cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GROWTH RESPONSE OF A SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM POULTRY ISOLATE TO PROPIONIC ACID UNDER AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS

Organic acids have long been used as additives in poultry feed to reduce microbial populations, including Salmonella spp. Propionic acid addition to poultry feed has a potential role in reducing Salmonella spp. in the chicken intestine. In this study, in vitro growth response of S. typhimurium isolated from poultry to propionic acid under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was determined. Wheh grown in tryptic soy broth (TSB) containing buffered propionic acid (BPA), the growth rate of S. typhimurium gradually decreased as the level of BPA increased and broth pH decreased. No growth was detected with BPA concentrations greater than 3% (volume/volume) of the broth. When the growth rates of S. typhimurium in aerobic and anaerobic TSB were compared at two pH levels (pH 5. 0 and 7. 0), the growth inhibition of S. typhimurium by propionic acid was markedly suppressed by anaerobiosis at both pHs, as indicated by significantly (P<0.05) higher half-inhibition constants (K i ). Also, the growth rates of S. typhimurium in the presence ofpropionic acid were dramatically reduced by the decrease in pH from 7.0 to 5.0. The results ofthis study indicated that the growth inhibitory effect ofpropionic acid against S. typhimurium strains was enhanced by pH decrease and suppressed by anaerobiosis, suggesting that the growth response of S. typhimurium to propionic acid in the chicken intestine might be affected by the environmental conditions such as pH and anaerobiosis.
The Words Children Learn: Evidence against a Noun Bias in Early Vocabularies.

The focus of this study of early word learning was on the status of object words in early vocabularies because of the considerable emphasis given to nouns or object names in both traditional part-of-speech analyses and more recent theory and research on lexical principles. Fourteen children were followed from 9 months to 2 years of age, and monthly vocabulary growth was analyzed with the children equated for both onset and achievement in word learning. The main result was that object words represented approximately one third, on average, of the different words the children learned. Nouns could be considered the largest part of speech in their vocabularies only if other part-of-speech category assignments are valid or even possible—neither of which is the case for presyntactic vocabularies. Object-specific lexical principles cannot explain word learning, if most of the words a child learns are other than names for objects. More general principles are needed, such as the Principle of Relevance offered here, for determining how a presyntactic child learns any kind of word.
Mosaic model for color vision.

Abstract Color vision in man is based upon three different cone types, which are quite likely arranged in a semi-ordered array in the retina. The model proposes that this ordering is an inherent part of the genetic code that sets up the color vision mechanism, and that the specification for each cone type (red, green or blue) also includes a specification for its place in the larger structure of which it is a part. One possible positional mosaic for the three cone types is proposed, together with its degeneracies into anomalous (red-green) color mechanisms. Assuming only one fixed probability for a degenerate transition, the population frequencies for color anomalies predicted from the model agree closely with the observed frequencies.
The unzipping model of fatigue crack growth and its application to a two-phase steel

The unzipping analysis, based on the alternate shear deformation process of two intersecting shear planes at a crack tip, is extended to study fatigue crack growth in a two-phase martensitic-ferritic steel. The unzipping crack increment Δauz is directly related to ΔK and ΔJ in the case of small scale yielding. It is preferrable to use Δauz is directly related to ΔK and ΔJ in the case of small scale yielding. It is preferable to use Δauz as a physical parameter to correlate with the growth rates of micro-cracks and fatigue cracks in a multi-phase material. In the case of micro-cracks, ΔK is often not applicable because of extensive plastic deformation; and in the case of multi-phase material, neither ΔK nor ΔJ is applicable because of material inhomogeneity. The effective ΔK, ΔKeff, is defined in terms of Δauz. The relations between the endurance limit of a two-phase steel and crack nucleus size, ferrite layer thickness, the constraint by the strong martensite on crack tip deformation in the ferrite domain, and ΔKth's of the martensite and ferrite are analyzed.
The study of brain function impairment in fetal alcohol syndrome: Some fruitful directions for research

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most prevalent known preventable health hazard to the human fetus by a noxious agent. It is associated with impairments of the central nervous system that are expressed in the forms of mental retardation of varying severity, learning disabilities, attentional deficits and an increased vulnerability to stress. Results of psychophysiological studies of the effects of ethanol on the central nervous system are reviewed, with the aim of exploring how conclusions derived from them can serve as testable hypotheses in FAS research. The experimental methods used in such studies are examined for their applicability to FAS research. It is concluded that FAS research effort will benefit from the inclusion of psychophysiological studies.
Variable speed drive heat pump performance

