cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Analytic Expression for the Phase Noise of the Goldstein–Werner Filter

Interferogram filtering for noise reduction is a key to many radar interferometric applications. Repeat pass radar interferometry often uses data with less than ideal correlation levels resulting from either long spatial or temporal baselines or changes between observations leading to high levels of temporal correlation. To maximize the utility of such pairs filtering the interferogram to get maximal noise reduction is often needed. One technique that has proved quite useful in the geophysical community is power spectral or Goldstein–Werner filtering of the interferogram whereby a power-weighted version of the Fourier transform is used to enhance fringe visibility. Although this paper defining the filter briefly touched upon the spatial resolution and noise reduction induced by the filter, it did not provide a useful formula for predicting the phase noise after filtering. This paper derives a formula for the phase noise obtained from power spectral filtering albeit under the restriction of several simplifying assumptions to make the problem analytically tractable. In particular, it is assumed that the interferometric phase is locally well approximated by a linear phase ramp with nonlinear phase perturbations small in a spectral energy sense compared to the linear term.
Cu + Contributes to the Orange Carotenoid Protein-Related Phycobilisome Fluorescence Quenching and Photoprotection in Cyanobacteria

Photosynthesis starts with absorption of light energy by using light-harvesting antenna complexes (LHCs). Overexcitation of LHCs and subsequent photosystems, however, is damaging and can be lethal. The orange carotenoid protein (OCP) protects most cyanobacteria from photodamage by dissipating excessive excitation energy harvested by phycobilisomes (PBS, LHCs) as heat. OCP has two states: the orange, inactive OCP (OCPO) and the red, active OCP (OCPR), with the latter able to bind PBS at a ratio of 2:1 and execute photoprotection. Conversion of OCPO to OCPR is driven by blue light absorption. Previous work indicated that in the presence of Cu2+, photoactivation of OCP can result in it being locked in its red form OCPR. The molecular mechanism of such chemical conversion, however, remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that Cu+ can convert OCPO to OCPR under anaerobic conditions independent of light illumination. Interestingly, in the presence of Cu2+ and ascorbic acid, a ubiquitous reductant in photosynthetic organisms, the conversion of OCPO to OCPR can also take place spontaneously in the dark, indicative of a locked OCPR-Cu+ complex. Furthermore, our functional and structural studies indicate that OCPR-Cu+ can interact with PBS and trigger PBS fluorescence quenching. We hypothesize that copper ion, a redox-active component, may synergistically play an important role in the regulation of nonphotochemical quenching in cyanobacteria under stress conditions.
Consideration of the Cumulative Flicker Effects of Multiple Pieces of Energy Producing Equipment

The purpose of this paper is to partially disseminate the present status of ongoing work in IEC Technical Committee 77, Subcommittee 77A, Working Group 2, “Voltage Fluctuations.” This work is presently focused on the development of a new product-family standard intended to limit the voltage fluctuations produced by energy producing equipment and it is intended to replace parts of the existing (to be withdrawn) IEC Technical Report 61000-3-15. The new proposed standard, IEC Standard 61000-3-17, will be applicable to energy producing equipment connected to the public low-voltage network and producing a current of 75 A or less and it is intended that the new standard follows the same general framework as other product family standards for energy consuming equipment such as IEC Standard 61000-3-11.
Decay estimates of discretized Green’s functions for Schrödinger type operators

For a sparse non-singular matrix A, generally A −1 is a dense matrix. However, for a class of matrices, A −1 can be a matrix with off-diagonal decay properties, i.e., |A ij −1| decays fast to 0 with respect to the increase of a properly defined distance between i and j. Here we consider the off-diagonal decay properties of discretized Green’s functions for Schrodinger type operators. We provide decay estimates for discretized Green’s functions obtained from the finite difference discretization, and from a variant of the pseudo-spectral discretization. The asymptotic decay rate in our estimate is independent of the domain size and of the discretization parameter. We verify the decay estimate with numerical results for one-dimensional Schrodinger type operators.
Novel Radiotherapy Technologies in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Malignancies.

Over the past 2 decades, major technical advances in radiation therapy planning and delivery have made it possible to deliver higher doses to select high-risk volumes. This has helped to expand the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. Whereas dose escalation was previously limited by the radiosensitivity of normal tissues within and adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract, advances in target delineation, patient immobilization, treatment planning, and image-guided treatment delivery have greatly improved the therapeutic ratio. More conformal radiation modalities can offer further dose optimization to target volumes while sparing normal tissue from toxicity.
Annals Clinical Decision Making: Avoiding Cognitive Errors in Clinical Decision Making

Diagnostic errors are common and are frequently the result of failures in our cognitive processes. This paper in the Annals Clinical Decision Making series discusses biases that predispose us to th...
A broadband directional circularly polarized spiral antenna on EBG structure

