the wavelet transform. By analyzing the statistics of the peak locations, we fill in missing heartbeat temporal locations and eliminate superfluous ones. Along with this, we adapt the processing procedure to the current signal, as opposed to using the same method for all signals. With this method, we are able to find the heart rate of ambulatory subjects without any physical contact.
The effects of exposure to water‐soluble fractions of crude oil on selected histochemical parameters of the liver of Atlantic croaker, Micropogon undulatus L.

. Micropogon undulatus L. were sampled from Galveston Bay, Texas, and transported to the research laboratory. Groups of five fish were exposed to 5 and 10% dilutions of the water soluble fraction (WSF) of southern Louisiana crude oil for 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days. Selected histochemical parameters of liver sections from control and WSF-exposed fish were evaluated. Glycogen was reduced in amount while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lipid and cholesterol were increased in liver sections of WSF-exposed fish. These observations support a hypothesis that exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons increases mixed-function oxidase activity. The alterations were more obvious in sections from fish exposed to the higher level of the WSF. The histochemical parameters appeared most altered in hepatocytes near afferent hepatic blood vessels. These hepatocytes were the first cells of the liver to contact the pollutants.
Investigation of the influence of wind action upon the currents and propagation of impurities in the azov sea

The surge phenomena and currents in the Azov Sea caused by variable winds in the presence of stationary currents are studied by using a three-dimensional nonlinear mathematical model. The specific features of the transformations of impurities in the water area of the Azov Sea under the joint action of stationary and nonstationary winds are investigated. On the basis of the results of numerical calculations, we make conclusions concerning the dependence of the period of dissipation of impurities on the wind velocity and the location of the regions with impurities. It is shown that the variable wind significantly increases the deviations of the sea level and the area of distribution of the impurity as compared with the action solely of the stationary currents.
BROADBAND ATTENUATION MEASUREMENTS OF PHOSPHOLIPID-SHELLED ULTRASOUND CONTRAST AGENTS

Abstract The aim of this study was to characterize the frequency-dependent acoustic attenuation of three phospholipid-shelled ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs): Definity, MicroMarker and echogenic liposomes. A broadband through-transmission technique allowed for measurement over 2 to 25 MHz with a single pair of transducers. Viscoelastic shell parameters of the UCAs were estimated using a linearized model developed by N. de Jong, L. Hoff, T. Skotland and N. Bom (Ultrasonics 1992; 30:95–103). The effect of diluent on the attenuation of these UCA suspensions was evaluated by performing attenuation measurements in 0.5% (w/v) bovine serum albumin and whole blood. Changes in attenuation and shell parameters of the UCAs were investigated at room temperature (25°C) and physiologic temperature (37°C). The attenuation of the UCAs diluted in 0.5% (w/v) bovine serum albumin was found to be identical to the attenuation of UCAs in whole blood. For each UCA, attenuation was higher at 37°C than at 25°C, underscoring the importance of conducting characterization studies at physiologic temperature. Echogenic liposomes exhibited a larger increase in attenuation at 37°C versus 25°C than either Definity or MicroMarker.
Inappropriate use of stress ulcer prophylaxis: a community teaching hospital’s experience

Purpose: Gastrointestinal bleeding is an important complication of hospitalization with a significant morbidity and mortality. Stress ulcer prophylaxis has been used for this reason. Coagulopathy and mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours have been identified as risk factors for clinically significant bleeding from stress ulcers. Significant bleeding in the absence of these risk factors is rare. Stress ulcer prophylaxis tends to be overused, particularly in low risk patients who may not benefit from prophylaxis. We conducted a retrospective study to assess whether stress ulcer prophylaxis is appropriately initiated in a community teaching hospital setting.
Does the speciation clock tick more slowly in the absence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes

Squamates may be an attractive group in which to study the influence of sex chromosomes on speciation rates because of the repeated evolution of heterogamety (both XY and ZW), as well as an apparently large number of taxa with environmental sex-determination.
The preparation of 18O, 15N, and 14C enriched N‐methyl‐2‐(4‐nitrophenoxy)‐ethanamine hydrochlorides and N‐methyl‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐4‐nitroanilines