Abstract Development of a simulation model for variable speed heat pumps is described and representative results are presented. The system under consideration employs a hermetic compressor driven by an integral three-phase induction motor. Compressor speed can be modulated hy varying the frequency of the current synthesized by an inverter which supplies power to the system. A modular simulation system is used wherein an executive program manages the input and output of data and coordinates the numerical simulation procedure. The executive program calls various subroutines which model the system components, evaluate thermodynamic properties, and perform numerical tasks. Simulation results demonstrate that the variable speed heat pump has an improved COP at reduced frequency, desirable for enhancing energy conservation under part load conditions, and higher heating rates at high frequency, a useful feature for reducing supplementary resistance heat. The simulation program is used to generate performance data over a range of ambient conditions. These data are then used as the basis for seasonal energy consumption calculations performed using a temperature bin format.
Existence of positive solutions for semilinear elliptic equations in general domains

The main purpose of this paper is to prove some new existence theorems for positive solutions to the Dirichlet problem $$ elta u(x) + f(u(x)) = 0,x n mega ,$$ (1.1) $$ u(x) = 0,x n artial mega .$$ (1.2)
Commercializing cognitive neurotechnology--the ethical terrain.

Lack of recognition of the ethical, social and policy issues associated with the commercialization of neurotechnology could compromise new ventures in the area.
Quantum transport theory for high electric fields.

A central difficulty in high-field transport theory is that the electric field prevents an efficient gradient-expansion formalism and distorts the spectral function from a simple Lorentzian shape. A rescaling of all relevant functions by the electron spectral density (in the presence of an electric field) leads to a simple integral equation for the distribution function. This equation, the integral equivalent of the Boltzmann equation and valid in an arbitrary electric field, is derived in the limit of weak impurity and/or weak electron-phonon scattering. It is shown that the effect of finite collision duration is to broaden the energy-conserving \ensuremath{\delta} function in a scattering process. An explicit expression is obtained for the broadened scattering function for a constant field and parabolic bands.
Sciatic Nerve Block

Abstract In combination with a lumbar plexus, femoral, or saphenous nerve block, sciatic nerve blocks provide complete anesthesia and postoperative analgesia for lower-extremity surgery. Contrary to common belief, sciatic nerve blocks are relatively simple to perform and master. However, the deep location of the sciatic nerve mandates proper training and thorough knowledge of anatomy. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in sciatic nerve block techniques and several new and more reliable techniques have been described. This article provides an overview of the relevant anatomy, development in the field, and describes several common approaches to the sciatic nerve. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Wavefront reconstruction method for geophysical exploration

Abstract Wavefront reconstruction is an exploration method, for the interpretation of scattered seismic signal, which may find use in mineral or oil exploration. It employs a monofrequency mechanical vibrator as the source of seismic energy and records the interference pattern between the scattered waves from a geological feature of interest buried at a certain depth and the direct waves travelling along the surface. The interfering surface waves that do not penetrate deep into the medium and thus do not contain any useful information about the scattering body, are filtered out by wavelength filtering techniques. The reconstruction integrals which are equivalent to downward continuation integrals are then used to determine the complex amplitude distribution pattern at various depths. Using the magnitude of the projected complex amplitude, an unbiased estimator of the true depth to the scatterer is formed. An example of a point scatterer illustrates the main features of this technique where the peak amplitude for the downward continued response shows an increase with depth up to the true depth and then falls off rapidly. Consequently the “equivalent width” decreases until true depth and increases for greater depth estimates. The response for a scatterer of an arbitrary shape is obtained by convolving it with that due to the point scatterer.
Self‐evaluation of teaching: The analysis of roles, goals, and methods∗

In the process of compiling a teaching portfolio, the author engaged in a critical self‐examination of his role as a teacher, the goals of his course in research methods, and the pedagogical methods used to achieve those goals. The observations made and conclusions reached from this process are presented in this paper. In particular, the author describes means of dealing with evaluation anxiety on the part of both instructors and students.
Chemical and posttranslational modification of Escherichia coli acyl carrier protein for preparation of dansyl-acyl carrier proteins.

Escherichia coli acyl carrier protein (ACP) contains a single tyrosine residue at position 71. The combined o-nitration of apo-ACP Y71 by tetranitromethane and reduction to 3-aminotyrosyl-apo-ACP were performed to introduce a specific site for attachment of a dansyl fluorescent label. Conditions for purification and characterization of dansylaminotyrosyl-apo-ACP are reported. Dansylaminotyrosyl-apo-ACP was enzymatically phosphopantetheinylated and acylated in vitro with an overall ∼30% yield of purified stearoyl-dansylaminotyrosyl-ACP starting from unmodified apo-ACP. The steady-state kinetic parameters kcat = 22 min−1 and KM = 2.7 μM were determined for reaction of stearoyl-dansylaminotyrosyl-ACP with stearoyl-ACP Δ9-desaturase. These results show that dansylaminotyrosyl-ACP will function well for studying binding interactions with the Δ9-desaturase and suggest similar possibilities for other ACP-dependent enzymes. The efficient in vivo phosphopantetheinylation of E. coli apo-ACP by coexpression with holo-ACP synthase in E. coli BL21(DE3) using fructose as the carbon source is also reported.
A revision of Betamorpha (Isopoda: Asellota) in the world ocean with three new species

