cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A unified derivation of square-root multichannel least-squares filtering algorithms

The authors present a new derivation of exact least-squares multichannel and multidimensional adaptive algorithms, based on explicitly formulating the problem as a state-space estimation problem and then using different square-root versions of the Kalman, Chandrasekhar, and information algorithms. The amount of data to be processed here is usually significantly higher than in the single-channel case, and reducing the computational complexity of the standard multichannel RLS (recursive least square) algorithm is thus of major importance. This reduction is usually achieved by invoking the existing shift structure in the input data. For this purpose, it is shown how to apply the extended Chandrasekhar recursions, with an appropriate choice of the initial covariance matrix, to reduce the computations by an order of magnitude. In multichannel filters, the number of weights in different channels is not necessarily the same. This is illustrated with two examples: a nonlinear Volterra-series filter and a two-dimensional filter. In the former case the number of weights varies among the channels, but in the latter case all channels have the same number of weights. >
On job and writing: Derrida, Girard, and the remedy‐poison

Abstract Over the last two decades some of the most interesting developments in biblical criticism have come from the influence of literary criticism and critical theory. Practically simultaneously and side‐by‐side with sociological approaches, as in the work of Gottwald and Jobling, for example, literary methods and hermeneutics have opened up biblical texts in a new way. Emerging after a golden period for theology and biblical studies spanning the period roughly from the end of World War I to the middle or late 1960s, literary criticism in biblical studies reflected disaffection with historical criticism's dismantling of the text for the sake of reconstructing historical origins, causes, and sequences, and simultaneously it reflected the concerns of professional scholars about their credentials and status in the academic world. Literary criticism in biblical studies was a way of getting away from history — which in the twentieth century has seemed like “one damned thing after another” — and getting back...
Comparative rating of logic active devices

The change in a logic figure of merit as the ultimate speed of logic active devices is tracked over a period of years. Current high-speed FET devices have ultimate speeds corresponding to an equivalent wire length of 3.4 mm, which is comparable to the distance between input and output terminals. Consequently, further significant increases in logic speed for active devices cannot be expected. >
Ensuring the Accuracy of Digital Sphygmomanometers for Home Use

Objective To describe the techniques for assessing the accuracy of digital sphygmomanometers. Design The necessary equipment and the recommended procedures for determining the accuracy of digital units by comparison with a mercury sphygmomanometer were reviewed. Results Evaluation of the accuracy of digital sphygmomanometers is a simple two-phase process: (1) comparison of the pressure sensors against a mercury column and (2) assessment of the ability to detect Korotkoff sounds. The only equipment needed is a mercury column, a Y tubing, a "dummy" arm, two male-female adapters, and a stethoscope. The two short ends of the Y tubing are used to connect the mercury sphygmomanometer and the digital unit, and the long end of the Y tubing is attached to the cuff of the digital unit. The inflation mechanism of the digital unit (manual or automatic) influences the approach used for comparing the two units. For both manually and automatically inflatable digital units, the digital display should be within ±4 mm Hg of the mercury level; likewise, a properly functioning digital unit should detect Korotkoff sounds (both systolic and diastolic readings) within ±4 mm Hg of the auscultated blood pressure measurements. If the digital sphygmomanometer is judged to be accurate, 6-month reevaluations are suggested. Conclusion With use of minimal equipment, digital sphygmomanometers (except the new finger blood pressure monitors) can easily be assessed for accuracy by comparing the pressure sensors against a mercury unit and testing the sensitivity for detecting Korotkoff sounds. Self-monitoring of the blood pressure is helpful in assessing blood pressure changes over time and in evaluating antihypertensive therapy.
Stochastic incident-management of asymmetrical network-workloads

Abstract Traffic incidents constitute a major cause for non-recurrent roadway congestion. This paper proposes a stochastic-programming model for clearing asymmetrical incidents in a network as quickly as possible. A response to an incident is asymmetric when the workloads among response vehicles are uneven due to real-time scheduling considerations. This is to be contrasted with a static (often conservative) allocation of vehicular resources. Such asymmetry, and the attendant efficiency, is attributable to additional services performed while a vehicle takes care of emergent incidents nearby. Other vehicles are simply too far away to be helpful. We articulate a fundamental principle of incident management in a theorem and three corollaries. An elegant (yet practical) corollary suggests that an operator should not dispatch additional response vehicles (say from a depot) when the shortest travel-times to an incident are longer than the remaining work time available from vehicles already at the scene. Otherwise, the maximum number of required vehicles should be dispatched. When executed over all instances of reported incidents on a rolling time horizon, the rule yields the optimal plan. The model is applied toward a network in Central Arkansas for peak and off-peak traffic. It shows that it can properly balance the service requirement of reported incidents with potential ones. Meanwhile, a certain reliability level can be guaranteed by our model—a threshold that can be tightened or relaxed at will. The fast solution time of this linearized model allows for real-time application in the field, as verified by a simulation performed on a Central Arkansas highway network.
A Facile Synthesis of 2,2,6,6-Tetramethyl-2-germa-3,5-heptandione: The Preparation and Characterization of the First Germa-β-diketonate Copper(II) Complex