A new low profile broadband directional spiral antenna design on a planar EBG structure is introduced which is suitable for aircraft structural integration. The proposed antenna has the (greater th...
Gründung und Anerkennung privater luxemburgischer Hochschulen – Von der zwingenden Ausfüllung einer europarechtswidrigen Gesetzeslücke

Can there not be a distinct Luxembourgian founding of institutions of higher education? The perusal of the Luxembourgian law for institutions of higher education does not only leave prospective founders uncertain, but does, prima facie, place them in the area of the illegal; this needs to be contradicted. Hence, would the possibility of founding be considered limited by the law, discrimination of residents would occur. However, this can not be the case due to numerous juridical reasons (European law, constitutional law, and right of establishment). The presented article sheds light on the backgrounds, and positions national and international recognition of these institutions of higher education, as well as their assigned degrees and titles (professorships), on a secured juridical foundation.
Analyzing User Interactions with Biomedical Ontologies: A Visual Perspective

Biomedical ontologies are large: Several ontologies in the BioPortal repository contain thousands or even hundreds of thousands of entities. The development and maintenance of such large ontologies is difficult. To support ontology authors and repository developers in their work, it is crucial to improve our understanding of how these ontologies are explored, queried, reused, and used in downstream applications by biomedical researchers. We present an exploratory empirical analysis of user activities in the BioPortal ontology repository by analyzing BioPortal interaction logs across different access modes over several years. We investigate how users of BioPortal query and search for ontologies and their classes, how they explore the ontologies, and how they reuse classes from different ontologies. Additionally, through three real-world scenarios, we not only analyze the usage of ontologies for annotation tasks but also compare it to the browsing and querying behaviors of BioPortal users. For our investigation, we use several different visualization techniques. To inspect large amounts of interaction, reuse, and real-world usage data at a glance, we make use of and extend PolygOnto, a visualization method that has been successfully used to analyze reuse of ontologies in previous work. Our results show that exploration, query, reuse, and actual usage behaviors rarely align, suggesting that different users tend to explore, query and use different parts of an ontology. Finally, we highlight and discuss differences and commonalities among users of BioPortal.
High-order accurate schemes for Maxwell's equations with nonlinear active media and material interfaces

We describe a fourth-order accurate finite-difference time-domain scheme for solving dispersive Maxwell's equations with nonlinear multi-level carrier kinetics models. The scheme is based on an efficient single-step three time-level modified equation approach for Maxwell's equations in second-order form for the electric field coupled to ODEs for the polarization vectors and population densities of the atomic levels. The resulting scheme has a large CFL-one time-step. Curved interfaces between different materials are accurately treated with curvilinear grids and compatibility conditions. A novel hierarchical modified equation approach leads to an explicit scheme that does not require any nonlinear iterations. The hierarchical approach at interfaces leads to local updates at the interface with no coupling in the tangential directions. Complex geometry is treated with overset grids. Numerical stability is maintained using high-order upwind dissipation designed for Maxwell's equations in second-order form. The scheme is carefully verified for a number of two and three-dimensional problems. The resulting numerical model with generalized dispersion and arbitrary nonlinear multi-level system can be used for many plasmonic applications such as for ab initio time domain modeling of nonlinear engineered materials for nanolasing applications, where nano-patterned plasmonic dispersive arrays are used to enhance otherwise weak nonlinearity in the active media.
Democracy and Capitalism in the Interregnum: Trump’s Failed Self-Coup and After:

This paper addresses Trump’s failed self-coup, its authoritarian backwash, and threats to democracy. It analyzes his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which contributed to his 2020 election los...
System Architectural Considerations on Reliable Guidance, Navigation, and Control (Gn and C) for Constellation Program (Cxp) Spacecraft

This final report summarizes the results of a comparative assessment of the fault tolerance and reliability of different Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) architectural approaches. This study was proactively performed by a combined Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Draper Laboratory team as a GN&C "Discipline-Advancing" activity sponsored by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). This systematic comparative assessment of GN&C system architectural approaches was undertaken as a fundamental step towards understanding the opportunities for, and limitations of, architecting highly reliable and fault tolerant GN&C systems composed of common avionic components. The primary goal of this study was to obtain architectural 'rules of thumb' that could positively influence future designs in the direction of an optimized (i.e., most reliable and cost-efficient) GN&C system. A secondary goal was to demonstrate the application and the utility of a systematic modeling approach that maps the entire possible architecture solution space.
Recent Results in Fractional-Order Modeling in Multi-Agent Systems and Linear Friction Welding

Abstract This abstract outlines recent results in two new applications for fractional-order modeling of engineering systems. First, fractional-order dynamics present in two types of multiagent systems are discussed; namely, a specific tree graph structure for a robotic formation control problem and fractional-order dynamics of a scale-free network of agents. Second, fractional-order dynamics present in modeling of the linear friction welding process are discussed.
Neuronal Action Potentials and Ion Channel Allostery

Neurons communicate through the precise coordination of electrical and chemical signals. The biophysical properties of the neuronal cell membrane results in the separation of charged particles allowing for the generation of a potential difference between the intracellular and extracellular space. The presence of highly selective ion channels incorporated into the membrane allows for the passage of ions across the membrane. Herein we describe the action potential as a wave of electrical activity within a neuron that results in the release of neurotransmitter and consequent passage of information and review some of the allosteric proteins involved in its generation.
Ovarian tumors and cysts associated with sexual precocity. Report of 3 cases and review of the literature.