In previous work (Hessler & Thistle, 1975; Thistle & Hessler, 1976) Betamorpha has been shown to be of substantial phylogenetic interest. This paper revises the taxonomy of the genus, presents biogeographic information, and provides a key to the known species. Three new species are described: Betamorpha lasia, Betamorpha megalocephalis, and Betamorpha megista.
Estimates Using an Animal Model of (Co)variances for Yields of Milk, Fat, and Protein for the First Lactation of Holstein Cows in California and New York

First lactation yields of milk, fat, and protein from Holstein cows in New York and California were used to obtain REML estimates of (c0)variances for yield traits using a multitrait animal model. Data from each state were split randomly into 10 samples, averaging 5504 cows per sample from California and 5078 from New York. Mean heritability estimates for milk, fat, and protein
Piezoelectric Sorption Anesthetic Sensor

The piezoelectric sorption detection method is evaluated for use in construction of an inexpensive, rugged, compact, and fast sensor for measuring the concentration of inhalation anesthetics. 10 MHz quartz crystals were coated with various substances and their frequency shifts measured upon exposure to varying concentrations of halothane, enflurane, and nitrous oxide. For a silicone rubber coating, the response was found to be linear with concentration, with sufficient signal to allow resolution to approximately 0.05 volume percent for either halothane or enflurane, or to 4 percent for nitrous oxide. The devices were sensitive to halothane and enflurane in proportion to their anesthetic potencies, but were slightly less sensitive to equally potent concentrations of nitrous oxide. They were insensitive to CO2 in the physiologic range, but had a significant response to water vapor. The response time of the detector was primarily a function of washout of the sensing chamber. At a 200 ml/min sample flow rate, the time constant was approximately 100 ins. It is concluded that this detection method is suitable for a variety of applications in anesthesia, although, with the coatings presented here, control of or correction for sample humidity is required.
Multifocal intraocular lens technology: biomaterial, optical design and review of clinical outcomes

Presbyopia is the age-related loss of accommodative function with age and the reason that almost all people need reading glasses, bifocals or some other optical correction after the age of 45 years. Presbyopia-correcting intraocular lens implants (IOLs) have been developed to overcome the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses for high-resolution near vision (i.e., reading) in adulthood. These presbyopia-correcting IOLs and can be classified as either accommodative or multifocal. Accommodative presbyopia-correcting IOLs are designed to change optical power by changing position, shape or index of refraction with accommodative effort. These IOL designs have demonstrated a range of accommodative potential. Multifocal IOLs correct presbyopia by focusing incoming light at two or more focal points; they can be further classified as refractive or diffractive. A Cochrane systematic review concluded that multifocal IOLs were effective at improving near vision when compared with monofocal IOLs and that unaided dista...
Sustained enhanced growth of carcinoma EO771 in C57 black mice.

Summary and Conclusions1. Mammary carcinoma Eo771 was inoculated into 529 C-57 black mice in three series of experiments. Tumor growth in 109 control mice (12 experiments) injected with one Bar Harbor Eo771 mammary carcinoma strain averaged 2.7 cc at 19-20 days, and 41 control mice of the same strain (4 experiments) previously injected with heterologous XYZ material averaged 2.5 cc at 19-20 days. An additional 106 control mice in 11 experiments injected with a second Eo771 strain received from Bar Harbor about 1 year later averaged 2.5 cc at 20 days, indicating great uniformity in 2 different Bar Harbor strains of this tumor in Carworth Farms C57 black mice, there being no statistically significant differences. 2. In contrast, 129 C57 black mice in 13 experiments having a preliminary injection of Eo771 XYZ material 8-25 days before tumor transplantation had a 40%percnt; increased tumor volume at 19-20 days, or 3.6 cc. This difference of 0.99 ± 0.28 cc was statistically significant. 3. In an additional 17 ...
The use of recombinant activated factor VII in pediatric coagulation disorders

SUMMARY Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is one of the mainstays of treatment in hemophilia patients with inhibitors to factor VIII or IX, and has been a boon to such patients in the management of acute clinical bleeding situations, as prophylaxis for surgical procedures and also in the treatment of life- or limb-threatening bleeding. Given its efficacy in achieving hemostasis in hemophilia, rFVIIa has found its way in the management of non-hemophilia-associated bleeding situations, including use in children, where it has been found to be efficacious in a variety of bleeding conditions associated with congenital factor VII deficiency, qualitative platelet defects, in profuse bleeding associated with liver disorders, coagulopathy, and in bleeding triggered by surgery or trauma. However, randomized trials in children using rFVIIa are lacking, and post-marketing surveillance for adverse effects in the off-label uses in children is needed. To capture such off-label uses in children, a registry has been set up through the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Core Shell Inversion during Nucleation and Growth of Bimetallic Pt/Ru Nanoparticles