Preparations are described of the hydrochloride of partially enriched N-methyl-2-(4-nitrophen[18O]oxy)ethanamine, N-methyl-2-(4-nitrophenoxy)-ethan[15N]amine, and N-methyl-2-(4-nitro[1-14C]phenoxy)ethanamine, designated herein as [18O]-2, [15N]-2, and [14C]-2, respectively. By base-catalyzed rearrangement these enriched ethanamine derivatives were converted, respectively, into N-methyl-N-(2-[18O]hydroxyethyl)-4-nitroaniline, N-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-nitro[15N]aniline, and N-methyl-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-nitro[1-14C]aniline, designated as [18O]-3, [15N]-3, and [14C]-3.
MORAL DEVELOPMENT LEVEL AND RELIGIOUS BEHAVIOR

A basic assumption of Kohlberg's (4) cognitive-developmental approach to moral development is that formal learning has little impact on personal morality. Rest1 reported that moral development level is unrelated to either frequency of church attendance or religious denomination, and earlier findings (2) that behaviorally measured honesty is unrelated to Sunday School attendance. Thus, ethics training through institutionalized religion may not generalize to the greater sociery. Religion is now widely accepted as multidimensional, but comparisons of moral development level with indices of religion other than frequency of church attendance nr denomination do not appear in the literature. The current study aimed to extend the measures of religion into other areas of behavior and into belief. Rest's1 adaptation of the Kohlberg moral dilemma questionnaire was administered to 80 psychology undergraduates who volunteered for extra academic credit. Ten males and ten females, mean ages 20.1 and 20.3 yr., respectively, were enrolled in each undergraduate academic year. At the same time, the subjects also received a questionnaire of personal religious behavior, the scale of intrinsic-extrinsic religious orientation ( 1 ) , and a measure of belief in the Bible as the literal word of God (3). The Hogge and Friedman scale has a reported split-half reliability of .92 and discriminates well among members of distinctive religions like Unitarians and Southern Baptists. Mean scores were 105.8 for moral development (SD = 20.8), 45.7 for scriptural literalism (SD = 12.0). and 54.0 for intrinsic-extrinsic religious orientation (SD = 3.2). Pearson r between subject's level of moral development and intrinsic-extrinsic religious orientation (r = -.01, df = 79) was nonsignificant. The correlation between subject's morality and literal scriptural belief (r = .44, df = 79, p < .01) was significant and accounted for 19% of the total variance. Also significant was the cotrelation between scriptural literalism and religious orientation (r = .64, df = 79, p < .01). These results support the half-century old Hartshorne and May (2) findings and suggest that studies relating moral development to religious belief may need to assess some aspects of religion other than frequencies of church attendance and prayer.
Ouabain binding to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase effects of nucleotide analogues and ethacrynic acid

Abstract To determine the mechanism of Na+, M2+ and ATP stimulated [3H]ouabain binding to ( Na + + K + )- ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) the effects on this reaction of ethacrynic acid and analogues of ATP were investigated. β,7-Methylene-ATP inhibited [3H]ouabain binding to this enzyme under all conditions tested. This inhibition was synergistic with that of Na+, and Na+ acted to increase the apparent affinity of the enzyme for β,γ-methylene-ATP. β,γ-Methylene ADP also inhibited [+H]ouabain binding to this enzyme. Similarly, the overall effect of β,γ-imido-ATP on [3H]ouabain binding to guinea pig kidney ( Na − − K + )- ATPase was inhibitory. Ethacrynic acid prolonged transient pulses of [3H]ouabain binding supported by ATP or ADP. Ethacynic acid produced this effect by stabilizing the form of the enzyme which interacted with ouabain rather than by affecting the rates at which ouabain was bound to or dissociated from the enzyme. The data suggest that nucleotides with a stable terminal phosphate bond cannot support [3H]ouabain binding. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that Na+-stimulated phosphorylation of the (Na+ + K + )- ATPase is a primary event in the Na+-stimulated binding of [3H]-ouabain to this enzyme.
Efeito da orientação para o mercado sobre a lucratividade da empresa