Summary Two cases of granulosa cell tumor and one of theca-lutein cyst of the ovary associated with sexual precocity are reported, which demonstrate the difficulty in distinguishing pseudoprecocity from true precocity in the female by the three criteria usually employed: the presence of a mass palpable bimanually, the excretion of large amounts of estrogens, and the absence of urinary gonadotropins when the precocity is produced by a granulosa cell tumor. One of the tumors completely lacked theca cells but contained abundant crystals usually thought to represent the source of estrogens. This finding casts doubt on the belief that the theca cells alone are responsible for estrogen production in ovarian tumors. A review of the literature reveals that granulosa cell tumors in children are less benign than is commonly believed. An analysis of the published cases of ovarian cysts associated with precocity suggests that not all are variants of true sexual precocity. The theca-lutein cyst reported is a possible example of an autonomous functional cyst, resembling five or six others described in the past.
Dialogue Modes in Expert Tutoring

Previous studies have examined human-to-human dialogue in expert tutoring on the speech act level, but these analyses fail to provide the context necessary for understanding how a series of speech acts relate to each other. This research examined tutorial dialogue in terms of sustained, pedagogically distinct phases, referred to as tutoring "modes", which gives context to the finer-grained analysis of "moves". Our accomplishments were twofold: we developed a new annotation scheme for tutorial dialogue that takes into account clusters of multiple dialogue moves, and we determined the extent to which these modes occurred in the tutoring sessions. We also examined likely sequences of modes, all of which are important factors when building an ITS that reproduces the efforts of expert human tutors.
Updating Seminal Studies of Entrepreneurial Researchers in the 60's to the 90's: An Observation of the Small Plastic Manufacturing Firm (SPMF) Sector in Nigeria

ABSTRACT As early as the 1960's various researchers of African and Nigerian small business and entrepreneurship like P. Schatz, P. Kilby, J. Harris and M. Rowe, A. Ale, W. Nafziger, J. Wilde and others have been debating. Their argument is with attempt to trace and identify the factors which continue to stunt the growth and development of small and medium enterprises (SME's) and entrepreneurship in Africa and in Nigeria. The investigations carried out by these and other researchers on this subject should be accepted as pertinent and justifiable. This is especially so, in consideration of the abundant availability of both natural and mineral resources for use as raw materials within the continent. In addition, enormous amount of funds has been expended alongside immense attention and effort by governments towards the development of small-scale industries and entrepreneurship. A number of external factors therefore, like inadequate infrastructure, scarcity of machines, spare parts and equipment, lack of inf...
Pupillary unrest correlates with arousal symptoms and motor signs in Parkinson disease

Background: Arousal symptoms (e.g., sleepiness) are common in Parkinson's disease, and pupillary unrest (spontaneous changes in pupil diameter) is positively associated with sleepiness. We explored pupillary unrest in Parkinson's disease. Methods: Arousal symptoms (Epworth sleepiness scale and sleep/fatigue domain of the nonmotor symptoms scale for Parkinson's disease) and pupillary unrest were assessed in 31 participants (14 patients with Parkinson's disease, 17 controls). Effect sizes and t tests compared patients with Parkinson's disease with control participants. Correlation coefficients were calculated among arousal symptoms, pupillary unrest, and Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale Part III. Linear regression was performed with arousal symptoms or pupillary unrest as outcome. Results: Participants with Parkinson's disease reported more arousal symptoms than controls. Pupillary unrest, arousal symptoms, and Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale Part III were positively correlated. The association between nonmotor symptoms scale–sleep score and pupillary unrest was higher in participants with Parkinson's disease than controls and higher in those with more Parkinsonian motor signs. Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale Part III was positively associated with pupillary unrest. Conclusions: Pupillary unrest correlates with motor and nonmotor features associated with Lewy-related pathology, suggesting it may be a nonmotor marker of progression in Parkinson's disease. © 2011 Movement Disorder Society
Harrier III-AV8B with a modern engine

