cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the use of inexact subdomain solvers for BDDC algorithms

The standard BDDC (balancing domain decomposition by constraints) preconditioner is shown to be equivalent to a preconditioner built from a partially subassembled finite element model. This results in a system of linear algebraic equations which is much easier to solve in parallel than the fully assembled model; the cost is then often dominated by that of the problems on the subdomains. An important role is also played, both in theory and practice, by an averaging operator and in addition exact Dirichlet solvers are used on the subdomains in order to eliminate the residual in the interior of the subdomains. The use of inexact solvers for these problems and even the replacement of the Dirichlet solvers by a trivial extension are considered. It is established that one of the resulting algorithms has the same eigenvalues as the standard BDDC algorithm, and the connection of another with the FETI-DP algorithm with a lumped preconditioner is also considered. Multigrid methods are used in the experimental work and under certain assumptions, it is established that the iteration count essentially remains the same as when exact solvers are used, while considerable gains in the speed of the algorithm can be realized since the cost of the exact solvers grows superlinearly with the size of the subdomain problems while the multigrid methods are linear.
Diagnosis and neurosurgical treatment of intracranial vascular occlusive syndromes

Intracranial atherosclerosis represents the most prevalent form of intracranial vascular occlusive disease in the adult population and is a major contributor to is chemic stroke. The most reliable method for diagnosing intracranial stenosis relies on conventional catheter angiography; MRI and CT imaging and transcranial Doppler currently are valuable screening tools, and ongoing advances in these modalities may render angiography nonessential for accurate diagnosis in the future. Given the potential for hemodynamic compromise from intracranial occlusive disease, a variety of imaging modalities may be used to assess the adequacy of cerebral perfusion, relying on direct measurements of oxygen extraction fraction or the response to vasodilatory stimuli to determine hemodynamic status. The modalities are well established for assessing the anterior circulation but have proven less useful for the posterior circulation, in which direct measurements of large vessel flow using quantitative magnetic resonance angiography may be more valuable. Surgical and endovascular interventions for treating intracranial stenosis are not, as of yet, proven therapies for routine management. Extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery and endovascular angioplasty and stenting are being investigated in randomized trials to evaluate their efficacy in treating intracranial vascular occlusive disease.
SOCIOCULTURAL PREDICTORS OF SELF-ACTUALIZATION IN EEG-BIOFEEDBACK-TREATED ALCOHOLICS

A multiple stepwise regression analysis was used to study the predictive value of a number of social and cultural variables for the Personal Orientation Inventory scores before and after treatment with EEG biofeedback training in a severely addicted inpatient alcoholic population (n = 67). Pretreatment high self-actualization scores are best predicted by white, well-educated patients whose relationship with family is good and for whom community-support structures are available. However, at post-treatment religious attitude became the major predictor in most scales. The significance of these findings is discussed with respect to the selection and rational prescription of treatment of alcoholic patients with EEG biofeedback.
Differences between first and subsequent fevers during prolonged neutropenia.

Fever during neutropenia before engraftment was studied in 86 consecutively treated patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Eighty-four of the 86 patients experienced 132 febrile episodes. Only 26% of the patients had one fever which resolved with antibiotics. The rest required modification of antimicrobial therapy because of refractory fever (32%) or recurrent fevers (42%). The 121 fevers which occurred during neutropenia were analyzed to determine differences between first and subsequent fevers (79 and 42 episodes, respectively). The frequency of sepsis (23%) and defervescence (64%) did not differ between first and subsequent fevers. Presumed localized infection (PLI) was identified in 75% of first fever but in only 28% of subsequent fevers (P = 0.000002). Of the PLI identified, oropharyngeal mucosal disease accounted for 68% during first fever but only 38% during subsequent fevers (P = 0.02). Although sepsis in first fever was more frequently associated with PLI than sepsis in subsequent fevers (61% versus 10%, P = 0.01), overall, patients with PLI had a lower frequency of sepsis than those without (17% versus 32%, P = 0.04). Gram-negative pathogens were uniformly gentamicin sensitive in sepsis during first fever but were mostly gentamicin-resistant in sepsis during subsequent fevers (P = 0.01). Cancer 59:844-849, 1987.
Language-general and language-specific influences on children's acquisition of argument structure: a comparison of French and English.