Marketing academicians and practitioners have been observing for more than three decades that business performance is affected by market orientation, yet to date there has been no valid measure of a market orientation and hence no systematic analysis of its effect on a business's performance. The authors report the development of a valid measure of market orientation and analyze its effect on a business's profitability. Using a sample of 140 business units consisting of commodity products businesses and noncommodity businesses, they find a substantial positive effect of a market orientation on the profitability of both types of businesses.
Demonstration of super self-imaging in indefinite anisotropic metamaterial

The Talbot effect (or the self-imaging effect) can be observed for a periodic object with a pitch larger than the diffraction limit of an imaging system, where the paraxial approximation is applied. In this paper, we show that the super Talbot effect can be achieved in an indefinite metamaterial even when the period is much smaller than the diffraction limit in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional numerical simulations, where the paraxial approximation is not applied. This is attributed to the evanescent waves, which carry the information about subwavelength features of the object, can be converted into propagating waves and then conveyed to far field by the metamaterial, where the permittivity in the propagation direction is negative while the transverse ones are positive. The indefinite metamaterial can be approximated by a system of thin, alternating multilayer metal and insulator (MMI) stack. As long as the loss of the metamaterial is small enough, deep subwavelength image size can be obtained in the super Talbot effect.
Nonlinear Optics in Metamaterials

Nonlinear optical effects in metamaterials of fishnet and Cheveron structures have been studied. Through plasmon resonances, enhanced ultrafast modulation, harmonic generation, and optical mixing have been observed.
Heart Rate Variability and Spontaneous Baroreflex Sequences: Implications for Autonomic Monitoring During Hemorrhage

Abstract : Background: Noninvasive procedures for predicting progression to hemodynamic instability during induced central hypovolemia in humans were evaluated. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to track changes in autonomic function induced by a model of hemorrhage, and (2) to determine whether measures of autonomic function are reliable without strict control of breathing. Methods: Electrocardiogram, respiratory frequency, and arterial pressure during progressive lower body negative pressure were recorded for 10 subjects, and for a separate sample of 20 subjects during 5-minute periods of spontaneous breathing or controlled-frequency breathing at 15 breaths per minute. Heart rate variability was calculated in both time and frequency domains. Up and down baroreflex sequences were calculated with linear regression analysis between sequential changes in systolic pressures and accompanying parallel changes in R-R intervals. Results: Heart rate variability (r2 = 0.92) and up (r2 = 0.90) and down (r2 = 0.96) sequences changed in direct inverse relation to decreased central volume as produced by progressive increases in lower body negative pressure, whereas mean arterial pressures remained constant (r2 = 0.26). Neither heart rate variability nor up and down baroreflex sequences were affected by the mode of breathing. Conclusions: Analysis of heart rate variability and baroreflex sequences in hemorrhaging patients may provide advance recognition of those at risk for progression to shock. In conjunction with more traditional modes of assessing volume status, tracking early changes in autonomic function may improve resuscitation efforts for the hemodynamic compromised patient.
Monovalent K, Cs, Tl, and Ag Nitrosodicyanomethanides: Completely Different 3D Networks with Useful Properties of Luminescent Materials and Nonelectric Sensors for Gases†