The paper examines the application of a 26, 156-lb thrust engine (which is 30 percent more thrust than the short-lift dry rating on the F402-RR-406 Pegasus engine) to an AV-8B aircraft. This modern engine has 30 percent more thrust than the F402-RR-406 Pegasus engine with no increase in engine weight; the weight is assumed to be constant for both engines. The paper focuses on the benefit to the AV-8B in increasing short takeoff gross weight and vertical landing weight. A second comparison is made between the bigger engine with the existing thrust-versus-SFC curve, and a 10 percent lower SFC curve. The notion of a modern engine with 10 percent lower SFC and 30 percent more thrust for the same size and weight is presented as a hypothesis, and is not supported by discussing engine technology. There are no engine data or technical discussion as to how the modern engine is constructed or which manufacturer could build it. The performance estimates are generated by ACSYNT, a NASA developed computer code that is available to U.S. industry and has been reported on in a number of other publications.
Human Cytomegalovirus II. Lack of Relatedness to DNA of Herpes Simplex I and II, Epstein-Barr Virus, and Nonhuman Strains of Cytomegalovirus

The purified DNA of human cytomegalovirus, radiolabeled in vitro, was examined for homology to Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex type I and II, and simian and murine cytomegalovirus DNA by DNA-DNA reassociation kinetics analyses with the S1 enzyme differential digestion technique. Cross-matching of the DNAs showed no relatedness or less than 5% detectable homology.
Exploring the Role of Representation in Employment Mediation at the USPS

This study uses participant exit surveys in a national mediation program for mediation of employment discrimination complaints at the United States Postal Service to compare the role that different categories of representatives (lawyers, union representatives, co-workers, other, or no representation) play in perceptions of procedural justice, settlement rates, and duration of mediation. We conclude that representation makes a valuable contribution to the mediation process, and that union representation specifically can play a constructive role in an employment mediation program outside the collective bargaining context. We also conclude that there is evidence that union representatives, lawyers, complainant representatives, and respondent representatives play different roles in the mediation process, and that these differences are consistent with what principal-agency theory would predict.
Effect of percentage of positive prostate biopsy cores on biochemical outcome in low-risk PCa treated with brachytherapy or 3D-CRT.

Objectives To investigate the significance of the percentage of positive biopsy cores (PPBCs) in predicting the biochemical outcome in patients with low-risk prostate cancer undergoing brachytherapy or three-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy (3D-CRT). Methods We retrospectively reviewed 360 patients with low-risk prostate cancer who had undergone low dose-rate brachytherapy ( 125 I) or 3D-CRT from 1993 to 2006. Of the 360 patients, 189 had undergone 3D-CRT and 171 had undergone brachytherapy. The patients were stratified according to treatment modality and PPBCs ( 50%). Biochemical failure was defined by the 2006 Radiation Therapy Oncology Group-American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Phoenix Consensus Conference definition. Results The median follow-up in the 3D-CRT and brachytherapy groups was 51 and 37 months, respectively. The number of patients who had a PPBCs of 50% in the 3D-CRT and brachytherapy cohorts was 154, 26, and 9 and 133, 25, and 15, respectively. The 5-year freedom from biochemical failure rate for 3D-CRT and brachytherapy was 95% and 96%, respectively; the corresponding median prostate-specific antigen nadirs were 0.7 and 0.3 ng/mL ( P Conclusions In patients with low-risk prostate cancer, brachytherapy and 3D-CRT remain excellent treatment choices, regardless of the tumor volume as estimated by the PPBCs. Longer follow-up and the recruitment of men with a greater volume of disease (>50% PPBCs) are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Mortality among HIV-Exposed Infants: The First and Final Frontier

This commentary addresses the issue of childhood mortality specifically mortality among HIV-exposed infants in sub-Saharan Africa. It describes the three factors that have emerged from the HIV epidemic to worsen the ongoing childhood mortality epidemic which include: unavailability of antiretroviral treatment infant feeding options and HIV-exposed but uninfected infants have higher mortality rates compared to other infants.
Silent thyroiditis, isolated corticotropin deficiency, and alopecia universalis in a patient with ulcerative colitis and elevated levels of plasma factor VIII: an unusual case of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 3.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe an unusual case of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS) type 3 and provide a brief review of the literature. Methods We present the clinical course and laboratory data of a patient with silent thyroiditis, isolated corticotropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone or ACTH) deficiency, alopecia universalis, and ulcerative colitis with an associated hypercoagulable state. The related literature is also reviewed briefly. Results A 43-year-old man who had a history of ulcerative colitis with an associated hypercoagulable state and alopecia universalis was referred to the endocrinology department for evaluation of fatigue and a mildly elevated level of thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone or TSH). He previously had mildly increased TSH levels, for which low-dose levothyroxine therapy had been prescribed. During use of this therapy, a suppressed TSH level developed, necessitating discontinuation of thyroid hormone therapy; a subsequent increase in TSH value was followed by a spontaneous return to euthyroidism. An ACTH stimulation test revealed adrenal insufficiency. His ACTH level was low, 21-hydroxylase antibodies were not present, and further testing demonstrated otherwise intact pituitary function. Magnetic resonance imaging of his pituitary gland showed normal findings. Treatment with hydrocortisone promptly decreased his fatigue. He was found to have an elevated factor VIII level as the cause of his hypercoagulable state. The patient continues to feel well with use of hydrocortisone therapy and has normal thyroid function. Conclusion This patient’s components of APS type 3 have not been previously reported; thus, the complex nature of the APS variants is supported. (Endocr Pract. 2009;15:138-142)
Host Range Investigations of New, Undescribed, and Common Phytophthora spp. Isolated from Ornamental Nurseries in Minnesota.