This research investigates language-general and language-specific properties of the acquisition of argument structure. Ten French preschoolers enacted forty sentences containing motion verbs; sixteen sentences were ungrammatical in that the syntactic frame was incompatible with the standard argument structure for the verb (e.g. *Le tigre va le lion = *The tiger goes the lion). Previous work (Naigles, Fowler & Helm, 1992, 1995; Naigles, Gleitman & Gleitman, 1993) indicated that English-speaking two-year-olds faced with such ungrammatical sentences consistently altered the usual meaning of the verb to fit the syntactic frame (frame compliance) whereas adults faced with the same sentences altered the syntax to fit the meaning of the verb (verb compliance). The age at which children began to perform Verb Compliantly varied by frame and by verb. The current study finds that the level of Verb Compliance in French five-year-olds largely mirrors that of English-speaking five-year-olds. The sole exception is the intransitive frame with an added prepositional phrase (e.g. *Le tigre amene pres de la passerelle = *The tiger brings next to the ramp), which elicits a higher level of Verb Compliance among French kindergarteners than among their English learning peers. This effect may be due to the unambiguous interpretation of French spatial prepositions (i.e. next to has both locative and directional interpretations whereas pres de supports only the locative interpretation). These data support the conclusion that the acquisition of argument structure is influenced by both language-general mechanisms (e.g. uniqueness, entrenchment) and language-specific properties (e.g. prepositional ambiguity).
RESPONSE LATENCY OF MONKEYS AS A FUNCTION OF REWARD AMOUNT AND TRIALS WITHIN TEST DAYS

Recent studies by Michels (1957) and Schrier (1961a) have demonstrated a significant relationship berween amount of reward and response latency of monkeys. In both experiments, each S received the different amounts of reward, and the reward function obtained, though showing a significant downward trend, was nonlinear. A progressive increase in response latency within test days was reported by Schrier in the same scudy and also by Michels in an earlier experiment (1955), wich a 30-sec. incer-trial interval employed in both studies. The increase in response latency occurred after an initial warm-up effect (Schrier, 196la). The present article reports the results of three experiments in which latency of object displacement by monkeys was measured, and in which different Ss received different reward amounts. Differential reward amount effects can not be obtained as readily with this procedure (the "nonshift" procedure) as [hey can with cbe procedure in which each S repeatedly receives the differenc levels of reward (the "shift" procedure), at least when the dependent variable is frequency of errors on discrimination tasks (Lawson, 1957; Schrier, 1958). Differences in the inter-trial interval employed in the experiments were expected to throw some light on the narure of the previously reported response decrements within sessions. subject^.-Thirry-four adolescent rhesus monkeys were used as Ss, 10 in Exp. I, 10 in Exp. 11, and 14 in Exp. 111. Ss used in Exps. I and I1 were experimentally naive, whereas those used in Exp. 111 had had extensive experience with object-discrimination and oddity problems. Also, eight of the latter Ss had served in an experiment involving spatial separation of cue and response (Stollnitz & Schrier, in press). None of the Ss used in Exp. I11 had received any training during the six months preceding the starc of the experiment. The deprivation level for Ss in each experiment was randomly varied between 16 and 22 hr. Apparatu.--The Wisconsin General Test Apparatus (WTGA) was used throughour, the type described by Harlow (1949) in Exp. I, and a modified version wich motorized screens, described in detail by Schrier (1961b), in Exps. I1 and 111. The test tray in each experiment contained a single food well which 'This investigation was supported by a research grant (M-2818) from the Narional Institute of Mental Health, Public Health Service.
Two-dimensional 1H and 31P NMR spectra and restrained molecular dynamics structure of an oligodeoxyribonucleotide duplex refined via a hybrid relaxation matrix procedure.

Assignment of the 1H and 31P resonances of a decamer DNA duplex, d(CGCTTAAGCG)2 was determined by two-dimensional COSY, NOESY and 1H- 31P Pure Absorption phase Constant time (PAC) heteronuclear cor...
Molecular cloning of the flavin-containing monooxygenase (form II) cDNA from adult human liver.

Abstract Complementary DNA (cDNA) clones encoding the adult human liver flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO; dimethylaniline N-oxidase, EC 1.14.13.8) were isolated from lambda gt10 and lambda gt11 libraries. The cDNA libraries were screened with three synthetic 36-mer oligonucleotide probes derived from the nucleic acid sequence of the pig liver FMO cDNA. The deduced amino acid sequence for the adult human liver FMO was quite distinct from the pig liver FMO, and adult human liver FMO was designated form II (HLFMO II). The full-length cDNA sequence of HLFMO II [2119 base pairs (bp)] had an open reading frame of 1599 nucleotides, which encoded a 533-amino acid protein of Mr 59,179, a 5'-noncoding region of 136 nucleotides and a 3'-noncoding region of 369 nucleotides excluding the poly(A) tail. The deduced amino acid sequence of HLFMO II had 80% similarity with the rabbit liver FMO II but only a 52%, 55%, and 53% amino acid similarity with the rabbit liver (form I), the pig liver (form I), and fetal human liver (form I) FMOs, respectively. RNA analysis of adult human liver RNA showed that there was one HLFMO II mRNA species. Analysis of genomic DNA indicated that HLFMO II was the product of a single gene. These results indicated that the deduced amino acid sequence for HLFMO II contained highly conserved residues and suggested that FMO enzymes were closely related and, undoubtedly, derived from the same ancestral gene.
A second look at the method of random walks