Four K, Cs, Ag(I), and Tl(I) compounds with a nitrosodicyanomethanide ONC(CN)(2)(-) anion have been obtained and characterized using IR spectroscopy; UV-visible spectroscopy; room temperature, solid-state photoluminescence; and solutions electrical conductivity measurements. Cesium and thallium(I) complexes were obtained for the first time, and crystal structures were determined for Cs{ONC(CN)(2)}, Ag{ONC(CN)(2)}, and Tl{ONC(CN)(2)}. These structures indicate the formation of completely different 3D polymeric networks in which the anion acts as a bridging ligand of different capacity. The cyanoxime ligand in all complexes studied is in the nitroso form and adopts a planar configuration. The structure of the cesium salt is ionic. The structure of Ag{ONC(CN)(2)} represents a 3D coordination polymer where the anion acts as a tetradentate ligand with all four bonds between Ag(I) and donor atoms (three N and one O) significantly shorter than the sum of the ionic radii for these elements. The silver(I) atom in this compound has a distorted tetrahedral surrounding. Additionally, Ag{ONC(CN)(2)} is remarkably UV- and visible-light-insensitive. However, after exposure of the solid complex to gases such as H(2), CO, NO, C(2)H(2), and C(2)H(4), the surface of the compound becomes visible-light-sensitive and changes color with significant darkening, which indicates reduction of the metal. This is reflected in a dramatic decrease of intensity of the photoluminescence of Ag[ONC(CN)(2)] in the presence of these gases, which might be utilized for nonelectric sensor applications. The Tl[ONC(CN)(2)] complex represents a transitional species between ionic (Cs) and covalent (Ag) compounds. The thallium(I) center has four shorter bonds than the sum of the ionic radii bonds (three with N and one with O atoms) and three longer electrostatic (ionic) contacts with the anion. The 6s(2) lone pair is stereoactive, and the coordination polyhedron is best described as a distorted square pyramid. Room temperature diffusion reflectance spectra of solid K{ONC(CN)(2)}, Ag{ONC(CN)(2)}, and Tl{ONC(CN)(2)} demonstrated a bathochromic shift of the band's lambda(max) depending on the atomic number of the metal center, indicating a significant role of metal centers in electronic transitions in these compounds. This phenomenon was observed for the first time. The latter complex at 293 K exhibited structured metal-based red photoluminescence in the range of 690-800 nm that depends on the excitation wavelengths.
Grain boundaries in extended-chain polymers: Theory and experiment

Abstract A general geometrical classification scheme for grain boundaries in extended-chain polymers is presented. The analysis is an extension of a scheme originally presented by Bevis to describe deformation twins in polymers. Bevis recognized the importance of the orientation of the covalently bonded chain backbone within the crystallite, and referred to boundaries as ‘chain invariant’ or ‘chain rotation’ depending on whether chains in adjacent domains were parallel or not. We consider an important additional parameter: the orientation of the grain boundary plane. We classify those grain boundaries which are parallel to the two chain directions as ‘lateral’, and those which are not ‘axial’. These two parameters lead directly to four types of grain boundaries which are, in order of increasing energy: lateral chain invariant, lateral chain rotation, axial chain invariant, and axial chain rotation. Experimental evidence for these different types of boundaries are presented from High Resolution Electron Mi...
A framework for extending the synergy between MAC layer and query optimization in sensor networks

Queries in sensor networks are expected to produce results in a timely manner and for long periods, as needed. This implies that sensor queries need to be optimized with respect to both response time and energy consumption. With these requirements in mind, we develop novel cross-layer optimization techniques that utilize information about how the medium access control (MAC) layer operates while processing queries in large scale sensor network environments. The central framework of our approach is a Data Transmission Algebra that uniformly captures the structure of data transmissions along with their constraints and requirements. Our framework enables both qualitative analysis and quantitative cost-based optimization of sensor queries. We illustrate the effectiveness of our framework by developing a collision-aware scheduler and evaluating it experimentally.
Charge Disproportionation and Voltage‐Induced Metal–Insulator Transitions Evidenced in β‐PbxV2O5 Nanowires

The roster of materials exhibiting metal–insulator transitions with sharply discontinuous switching of electrical conductivity close to room temperature remains rather sparse, despite the fundamental interest in the electronic instabilities manifested in such materials and the plethora of potential technological applications ranging from frequency-agile metamaterials to electrochromic coatings and Mott fi eld-effect transistors. Here, unprecedented, pronounced metal-insulator transitions induced by application of a voltage are demonstrated for nanowires of a vanadium oxide bronze with intercalated divalent cations, β -Pb x V 2 O 5 ( x ≈ 0.33). The induction of the phase transition through application of an electric fi eld at room temperature makes this system particularly attractive and viable for technological applications. A mechanistic basis for the phase transition is proposed based on charge disproportionation evidenced at room temperature in near-edge X-ray absorption fi ne structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy measurements, ab initio density functional theory calculations of the band structure, and electrical transport data, suggesting that transformation to the metallic state is induced by melting of specifi c charge localization and ordering motifs extant in these materials.
Influences on Child Eating and Weight Development from a Behavioral Genetics Perspective