The reductive condensation of a carbon-supported molecular cluster precursor, PtRu5C(CO)16, into a bimetallic nanoparticle has been followed by using in situ extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The data reveal that during activation in hydrogen the metal centers associated with the molecular precursor lose the stabilizing CO shell and assume an increasingly metallic electronic character. This support-mediated condensation process is highly activated. The incipient Pt−Ru nanoparticles initially form a disordered structure at 473 K in which Pt is found preferentially at the core of the condensing particle. After further high-temperature treatment to 673 K, the nanoparticles adopt an inverted structure in which Pt appears preferentially at the surface of the equilibrated bimetallic nanoparticle.
ADU LT COGNITIVE STYLES AND TEST PERFORMANCE

Ninety adult males ages 25 to 58 were individually tested with three cognitive style measures: the Estimation Scale (ES), a measure of category width; the Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) Test; and the Hidden Figures Test (HFT). Multiple correlations were performed between the three cognitive style measures and the standardized scores from the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) area achievement examinations. The results of this analysis indicated that only MFF error scores produce a significant correlation with CLU exam performance. Further analyses conducted on the MFF data indicated that there was a significant negative correlation between response latencies and errors, there was a significant positive correltation between response latency and age, and reflective subjects had significantly higher mean CLU scores than did impulsive subjects. It was concluded that error scores on the MFF are a better predictor of test performance than are latencies. This conclusion was consistent with other studies that have...
A New Noninvasive Technique for Cardiac Pressure Measurement: Resonant Scattering of Ultrasound from Bubbles

We suggest and analyze a new technique for making non-invasive cardiac measurements. The technique involves measurement of the spectrum of ultrasound scattered from small bubbles injected into the circulatory system as they pass through the heart. We show that the resonant frequency observed in these spectra will vary as the cardiac pressure changes. Thus the variations of the resonance can be calibrated to give the pressure excursions in a cardiac chamber. Preliminary bench tests of the method are described which show the predicted shift with pressure of the resonance frequency of bubbles in water.
STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF DIABETIC DISTURBANCE USING THE “NITROGEN MINIMUM EXCRETION” AS A MEASURE OF GLYCONEOGENESIS1 2

RUBNER (1) named the 'wear and tear quota' of protein (endogenous nitrogen metabolism) 'Abnutsungsquote. 'This is measured by the amount of nitrogen excreted in the urine of an individual while on a protein-free diet. The diet must contain an excess of carbohydrate and fat (150 to 200% above the basal need) which supplies much more than the necessary amount of calories to prevent the breaking down of the cell protein. The wear and tear quota of protein, expressed in nitrogen figures, is the amount of nitrogen derived from the breaking down of protein tissue. The amount of protein needed from the diet to furnish the protein required for the wear and tear quota is called the 'minimal nitrogen requirement' (2, 2a, 2b). Theoretically, the nitrogen figures for the wear and tear quota should be identical with those of-the minimal nitrogen requirement. This estimate is true only in the case of children. In adults the amount of protein required for the minimal nitrogen requirement is higher than the amount of pro...
Sexual Risk for HIV Among Gay Male Couples: A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Relationship Dynamics

While the relationship context itself is increasingly being examined to understand sexual risk behavior among gay male couples, few studies have examined relationship dynamics and HIV risk longitudinally. We aimed to investigate relationship dynamics and psychosocial predictors of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with outside partners of serodiscordant or unknown HIV serostatus (UAIOUT) over time as well as UAI with primary partner in serodiscordant couples (UAIPP). We recruited a sample of 566 ethnically diverse, seroconcordant and serodiscordant couples and interviewed them six times over the course of 3 years. The surveys encompassed relationship dynamics between the partners and sexual behavior with primary and outside partners. We fit generalized linear mixed models for both the UAI outcomes with time and relationship dynamics as predictors while controlling for relationship length. Analyses of the longitudinal data revealed that, in both categories of couples, those with higher levels of positive relationship dynamics (e.g., commitment, satisfaction) were less likely to engage in UAIOUT. Higher investment in sexual agreement and communication were among the factors that significantly predicted less UAIOUT for seroconcordant couples, but not for the serodiscordant couples. For serodiscordant couples, greater levels of attachment and intimacy were associated with greater odds of UAIPP while increased HIV-specific social support was associated with lower odds of UAIPP. These results underscore the importance of creating and tailoring interventions for gay couples that help maintain and strengthen positive relationship dynamics as they have the potential to produce significant changes in HIV risk behavior and thereby in HIV transmission.
Temporal concurrence of vasculitis and cancer: a report of 12 cases.

