cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enantiomerically-enriched organic reagents via polymer synthesis: enantioselective copolymerization of cycloalkene oxides and CO2 using homogeneous, zinc-based catalysts

Enantiomerically pure zinc complexes have been designed and synthesized for the enantioselective copolymerization of cycloalkene oxides and CO2.
Bounds Implied by Drift with Applications

A recurring theme in the design of control schemes for computer communication networks has been to identify the drift of critical quantities such as queue lengths, and then devise control strategies that close the loop. A useful tool for the performance analysis of such strategies are bounds on deviations from the expected trajectory. This talk identifies an incomplete list of such tools that have been used in a broad class of applications, for both stochastic and deterministically constrained models of load.
A convective thermal controller for behavioral experiments

The Convective Thermal Controller (CTC) is designed to provide rapid and precise control of a thermal stimulus for application to behavioral experiments with small animals. Subjects are bathed in one of two continuously recirculating air systems; two valves determine which of the systems play on S. When the systems are stabilized at different temperatures, actuation of the valves can produce an abrupt and stable temperature change in .3 sec. Behavioral observations indicate that escape learning occurs readily; latency decreases monotonically with drive intensity and increases monotonically with reinforcement duration.
Engaging Youth in Physical Activity: Indicators of a Physically Active Friendly Community

Childhood obesity and its related health issues impacts one of every three children in the United States, evoking great concern by professionals who provide youth services. Physical activity plays an essential role in helping prevent youth from becoming overweight or obese. Determining whether or not the community where youth reside is conducive to physical activity is often measured by indicators and criteria typically found within a community. The purpose of this study was to examine the indicators/criteria within a community that support a physically-active-friendly community (PAFC) for youth aged 10–14 years. Implementing multiple data collection methods including content analysis, Delphi, and multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT), this study was conducted via four primary phases. A variety of subjects were employed throughout both the Delphi and MAUT phases of the study. The results revealed parental influence and facilities were most the critical indicators within a community to creating a PAFC for youth. Criteria emerging as important under the parental influence indicator included parents encouraging youth to be physically active, social support of family members, and parents participating with their children. Criteria found to be important under the facilities indicator included playgrounds, sidewalks, and parks/play fields within walking distance. Implications for the indicators and criteria of a physically-active friendly community are discussed.
Paramagnetic Meissner effect in Nb

The paramagnetic Meissner effect (PME), or Wohlleben effect, in which the field-cooled magnetization of superconducting samples is paramagnetic below ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$, has been reported to occur in some samples of a variety of high-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ cuprate superconductors. It has been proposed that the effect arose in granular hole-doped cuprates from current loops with \ensuremath{\pi} phase shifts of the superconducting order parameter at some grain-boundary junctions. It is argued that such behavior would be expected to occur in a d-wave superconductor, but not in a conventional s-wave superconductor. To test this hypothesis, we have searched for the occurrence of the effect in Nb, and have confirmed a recent report by Minhaj et al. of its occurrence in some Nb samples. For these studies, the effects of stray fields and field gradients in the measurement volume of the superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer have been carefully considered to rule out the possibility that measurement artifacts might be responsible for the apparent paramagnetic behavior in Nb. The M(T) and M(H) curves obtained in Nb samples that show the PME also show remarkably strong resemblance to those curves reported for the cuprate materials exhibiting the PME. Evidence is presented that the effect arises from inhomogeneously trapped flux, and is strongly influenced by sample geometry and surface effects. These results suggest that, for the effect to be observable, ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ on the sample surface must be different from the bulk ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. The occurrence of the PME in Nb strongly suggests that the observation of this effect is unrelated to d-wave superconductivity. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
The role of fluid residence time and topographic scales in determining chemical fluxes from landscapes

Abstract The role of fluid residence time and catchment length scales in controlling the chemical composition of rivers is evaluated by comparing numerical simulations and scaling arguments to concentration–discharge data from small catchments. The analysis suggests that poorly-crystalline aluminosilicates are an important control on the composition of stream waters and therefore chemical equilibrium between the dissolving and precipitating phases determines the maximum concentration and the maximum silicate weathering flux. The modeling results suggest that the residence time of fluid relative to the residence time required to approach chemical equilibrium can be used to assess the controls on solute fluxes in small catchments, and possibly larger rivers. Catchments that show little variability in concentration with discharge (or “chemostatic behavior”) likely have average fluid residence times that exceed the time required to reach chemical equilibrium. Conversely, decreases in concentration with increasing discharge are explained by average residence times shorter than required to approach chemical equilibrium, resulting in dilution. Solute fluxes are also strongly impacted by the distribution of fluid residence times in a basin. The fluid residence time model provides an alternative framework for assessing both the relationship between discharge and concentration observed for individual catchments, and controls on the solute fluxes of rivers. If fluid residence times are a dominant control on weathering fluxes, the chemistry of different rivers could vary entirely as a function of the nature subsurface flow paths and the composition of the system at equilibrium, which is complex to predict and strongly coupled to biological processes, temperature and the composition of the system. As a result of thermodynamic and hydrologic restrictions on the amount of weathering, global solute fluxes may depend more strongly on the geometry, relief, runoff and permeability of basins then on temperature and rates of erosion.
RELATIONSHIP OF RIGIDITY TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND OCCUPATIONAL CHOICE OF ACCOUNTING STUDENTS