A formal statistical discussion of the origins of the random walk and its relation to the classic advection-dispersion equation is given. At issue is the common use of Gaussian distributed steps in producing the desired dispersive effects. Shown are alternative solutions to the basic Langevin equation describing mass displacements based on non-Gaussian, white increments. In particular, the results reveal that uniform or symmetric-triangular steps can be employed without loss of generality in accuracy of the solution (over all Peclet numbers) and may yield significant savings in the computational generation of the random deviates required in the Monte Carlo procedures of the random walk method.
Formalizing China’s armed police: the 2009 PAP Law

While the People’s Armed Police (PAP) has existed in China for over 26 years, the force’s operations, powers and duties have never been formally stipulated. On August 27, 2009, the People’s Armed Police Law was passed by the National People’s Congress. The PAP Law, which contains seven chapters and 38 articles, covers the main areas of the tasks and responsibility, duties and power, safeguard measures, discipline and supervision, and legal responsibilities of the force. The implementation of the PAP Law represents a benchmark development in the history of the Chinese policing. It not only signals official recognition of the need to enhance the legitimacy of China’s social control apparatus, but also maps onto a larger developing trend of progressive legalization of Chinese order today. Although the law provides a legal basis for the existence and functions of a force that plays a critical role in China’s security and stability today, some issues about the boundaries of power and procedures of operation for the PAP remain unaddressed. To what extent that this law will improve the legitimacy and subsequently strengthen the performance of the PAP force is an open question.
Deoxycholic Acid Blocks Vibrio cholerae OmpT but Not OmpU Porin

OmpT and OmpU are general diffusion porins of the human intestinal pathogen Vibrio cholerae. The sole presence of OmpT in the outer membrane sensitizes cells to the bile component deoxycholic acid, and the repression of OmpT in the intestine may play an important role in the adaptation of cells to the host environment. Here we report a novel important functional difference between the two porins, namely the sensitivity to deoxycholic acid. Single channel recordings show that submicellar concentrations of sodium deoxycholate induce time-resolved blocking events of OmpT but are devoid of any effect on OmpU. The effects are dose-, voltage-, and pH-dependent. They are elicited by deoxycholate applied to either side of the membrane, with some asymmetry in the sensitivity. The voltage dependence remains even when deoxycholate is applied symmetrically, indicating that it is intrinsic to the binding site. The pH dependence suggests that the active form is the neutral deoxycholic acid and not the negatively charged species. The results are interpreted as deoxycholic acid acting as an open-channel blocker, which may relate to deoxycholic acid permeation.
Preferential elevation of protein kinase C isoform beta II and diacylglycerol levels in the aorta and heart of diabetic rats: differential reversibility to glycemic control by islet cell transplantation

In the present study, we have measured protein kinase C (PKC) specific activities and total diacylglycerol (DAG) level in the aorta and heart of rats, which showed that after 2 weeks of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes, membranous PKC specific activity and total DAG content were increased significantly by 88% and 40% in the aorta and by 21% and 72% in the heart, respectively. Hyperglycemia was identified as being a causal factor since elevated glucose levels increased DAG levels in cultured aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Analysis by immunoblotting revealed that only alpha and beta II PKC isoenzymes are detected in these two tissues and vascular cells among those studied. In STZ-induced diabetic rats, beta II isoenzyme is preferentially increased in both aorta and heart, whereas PKC alpha did not change significantly. The increases in membranous PKC specific activity and DAG level are observed in both spontaneous diabetes-prone diabetic BB rats as well as in STZ-induced diabetic BB and Sprague-Dawley rats, which persisted for up to 5 weeks. After 2 weeks of diabetes without treatment, the normalization of blood glucose levels for up to 3 weeks with islet cell transplants in STZ-induced diabetic BB rats reversed the biochemical changes only in the heart, but not in the aorta. These results suggest that PKC activity and DAG level may be persistently activated in the macrovascular tissues from diabetic animals and indicate a possible role for these biochemical parameters in the development of diabetic chronic vascular complications.
Redesigning a Computer Workstation using Computer-Aided Design: A Case Study

Abstract The purpose of this case study was to modify the layout of an existing computer workstation based upon human factor/ergonomic guidelines using a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) system. The computer workstation of concern was an educational teaching/demonstration tool used in the Department of Technology of a midwestern state university. The computer workstation consisted of a microcomputer, keyboard, a 63.5 cm (25 in.) diagonal high resolution monitor, a digitizer tablet, and a plotter. Instructors using this workstation were surveyed to determine complaints associated with the original computer layout. The original workstation configuration was measured, entered into the computer, and modified based upon anthropometric and ergonomic data from the literature. While numerous ergonomic variables were evaluated, operator reach and distance from the monitor were the primary variables determined to be of concern. Reach parameters were based upon recommendations for users falling in the 50th and 95th perce...
Bimodules in crossed products of von Neumann algebras