Objective Vasculitis has been associated with solid organ and hematologic cancer. The rarity of these associations, and in many reports the lack of temporal relationships, has led to skepticism about vasculitis being a paraneoplastic syndrome. The objective of the present study was to review cases of concurrent vasculitis and cancer at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation over an 18.5-year period and explore evidence that would support the notion of vasculitis being a type of paraneoplastic disease. Methods Retrospective review of the records of all patients diagnosed with vasculitis and cancer within 12 months of each other was performed using an ICD-9 diagnostic data base at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Patients with known chronic autoimmune disease or serologic evidence of hepatitis B or C infection were excluded. A standardized data collection instrument was used to document information about presentation, treatment, and course of illness. Results During the 18.5 years of our study, more than 15 million inpatients and outpatients were seen at the Cleveland Clinic. Of these, 2,800 patients had vasculitis independent of cancer, more than 69,000 patients had cancer, and 69 patients had been identified who had both malignancies and systemic vasculitis. Only 12 patients were identified in whom both vasculitis and cancer occurred within the same 12 months. Mean age was 65 years (range 45–79). There was no gender preference (M = F). In 8 of the 12 cases, diagnoses were made within 3 months of each other. In 6 of the patients, the diagnoses of both processes were made within 1 month. Ten of the 12 patients had vasculitis 1 to 3 months prior to or concurrent with the diagnosis of cancer. Six of the 12 patients had solid organ tumors, 4 had lymphoma, 1 had leukemia, and 1 had multiple myeloma. The most common vasculitis was cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV), which occurred in 7 cases. Four cases of LCV were associated with solid organ tumors. Other vasculitides included giant cell arteritis (n = 2), polyarteritis nodosa (n = 2), and Wegener's granulomatosis (n = 1). The response of the vasculitis to glucocorticoid and cytotoxic therapy varied. Complete remission of vasculitis occurred in 4 of the patients, partial improvement occurred in 4 patients, and no improvement was noted in 4 patients. Complete remission occurred in 3 of the 4 patients in whom vasculitis and cancer were treated concurrently. Eight of 10 patients in whom followup was greater than 2 months demonstrated concordance of disease activity and treatment response for both cancer and vasculitis. Conclusion The close temporal relationship of cancer and vasculitis in our patients adds to circumstantial evidence of vasculitis at times being a paraneoplastic condition. Failure of a vasculitis to respond to conventional therapy should raise questions about underlying malignancy. Effective treatment of the cancer enhances the likelihood of improvement in vasculitis.
DIET AND NEPHROLITHIASIS

Pharmacologic therapy of recurrent nephrolithiasis continues to be the mainstay of the strategy to prevent recurrence. This approach persists even in the face of increasing evidence of a marked benefit of mere entry into a nonpharmacologic diet and fluid modification protocol at a clinic specializing in the evaluation and therapy of recurrent nephrolithiasis (the "Stone Clinic effect"). This review examines the role of diet in the pathogenesis of various forms of nephrolithiasis and the effectiveness of dietary therapy in preventing new stone formation. Recent and older evidence support a primary role for modification of diet, particularly diet protein and sodium intake, in the prevention of recurrent nephrolithiasis.
Structure-property relationships of Au films electrodeposited on Ni

Thin gold films and coatings on metal have long constituted an important technology for the microelectronics industry and will continue to be important for microdevices such as contact springs. The properties of these materials may be highly processing dependent, particularly when the gold is deposited by electrochemical means. In this study, we characterize gold electrodeposited on Ni substrates from two bath chemistries: hard Au sulfite with proprietary hardening additive and soft Au cyanide. TEM and SEM show that the bath chemistry alters the microstructure and the resulting surface of the electrodeposits. Nanoindentation techniques were used to determine the elastic and plastic properties of the Au electrodeposits as a function of the specifics of processing. Soft Au electrodeposits have a grain size of on the order of 300 nm and a hardness of about 1 GPa. Hard Au electrodeposits produced from the sulfite bath feature grain sizes as small as 30 nm, some twinning, and fine porosity uniformly distributed both within the grains and at grain boundaries. The hardness is about 2 GPa, approaching the hardest values reported for sputtered gold films. The effect of the hardening agent on the microstructure of electrodeposits from the Au sulfite bath was also investigated and found to significantly refine the grain size at concentrations of at least 4 mL/L, although little additional refinement was found at higher concentrations.
Resampling Markov Chain Monte Carlo Algorithms: Basic Analysis and Empirical Comparisons

Sampling from complex distributions is an important but challenging topic in scientific and statistical computation. We synthesize three ideas, tempering, resampling, and Markov moving, and propose a general framework of resampling Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). This framework not only accommodates various existing algorithms, including resample-move, importance resampling MCMC, and equi-energy sampling, but also leads to a generalized resample-move algorithm. We provide some basic analysis of these algorithms within the general framework, and present three simulation studies to compare these algorithms together with parallel tempering in the difficult situation where new modes emerge in the tails of previous tempering distributions. Our analysis and empirical results suggest that generalized resample-move tends to perform the best among all the algorithms studied when the Markov kernels lead to fast mixing or even locally so toward restricted distributions, whereas parallel tempering tends to perform t...
Mass relations for charmed baryons