250 university students were administered the “Einstellung” Water Jug Test. College grade point average, high school grade point average and American College Testing Program scores were collected f...
Induced fit in mouse acetylcholinesterase upon binding a femtomolar inhibitor: a molecular dynamics study.

A molecular dynamics simulation of mouse acetylcholinesterase (mAChE) complexed with syn-TZ2PA6, a femtomolar AChE inhibitor, is compared to a simulation of unliganded mAChE. The simulation of the complex was initiated by placing the inhibitor in its bound conformation of the crystal complex into a structure of unliganded mAChE selected from preliminary protein−ligand docking results. During a 2 ns period, the enzyme subsequently displayed a substantial “induced fit” response to yield a conformation very similar to that obtained by crystallography (Bourne et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2004, 101, 1449−1454). In this conformation of unique nature, the Trp 286 side chain of the enzyme flips out of the hydrophobic core and becomes highly solvent exposed. The imidazole ring of His 287 is almost orthogonal relative to its position in the unliganded enzyme, creating a stable π stacking arrangement with the Trp 286 side chain. Other major deviations among the active site residues include side chain conform...
Data analysis for inelastic nuclear resonant absorption experiments.

Abstract Inelastic nuclear resonant absorption method has been applied to study lattice dynamics. The data evaluation procedure for such experiments using synchrotron radiation is presented. Various moments of the measured spectra provide model-independent information on vibrational excitations, such as the recoilless fraction, the average kinetic energy per nucleus, and the average force constant. In addition, the partial phonon density of states is extracted assuming a harmonic lattice model. A measurement performed on α -iron is shown as an example.
The wide world of Wnts

Researchers studying the Wnt pathway frequently like to joke that `Wnts do everything', and that this fact keeps us all in business. Over time, this claim has become less facetious, as the number of known roles for Wnt signaling has grown rapidly. Following on from the first identified functions of
Pediatric Neurosurgery Outreach: Sustainability Appraisal of a Targeted Teaching Model in Kiev, Ukraine

Purpose This study evaluates the efficacy of operative skill transfer in the context of targeted pediatric outreach missions completed in Kiev, Ukraine. In addition the ability to create sustainable surgical care improvement is investigated as an efficient method to improve global surgical care. Methods Three 1-week targeted neurosurgical missions were performed (2005-2007) to teach neuroendoscopy, which included donation of the necessary surgical equipment, so the host team can deliver newly acquired surgical skills to their citizens after the visiting mission team departs. The neuroendoscopy data for the 4 years after the final mission in 2007 was obtained. Results After performing pediatric neurosurgery missions in 2005-2007, with a focus on teaching neuroendoscopy, the host team demonstrated the sustainability of our educational efforts in the subsequent 4 years by performing cases independently for their citizens. Since the last targeted mission of 2007, neuroendoscopic procedures have continued to be performed by the trained host surgeons. In 2008, 33 cases were performed. In 2009 and 2010, 29 and 22 cases were completed, respectively. In 2011, local neurosurgeons accomplished 27 cases. To date, a total of 111 operations have been performed over the past 4 years independent of any visiting team, illustrating the sustainability of educational efforts of the missions in 2005-2007. Conclusions Effective operative skill transfer to host neurosurgeons can be accomplished with limited international team visits using a targeted approach that minimizes expenditures on personnel and capital. With the priority being teaching of an operative technique, as opposed to perennially performing operations by a visiting mission team, sustainable surgical care was achieved and perpetuated after missions officially concluded.
New Results from MINOS