Abstract In this paper, we study bimodules over a von Neumann algebra M in the context of an inclusion M ⊆ M ⋊ α G , where G is a discrete group acting on a factor M by outer ⁎-automorphisms. We characterize the M-bimodules X ⊆ M ⋊ α G that are closed in the Bures topology in terms of the subsets of G. We show that this characterization also holds for w ⁎ -closed bimodules when G has the approximation property (AP), a class of groups that includes all amenable and weakly amenable ones. As an application, we prove a version of Mercer's extension theorem for certain w ⁎ -continuous surjective isometric maps on X.
Nitrogen and potassium fertilization and environmental factors affecting the grass tetany hazard of wheat forage

The effects of temperature and soil moisture levels on the chemical composition of wheat forage grown in growth chambers were studied. In addition to the environmental variables, K and N fertilization effects were studied. In all the studies, increasing levels of K fertilization depressed the Mg and Ca concentration of the shoots. Nitrogen fertilization increased the Mg concentration but had no effect on the Ca concentration of the plants. N fertilization depressed the K concentration in the soil moisture experiment, but had no effect on K concentration in the temperature experiment. Increasing the temperature from 10 to 20°C did not affect the Mg and Ca concentration of the shoots, but the K concentration declined due to dilution effects caused by the greater yield at the higher temperature. In the soil moisture level experiment the K, Mg and Ca concentration in wheat tended to decline with soil moisture level due to dilution effects. Calculations showed that uptake of K was regulated primarily by diffusion of K from the soil to the plant root and that the uptake of Mg was regulated by the uptake process of the plant root and not by the nutrient transport process through the soil.
Reconstitution of aminotransferases in vivo and their metabolic turnover

Abstract Rat liver tyrosine aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase are similar enzymes in most properties, but they differ markedly in their ease of coenzyme dissociation and rate of metabolic turnover. Dissociation of coenzyme does not determine rate of turnover ( K.L. Lee, P. L. Darke, and F. T. Kenney, 1977 , J. Biol. Chem. 252 , 4958–4961), but these parameters may reflect structural properties of the enzymes which determine both. To explore this possibility we studied these enzymes in livers of rats fed a pyridoxine-deficient diet in which both enzymes were largely in apoenzyme form. This form of alanine aminotransferase, not previously characterized, was identified as an immunologically cross-reactive material which was converted to active enzyme when extracts were incubated with pyridoxal phosphate in vitro . This apoenzyme behaved like the active holoenzyme in chromatographic and electrophoretic analyses but was more sensitive than the holoenzyme to heat, low pH, or proteolysis by trypsin or chymotrypsin. Relative rates of reconstitution of the two holoenzymes in vivo after injection of pyridoxine were determined as a measure of conformational stability of the two enzymes as they exist in the intracellular environment. Restoration of the tyrosine aminotransferase holoenzyme was completed within 30 to 45 min, but that of the alanine enzyme required 8 h. These results suggest that tyrosine aminotransferase in vivo is a relaxed structure which facilitates both coenzyme dissociation and rapid metabolic turnover, whereas alanine aminotransferase assumes a taut structure resistant to both dissociation and degradative processes.
Craving for sweet carbohydrate and fat‐rich foods – possible triggers and impact on nutritional intake

Summary This paper presents a review of the literature pertaining to the measurement and prevalence of, and triggers for, cravings for sweet carbohydrate and fat-rich foods, and considers the impact of such cravings on nutrient intake. Difficulties in defining the construct and measurement of food cravings are discussed, and recent progress highlighted in the measurement arena by the development of two psychometric instruments that appear to have good validity and reliability. With regards to triggers for cravings for sweet carbohydrate and fat-rich foods, most studies have focused on negative mood state. While it is likely that a variety of food-related cues may influence cravings (e.g. the smell, sight, taste, and mouth-feel or texture of food, as well as thoughts of and images of food), this is an area that has received relatively little attention in the scientific literature. Similarly, there is a lack of information about the impact of cravings on nutrient intake. Preliminary data indicate that, at least for older people, cravers’ nutrient intake meets or exceeds the recommended daily amounts for most nutrients. However, energy intake is higher among cravers compared with non-cravers, and a greater proportion of their energy comes from carbohydrates, especially sugars. This may have an adverse effect on subsequent weight gain. Indeed, these preliminary data found cravers to have a higher body mass index than non-cravers.
For whom does it work? Moderators of the effects of written emotional disclosure in a randomized trial among women with chronic pelvic pain.

Objective Although written emotional disclosure has potential as a stress management intervention for people with health problems, the main (group) effects of disclosure in medical populations are limited. This study sought to identify individual difference moderators of the effects of written disclosure among women with chronic pelvic pain. Methods In a prospective, randomized trial, 48 women with chronic pelvic pain completed 3 individual difference measures and then wrote for 3 days about stressful consequences of their pain (disclosure) or positive events (control). Health status was assessed at baseline and 2 months after writing. Results Main effect group comparisons indicated that disclosure writing resulted in significantly lower evaluative pain intensity ratings than control writing at follow-up, but there were no main effects on other outcome variables (sensory or affective pain, disability, affect). Three baseline individual difference measures, however, significantly moderated group effects. Compared with control writing, disclosure led to less disability among women with higher baseline ambivalence over emotional expression or higher catastrophizing, and to increased positive affect among women with higher baseline negative affect. Ambivalence, but not catastrophizing, was independent of negative affect in its moderation effect. Conclusion Although the main effects of writing about the stress of pelvic pain are limited, women with higher baseline ambivalence about emotional expression or negative affect appear to respond more positively to this intervention.
Serotonin receptors represent highly favorable molecular targets for cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia and other disorders.