A minimal-symmetry quark model for baryons is extended by charmed-quark substitution to charmed baryons. This induces a transformation of 9 mass relations for the 18 uncharmed baryons directly into 14 mass relations for 22 charmed baryons, with minimal SU(4) or SU(8) symmetry assumptions. Of the charmedbaryon mass relations, 6 are for mass differences of electromagnetic order and 8 are for strong mass differences.
Ambiguity of phase retrieval for functions with disconnected support

Questions are raised concerning the uniqueness of solutions to the phase-retrieval problem for functions with disconnected support. A counterexample is presented showing the importance of considering the flipping of infinite proper subsets of nonreal zeros.
An analysis of the amide I mode in the vibrational spectra of unordered polypeptides and proteins

The difference in the observed frequency of the amide I mode between the Raman and ir spectra of many unordered polypeptides is interpreted in terms of a model in which sequences of amide groups have similar ϕ, ψ angles. The splittings due to intramolecular interactions for the infinite helices generated by all ϕ, ψ angles are calculated by assuming transition dipole coupling. The effect of finite sequence length and distortions are then considered. This hypothesis accounts for the general features of the amide I mode of unordered polypeptides.
Fabrication of patterned carbon nanotube (CNT) / elastomer bilayer material and its utilization as force sensors

This paper reports a room-temperature fabrication process for production of localized regions of highly-loaded carbon nanotube (CNT) networks within the surface layers of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). These bilayer micro-structures are formed by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of CNTs into a patterned mold, followed by a transfer-micromolding step. The fabricated CNTs/PDMS bilayer exhibits flexibility, maintains a high local CNT concentration while eliminating issues associated with dispersion and bulk rheology, and preserves the spatial orientation of the original EPD pattern. The use of the material is demonstrated in piezoresistive strain and transverse compression force testing, and is characterized for sensor applications.
Buy-it-now or take-a-chance: a simple sequential screening mechanism

We present a simple auction mechanism which extends the second-price auction with reserve and is truthful in expectation. This mechanism is particularly effective in private value environments where the distribution of valuations are irregular. Bidders can "buy-it-now", or alternatively "take-a-chance" where the top d bidders are equally likely to win. The randomized take-a-chance allocation incentivizes high valuation bidders to buy-it-now. We show that for a large class of valuations, this mechanism achieves similar allocations and revenues as Myerson's optimal mechanism, and outperforms the second-price auction with reserve.In addition, we present an evaluation of bid data from Microsoft's AdECN platform. We find the valuations are irregular, and counterfactual experiments suggest our BIN-TAC mechanism would improve revenue by 11% relative to an optimal second-price mechanism with reserve.
Bidecadal Thermal Changes in the Abyssal Ocean

AbstractA dynamically consistent state estimate is used for the period 1992–2011 to describe the changes in oceanic temperatures and heat content, with an emphasis on determining the noise background in the abyssal (below 2000 m) depths. Interpretation requires close attention to the long memory of the deep ocean, implying that meteorological forcing of decades to thousands of years ago should still be producing trendlike changes in abyssal heat content. Much of the deep-ocean volume remained unobserved. At the present time, warming is seen in the deep western Atlantic and Southern Oceans, roughly consistent with those regions of the ocean expected to display the earliest responses to surface disturbances. Parts of the deeper ocean, below 3600 m, show cooling. Most of the variation in the abyssal Pacific Ocean is comparatively featureless, consistent with the slow, diffusive approach to a steady state expected there. In the global average, changes in heat content below 2000 m are roughly 10% of those infe...
Tunable silicon bulk acoustic resonators with multi-face AlN transduction

This paper presents tunable width-extensional mode bulk acoustic resonators that are piezoelectrically-actuated and sensed using thin layers of AlN on the sidewalls as well as the top surface. By using both longitudinal and transverse piezoelectric effects of conformally-sputtered AlN layers on sidewalls and top surface of a 20 µm thick resonator, a low motional resistance of ∼35 Ω was achieved for a 100 MHz silicon resonator operating in air. The motional resistance is improved by at least 10× compared to similar devices with capacitive transduction. Furthermore, it is shown that the resonance frequency of these piezoelectrically-transduced devices can be tuned by varying the electric signal power from 0 to 7 dBm.
Androgen receptor directed therapies in castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer

Recent results of phase III randomized studies confirm that targeting the androgen receptor (AR)—through inhibition of androgen synthesis or through AR targeting directly—can improve survival for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), a condition previously considered to be “refractory” to further hormonal manipulation. These data validate in the clinical setting much of the scientific work of the previous decade that has demonstrated the extent of and mechanisms behind retained AR signaling in advanced prostate cancer. The convergence of these observations effectively changes the perspective with which androgen deprivation is utilized in prostate cancer, and forms the basis for further expansion of systemic therapy in the disease. In this review, the rationale for and clinical results with these new therapies will be discussed as will the future directions required to fully leverage these therapeutic modalities to the maximum clinical benefit for patients.
Pyridinium Hydrobromide Perbromide