Childhood obesity is a strong risk factor for associated comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and orthopedic abnormalities in youth and its increasing incidents thus represents a major public health concern. The following review provides evidence for a familial association between parental and child weight status, eating behaviors, and food preferences. It further draws the link between environmental influences, such as parent feeding practices, and the development of child eating behaviors and thereby elucidates how genetic and nongenetic influences can contribute to the familial transmission of obesity. We use eating in the absence of hunger, an eating trait which refers to children's susceptibility to eating in response to the presence of palatable foods in the absence of hunger, as an example to illustrate these associations. The review concludes with an outlook on possibilities for future research efforts in the field.
Wavelet denoising during optical coherence tomography of the prostate nerves using the complex wavelet transform

Preservation of the cavernous nerves during prostate cancer surgery is critical in preserving sexual function after surgery. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the prostate nerves has recently been studied for potential use in nerve-sparing prostate surgery. In this study, the discrete wavelet transform and complex dual-tree wavelet transform are implemented for wavelet shrinkage denoising in OCT images of the rat prostate. Applying the complex dual-tree wavelet transform provides improved results for speckle noise reduction in the OCT prostate image. Image quality metrics of the cavernous nerves and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were improved significantly using this complex wavelet denoising technique.
Diagnostic Test Generation for silicon diagnosis with an incremental learning framework based on search state compatibility

Silicon Diagnosis is the process of locating potential defect sites (candidates) in a defective chip. These candidates are then used as an aid during physical failure analysis. It is desired that the cardinality of the candidate set returned by silicon diagnosis be as small as possible. To this end, effective test patterns that can distinguish many faults in the candidate set is critical. Generation of such diagnostic patterns is referred to as Automatic Diagnostic Test Generation (ADTG). In this paper, we propose an aggressive and efficient learning framework for such a diagnostic test generation engine. It allows us to identify and prune non-trivial redundant search states thereby allowing to easily solve hard to distinguish or hard to prove equivalent fault pairs. Further, we propose an incremental flow for ADTG, where the information learned during detection-oriented test generation is passed to and incrementally used by ADTG. Experimental results on full-scan versions of ISCAS89/ITC99 circuits indicate that our method achieves up to 2x speed-up and/or resolves more initially unresolved fault pairs for most circuits.
A hybrid scanning force and light microscope for surface imaging and three-dimensional optical sectioning in differential interference contrast

Summary The design of a scanned-cantilever-type force microscope is presented which is fully integrated into an inverted high-resolution video-enhanced light microscope. This set-up allows us to acquire thin optical sections in differential interference contrast (DIC) or polarization while the force microscope is in place. Such a hybrid microscope provides a unique platform to study how cell surface properties determine, or are affected by, the three-dimensional dynamic organization inside the living cell. The hybrid microscope presented in this paper has proven reliable and versatile for biological applications. It is the only instrument that can image a specimen by force microscopy and high-power DIC without having either to translate the specimen or to remove the force microscope. Adaptation of the design features could greatly enhance the suitability of other force microscopes for biological work.
The use of theory in land management decisions: The New Jersey pine barrens

Abstract The New Jersey Pine Barrens are an oasis of rare species, unique ecosystems and open space in the midst of the Boston to Washington megalopolis. Because this area has a long history of human exploitation and private land ownership direct purchase as a park is unfeasible and inappropriate. The alternative conservation strategy that has been adopted is to create a ‘green line’ park, the Pinelands National Reserve, in which all of the land included within the boundaries of the Reserve is subject to regulations on building and development, while some of the most critical areas are protected by purchase. Conservationists used the strong base of scientific knowledge of the area and theory to gain protection for fragile ecosystems. This use of emerging theory to protect parts of the landscape is an example of the kind of innovative planning that is necessary to protect land in areas where there is already much human impact and pressure for development.
Characteristics of Frozen Desserts Sweetened with Fructose and Lactose

Combinations of fructose and lactose were used as the major sweetening agents in ice cream-type frozen dessert formulations. In addition to the sweeteners, variable amounts of caseinate were subjected to a 23 factorial experimental design in order to evaluate the most suitable combinations of lactose (4.5% or 5.5%), fructose (7.5% or 8.5%) and sodium caseinate (2% or 3%). Comparative chemical, physical and sensory analyses indicated that a formulation using 5.5% lactose, 8.5% fructose and 2% sodium caseinate gave product acceptability similar to that of an ice cream of standard ingredient array and composition.
Autophagy in health and disease. 5. Mitophagy as a way of life