ABSTRACT Eleven woody landscape plants commonly grown in the upper Midwestern United States were inoculated with up to three unnamed Phytophthora taxa (Phytophthora taxon Pgchlamydo, a Phytophthora alni-like isolate [Phytophthora MN14d], and Phytophthora sp. MN1) to explore their host ranges. In addition, P. cactorum, P. citricola, P. citrophthora, P. hedraiandra, and P. nicotianae were used to inoculate plants to further investigate the susceptibilities of plant genera previously found associated with these pathogens, to explore the susceptibility of important landscape plants (i.e., oak) to common ornamental Phytophthora spp., and to prove Koch's postulates. Koch's postulates were completed on fragrant sumac with P. citricola and P. nicotianae and on common lilac with P. citrophthora. A nonwound or wound inoculation technique were used to determine host susceptibility. Phytophthora sp. MN1 caused symptoms on American cranberrybush, bur and red oak, common lilac, fragrant sumac, Norway maple, and ‘P.J.M....
Suicide mortality in the United States: differentials by industrial and occupational groups.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate variations in the risk of suicide by industrial and occupational groups. METHODS: Cox proportional hazards regression models were fitted to the data from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study (1979-1989). In estimating the effects of industry and occupation, controls were made for the potentially confounding effects of age, sex, marital status, education, income, and region of residence. RESULTS: It was found that persons employed in mining experienced the highest risk of suicide (RR=4.29, CI=1.59, 12.13) compared to workers in finance, insurance, and real estate. Elevated risks were also observed among business and repair services (RR=4.20, CI=1.72, 10.25), professional and related services (RR=2.92, CI=1.25,6.82), and wholesale and retail trade (RR=2.71, CI=1.17,6.25). When comparisons were made by occupational status, it was found that laborers experienced the highest risk of suicide (RR=2.12, CI=1.09,4. 12) when compared to farmers, farm managers, and farm workers. CONCLUSIONS: There are differentials in the risk of suicide among industrial groups, and the industry with the highest risk is mining. The disparities in suicide remained even after the effects of socioeconomic and other variables were controlled. Further research needs to determine if the high suicide risk observed in some industrial groups may be linked to possible depressive symptomatology in the workplace. Language: en
A coastal current in winter: 2. Wind forcing and cooling of a coastal current east of Cape Cod

[1] The combined effect of cooling and wind-driven buoyancy flux (WDBF) on a buoyant coastal current east of Cape Cod is investigated using observations and process-oriented numerical modeling. Theoretical considerations show that with the moderately strong surface density gradients observed in the Outer Cape Cod Coastal Current, WDBF can substantially exceed the buoyancy loss due to cooling, especially during intense winter storms. Evidence of deep convection associated with strong negative WDBF during downwelling-favorable winds is clearly seen in the moored observations. A simplified two-dimensional numerical model is used to illustrate the evolution of wind- and buoyancy-driven cross-shelf overturning circulation in response to surface cooling and episodic storm events. The simulation confirms that WDBF plays an important role in driving subduction of cold surface water at the offshore surface outcrop of the coastal current font. The presence of the coastal current is also shown to block onshore Ekman transport. As a result, the downwelling circulation in a cross-shore plane is predicted to have a complex multicell structure, in which exchange between the inner shelf and midshelf is restricted. The downwelling circulation has a major impact on the cross-shelf origin of cold, dense shelf waters contributing to intermediate layers of the Wilkinson Basin of the Gulf of Maine.
Reproductive and hormonal risk factors for urinary incontinence in later life: a review of the clinical and epidemiologic literature

OBJECTIVES: To review and integrate the current literature on the role of reproductive factors in the development of urinary incontinence in later life. DESIGN: An extensive literature review using Medline and Science Citation Index for the period 1966 through 1997 was undertaken to identify published studies of the association between parturition events, hysterectomy, menopause, estrogen therapy, and later urinary incontinence. RESULTS: Vaginal delivery is an established risk factor for both transient postpartum incontinence and the development of incontinence in later life. Several studies have found evidence of nerve and muscle damage that provide a physiologic basis for this association. Prospective studies of incontinence after hysterectomy have generally found no increased risk in the first few years. In contrast, cross-sectional epidemiologic studies have consistently found an increased risk many years after hysterectomy. Although menopause is often considered a risk factor for urinary incontinence, epidemiological studies have generally not found an increase in the prevalence of incontinence in the perimenopausal period. Oral estrogen replacement therapy seems to have little short-term clinical benefit in regard to incontinence and is associated consistently with increased risk of incontinence in women aged 60 years and older in epidemiologic studies. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides a framework for further investigation of the complex relationships between reproductive risk factors and urinary incontinence. Integration of physiologic, clinical, and epidemiologic studies is needed to address the compelling health care issue of urinary incontinence. Suggestions are made for further areas of research.
Seeing the Song: Left Auditory Structures May Track Auditory-Visual Dynamic Alignment