Abstract MINOS records interactions of neutrinos produced by the Fermilab NuMI beam line in two detectors, 734 km apart. Comparisons of the energy spectra and beam composition at the two sites yield precision measurements of neutrino oscillations for L/E∼500 km/GeV. In this paper, updated results from an integrated exposure more than twice that of earlier publications will be presented. We will present a measurement of the probability of muon-neutrino disappearance as a function of energy and of the neutrino oscillation parameters Δ m 32 2 and sin 2 ( 2 θ 23 ) . We will report on the measurement of neutral current interaction rates in each detector, which enables a search for light neutrino families that do not couple via the weak interaction. We will also discuss results from the search for electron-neutrino events in the Far Detector, which probes the value of the mixing angle θ 13 . Finally, we will discuss a dedicated antineutrino run, which allows for measurement of antineutrino oscillation parameters.
Chest Computed Tomography in Infants and Children* An Analysis of 50 Patients

Chest computed tomography (CT) scans were performed in 50 pediatric patients. The techniques and inherent problems are presented. CT provides detailed anatomic information about the chest wall, mediastinum, and lungs. Pediatric chest CT is particularly valuable in the evaluation of extrapleural masses, parenchymal metastatic disease, and posterior mediastinal tumors.
Ocular Loa Loa with Cryoprobe Extraction of Subconjunctival Worm

A healthy 27-year-old West African man presented to the emergency room at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary complaining of a moving foreign body sensation in his right eye. He had experienced recurrent episodes of subconjunctival Loa Loa, a parasite endemic in Africa. A cryoprobe was successfully used for extraction of a large adult worm. Strategies for the removal of subconjunctival worms are presented. The systemic and ocular manifestations of Loa Loa are reviewed and a discussion of complications of medical management follows.
Assimilation efficiency by Procambarus clarkii fed elodea (Egera densa) and its products of decomposition.

Abstract Elodea cut into two initial particle sizes (2.0 cm sections and 3.0 mm 2 fragments) underwent microbial decomposition for periods of 0, 15, 33, and 45 days, and then was fed to four size classes of crayfish (2.0, 3.5, 5.0, and 9.0 cm). Assimilation efficiency was determined by Conover's method. All four size classes of crayfish assimilated 15-day detritus more efficiently than 0-day detritus. Two-cm crayfish assimilated 33-day detritus more efficiently than 15- or 0-day detritus. In all other cases, assimilation efficiency was reduced. Radiotracer techniques utilizing 14 C were used to determine the percentage of carbon assimilated in the form of plant fragments compared with the percentage assimilated in the form of microorganisms. Results indicate an inverse relationship between crayfish size and the percentage of carbon assimilated in the form of microorganisms.
Salivary diagnostics powered by nanotechnologies, proteomics and genomics.

ABSTRACT Background The ability to monitor health status, disease onset and progression, and treatment outcome through noninvasive means is a highly desirable goal in health care promotion and delivery. Oral fluid is a perfect medium to be explored for health and disease surveillance. Methods Two prerequisites exist before the goal of salivary diagnostics can be achieved: identification of specific biomarkers associated with a health or disease state and the development of technologies that can discriminate between the biomarkers. A recent initiative of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has created a roadmap to achieve these goals through the use of oral fluids as the diagnostic medium to scrutinize the health and/or disease status of patients. This is an ideal opportunity to optimize state-of-the-art saliva-based biosensors for salivary biomarkers that discriminate between diseases. Results Seven technology groups are developing point-of-care salivary diagnostic technologies. Three groups are working together toward deciphering the salivary proteome. Conclusion These collective efforts and the convergence of salivary diagnostic technologies and the salivary proteome will present unparalleled opportunities to explore the diagnostic potential of saliva for oral and systemic diseases.
The Hypersingular Boundary Contour Method for Three-Dimensional Linear Elasticity

This paper presents a novel method called the Hypersingular Boundary Contour Method (HBCM) for two-dimensional (2-D) linear elastostatics. This new method can be considered to be a variant of the standard Boundary Element Method (BEM) and the Boundary Contour Method (BCM) because: (a) a regularized form of the hypersingular boundary integral equation (HBIE) is employed as the starting point, and (b) the above regularized form is then converted to a boundary contour version based on the divergence free property of its integrand. Therefore, as in the 2-D BCM, numerical integrations are totally eliminated in the 2-D HBCM. Furthermore, the regularized HBIE can be collocated at any boundary point on a body where stresses are physically continuous. A full theoretical development for this new method is addressed in the present work. Selected examples are also included and the numerical results obtained are uniformly accurate.
Phenytoin-induced linear IgA bullous disease

Abstract Drug-induced linear IgA bullous disease most commonly occurs after exposure to vancomycin, but other medications may also trigger the eruption. We describe a 78-year-old man with linear IgA bullous disease related to treatment with phenytoin. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1998;38:352-6.)
Laser printing of nanoparticle toner enables digital control of micropatterned carbon nanotube growth.