Our understanding of autophagy has expanded greatly in recent years, largely due to the identification of the many genes involved in the process and to the development of better methods to monitor the process, such as green fluorescent protein-LC3 to visualize autophagosomes in vivo. A number of groups have demonstrated a tight connection between autophagy and mitochondrial turnover. Mitochondrial quality control is the process whereby mitochondria undergo successive rounds of fusion and fission with a dynamic exchange of components to segregate functional and damaged elements. Removal of the mitochondrion that contains damaged components is accomplished via autophagy (mitophagy). Mitophagy also serves to eliminate the subset of mitochondria producing the most reactive oxygen species, and episodic removal of mitochondria will reduce the oxidative burden, thus linking the mitochondrial free radical theory of aging with longevity achieved through caloric restriction. Mitophagy must be balanced by biogenesis to meet tissue energy needs, but the system is tunable and highly dynamic. This process is of greatest importance in long-lived cells such as cardiomyocytes, neurons, and memory T cells. Autophagy is known to decrease with age, and the failure to maintain mitochondrial quality control through mitophagy may explain why the heart, brain, and components of the immune system are most vulnerable to dysfunction as organisms age.
What is not a bird of paradise? Molecular and morphological evidence places Macgregoria in the Meliphagidae and the Cnemophilinae near the base of the corvoid tree

The cnemophiline 'birds of paradise' (Cnemophilinae) and Macgregor's 'bird of paradise' (Macgregoria) have traditionally been included in the Paradisaeidae although their relationships within the group have been enigmatic and subject to repeated discussion in the literature. Here we use sequences from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I, along with a suite of morphological characters, to investigate their relationships to paradisaeids and other members of the passerine Parvorder Corvida. The combined data strongly support the removal of both groups from the birds of paradise: the cnemophilines are basal members of the Corvoidea and Macgregoria is a member of the Meliphagoidea and embedded in the honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) close to the genus Melipotes. The amount of sequence divergence among basal passeriforms and members of the Corvida, as well as available fossil evidence for Australian corvidans, suggest that cnemophilines represent an ancient lineage within the corvoid radiation. Because cnemophilines and Macgregoria have been placed at the base of the paradisaeid tree, hypotheses of morphological, behavioural and ecological character-state transformations within the family will require reanalysis.
Gaussian Process Regression and Bayesian Model Averaging: An Alternative Approach to Modeling Spatial Phenomena

Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) is a nonparametric technique that is capable of yielding reliable out-of-sample predictions in the presence of highly nonlinear unknown relationships between dependent and explanatory variables. But in terms of identifying relevant explanatory variables, this method is far less explicit about questions of statistical significance. In contrast, more traditional spatial econometric models, such as spatial autoregressive models or spatial error models, place rather strong prior restrictions on the functional form of relationships, but allow direct inference with respect to explanatory variables. In this article, we attempt to combine the best of both techniques by augmenting GPR with a Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) component that allows for the identification of statistically relevant explanatory variables while retaining the predictive performance of GPR. In particular, GPR-BMA yields a posterior probability interpretation of model-inclusion frequencies that provides a natural measure of the statistical relevance of each variable. Moreover, while such frequencies offer no direct information about the signs of local marginal effects, it is shown that partial derivatives based on the mean GPR predictions do provide such information. We illustrate the additional insights made possible by this approach by applying GPR-BMA to a benchmark BMA data set involving potential determinants of cross-country economic growth. It is shown that localized marginal effects based on partial derivatives of mean GPR predictions yield additional insights into comparative growth effects across countries.
Immigration and the French state: problems of policy implementation.