[39416-48-3] C5H6Br3N (MW 319.86) InChI = 1S/C5H5N.Br3/c1-2-4-6-5-3-1;1-3-2/h1-5H;/q;-1/p+1 InChIKey = NSBNSZAXNUGWDJ-UHFFFAOYSA-O (selective brominating reagent for ketones,2 acetals,3 alkenes,4 activated phenols,5 anilines,6 and nitrogen heterocycles;7 mild oxidation/dehydrogenation reagent8) Alternate Names: PHBP; pyridinium bromide perbromide; pyridinium perbromide; pyridinium tribromide. Physical Data: mp 101–103 °C (39.7% Br), mp 132–134 °C (47% Br),7 135 °C (50% Br).9 Solubility: sol acetic acid, methanol, ethanol, n-butanol, THF, ether (wet); insol water, carbon tetrachloride, ethyl bromide, ether (anhydrous), benzene, toluene, ligroin, petroleum ether.9 Form Supplied in: red-orange solid, generally 90–97% pure; commercially available. Analysis of Reagent Purity: iodometric titration.10 Preparative Method: from pyridine, 48% hydrobromic acid, and bromine.1, 7 The bromine content varies depending on the method of preparation.7, 11 Purification: recrystallization from ethanol.12 Recrystallization from acetic acid reduces the bromine content. Pure material can be obtained by adding bromine to impure material until a paste is produced. Excess bromine is allowed to evaporate, giving pure material, mp 135 °C (50% Br).9 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: protect from moisture, strong acids, and bases. This toxic reagent must be used in a fume hood.
Characterization of microsatellite markers in the threatened sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi)

We characterized microsatellite loci for the sand skink ( Neoseps reynoldsi ) for future studies of genetic structure in this threatened taxon. We screened a partial genomic library enriched for microsatellites, designed primers for eight loci and assessed these markers for polymorphism across 11 populations in central Florida. Preliminary analyses indicate deviations from Hardy–Weinberg expectations for most loci, suggesting population genetic structure across the sampled populations; therefore, understanding genetic connectivity is critical for maintaining genetic variation in this species.
On defining total lung capacity in the mouse.

Maximal lung volume or total lung capacity in experimental animals is dependent on the pressure to which the lungs are inflated. Although 25-30 cmH2O are nominally used for such inflations, mouse p...
Predicting prehistoric taro (Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum) Lo'i distribution in Hawaii.

Predicting Prehistoric Taro (Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum) Lo’i Distribution in Hawaii. The artificial wetlands created through taro (Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum) cultivation have played an important but controversial role in discourse on Hawaiian culture, history, and natural resource management. The extent of taro cultivation has risen and fallen dramatically with changes in population, trends, and culture since Hawaii was first settled by humans. However, since peak taro cultivation occurred before most historical records, it is unknown how much artificial wetland was created in prehistoric times. Past estimates of the extent of taro cultivation have been based on prehistoric population estimates, which are in themselves highly contested. Here we present a simple model based on geographic and climate limitations to predict the maximum amount and distribution of land that could have been dedicated to taro production on the main Hawaiian Islands. Using geographic information systems technology, and historical records of taro distribution, we created a map of potential prehistorical taro sites and total land cover. Our model predicts that prehistoric taro could have covered up to 12 times more land than suggested by past estimates. Limitations to this model include the use of current geographic characteristics to predict historical land use patterns and difficulties in creating parameters general enough to capture all sites without overestimating taro cultivation. Despite these limitations, this model does well encompassing known prehistoric and historical taro localities and should serve as a basis for revising estimated taro coverage.
Comparison of self-report to interview assessment of bulimic behaviors among preadolescent and adolescent girls and boys.

Objective To compare self-report to interview assessment of bulimic behaviors among adolescents. Method A sample of children in an ongoing study were recruited to complete in-depth telephone interviews in 1998 on bulimic behaviors (i.e., binge eating and purging). The sample comprised 449 girls and 50 boys. Results There was some overreporting of bulimic behaviors on the 1998 questionnaire (asking about 1997–1998) compared with the interview that may have been due to the shorter and nonoverlapping time frame in the interview compared with the questionnaire. Despite the overestimation, the questionnaire did an excellent job at classifying girls who did not purge (negative predictive values [NPV]: 0.99) or binge eat (NPV = 0.98). When purging on the interview was compared with purging on either the 1998 or 1999 questionnaires, the sensitivity increased substantially from 0.73 to 0.93. Discussion These findings suggest that a short self-report assessment can be used to screen children engaging in, or at risk of beginning to engage in, binge eating and purging. © 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 35: 86–92, 2004.
Automatic recovery of relative camera rotations for urban scenes