Auditory and visual signals generated by a single source tend to be temporally correlated, such as the synchronous sounds of footsteps and the limb movements of a walker. Continuous tracking and comparison of the dynamics of auditory-visual streams is thus useful for the perceptual binding of information arising from a common source. Although language-related mechanisms have been implicated in the tracking of speech-related auditory-visual signals (e.g., speech sounds and lip movements), it is not well known what sensory mechanisms generally track ongoing auditory-visual synchrony for non-speech signals in a complex auditory-visual environment. To begin to address this question, we used music and visual displays that varied in the dynamics of multiple features (e.g., auditory loudness and pitch; visual luminance, color, size, motion, and organization) across multiple time scales. Auditory activity (monitored using auditory steady-state responses, ASSR) was selectively reduced in the left hemisphere when the music and dynamic visual displays were temporally misaligned. Importantly, ASSR was not affected when attentional engagement with the music was reduced, or when visual displays presented dynamics clearly dissimilar to the music. These results appear to suggest that left-lateralized auditory mechanisms are sensitive to auditory-visual temporal alignment, but perhaps only when the dynamics of auditory and visual streams are similar. These mechanisms may contribute to correct auditory-visual binding in a busy sensory environment.
A coupled pair of Luenberger observers for linear systems to improve rate of convergence and robustness to measurement noise

Motivated by the need of observers that are both robust to disturbances and guarantee fast convergence to zero of the estimation error, we propose an observer for linear time-invariant systems that consists of the combination of two coupled Luenberger observers. The output of the proposed observer is defined as the average between the estimates of the individual ones. The convergence rate and the robustness to measurement noise of the proposed observer's output are characterized in terms of ISS estimates. Conditions guaranteeing that these estimates outperform those obtained with a standard Luenberger observer are given. The conditions are exercised in a stable scalar plant, for which a design procedure and numerical analysis are provided, and in a second order plant, numerically.
A Calcium Pump in Vascular Smooth Muscle

A microsomal cell fraction derived from the intimal-medial layer of rabbit aorta takes up calcium in the presence of magnesium and adenosine triphosphate. The rate of uptake of calcium is slower than that observed in skeletal muscle microsomes. Uptake of calcium by mitochondria from the aorta is even more limited and, unlike microsomal uptake, is inhibited by azide.
Serotonin in a diencephalic nucleus controlling communication in an electric fish: sexual dimorphism and relationship to indicators of dominance.

Serotonin regulates aggressive behavior. The production or release of serotonin is sexually dimorphic and related to social rank in many species. We examined serotonin expression in the central posterior/prepacemaker nucleus (CP/PPn) of the electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus. The CP/PPn is a thalamic nucleus that controls agonistic and reproductive electrocommunication signals known as chirps and gradual frequency rises. In parts of the CP/PPn that control chirping, females had more than twice as many serotonergic fibers and terminals as did males. Serotonin immunoreactivity in chirp-controlling areas of the CP/PPn was also negatively correlated with two indicators of dominance: electric organ discharge (EOD) frequency and body mass. Within sexes, the negative correlation between EOD frequency and serotonergic innervation of the PPn was significant in females, but not in males. Females with higher EOD frequencies had less serotonin in the CP/PPn than did females with lower EOD frequencies. Thus, the CP/PPn contained more serotonin in females than in males, and in particular, more serotonin in females with EOD frequencies typical of social subordinates than in females with EOD frequencies typical of social dominants. These results, combined with previous findings that serotonin inhibits chirping and that females chirp much less than males, suggest that serotonin may link sex, social rank, and the production of agonistic communication signals. The relative simplicity of the neural circuits that control the EOD and chirping make the electromotor system well-suited for studying the cellular, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms by which serotonin modulates agonistic communication. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007
Candida albicans biofilm chip (CaBChip) for high-throughput antifungal drug screening.