Why is it so difficult for a liberal-democratic state to regulate immigration? Although control of a territory is part and parcel of the definition of state sovereignty labor-importing countries have found it increasingly difficult to regulate the flow of noncitizens across their borders. This article seeks to address the difficulties of regulating immigration by focusing on the policy-making process and the interaction of politics and markets in France one of the principal countries of immigration. (EXCERPT)
Specificity of RV6>RV5, in the Electrocardiographic Recognition of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

The specificity of the R V6 :R V5 voltage ratio in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy was assessed in 52 patients without chest deformity. Forty-six (88 per cent) had convincing evidence of LVH, including all eight necropsied cases (although two of the latter had had normal hearts both clinically and by x-ray examination). Seventeen patients showed no voltage signs of LVH other than R V6 >R V5 . It is concluded that R V6 >R V5 appears to be a highly specific electrocardiographic sign of LVH, and that the ratio R V6 :R V5 =>1, rather than the absolute voltages measured, is the basic expression of this phenomenon.
On a class of decentralized discrete-time adaptive control problems

This paper considers a decentralized adaptive control problem for a class of discrete-time multi-input multi-output deterministic linear systems. It is shown that, under a weak coupling condition, the Projection Algorithm will ensure that the system inputs and outputs remain bounded for all time and that each controller can successfully make the corresponding output tracking error converge to zero.
Multiple appearance models for face tracking in surveillance videos

Face tracking is a key component for automated video surveillance systems. It supports and enhances tasks such as face recognition and video indexing. Face tracking in surveillance scenarios is a challenging problem due to ambient illumination variations, face pose changes, occlusions, and background clutter. We present an algorithm for tracking faces in surveillance video based on a particle filter mechanism using multiple appearance models for robust representation of the face. We propose color based appearance model complemented by an edge based appearance model using the Difference of Gaussian (DOG) filters. We demonstrate that combined appearance models are more robust in handling the face and scene variations than a single appearance model. For example, color template appearance model is better in handling pose variations but they deteriorate against illumination variations. Similarly, an edge based model is robust in handling illumination variations but they fail in handling substantial pose changes. Hence, a combined model is more robust in handling pose and illumination changes than either one of them by itself. We show how the algorithm performs on a real surveillance scenario where the face undergoes various pose and illumination changes. The algorithm runs in real-time at 20 fps on a standard 3.0 GHz desktop PC.
A novel low-overhead recovery approach for distributed systems

We have addressed the complex problem of recovery for concurrent failures in distributed computing environment. We have proposed a new approach in which we have effectively dealt with both orphan and lost messages. The proposed checkpointing and recovery approaches enable each process to restart from its recent checkpoint and hence guarantee the least amount of recomputation after recovery. It also means that a process needs to save only its recent local checkpoint. In this regard, we have introduced two new ideas. First, the proposed value of the common checkpointing interval is such that it enables an initiator process to log the minimum number of messages sent by each application process. Second, the determination of the lost messages is always done a priori by an initiator process; besides it is done while the normal distributed application is running. This is quite meaningful because it does not delay the recovery approach in any way.
Diagnosis and Attribution of a Seasonal Precipitation Deficit in a U.S. Regional Climate Simulation

Abstract Precipitation from a 10-yr regional climate simulation is evaluated using three complementary analyses: self-organizing maps, bias scores, and arithmetic bias. Collectively, the three reveal a precipitation deficit in the south-central United States that emerges in September and lingers through February. Deficient precipitation for this region and time of year is also evident in other simulations, indicating a generic problem in climate simulation. Analysis of terrestrial and atmospheric water balances shows that the 10-yr average precipitation error for the region results primarily from a deficit in horizontal water vapor convergence. However, the 10-yr average for fall only suggests that the primary contributor is a deficit in evapotranspiration. Evaluation of simulated temperature and soil moisture suggests the model has insufficient terrestrial water for evaporation during fall. Results for winter are mixed; errors in both evapotranspiration and lateral moisture convergence may contribute sub...
Multiseason Verification of the MM5. Part I: Comparison with the Eta Model over the Central and Eastern United States and Impact of MM5 Resolution

Abstract This paper describes the multiseason verification of the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Eta Model over the eastern two-thirds of the United States and surrounding coastal waters during the cool (1 November–31 March) and warm (1 May–30 September) seasons from the autumn of 1999 through the summer of 2001. Verification statistics are calculated by interpolating model forecasts to the observation sites. The horizontal and vertical distributions of model errors are presented as are the diurnal and intraseasonal trends. During the cool season, both the MM5 and Eta have a low-level cool and moist bias over land, a significant surface warm bias over water, and surface winds that are too strong over land to the east of the Rockies and too weak over water. The low-level cool and moist bias is maximized during the day, and the cool bias is largest during late winter. D...
Trastuzumab emtansine associated nodular regenerative hyperplasia: A case report and review of literature