High-yield synthesis of acetyltrimethylgermane (1) facilitated the synthesis of the first germa-β-diketone, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-2-germa-3,5-heptanedione (tmghdH; 3), and its Cu(II) complex, Cu(tmghd)2 (4). Cu(tmghd)2 was found to be more volatile than Cu(tmhd)2 (tmhdH = 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedione) by thermogravimetric analysis. X-ray diffraction studies of Cu(tmghd)2 showed it to have essentially square planar geometry, with the Cu atom situated on a center of symmetry.
Cognitive deficits and reduced insight in primary progressive aphasia.

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a form of dementia caused by frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Unlike aphasia due to stroke, in which the association between particular aphasia profiles and insight has been well characterized, this relationship has not been investigated in PPA. Reduced insight is seen in other neurological conditions, but tends to involve right hemisphere damage, whereas PPA is predominantly a left hemisphere disorder. The aim of the current study was to examine whether fluent aphasia with less meaningful speech output, associated with diminished insight in stroke, is also characteristic of PPA patients with reduced insight. Fourteen PPA patients were studied. Results indicated that reduced information content in speech and poor performance on a nonlanguage test, the Pyramids and Palm Trees test, predicted reduced insight. This study has implications for the anatomical network involved in insight and clinical implications in terms of selecting interventions appropriate for individua...
Real time in situ chemical characterization of sub-micron organic aerosols using Direct Analysis in Real Time mass spectrometry (DART-MS): the effect of aerosol size and volatility

Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) mass spectrometry is an atmospheric pressure ionization technique suitable for in situ chemical analysis of organic aerosols. Here, mass spectra are obtained by introducing a stream of nanometer-sized aerosols into the ionization region, which is an open space between the ion source and the atmospheric inlet of mass spectrometer. Model single component aerosols are used to show how the aerosol size and volatility influence the measured ion signals at different DART gas temperatures. The results show that for equivalent aerosol mass concentrations, the ion signal scales with particle surface area, with smaller diameter oleic acid aerosols yielding higher ion signals relative to larger diameter aerosols. For the aerosols of the same size, but different vapor pressures, the ion signal is larger for more volatile succinic acid aerosols than less volatile adipic and suberic acid particles. From the measured changes in aerosol size, produced by the DART source, the radial probing depth for these model aerosols range from 1 to 10 nm, the magnitude of which depends upon the physiochemical properties of the aerosols and DART gas temperature. An aerosol evaporation model reveals that the ion signal is correlated with changes in aerosol size and depends upon the total quantity of evaporated aerosol mass, consistent with a mechanism in which gas-phase molecules are first desorbed from the aerosol surface prior to ionization. The results of this work serve as a basis for future investigations of the mass spectra, ionization pathways, and probing depth of the aerosols using DART.
The Role of Stratospheric Polar Vortex Breakdown in Southern Hemisphere Climate Trends

This paper investigates the connection between the delay in the final breakdown of the stratospheric polar vortex, the stratospheric final warming (SFW), and Southern Hemisphere climate trends. The authors first analyze Interim European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERAInterim) and three climatemodel outputs with different climate forcings. Climatetrends appear whenthere is a delay in the timing of SFWs. When regressed onto the SFW dates (which reflect the anomaly when the SFW is delayed for one standard deviation of its onset dates), the anomaly pattern bears a resemblance to the observed climate trends, for all the model outputs, even without any trends. This suggests that the stratospheric and tropospheric circulations are organized by the timing of SFWs in both the interannual time scale and climate trends because of external forcings. The authors further explore the role of the SFW using a simplified dynamical model in which the ozone depletion is mimicked by a springtime polar stratospheric cooling. The responses of zonal-mean atmospheric circulation, including zonal wind, temperature, and poleward edge of the Hadley cell and the Ferrel cell, are similar to the observed climate trends. The authors divide the years into those in which the SFW is delayed and those in which it is not. The responses for the years in which the SFW is delayed are very similar to the overall response, while the stratosphere is only characterized by the localized cooling for those years in which the SFW is not delayed, with no subsequent downward influence into the troposphere. This suggests that, in order to affect the troposphere, ozone depletion must first delay the SFW so as to induce a deep response in planetary wave drag and the associated eddy-driven circulation.
Two new insulating ferromagnets CHA2CuBr4 and CPA2CuCl4