Candida albicans remains the main etiological agent of candidiasis, which currently represents the fourth most common nosocomial bloodstream infection in US hospitals1. These opportunistic infections pose a growing threat for an increasing number of compromised individuals, and carry unacceptably high mortality rates. This is in part due to the limited arsenal of antifungal drugs, but also to the emergence of resistance against the most commonly used antifungal agents. Further complicating treatment is the fact that a majority of manifestations of candidiasis are associated with the formation of biofilms, and cells within these biofilms show increased levels of resistance to most clinically-used antifungal agents2. Here we describe the development of a high-density microarray that consists of C. albicans nano-biofilms, which we have named CaBChip3. Briefly, a robotic microarrayer is used to print yeast cells of C. albicans onto a solid substrate. During printing, the yeast cells are enclosed in a three dimensional matrix using a volume as low as 50 nL and immobilized on a glass substrate with a suitable coating. After initial printing, the slides are incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours to allow for biofilm development. During this period the spots grow into fully developed "nano-biofilms" that display typical structural and phenotypic characteristics associated with mature C. albicans biofilms (i.e. morphological complexity, three dimensional architecture and drug resistance)4. Overall, the CaBChip is composed of ~750 equivalent and spatially distinct biofilms; with the additional advantage that multiple chips can be printed and processed simultaneously. Cell viability is estimated by measuring the fluorescent intensity of FUN1 metabolic stain using a microarray scanner. This fungal chip is ideally suited for use in true high-throughput screening for antifungal drug discovery. Compared to current standards (i.e. the 96-well microtiter plate model of biofilm formation5), the main advantages of the fungal biofilm chip are automation, miniaturization, savings in amount and cost of reagents and analyses time, as well as the elimination of labor intensive steps. We believe that such chip will significantly speed up the antifungal drug discovery process.
Training Intensity Affects Motor Rehabilitation Efficacy Following Unilateral Ischemic Insult of the Sensorimotor Cortex in C57BL/6 Mice.

Background. Motor rehabilitative training improves behavioral functionality and promotes beneficial neural reorganization following stroke but is often insufficient to normalize function. Rodent studies have relied on skilled reaching tasks to model motor rehabilitation and explore factors contributing to its efficacy. It has been found that greater training intensity (sessions/day) and duration (training days) facilitates motor skill learning in intact animals. Whether rehabilitative training efficacy varies with intensity following stroke is unclear. Methods. Mice were trained preoperatively on a skilled reaching task. Following focal ischemic lesions, mice received rehabilitative training either twice daily (high intensity [HI]), once daily (low intensity [LI]), or not at all (control) to determine the effects of rehabilitative training intensity on skilled motor performance. Results. Within 7 days, the HI-trained mice achieved preischemic levels of performance. Mice receiving LI training eventually re...
A Small Conference with Big Reach

The 8th Annual Innovations in eLearning Symposium (IEL) attracted a variety of speakers and attendees earlier this month. The event focused on three core areas: informal learning and social media, learning and performance analytics, and competitive edge(through innovation. In this recap, Jeanette Campos gives an overview of IEL12, a small conference with global reach.
Ekman Layer Rectification

Abstract The phenomenon of oceanic Ekman layer rectification refers to how the time-mean, Ekman layer velocity profile with depth differs as a consequence of variability in the surface wind in addition to the time-mean wind. This study investigates rectification using the K-Profile Parameterization (KPP) model for the turbulent surface boundary layer under simple conditions of uniform density and no surface buoyancy flux or surface wave influences. The rectification magnitude is found to be significant under typical conditions. Its primary effects are to extend the depth profile deeper into the interior, reduce the mean shear, increase the effective eddy viscosity due to turbulent momentum mixing, and rotate slightly the surface velocity farther away from the mean wind direction. These effects are partly due to the increase in mean stress because of its quadratic dependence on wind speed but also are due to the nonlinearity of the turbulent mixing efficiency. The strongest influence on the rectification m...
INFANT ABUSE RUNS IN FAMILIES OF GROUP- LIVING PIGTAIL MACAQUES

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate genealogical and demographic influences on maternal abuse and neglect of offspring in pigtail macaques and identify some maternal and infant characteristics that may be risk factors for abuse or neglect. Method: Infant abuse and neglect were investigated in five large families of group-living pigtail macaques over a period of 33 years (5-7 generations). The data were obtained from the Animal Records of the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center. Results: Abuse and neglect are likely to be two distinct phenomena in pigtail macaques. Neglect was mostly limited to tirst-born and newborn infants. Abuse was more likely to occur in some families than in others, and within abusive families, it was more likely to occur among closely-related females than among distantly-related females. Infants whose siblings had previously been abused were themselves especially at risk of abuse. Maternal health and infant sex were not risk factors for abuse. Conclusions: This study provides the first evidence of genealogical effects on infant abuse in nonhuman primates. Several characteristics of infant abuse in socially living macaques suggest that this phenomenon could represent a good animal model for studying the etiology of child abuse and neglect. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd
Demonstration of a global modeling methodology to determine the relative importance of local and long-distance sources