In this paper we describe a formulation of extrinsic camera calibration that decouples rotation from translation by exploiting properties inherent in urban scenes. We then present an algorithm which uses edge features to robustly and accurately estimate relative rotations among multiple cameras given intrinsic calibration and approximate initial pose. The algorithm is linear both in the number of images and the number of features. We estimate the number and directions of vanishing points (VPs) with respect to each camera using a hybrid approach that combines the robustness of the Hough transform with the accuracy of expectation maximization. Matching and labeling methods identify unique VPs and correspond them across all cameras. Finally, a technique akin to bundle adjustment produces globally optimal estimates of relative camera rotations by bringing all VPs into optimal alignment. Uncertainty is modeled and used at every stage to improve accuracy. We assess the algorithm's performance on both synthetic and real data, and compare our results to those of semi-automated photogrammetric methods for a large set of real hemispherical images, using several consistency and error metrics.
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Orthosis Augmented by Either Stretching or Stretching and Strengthening for Stage II Tibialis Posterior Tendon Dysfunction

Background:The value of strengthening and stretching exercises combined with orthosis treatment in a home-based program has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of augmenting orthosis treatment with either stretching or a combination of stretching and strengthening in participants with stage II tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction (TPTD).Methods:Participants included 39 patients with stage II TPTD who were recruited from a medical center and then randomly assigned to a strengthening or stretching treatment group. Excluding 3 dropouts, there were 19 participants in the strengthening group and 17 in the stretching group. The stretching treatment consisted of a prefabricated orthosis used in conjunction with stretching exercises. The strengthening treatment consisted of a prefabricated orthosis used in conjunction with the stretching and strengthening exercises. The main outcome measures were self-report (ie, Foot Function Index and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessme...
Quaqtaq: Modernity and Identity in an Inuit Community

Quaqtaq: Modernity and Identity in an Inuit Community. Louis-Jacques Dorais. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1997.132 pp.
Preparation of esters and anhydrides from long chain fatty acid chlorides

The use of reduced pressure to remove the HCl formed in the reaction of acid chlorides with alcohols and acids appears to be generally applicable to reactants of low volatility. The lowest yield of recrystallized product obtained was 85.0%, and in most cases tested the yield was more than 90%. Any side reactions occurring are apparently minor as a single crystallization gave products of high purity.
Female and male behavioral response to advertisement calls of graded complexity in túngara frogs, Physalaemus pustulosus

We investigated the natural dynamics in a sexual signal that combines different call components and explored the role of call complexity in sexual selection using a neotropical frog. Male tungara frogs, Physalaemus pustulosus, facultatively add up to seven short, multi-harmonic components (chucks) to the simple form of their calls (whines). Female tungara frogs are preferentially attracted to whines with chucks over whines without chucks, and males also call more in response to calls containing chucks. Because acoustic predators prefer complex calls, in the context of simple (no chucks) versus complex (any number of chucks) calls, the variably complex call appears to have evolved in response to the opposing selective forces of natural and sexual selection. There is no evidence, however, for the function of increasing the number of chucks within complex calls. We tested two aspects of increasing call complexity: natural patterns of use of call types in males and how both sexes respond to variation in multi-chuck calls. Males incrementally change call complexity by the addition or subtraction of a single chuck and usually do not produce more than two chucks. Variation in call complexity, for calls with at least one chuck, does not influence response calling in males or phonotaxis in females. Our results suggest that one reason for not increasing call complexity beyond a single chuck is the diminishing effectiveness on the responses of both sexes.
Evaluation of Memory Access Arbitration Algorithm on Tilera's TILEPro64 Platform

As real-time embedded systems demand more and more computing power under reasonable energy budgets, multi-core platforms are a viable option. However, deploying real-time applications on multi-core platforms introduce several predictability challenges. One of these challenges is bounding the latency of memory accesses issued by real-time tasks. This challenge is exacerbated as the number of cores and, hence, the degree of resource sharing increases. Over the last several years, researchers have proposed techniques to overcome this challenge. In prior work, we proposed an arbitration policy for memory access requests over a Network-on-Chip. In this paper, we implement and evaluate variants of our arbitration policy on a real hardware platform, namely Tilera's TilePro64 platform.
Knowledge Acquisition for Probabilistic Expert Systems.

Abstract Recent interest in probability-based expert systems has focused on the potential these systems have for being coherent with the beliefs of the modeled expert or of the user and consistent given any set of evidence. We have used the probabilistic formalism in creating the REFEREE system, a belief-network-based expert system designed to aid readers in determining the credibility of a randomized clinical trial. In this paper, we explore the effect the formalism had on the process of knowledge acquisition based on this experience. Although the system is still in development, we can report several of those effects. Specifically, the need to make operational definitions of concepts deemed important to the expert forced us to organize a domain that was formulated initially for a rule-based system. Categorizing probability distributions as being logical, probabilitic, or prototypical helped us to decrease the number of probability assessments. On the other hand, the lack of an intermediate prototype may have prolonged development, and computational limitations forced occasional compromises. The reality of building expert systems in a probabilistic paradigm may not be as hard as some critics have predicted.