Abstract Both compounds (CHA2B and CPA2C) consist of CuX 2− 4 layers separated by their respective organic groups (CHA=cyclohexylammonium, CPA=cyclopentylammonium). The exchange within the layers is ferromagnetic for both compounds (J/k=9.0 K, CHA2B), although the susceptibility of CPA2Cl cannot be fit to the quadratic Heisenberg model. Three dimensional ferromagnetic ordering occurs at 3.98 K and 4.8 K for CHA2B and CPA2C, respectively. Both compounds behave as weak XY magnets in the ordered state, with the easy axes located in the copper halide planes. CHA2Br is the first copper bromide layer to demonstrate XY anistropy. It is one of the best realizations of an ideal S =½ quadratic Heisenberg magnet, with a critical ratio kT c /J =0.44.
Nosocomial spread of Haemophilus influenzaetype b infection documented by outer membrane protein subtype analysis

This report provides evidence of nosocomial transmission of Haemophilus influenzae type b infectionbetween two children in an acute care hospital. In the past, transmission of infection between these children would have gone unrecognized, because the isolates from the respective cases differed in susceptibility to ampicillin. However, the outer membrane protein profile of the two isolates was identical and has previously been observed in less than 2% of type b Haemophilus isolates from patients with invasive disease in the St. Louis area. Thus the likelihood is very low that these two children were both infected with this strain by chance alone (P
Ambiguity Acceptance as a Function of Project Management: A New Critical Success Factor

This research examines the relationship between ambiguity acceptance and customer and organizational outcomes within the Six Sigma improvement project context. Results find a curvilinear relationship between open communication and customer outcomes for project leaders. Results of multiple regression find a significant positive relationship between open communication and organization outcomes, as well as a significant positive relationship between ambiguity acceptance and customer and organizational outcomes for team leaders, while there is a significant positive relationship between ambiguity acceptance and customer and organizational outcomes for team members. Theoretical and practical implications are examined.
The Autism-Related H93R PTEN Mutant Shows Enhanced Plasma Membrane Binding But Reduced Activity

The tumor suppressor, phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), is a phosphoinositide (PI) phosphatase specific for the 3-position of the inositol ring. PTEN has been implicated in autism for a subset of patients with macrocephaly. Various studies identified patients in this subclass with one normal and one mutated PTEN gene. We characterize the binding, structural properties, activity and subcellular localization of one of these autism-related mutants, H93R PTEN, using fluorescence quenching, SPR and ITC. The membrane asociation of the mutant protein with solid-supported membranes (tBLMs) is investigated with neutron reflection. We observe that H93R PTEN shows enhanced binding to phosphatidylserine (PS)-containing membranes, in contrast to wt PTEN. On the other hand, binding to membranes that contain PI(4,5)P2, a requirement for allosteric activation of PTEN, was strongly reduced for the H93R mutant. H93R and wt PTEN share the same secondary structure. However, while α-helical content increases in wt PTEN upon binding to PI(4,5)P2, this is not observed for the H93R mutant. Consistent with the increased affinity of H93R PTEN to PS, we find in cell-based studies that the association of the mutant with the plasma membrane is strongly enhanced in comparison to wt PTEN. Unexpectedly, this does not enhance PI(3,4,5)P3 turnover, but instead reduces enzyme activity significantly. We hypothesize that the tight binding of H93R PTEN to PS prevents PI(4,5)P2 from interacting with the protein, thereby inhibiting allosteric activation, which is a requirement for binding to and turnover of the substrate, PI(3,4,5)P3.
Tuberculostatic substances extracted from normal rat spleen.

The existence of a spectrum of natural resistance between various species has been apparent since the earliest investigations on tuberculosis. This spectrum spreads from the susceptible guinea pig to the resistant rat. A possible explanation of resistance to infection may be that the host provides an unfavorable environment for bacterial proliferation. The resistant host may provide an unfavorable medium for growth of tubercle bacilli because of constitutional char-
Papermill Sludge, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Lime Effect on Clover Grown on a Mine Soil

Pots containing mine soil treated with lime, fertilizer, and bleached, primary papermill sludge (at the rate of 56, 112, and 224 Mg/ha added alone or in combination with fertilizer [P and K]) were planted to subterranean clover (Trifolium subterranean L.) in the first phase of a twophase study. Fertilizer was found necessary to revegetate the mine soil, and the addition of sludge and fertilizer significantly (α<0.05) increased yield over the fertilizer only. This favorable effect of sludge was observed during the second harvest, with 112 Mg/ha giving the maximum yield. Biological N 2 fixation and native N did not raise the N concentration in clover within the normal range (2.9-3.8%) [...]
Synergistic and solvent effects in the extraction of strontium and sodium by di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate

Abstract Strontium extraction by solutions of mixed sodium-hydrogen di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (Na-HDEHP) is affected by the diluent used and by various organic phase additives. Two effects were noted, one on the acidity of the extractant due to the relative Lewis acidity of the diluent or additive, and one due to more direct molecular interaction with the estracted metal (synergism) or with the extractant (antagonism). The synergistic effect of TBP on strontium extraction was examined in detail and was found to be due to substitution of TBP for HA in the compound Sr A 2 · 4 H A ( A = DEHP). A range of substituted compounds from Sr A 2 3 H A · TBP to Sr A 2 · 4TBP was observed. The point of maximum synergism was found with 60 per cent of the total phosphate as TBP and 30 per cent of the DEHP as NaDEHP. Interaction of TBP with NaDEHP species was observed and aggregation of TBP in dilute, wet n -octane solutions is suggested.
Host range studies on xenotropic type C viruses in somatic cell hybrids.