Commercialization of materials utilizing patterned carbon nanotube (CNT) forests, such as hierarchical composite structures, dry adhesives, and contact probe arrays, will require catalyst patterning techniques that do not rely on cleanroom photolithography. We demonstrate the large scale patterning of CNT growth catalyst via adaptation of a laser-based electrostatic printing process that uses magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) toner. The MICR toner contains iron oxide nanoparticles that serve as the catalyst for CNT growth, which are printed onto a flexible polymer (polyimide) and then transferred to a rigid substrate (silicon or alumina) under heat and mechanical pressure. Then, the substrate is processed for CNT growth under an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) recipe. This process enables digital control of patterned CNT growth via the laser intensity, which controls the CNT density; and via the grayscale level, which controls the pixelation of the image into arrays of micropi...
Use of the (p,n) Reaction to Measure Proton Atomic Stopping Powers in Ag, Cd, In, and Sn

The ($p,n$) reaction was used to measure the proton atomic stopping power for 3.75- to 5.5-MeV protons on Ag, Cd, In, and Sn. One feature of the method is that the foils were mounted on solid backings. The results are expressed by means of the Bethe relativistic stopping-power formula in terms of a single parameter corresponding to 39.35\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 keV ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/mg for 4.5-MeV protons on Ag. This result is in excellent agreement with other recent work with different techniques.
Aortic Exclusion: A Method of Handling Aortic Insufficiency in the Pediatric Population Needing Mechanical Circulatory Support

Aortic insufficiency (AI) is generally regarded as a contraindication for mechanical circulatory support in children. In the current Berlin EXCOR trial, moderate to severe AI is an exclusion criterion. There are reports in the literature of successful mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in adult patients with significant AI via "aortic exclusion" or bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement. We report the first case of aortic exclusion in an infant with moderate to severe aortic insufficiency in need of MCS.
A comparison of politics and personality in china and in the U.S.: Testing a “kernel of truth” hypothesis

Based on previous research on social perceptions and cross‐cultural judgments, two assumptions are derived: (1) the nationals of both the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the United States of America (USA) agree that the PRC would be more politically restricted than the USA and that the Chinese would be perceived as more obedient and less independent than Americans; and (2) political dimensions (e.g., restrictedness) are correlated to obedient and dependent personality. A total of 364 PRC and USA students participated in a cross‐cultural study. The results strongly confirmed the two assumptions. The “kernel of truth” hypothesis or social perception accuracy was further supported cross‐culturally. The limitations and implications of this study have been also discussed.
The Comfort and Discomfort of Infertility

Infertility has been described as a life crisis by many authors. Nursing has a major role in assisting couples through the infertility diagnosis and treatment regimen. The role of nurses is expanding as technologic advances expand and families are created using donor eggs, donor sperm, expanded male infertility techniques, host uteri, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. A framework for nurses to use to provide comfort in infertility is provided, as are suggestions regarding nursing interventions to assist infertile patients through the physical, social, psychospiritual, and environmental contexts. The couple using advanced reproductive technologies proceeds through the stages of grief to, it is hoped, resolution. Kolcaba's matrix can be used as a framework for nursing interventions to move couples along the continuum of ease, relief, and transcendence.
The sup metric on infinite products

We study the properties of the sup metric on infinite products Z = X.(If d is a bounded metric on X then ρ, defined by ρ((xα), (yα)) = , is the sup metric on Z.) In particular, we prove that if X is an AR(metric) or a topological group then so is Z.
A data-driven approach to the management of accommodative esotropia.

Purpose To determine if key findings on initial examination are predictive of ability to achieve and maintain functional alignment (residual esotropia of less than 8 prism diopters) with single-vision spectacles, bifocals, or surgery in children with accommodative esotropia. Design Retrospective, observational case series. Methods Institutional review of 68 consecutive accommodative esotropia patients. Exclusion criteria included previous spectacles use, other ocular pathologic features or surgery, or follow-up of less than 2 years. The main outcome measure was the ability to achieve functional alignment. Results Mean age at the time of single-vision spectacle prescription ( P = .02), mean cycloplegic refractive error ( P = .016), amblyopia ( P = .02), uncorrected near deviation ( P P P = .113; odds ratio [OR], 0.138; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.012 to 1.59), uncorrected distance deviation ( P = .004; OR, 1.156; 95% CI, 1.049 to 1.274), mean cycloplegic refractive error ( P = .008; OR, 0.300; 95% CI, 0.123 to 0.732), and age at time of single-vision lens prescription ( P = .007; OR, 0.259; 95% CI, 0.097 to 0.690) were the best predictors of ability to achieve orthotropia with single-vision spectacles with a sensitivity of 94% (95% CI, 71% to 99%) and specificity of 91% (95% CI, 75% to 98%). Conclusions Significant differences exist in the clinical presentations of children who achieve functional orthotropia with single-vision spectacles and those who require bifocals or surgery. An evidence-based algorithm may help practitioners predict which intervention is most likely to benefit an individual child.
The otherness of Lacan, fifty years après the coup, an essay on: Fundamentals of Psychoanalytic Technique: A Lacanian Approach for Practitioners