Rationale Current treatments for schizophrenia adequately treat the positive symptoms of schizophrenia but only modestly improve cognitive deficits. This review provides evidence for and against the use of selective 5-HT receptor drugs as cognition enhancing agents for schizophrenia and other disorders.
Regulation of the hypothalamic Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH) neuron by neuronal and peripheral inputs

The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis plays a critical role in mediating changes in metabolism and thermogenesis. Thus, the central regulation of the thyroid axis by Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) is of key importance for the normal function of the axis under different physiological conditions including cold stress and changes in nutritional status. Before the TRH peptide becomes biologically active, a series of tightly regulated processes occur including the proper folding of the prohormone for targeting to the secretory pathway, its post-translational processing, and targeting of the processed peptides to the secretory granules near the plasma membrane of the cell ready for secretion. Multiple inputs coming from the periphery or from neurons present in different areas of the brain including the hypothalamus are responsible for the activation or inhibition of the TRH neuron and in turn affect the output of TRH and the set point of the axis.
Reduction in bioavailability to bluegills of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons bound to dissolved humic material

The uptake, depuration, metabolic fate and bioaccumulation of two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), [14C]naphthalene (NPH) and [14C]benzo(α)pyrene (BaP), by bluegill sunfish were determined in the presence and absence of dissolved humic material (DHM) (20 mg C/L) The effect of binding to DHM on the bioavailability of PAH was analyzed by multicompartment kinetic models to determine the relative rates of uptake of PAH dissolved in water versus that bound to DHM. DHM reduced the accumulation of BaP by 90% (97% of BaP bound to DHM) but had little effect on uptake of NPH (2% bound to DHM). The rate coefficients for uptake of bound PAH were only 0 to 10% of the uptake of dissolved PAH. The potential for biotransformation has an important role in bioaccumulation by fish. Although accumulation of total radioactivity (PAH and metabolites) is 10-fold greater in fish exposed to BaP than in fish exposed to NPH, BaP is extensively metabolized whereas NPH is not. Consequently, the bioconcentration of the parent NPH greatly exceeds that of the parent BaP. Because more hydrophobic PAH, such as BaP, have a high affinity for binding to DHM and rapid rates of biotransformation, these interactions may act to mitigate the biological impact of those very hydrophobic PAH having the greatest potential for bioaccumulation and transfer to humans via food chains.
Bioavailability of beryllium oxide particles: an in vitro study in the murine J774A.1 macrophage cell line model.

Beryllium metal and its oxide and alloys are materials of industrial significance with recognized adverse effects on worker health. Currently, the degree of risk associated with exposure to these materials in the workplace is assessed through measurement of beryllium aerosol mass concentration. Compliance with the current mass-based occupational exposure limit has proven ineffective at eliminating the occurrence of chronic beryllium disease (CBD). The rationale for this research was to examine the mechanism of beryllium bioavailability, which may be pertinent to risk. The authors tested the hypothesis in vitro that dissolution of particles engulfed by macrophages is greater than dissolution in cellular medium alone. Physicochemical changes were evaluated in vitro for well-characterized high-purity beryllium oxide (BeO) particles in cell-free media alone and engulfed by and retained within murine J774A.1 monocyte-macrophage cells. The BeO particles were from a commercially available powder and consisted of...
The role of fire and soil heating on water repellency in wildland environments: a review

Abstract This paper describes the heat transfer mechanisms operating as heat moves downward in the soil along steep temperature gradients during both wildfires and prescribed fires. The transfer of heat downward in the upper part of the soil is enhanced by the vaporization and movement of water and organic compounds. Available information on the changes in the chemistry of vaporized organic compounds is summarized and discussed. An operational theory describing the formation of a highly water repellent soil condition during fire is presented. The relationship between the formation of this fire-related watershed condition and subsequent surface runoff and erosion from wildland ecosystems is explored. Worldwide literature describing fire-induced water repellency is reviewed and summarized.
A Roof without Walls: Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Misdirection of American Education

Plato wrote that higher order thinking could not start until the student had mastered conventional wisdom. The American educational establishment has turned Plato on his head with the help of a dubious approach to teaching developed by one Benjamin Bloom. Bloom’s taxonomy was intended for higher education, but its misappropriation has resulted in a serious distortion of the purpose of the K–12 years. Michael Booker attributes the inability of American children to compete internationally to a great extent to our reliance on Bloom in expecting critical and advanced thinking from kids who have been trained to regard facts and substantive knowledge as unimportant.
Influence of body weight and type of chow on the sensitivity of rats to the behavioral effects of the direct-acting dopamine-receptor agonist quinpirole