Abstract A selection system is described for the isolation of somatic cell hybrids which does not require mutagenesis or Budr treatment of either parental cell. Thioguanine-resistant Kirsten sarcoma virus transformed nonproducer rat cells have been fused to contact-inhibited mouse cells and the hybrids selected in soft agar containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine. The somatic cell hybrids obtained by this procedure between mouse and rat cells have been used to study the host range of xenotropic type C viruses. The restriction by murine cells to the growth of certain xenotropic murine type C viruses was found to be dominant in such hybrids.
Using Monte Carlo simulations and self‐consistent field theory to design interfacially active copolymers

We use both Monte Carlo computer simulations and numerical self-consistent field lattice calculations to determine the behavior of copolymers at penetrable and impenetrable interfaces. These computational techniques are useful as “design tools”: they allow us to systemically vary the copolymer architecture, determine optimal structures for specific applications, and establish guidelines for fabricating copolymers that yield the desired interfacial properties. We illustrate this principle with three different examples. In the first study, we combine the techniques to design copolymer compatibilizers that enhance the strength of immiscible polymer blends. These copolymers contain teeth that associate across the penetrable interface between the phase-separated regions and form a “molecular velcro” that effectively binds the regions together. In the case of impenetrable interfaces, we determine how the copolymer sequence distribution affects the structure of a layer of copolymers grafted onto a solid surface. The results indicate how to control the morphology of the layer and the surface properties of the substrate, by varying the microstructure of the grafted copolymers. Finally, we design a polymer channel that “opens” and “closes” in response to changes in the pH and quality of the surrounding solvent. The channel is formed from polyacid chains that are anchored onto a solid surface. Due to these properties, the system can be used for controlled release or sensor devices.
Comparison of the charge collecting properties of junctions and the SEU response of microelectronic circuits

Abstract The transient voltage swings which result from the collection of charge across junctions traversed by heavy ions can be measured from the power and ground pins of static RAMs using pulse-height analysis systems similar to those used for solid state detectors. Procedures for estimating the dimensions of the sensitive volumes to be associated with the SEU-sensitive junctions from the pulse-height data are described along with a simple procedure for estimating the critical charge from a comparison of the SEU cross section measured with protons and the pulse-height spectra obtained with the CUPID simulation codes. These procedures are demonstrated on the IDT 6116V, an RMOS SRAM.
Sediment oxidation capabilities of four submersed aquatic macrophytes

Isoetids are submersed aquatic plants that thrive in soft water, oligotrophic bodies of water and possess small, stiff rosettes and extensive root systems. These roots absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, altering the biogeochemistry of sediment. Eriocaulon aquaticum and Lobelia dortmanna are representative isoetids. While Eleocharis acicularis and Utricularia resupinata do not strictly qualify as isoetids, they are commonly found anchored in or attached to sediment populated with isoetids. In a greenhouse experiment, the four macrophytes were planted in two contrasting sediment types to determine how the different species modify sediment redox potential, carbon dioxide concentration, and porewater pH. Eleocharis acicularis and U. resupinata oxidized both sediment types and acidified the porewater more than or equally as extensively as the isoetids (p < 0.05). Eleocharis acicularis was the only species that significantly reduced porewater carbon dioxide (p < 0.05). In the field study, sediment cores ...
Reconstruction of Target Reflecting Surface Using Differential Geometry

A procedure based on the envelope concept of differential geometry is described that permits the reconstruction of the contour of a smooth, moving, conducting target, satisfying the geometrical optics approximation. The target reflections are assumed to be specular in nature with either one reflection point or multiple resolvable reflection points. The time variation of the range to the reflection point of the target (assumed derivable from a high-resolution radar) and the general motion of the target (assumed derivable from tracking or trajectory information) are employed to reconstruct the contour of that portion of the assumed target surface that is illuminated by the radar. The reconstruction is accomplished by the simultaneous solution of two nonlinear differential equations which are derived using the envelope concept of differential geometry. Several reconstruction examples based on computer analysis are presented which indicate the results obtainable using this method.
Irrational Mode Locking in Quasiperiodic Systems

A model for ac-driven systems, based on the Tang-Wiesenfeld-Bak-Coppersmith-Littlewood automaton for an elastic medium, exhibits mode-locked steps with frequencies that are irrational multiples of the drive frequency, when the pinning is spatially quasiperiodic. Detailed numerical evidence is presented for the large-system-size convergence of such a mode-locked step. The irrational mode locking is stable to small thermal noise and weak disorder. Continuous-time models with irrational mode locking and possible experimental realizations are discussed.
Selection for vigilance assignments: a review and proposed new direction