Abstract Background Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), a novel drug-antibody conjugate, has shown promising activity in HER2-positive breast cancer and is the recommended agent of choice for second line therapy for advanced HER 2-positive breast cancer. Elevations in transaminase levels have been reported in up to 40% of patients treated with T-DM1 on phase I-III clinical studies. More serious hepatotoxicity can also result from this drug-antibody conjugate, but has been infrequently described in the literature. Case Presentation Here we report a 73 year old female with previously untreated metastatic HER 2-positive breast cancer who developed nodular regenerative hyperplasia and noncirrhotic portal hypertension while on treatment with single agent T-DM1. Liver biopsy demonstrated nodular regenerative hyperplasia, bile duct injury, and portal fibrosis. Conclusion A high index of suspicion for liver injury and NRH must be maintained for patients who develop liver test abnormalities and/or signs of portal hypertension during treatment with T-DM1. Abdominal imaging, liver biopsy, and prompt discontinuation of T-DM1 is recommended for patients with signs or symptoms of liver injury.
Dexmedetomidine and ketamine show distinct patterns of cell degeneration and apoptosis in the developing rat neonatal brain

AbstractObjective: Early exposure to common anesthetic and sedative agents causes widespread brain cell degeneration and apoptosis in the developing rat brain, associated with persistent learning deficits in rats. This study was designed to determine whether the α2 adrenergic receptor agonist, dexmedetomidine, produces brain cell degeneration and apoptosis in postnatal day-7 rats in the same brain areas when compared to ketamine.Methods: Systemic saline, ketamine 20 mg/kg, or dexmedetomidine at 30 or 45 μg/kg were given six times to postnatal day 7 rats (n = 6/group) every 90 min. Twenty-four hours after the initial injection, brain regions were processed and analyzed for cell degeneration using the silver stain and for apoptosis using activated caspase-3 immunohistochemistry.Results: Exposure to ketamine resulted in significant cellular degeneration and apoptosis in limbic brain regions, but nonsignificant changes in primary sensory brain regions. In contrast, dexmedetomidine produced significant cellu...
Resistivity method : a tool for identification of areas of corrosive groundwater in Agbor, Delta state, Nigeria

The vertical electrical sounding using Schlumberger configuration with a maximum current electrode spread varying from 400-1000m was utilized to provide useful information of the aquifers and subsurface lithology and to determine the area of corrosive groundwater in Agbor and its environs. Ten vertical electrical soundings were carried out and ten boreholes water samples were equally collected from the ten locations and analysed. This paper outlined the importance of the resistivity method in demarcating the zones of corrosive groundwater in Agbor. The areas of high corrosive groundwater were identified and hence help in limiting depth of borehole drilling. The resistivity data was interpreted by curve matching and computer iteration where the geo-electric model parameters and curves were obtained.
The Position of the British Parliament

The British Parliament has been passing through a period of pianissimo. Its praises should be sounded very softly, while its inadequacies and imperfections should be given wide attention. This does not imply a lack of veneration and respect for the Mother of Parliaments, but merely that a realistic approach should be made to the present-day value of this progenitor of the sturdy race of legislatures. No political institution is eternally successful, and even British institutions which have evolved so slowly, and in general so soundly, are no exceptions. The halo which surrounds Westminster is so great, however, that it almost blinds one to the imperfections which exist within those hallowed precincts. It seems almost sacrilegious, as a great British statesman recently observed, to attempt to meddle with “those great forms of procedure which have been handed down to us.” And yet when the Mother of Parliaments has so obviously deteriorated as to lose much of the respect and prestige which was formerly its possession, one seems justified in calling attention to its inadequacies. The fact is that in the last thirty years Parliament has gradually become an inefficient legislative body which does not effectively control the government, and which the people can hardly be said to control. As early as 1908, President Lowell wrote that “the House of Commons is finding more and more difficulty in passing any effective vote, except a vote of censure.” In 1931, it is doubtful whether even this can be done in a satisfactory way.