Rationale Amount and type of food can alter dopamine systems and sensitivity to drugs acting on those systems.
Aperture response and optical performance of patterned-electrode virtual-phase imagers

This report discusses the aperture response and associated optical characteristics for frontside-illuminated, frame-transfer, patterned-electrode, virtual-phase imagers under various operating conditions. These characteristics are of interest in considering the use of these imagers in camera applications. The consequences of the use of semitransparent electrodes for the clocked phase of this new class of devices is discussed, and the implications on MTF, aliasing, and performance in interlaced applications is considered.
Nonlinear control methods for power systems: a comparison

The design and performance of two nonlinear controllers for power systems is explored in this paper. The designs are based on nonlinear discrete-time predictive control and feedback linearizing control, considering a simplified nonlinear single-machine infinite bus (SMIB) power system model equipped with a series-capacitor controller. Simulations are presented for nonideal conditions such as bounded control, the uncertainties in the chosen model parameters, and the presence of inter-area-type persistent disturbances. The results indicate that superior performance can be obtained using the nonlinear predictive controller when compared with the feedback linearizing controller and a standard linear quadratic regulator. >
The feasibility of inducing mild therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac resuscitation using iced saline infusion via an intraosseous needle

Abstract Objective This study was done, using a swine model of prolonged ventricular fibrillation out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, to determine the feasibility of inducing therapeutic hypothermia after successful resuscitation by giving an intraosseous infusion of iced saline. Methods This study was IACUC approved. Liter bags of normal saline, after being refrigerated for at least 24h, were placed in an ice filled cooler. Female Yorkshire swine weighing between 27 and 35kg were sedated and instrumented under general anesthesia. A temperature probe was inserted 10cm into the esophagus. Ventricular fibrillation was electrically induced and allowed to continue untreated for 10min. Animals were randomized to one of two resuscitation schemes for the primary study ( N =53). One group had central intravenous access for drug delivery and the other had an intraosseous needle inserted into the proximal tibia for drug administration. Animals in which spontaneous circulation was restored were immediately cooled, for this secondary study, by means of a rapid, pump-assisted infusion of 1L of iced saline either through the intraosseous needle ( n =8), the central access ( n =6), or a peripheral intravenous catheter ( n =7) in a systematic, non-randomized fashion. Room, animal, and saline temperatures were recorded at initiation and upon completion of infusion. The data were analyzed descriptively using Stata SE v8.1 for Macintosh. Results The baseline characteristics of all three groups were mathematically the same. The average ambient room temperature during the experimental sessions was 25.5°C (SD=1.3°C). There were no statistically significant differences between the three groups with regard to saline temperature, rate of infusion, or decrease in core body temperature. The decrease in core temperature for the intraosseous group was 2.8°C (95% CI=1.8, 3.8) over the infusion period. Conclusions Mild therapeutic hypothermia can be effectively induced in swine after successful resuscitation of prolonged ventricular fibrillation by infusion of iced saline through an IO needle.
Elvitegravir/Cobicistat/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Single Tablet for HIV-1 Infection Treatment

Objective:To review the clinical trials, pharmacologic characteristics, safety, and efficacy of the elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir single tablet formulation (Stribild).Data Sources:Literature searches were performed in MEDLINE (1948-September 2012) and PubMed (1966-September 2012) using the search terms GS-9137, elvitegravir, GS 9350, cobicistat, quad pill, Stribild, and integrase inhibitors. Abstracts from HIV/AIDS conferences were reviewed.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Phase 3 studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of Stribild were preferentially evaluated, as well as relevant references from the published studies.Data Synthesis:Stribild contains complete antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infection in a single tablet. It is the first once-daily therapy option available with an integrase inhibitor and a novel pharmacokinetic boosting agent. Stribild has shown non-inferiority in viral load suppression at 48 weeks when compared with dual nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase...
What does Weber’s law tell us about spike statistics?