Vigilance or sustained attention is a critical aspect of operational tasks including air-traffic control, airport security, industrial quality control and inspection, and medical screening and monitoring. Consequently, the selection of personnel for assignments involving vigilance is a key ergonomic concern. As reviewed herein, traditional approaches to personnel selection for tasks requiring vigilance have concentrated on unidimensional measures involving sensory acuity, aptitude, sex, age and personality factors. These approaches have been ineffective. In this article, we suggest an alternative approach in which the selection issue is considered in terms of a theory-driven analysis of different types of vigilance tasks and multidimensional predictors. As an example of that approach, we made use of a resource model of vigilance and measures of cerebral blood flow velocity and subjective state obtained from a short battery of high-workload tasks to successfully predict individual performance on subsequent...
The Analysis of Consistency in Personality Assessment

ABSTRACT In recent years psychologists have treated not only the mean (or sum) but also the variability of a person's item scores on multi-item scales as significant individual attributes Variability measures and comparable statistics, interpreted as indicators of (in)consistency, have been used as a basis for rejecting test results or trait constructs In cognitive assessment the concern has been with test results, in personality assessment the emphasis has been primarily on traits and “traitedness” Some of the assessment procedures are described and discussed For personality assessment the main conclusions are (a) the use of intra-individual variability measures for identifying invalid test data could be explored and exploited more, (b) intra-individual variability is for many reasons to be considered a poor indicator of low traitedness rather than its hallmark, and (c) traitedness itself is a promising concept and certain alternative approaches to traitedness assessment seem promising and integrative
The influence of ants and water availability on oviposition behaviour and survivorship of a facultatively ant-tended herbivore

1. The lycaenid butterfly Hemiargus isola associates facultatively with the ant species Formica perpilosa in arid areas of south-western North America. Ants solicit liquid food rewards from butterfly larvae as larvae feed on the host plant, Acacia constricta. Previous studies have shown that tending by F. perpilosa enhances larval growth and pupal survivorship. 2. The effects of ants and plant water content on oviposition behaviour and survivorship to the last larval instar were tested by excluding ants and supplementing water to host plants in a two-way factorial experiment. 3. Butterflies, which lay eggs singly on host plant inflorescences, laid significantly higher egg numbers and densities (eggs/inflorescence) on plants with ants than on plants without ants. This is the first report of a facultative, generalized ant-associate using ants as oviposition cues. Water supplements increased the number, but not the density, of eggs laid on plants. Therefore, it appears that egg-laying butterflies responded to number of inflorescences, rather than plant tissue water per se. 4. Plants with ants had significantly greater numbers of inflorescences during the experiment than plants without ants. Water supplements increased number of inflorescences slightly, but not significantly. 5. Ants increased larval survivorship. Twice as many fourth-instar larvae survived per egg laid on plants with ants than on plants without ants. Ants did not reduce the number of predators present on acacias, but may have reduced predator effectiveness. Ants also did not reduce the numbers of potential H. isola competitors present. 6. Water supplementation affected neither the survivorship of H. isola larvae, nor the intensity of ant tending. Water supplementation did not affect the abundance of predators on plants, but did increase the abundance of several herbivorous insect taxa.
Relationships of maternal serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and tensile strength properties of the cervix in a rat model of chronic hypoxia.

Objective It has been shown that hypoxia leads to alterations in maternal serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this study, we sought to test the hypothesis that chronic hypoxia increases maternal serum levels of VEGF, which in turn cause measurable changes in the viscoelastic properties of the rat uterine cervix. Study Design Timed-pregnant adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to hypoxia beginning on day 17 of gestation (term = day 22). The following groups of animals were studied: (1) nonpregnant controls (NP, n=6); (2) normoxia 21% fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2 ) (NMX, n=6); and (3) severe hypoxia 10% FiO 2 (HPX; n=5). A hypoxic chamber was used to assure consistent hypoxic environment. Animals were killed on day 21 of gestation (before labor). Maternal blood was collected immediately following anesthesia and prior to euthanasia. Free serum levels of VEGF were measured by highly specific immunoassays. Tensile strength properties of the cervix were assessed using a stretching regimen designed to mimic labor. Physical parameters measured were: indicators of viscoelasticity (slope; measure of stiffness), plasticity (yield point [YP]; moment the tissue changes its properties from elastic to plastic), strength (break point [BP]; moment of tissue disruption), and displacement at YP (marks the duration of the viscoelastic phase of the stretching) and BP (a measure of the strength of the material). Data were normalized to the dry weight of the cervix. Results Hypoxia is associated with increased serum levels of VEGF compared to NP or NMX groups ( P = .001). Cervical stiffness was lower in NMX, compared with NP animals ( P = .004), and was not significantly influenced by hypoxia ( P > .05). Overall there was a significant inverse correlation between slope and maternal serum levels of VEGF (r = −0.85, P P = .004). Hypoxia did not alter the force required to reach the YP (NMX vs HPX, P > .05). Conversely, hypoxia significantly decreased the displacement at YP, indicating a shortening of the elastic phase (NMX vs HPX, P = .021). There was a significant inverse correlation between maternal serum levels of VEGF and the displacement at YP (r = −0.68, P = .002). In vivo, hypoxia decreased the force required to reached the BP (NMX vs HPX, P = .025), but there was no correlation between the levels of maternal serum VEGF and this indicator (r = −0.35, P = .170). Conclusion Chronic hypoxia induces measurable changes in maternal serum levels of VEGF and tensile properties of the rat cervix, specifically a shortening of the elastic phase. Hypoxia decreases the cervical strength to stretch and predisposes to rupture, but this effect seems to be unrelated to maternal serum levels of VEGF.
Telemurals: linking remote spaces with social catalysts