Abstract A global three-dimensional (3D) transport–dispersion model was used to simulate Krypton-85 ( 85 Kr) background concentrations at five sampling locations along the US east coast during 1982–1983. The samplers were established to monitor the 85 Kr plume downwind of the Savannah river plant (SRP), a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility. The samplers were located 300–1000 km downwind of the SRP. In the original analyses of the measurements, a constant background concentration, representing an upper-limit and different for each sampling station, was subtracted from the measurements to obtain the part of the measurement representing the SRP plume. The use of a 3D global model, which includes all major 85 Kr sources worldwide, was able to reproduce the day-to-day concentration background variations at the sampling locations with correlation coefficients of 0.36–0.46. These 3D model background predictions, without including the nearby SRP source, were then subtracted from the measured concentrations at each sampler, the result representing the portion of the measurement that can be attributed to emissions from the SRP. The revised plume estimates were a factor of 1.3–2.4 times higher than from the old method using a constant background subtraction. The greatest differences in the SRP plume estimates occurred at the most distant sampling stations.
Effect of elevated temperature shocks on mitosis and on the initiation of DNA replication in Physarum polycephalum

Abstract Incubation of plasmodia of Physarum polycephalum for 30 min at 37 °C resulted in a delay in the onset of mitosis. The delay was slight when the temperature shock was initiated during S, but became increasingly greater when initiated progressively later in G2, until a point about 2 h before metaphase was reached, after which the treatment resulted in a lesser delay of metaphase. Repeated heat shocks during interphase postponed mitosis indefinitely without DNA synthesis. Temperature shocks in late prophase produced nuclei which did not divide at the expected time but carried out DNA synthesis, increased in size, and divided at the time of the next expected mitosis. It is suggested that a heat-sensitive cytoplasmic substance(s) produced in G2 initiates the process of mitosis and that the initiation, but not the completion, of the mitotic process is necessary for initiation of DNA replication in Physarum.
Local Correlation Tracking and the Magnetic Induction Equation

Recently, local correlation tracking has been applied to magnetograms to estimate photospheric velocities. This Letter demonstrates that local correlation tracking is inconsistent with the magnetic induction equation, which governs the temporal evolution of the photospheric magnetograms. A modified formulation, consistent with the magnetic induction equation, is presented for accurately following photospheric magnetic footpoints.
Electronic structure of polydifluorosilane, polydifluorogermane and their alternating copolymer

Abstract The electronic structures in the optimized geometries of polydifluorosilane, polydifluorogermane and their alternating copolymer are studied theoretically using the one-dimensional tight-binding self-consistent field-crystal orbital (SCF-CO) method. The results suggest that, if they can be prepared, they will be capable of becoming rare n-type conducting silicon polymers.
Chapter 10 Otitis media, ocular allergy, and sinusitis

Newer concepts of otitis media support the contention that eustachian tube obstruction (ETO) is an important component of the disease process. Bacterial infection is the best documented cause of otitis media, and antibiotics are the initial therapy of choice. However, chronic otitis media with effusion does not always respond to antibiotics. Studies show that immune reactivity and allergic rhinitis can be risk factors. Seventy percent of patients with acute otitis media, and: 50% of patients with chronic otitis media with effusion have posiive cultures. Predominant organisms are Streptococvs pneumoniae, Haemophilus injknxe, and Brunhrrmella catarrhalis. One third of pa.tients with intranasal rhinovirus infection have eustachian tube dysfunction. Allergy-induced ET0 can be demonstrated by introducing pollen intranasally in sensitive patients; similar responses are also demonstrated with mi,:e-sensitive patients. Despite ET0 after antigen challenge, middle ear effusion has not been demonstrated after nasal challenge. Intranasal histamine provokes ET0 in patients with allergic rhinms but not in normal subjects. Antihistaminedecongestants do not work in otitis media with effusion in patients withoui allergy, but when these were given for ‘7 days to patients allergic to ragweed, eustachian tube function was better than in the placebo group The peak incidence of otitis media from all causes occurs between I and 4 years of age. The drug of choice is amoxicillin; cephalosporin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxasole are alternatives. For patients with allergic rhinitis and otitis media with effusion, recommended treatment includes antihistamine-decongestants, environmental control measures.. possibly immunotherapy, and intranaaal steroids or cromolyn i:’ necessary. For refractory patients, one must consider tympanostomy tube insertion. Further support of IgE mechanisms in otitis media with effusion is data showing that 23% of patients with IgE-mediated allergy have otitis media with cffusion. Furthermore. the most common abnormality
Experimentally induced cytauxzoonosis-like disease in domestic cats

Abstract The methods by which the organisms causing feline cytauxzoonosis have been maintained in laboratory cats for 2.5 years are described. Passage of the parasite was accomplished by parenteral administration of fresh or deep frozen blood or ground tissue from infected moribund cats. The clinical disease produced experimentally by minimal doses fo inoculum resembled naturally occurring feline cytauzoonosis. The most frequently noted clinical signs included pyrexia, anorexia, dehydration, and depression. The experimentally induced illness was consistently fatal within 20 days. The domestic cat is believed to be an accidental or dead-end host of the infection in nature because of the short course of illness and the uniformly fatal outcome of the disease.