Weber's law (Fig. ​(Fig.1A),1A), which states that estimation error scales linearly with the magnitude of the estimated variable, is a ubiquitous and robust phenomenon. A similar observation in estimating temporal intervals is called Scalar Timing. A central goal of neuroscience is to find the physiological basis of behavior; yet, despite the fundamental nature of Weber's law and its long history, its physiological basis remains unknown. This work poses a simple question- what are the statistical characteristics of spiking neural-processes that can lead to Weber’s law? Our analysis is based on the hypothesis that neuronal noise, or more precisely the variability of neural spike counts, is the origin of perceptual errors. Figure 1 Weber’s law and Neuronal Statistics. a. Weber’s law: estimate errors σθ increase linearly with stimulus intensity θ. b. General scheme and derivation of differential equation c. example tuning curves with Poisson ... We develop a simple differential equation, based on a local linear approximation, that relates perceptual performance to neural spike statistics. This equation has the form: where r(θ) is the form of the tuning curve, α the Weber fraction, τ the time window over which spike statistics are sampled and the parameters ρ and β characterize the spike count statistics. For example for Poisson statistics ρ=0.5 and β=1. This equation has an analytical solution of the form: where K=(±β(1-ρ)/α)n/τ and n=1/(1-ρ). Figure ​Figure1B1B below shows parts of the derivation, and Figure ​Figure1C1C examples of log-power tuning curves. All the parameters of this function except one are determined by the spike statistics, and the free parameter does not alter the scaling. More complex exact calculations confirm the validity of the results obtained using the linear approximation. We also compare our predictions to available data. This analysis can also be applied in the temporal domain to the scalar timing law using spike rates that vary in time with a log-power profile. Our linear approximation demonstrates the principles of our theory and a discrete series approximation captures almost exactly the results of stochastic simulations. We also test the optimality of these scaling laws using use variational calculus to find a joint differential equation for the tuning curves and the probability distribution of the measured variable. In a surprisingly general result, this analysis shows that Weber’s law is optimal only if the estimated variable has a scale invariant power-law distribution with an exponent of n=-2.
Mitochondria directly donate their membrane to form autophagosomes during a novel mechanism of parkin-associated mitophagy.

Background Autophagy (macroautophagy), a cellular process of “self-eating”, segregates damaged/aged organelles into vesicles, fuses with lysosomes, and enables recycling of the digested materials. The precise origin(s) of the autophagosome membrane is unclear and remains a critical but unanswered question. Endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi complex, and the plasma membrane have been proposed as the source of autophagosomal membranes.
A Two-Layered Framework for Robust Dispatch with Transmission Constraints

This paper presents a two-layered framework for managing multi-interval economic dispatch with both transmission and ramping constraints in electric energy systems with a large penetration of variable resources. The proposed model is aimed at ensuring that there is sufficient flexibility in the dispatch to manage large net load ramp events while observing the transmission constraints in the power network. A flexibility metric termed lack of ramp probability (LORP) is used to quantify the ramp capability. This metric is shown to be applicable in system-wide and decomposed zonal settings. A two-layered robust optimization-based dispatch is then formulated as an approach to ensuring a level of LORP flexibility with transmission constraints in large power networks. This two-layered approach is shown to be rigorous in terms of guaranteeing flexibility and is implementable for real-time dispatch in multi-zonal energy systems. The performance of the proposed dispatch framework is illustrated in a modified IEEE 24-bus Reliability Test System.
Magnetic force microscopy characterization of unusual magnetic coupling in an extraordinarily responsive magnetic material

Gd/sub 5/(Si/sub 2/Ge/sub 2/) and related compounds with similar (nearly equal Si-to-Ge ratio) composition exhibit large magnetoresponsive properties including a giant magnetocaloric effect, colossal magnetostriction, and giant magnetoresistance near a structural-magnetic phase transition that occurs close to ambient temperature. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) measurements on single-crystal samples of these materials indicate that the easy magnetization axis is the b-axis of the orthorhombic magnetic phase-perpendicular to the slabs. In fact, the MFM image of a surface perpendicular to the b-axis is quite similar to domain patterns perpendicular to the easy axis of Co and other highly anisotropic magnetic materials. Therefore, it appears that Gd/sub 5/(Si/sub x/Ge/sub 1-x/)/sub 4/ may require modeling similar to other multilayers and superlattices of rare-earth metals with one or more nonmagnetic constituents that exhibit long-range magnetic order across nonmagnetic layers. Many of the important phenomena of these Gd compounds could be explained by the interaction of localized Gd magnetic moments across the covalent bonding between atomic slabs, adapting models already suggested for other similar materials.
Near-isogenic cotton germplasm lines that differ in fiber-bundle strength have temporal differences in fiber gene expression patterns as revealed by comparative high-throughput profiling

Gene expression profiles of developing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fibers from two near-isogenic lines (NILs) that differ in fiber-bundle strength, short-fiber content, and in fewer than two genetic loci were compared using an oligonucleotide microarray. Fiber gene expression was compared at five time points spanning fiber elongation and secondary cell wall (SCW) biosynthesis. Fiber samples were collected from field plots in a randomized, complete block design, with three spatially distinct biological replications for each NIL at each time point. Microarray hybridizations were performed in a loop experimental design that allowed comparisons of fiber gene expression profiles as a function of time between the two NILs. Overall, developmental expression patterns revealed by the microarray experiment agreed with previously reported cotton fiber gene expression patterns for specific genes. Additionally, genes expressed coordinately with the onset of SCW biosynthesis in cotton fiber correlated with gene expression patterns of other SCW-producing plant tissues. Functional classification and enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes between the two NILs revealed that genes associated with SCW biosynthesis were significantly up-regulated in fibers of the high-fiber quality line at the transition stage of cotton fiber development. For independent corroboration of the microarray results, 15 genes were selected for quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis of fiber gene expression. These analyses, conducted over multiple field years, confirmed the temporal difference in fiber gene expression between the two NILs. We hypothesize that the loci conferring temporal differences in fiber gene expression between the NILs are important regulatory sequences that offer the potential for more targeted manipulation of cotton fiber quality.
Identifying units for conservation using molecular systematics: the cautionary tale of the Karner blue butterfly