Telemurals is an abstract audio-video installation that seeks to initiate and sustain interaction between and within two remote spaces. Our goal is to improve the social aspects of casual mediated communications by incorporating events into the design of the communication medium that encourage people to engage in interaction when they otherwise would not. We call these events social catalysts, for they encourage people to initiate and sustain interaction. In this paper we discuss the design process and goals of our first Telemurals link between two public spaces, the building of Telemurals, and an ethnographic study describing how the system affected interaction between and within these two spaces based on the theories discussed in this paper.
Learning about monetary policy rules when the housing market matters

Abstract In this paper we study a general equilibrium model with a housing market, and use stability under adaptive learning as a criterion to evaluate monetary policy rules. An important feature of the model is that there exist credit-constrained borrowers who use their housing assets as collateral to finance purchases. We evaluate both conventional Taylor rules and rules that incorporate other targets such as housing prices. We find that the effect of responding to housing prices, in addition to output and inflation, depends critically on the assumed information structure of the economy.
Multiple dose toxicokinetic influence on the estrogenicity of 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl

M.-H. Li, Y.-D. Zhao, L. G. Hansen Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA Received: 25 October 1993/Accepted: 1 March 1994 Accurate assessment of polychlofinated biphenyl (PCB) hazards remains a challenge because of multiple effects and multiple components of PCB mixtures (Hansen, 1979; 1987). A given chlorobiphenyl (CB) in an environmental residue may antagonize and/or potentiate the effects of other CBs in the mixture; furthermore, PCBs can induce biou'ansformation enzymes such as ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD, P450IA1) and pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase (PROD, P450IIB1) which can qualitatively as well as quantitatively alter the action(s) of individual CBs. Dose:response relationships of even single CBs may well be nonlinear due to these changes. Therefore, important effects may not be detected depending on the dose of the CB. There is growing public health concern regarding the potential risk from exposure to environmental estrogens. In a recent epidemiological study a significant positive association was reported between levels of 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (DDE) in blood and risk of breast cancer; a positive, but nonsignificant association, was also observed for PCBs (Wolff et al. 1993). Estrogenic activity has been ascribed to some lower-chlorinated Aroclor mixtures (Bitman and Cecil 1970; Ecobichon and Mackenzie 1974; Jansen et al. 1993); however, coplanar CBs (Jansen et al. 1993; Krishnan and Safe 1993) as well as 2,3,7,8-tetrachtorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD) (Astroff and Safe 1988) have been shown to be antiesta'ogenic. The antiestrogenic potency appears to be related to
Decision Making, Scaling, and Number Crunching

The purpose of this note is to comment on the artificiality of using known scales of measurement (or conveniently improvised numbers) to make decisions. In particular, the pitfalls of trying to please the decision maker and of using normalization as a number crunching tool are discussed. Finally, an example is given to show what is needed to develop a workable and theoretically sound theory for multi-criteria decisions and to show that the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) meets these demands.
A micro radiochemical assay for thiogalactoside transacetylase

Abstract This assay for thiogalactoside transacetylase is based on the galactoside-specific transfer of 3H-acetate from acetyl CoA to a Dowex 1 non-adsorbable form. It provides a rapid micro determination of activity for both crude extracts and the purified enzyme. A simple, economical procedure for synthesis of the radioactive substrate is described.
Community Discovery via Metagraph Factorization