The federally endangered North American Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) and the closely related Melissa blue butterfly (L. m. melissa) can be distinguished based on life history and morphology. Western populations of L. m. samuelis share mitochondrial haplotypes with L. m. melissa populations, while eastern populations of L. m. samuelis have divergent haplotypes. Here we test two hypotheses concerning the presence of L. m. melissa mitochondrial haplotypes in western L. m. samuelis populations: (i) mitochondrial introgression has occurred from L. m. melissa populations into western L. m. samuelis populations, or (ii) western populations of the nominal L. m. samuelis are more closely related to L. m. melissa than to eastern L. m. samuelis populations, yet are phenotypically similar to the latter. A Bayesian algorithm was used to cluster 190 L. melissa individuals based on 143 informative amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci. This method clearly differentiated L. m. samuelis and L. m. melissa. Thus, genomic divergence was greater between western L. m. samuelis populations and L. m. melissa populations than it was between western and eastern populations of L. m. samuelis. This supports the hypothesis that the presence of L. m. melissa mitochondrial haplotypes in western L. m. samuelis populations is the result of mitochondrial introgression. These data provide valuable information for conservation and management plans for the endangered L. m. samuelis, and illustrate the risks of using data from a single locus for diagnosing significant units of biodiversity for conservation.
Impact of childhood emotional abuse on neocortical neurometabolites and complex emotional processing in patients with generalized anxiety disorder

Abstract Background The rostral prefrontal cortex (RPFC) is involved in reflective thought processes such as self-knowledge and person perception. We hypothesized that childhood emotional abuse, which is disruptive of emotional regulation, would differentially impact neurometabolite concentrations of the RPFC, and related neocortical areas, in adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) versus healthy controls. Methods GAD patients ( n =16; females=11) and medically healthy volunteers ( n =16; F =10) were assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), specifically the emotional abuse category. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging examined 3 regions of interest (ROI) from the most rostral slice from the Duyn et al. (1993) multivoxel imaging modality: rostral prefrontal cortex (BA 10,9), premotor cortex (BA 6,8) and secondary somatosensory and associated parietal cortex (BA 5,7). Metabolites included N -acetyl-aspartate, creatine, and choline. Results GAD patients reported higher emotional abuse scores versus controls. An omnibus general linear model including 3 ROI, 3 metabolites, and laterality as dependent variables revealed a significant diagnosis by CTQ emotional abuse score interactive effect. In controls, all 3 ROI for all 3 metabolites on both sides demonstrated a significant inverse relationship with emotional abuse scores; none were significant in GAD patients. Limitations A major limitation is the uneven distribution of emotional abuse scores between the controls and GAD patients, with GAD patients reporting higher scores. Conclusion Unlike controls, GAD patients appear compromised in forming a molecular representation reflective of magnitude of childhood emotional abuse. The neurometabolites in GAD patients appear non-aligned to childhood emotional abuse, suggesting potential consequences for normative “theory of mind” processes and emotional function in certain anxiety disorders.
The Adaptive Nature of Human Categorization.

A rational model of human categorization behavior is presented that assumes that categorization reflects the derivation of optimal estimates of the probability of unseen features of objects. A Bayesian analysis is performed of what optimal estimations would be if categories formed a disjoint partitioning of the object space and if features were independently displayed within a category. This Bayesian analysis is placed within an incremental categorization algorithm. The resulting rational model accounts for effects of central tendency of categories, effects of specific instances, learning of linearly nonseparable categories, effects of category labels, extraction of basic level categories, base-rate effects, probability matching in categorization, and trial-by-trial learning functions. Although the rational model considers just I level of categorization, it is shown how predictions can be enhanced by considering higher and lower levels. Considering prediction at the lower, individual level allows integration of this rational analysis of categorization with the earlier rational analysis of memory (Anderson & Milson, 1989). Anderson (1990) presented a rational analysis ot 6 human cognition. The term rational derives from similar "rational-man" analyses in economics. Rational analyses in other fields are sometimes called adaptationist analyses. Basically, they are efforts to explain the behavior in some domain on the assumption that the behavior is optimized with respect to some criteria of adaptive importance. This article begins with a general characterization ofhow one develops a rational theory of a particular cognitive phenomenon. Then I present the basic theory of categorization developed in Anderson (1990) and review the applications from that book. Since the writing of the book, the theory has been greatly extended and applied to many new phenomena. Most of this article describes these new developments and applications.