This work aims at discovering community structure in rich media social networks through analysis of time-varying, multirelational data. Community structure represents the latent social context of user actions. It has important applications such as search and recommendation. The problem is particularly useful in the enterprise domain, where extracting emergent community structure on enterprise social media can help in forming new collaborative teams, in expertise discovery, and in the long term reorganization of enterprises based on collaboration patterns. There are several unique challenges: (a) In social media, the context of user actions is constantly changing and coevolving; hence the social context contains time-evolving multidimensional relations. (b) The social context is determined by the available system features and is unique in each social media platform; hence the analysis of such data needs to flexibly incorporate various system features. In this article we propose MetaFac (MetaGraph Factorization), a framework that extracts community structures from dynamic, multidimensional social contexts and interactions. Our work has three key contributions: (1) metagraph, a novel relational hypergraph representation for modeling multirelational and multidimensional social data; (2) an efficient multirelational factorization method for community extraction on a given metagraph; (3) an online method to handle time-varying relations through incremental metagraph factorization. Extensive experiments on real-world social data collected from an enterprise and the public Digg social media Web site suggest that our technique is scalable and is able to extract meaningful communities from social media contexts. We illustrate the usefulness of our framework through two prediction tasks: (1) in the enterprise dataset, the task is to predict users’ future interests on tag usage, and (2) in the Digg dataset, the task is to predict users’ future interests in voting and commenting on Digg stories. Our prediction significantly outperforms baseline methods (including aspect model and tensor analysis), indicating the promising direction of using metagraphs for handling time-varying social relational contexts.
Erratum to Improved WLP and GWP lower bounds based on exact integer programming [J. Statist. Plann. Inference 140 (2010) 1154-1161]

P. 1154 lines 16–18: In the abstract, the sentence ‘‘By using the constraints in our integer programs and algorithms in the literature we prove that f ð16l,2,4Þ r9 if l is odd where f ð2l,2,tÞ is the maximum n for which an OA(N,n,2,t) exists.’’ should be replaced with ‘‘Our IP formulations enable us to find improved upper bounds on f ð16l,2,4Þ for several odd l where f ð2l,2,tÞ is the maximum n for which an OA(N,n,2,t) exists.’’ P. 1156 lines 7–8: The sentence ‘‘Finally, by using algorithms in the literature and the constraints in our integer programs we prove that f ð16l,2,4Þr9 if l is odd where f ð2l,2,tÞ is the maximum n for which an OA(N,n,2,t) exists.’’ should be replaced with ‘‘Our IP formulations enable us to find improved upper bounds on f ð16l,2,4Þ for several odd l where f ð2l,2,tÞ is the maximum n for which an OA(N,n,2,t) exists.’’ P. 1157 lines 27–28: The sentence ‘‘The proof is skipped as it is similar to the proof of Lemma 3 in Stufken and Tang (2007).’’ should be deleted. P. 1157 line 32. In Lemma 1 (3) ‘‘If l is odd and t is even then ml is odd if jlj t 1 or 2 (mod 4) and even otherwise.’’ should be replaced with ‘‘If l is odd, then ml is odd if ð jlj 1 jlj t 1Þ 1 (mod 2) and even otherwise.’’ P. 1157 line 33. In Lemma 1, (4) should be deleted. P. 1157 line 34. The following proof of Lemma 1 should be placed here.
The apparent pKa of the oxidation product of spermine or spermidine: A pKa masked by a ring-chain tautomeric equilibrium

Abstract The previously reported acid titration curve (S. Brandange, L.-H. Eriksson, and B. Rodriguez, Acta Chem. Scand., 1984, B38, 526) for the aminal oxidation product of the title compounds in D2O is computer simulated based on a model consisting of a ring-chain tautomeric equilibrium (KT) for the monodeuteronated bicyclic aminal followed by a second deuteronation of the resultant monocyclic primary amine (Ka1) to give a dication. The fractional amount of dicationic acid product is given by the term [D + ] ([D + ] + K app ) where Kapp, the apparent dissociation constant, equals 5.47 × 10−6, the product of KT and Ka1.
Low power chip & system design for biomedicai applications

Goal of this talk. IC design and system building techniques that enable new wireless sensors. A few case studies. Challenge: thin-film integration of complex systems.
LO-Phonon-Assisted Transitions in the Two-Photon Absorption Spectrum of KI

The two-photon absorption spectrum of KI is measured experimentally with high resolution in the exciton region at approximately 6 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Fine structure is resolved in which the $2P$ exciton is seen at 6.263 eV and a peak at 6.285 eV is identified as a LO-phonon-assisted transition. The exciton-phonon interaction is calculated using third-order time-dependent perturbation theory. The two-band model is used, where the two intermediate states are virtual excitons excited by the photons and the final state is composed of an exciton and LO-phonon. The theoretical prediction of the strength and location of the phonon-assisted peak agrees favorably with the experiment. Calculations are performed with several values for the hole mass; the value 3.0 is chosen as representing a good average for the fourfold-degenerate hole.
Maris: A knowledge system for internal medicine

Abstract Computer systems for clinical consulting on patient management operate on descriptions of medical expertise derived from repositories of systematized knowledge of medicine (textbooks and/or panels of experts) or from empirical situations embedded in medical records. The paper describes MARIS, a conversational system of the latter category, designed to provide relatively powerful consulting services for the management of patients in internal medicine.
The Significance of Prison Conditions Cases: Budgets and Regions

This paper examines William Taggart's article on the judicial power of the purse as it affects American prisons and jails. It argues that the central concerns in this area have involved issues of judicial propriety and judicial capacity rather than, as Taggart argues, whether judicially mandated expenditures disrupt normal budget processes. It then takes issue with Taggart's conclusions that the courts have had little impact on prisons and jails. Using his evidence, this paper argues that the courts have had a significant effect in transforming prisons and jails in at least one region of the country, the South.
Contribution of depth information to ground vehicle identification using laser radar imagery data

Laser Radar (LADAR) is considered by researchers in the Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) field to be the best sensor for accurate target identification. While it is known that a classifier utilizing both boundary and depth contour information can outperform a classifier which uses only the boundary contour information, the precise contribution of target depth information beyond that of boundary contour data in LADAR imagery has not been thoroughly investigated. This paper addresses that question. The test set used in the experiment includes approximately 50 LADAR images acquired in 1986 at the U.S. Army A. P. Hill test site using Raytheon's Tri-Service Laser Radar Sensor. Through the testing, each image is reduced in size by a factor of 4, 9, and 16 to simulate longer-range data and to expand the test set.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Thermal expansion of isotropic multiphase composites and polycrystals

Sharp bounds on the effective thermal expansion coefficients of isotropic multiphase composites and isotropic polycrystals are obtained by using classical variational principles and the translation method. Our bounds are appreciably narrower than the known Schapery-Rosen-Hashin bounds. Conditions are formulated that guarantee a one-to-one correspondence between the bulk modulus and thermal expansion coefficient of a polycrystal. All of our results can be readily applied to the poroelasticity problem. Generalizations of the results to treat anisotropic composites comprised of anisotropic phases are discussed.
The Sodium-Activated Potassium Channel Is Encoded by a Member of the Slo Gene Family

Abstract Na + -activated potassium channels (K Na ) have been identified in cardiomyocytes and neurons where they may provide protection against ischemia. We now report that K Na is encoded by the rSlo2 gene (also called Slack ), the mammalian ortholog of slo-2 in C. elegans . rSlo2 , heterologously expressed, shares many properties of native K Na including activation by intracellular Na + , high conductance, and prominent subconductance states. In addition to activation by Na + , we report that rSLO-2 channels are cooperatively activated by intracellular Cl − , similar to C. elegans SLO-2 channels. Since intracellular Na + and Cl − both rise in oxygen-deprived cells, coactivation may more effectively trigger the activity of rSLO-2 channels in ischemia. In C. elegans, mutational and physiological analysis revealed that the SLO-2 current is a major component of the delayed rectifier. We demonstrate in C. elegans that slo-2 mutants are hypersensitive to hypoxia, suggesting a conserved role for the slo-2 gene subfamily.
Innovation is often unnerving: the door into summer.

Robert Heinlein gave the following background for his story of the same name. "When we were living in Colorado there was snowfall. Our cat wanted to get out of the house so I opened a door for him but he wouldn't leave. Just kept on crying. He'd seen snow before and I couldn't understand it. I kept opening other doors for him and he still wouldn't leave. Then Ginny [his wife] said, 'Oh, he's looking for a door into summer.'" Innovation and discovery in science is often like this: elemental but not obvious. It has these two other properties, things it shares with interestingness: does the initial insight identify deep ignorance, and, are we willing to hike for a long time down that trail to validate the results?
Genome-Wide Dynamic Transcriptional Profiling of the Light-to-Dark Transition in Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803

We report the results of whole-genome transcriptional profiling of the light-to-dark transition with the model photosynthetic prokaryote Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 (Synechocystis). Experiments were conducted by growing Synechocystis cultures to mid-exponential phase and then exposing them to two cycles of light/dark conditions, during which RNA samples were obtained. These samples were probed with a full-genome DNA microarray (3,169 genes, 20 samples) as well as a partial-genome microarray (88 genes, 29 samples). We concluded that (i) 30-min sampling intervals accurately captured transcriptional dynamics throughout the light/dark transition, (ii) 25% of the Synechocystis genes (783 genes) responded positively to the presence of light, and (iii) the response dynamics varied greatly for individual genes, with a delay of up to 120 to 150 min for some genes. Four classes of genes were identified on the basis of their dynamic gene expression profiles: class I (108 genes, 30-min response time), class II (279 genes, 60 to 90 min), class III (258 genes, 120 to 150 min), and class IV (138 genes, 180 min). The dynamics of several transcripts from genes involved in photosynthesis and primary energy generation are discussed. Finally, we applied Fisher discriminant analysis to better visualize the progression of the overall transcriptional program throughout the light/dark transition and to determine those genes most indicative of the lighting conditions during growth.
Optical interconnects for multiprocessor architectures using wavelength-division multiplexing

Multiprocessor architectures based on optical interconnects employing wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) are considered. WDM is a technique used to divide the tremendous bandwidth of a single strand of fiber into many non-interfering wavelengths. System components (processing, memory, and/or I/O elements) can use these wavelengths as communication channels. The authors present the background needed to understand WDM architecture, outline several categories of single-hop communication protocols, and show how a multihop WDM-based multiprocessor can reconfigure itself to any virtual topology. >