The Analyst as Artist: “[It is our task to bring] out from the start the three or four registers on which the musical score constituted by the subject's discourse can be read.” (Jacques Lacan, 2006...
Production of the Siderophore 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic Acid Is Required for Wild-Type Growth of Brucella abortus in the Presence of Erythritol under Low-Iron Conditions In Vitro

Production of the siderophore 2,3-dihyroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHBA) is required for the wild-type virulence of Brucella abortus in cattle. A possible explanation for this requirement was uncovered when it was determined that a B. abortus dhbC mutant (BHB1) defective in 2,3-DHBA production displays marked growth restriction in comparison to its parent strain, B. abortus 2308, when cultured in the presence of erythritol under low-iron conditions. This phenotype is not displayed when these strains are cultured under low-iron conditions in the presence of other readily utilizable carbon and energy sources. The addition of either exogenous 2,3-DHBA or FeCl3 relieves this growth defect, suggesting that the inability of the B. abortus dhbC mutant to display wild-type growth in the presence of erythritol under iron-limiting conditions is due to a defect in iron acquisition. Restoring 2,3-DHBA production to the B. abortus dhbC mutant by genetic complementation abolished the erythritol-specific growth defect exhibited by this strain in low-iron medium, verifying the relationship between 2,3-DHBA production and efficient growth in the presence of erythritol under low-iron conditions. The positive correlation between 2,3-DHBA production and growth in the presence of erythritol was further substantiated by the observation that the addition of erythritol to low-iron cultures of B. abortus 2308 stimulated the production of 2,3-DHBA by increasing the transcription of the dhbCEBA operon. Correspondingly, the level of exogenous iron needed to repress dhbCEBA expression in B. abortus 2308 was also greater when this strain was cultured in the presence of erythritol than that required when it was cultured in the presence of any of the other readily utilizable carbon and energy sources tested. The tissues of the bovine reproductive tract are rich in erythritol during the latter stages of pregnancy, and the ability to metabolize erythritol is thought to be important to the virulence of B. abortus in pregnant ruminants. Consequently, the experimental findings presented here offer a plausible explanation for the attenuation of the B. abortus 2,3-DHBA-deficient mutant BHB1 in pregnant ruminants.
Text and picture segmentation by the distribution analysis of wavelet coefficients

This paper presents an algorithm to segment text and picture in an image using two features based on the statistical distribution of the wavelet coefficients in high frequency bands. The algorithm breaks the image into blocks and classifies every block as background, text or picture according to the two features. The block size is variable so that the segmentation can be accurate at the boundary of two types and avoids misclassifying due to over-localized region analysis.
Interannual and Interdecadal Variability of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone

Interannual variations of the summertime (January‐March) atmospheric circulation over subtropical South America are examined during the period 1958‐97 using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction‐ National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis data. It is found from an empirical orthogonal function analysis that an anomalous upper-tropospheric large-scale stationary eddy in the lee of the Andes tends to accompany a dipole in anomalous vertical motion. An anomalous cyclonic (anticyclonic) eddy accompanies an intensified (diffuse) South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ), with anomalous descent (ascent) to the southwest. The cold-core equivalent barotropic vertical structure of the anomalous cyclonic eddy and the 200-hPa vorticity balance are both characteristic of a stationary Rossby wave; the tendency for the eddy to be advected downstream by the mean westerlies is compensated by meridional advection of planetary vorticity and stretching associated with vertical motion. The anomalous cyclonic flow at low levels reinforces the thermally direct circulation associated with the SACZ. A weak funneling of submonthly Rossby wave activity into this descent region is also identified. The interannual time series of the eddy is significantly correlated with north‐south dipolar sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the southwest Atlantic; one standard deviation 200-hPa wind speed anomalies of up to 5 m s21 are accompanied by SST anomalies of up to 0.38C. A near-cyclic 15-yr component is identified, which the authors corroborate from independent analyses of southwest Atlantic SSTs and river flows; both are
Clarke's tangent cones and the boundaries of closed sets in Rn

Let $C$ be a nonempty closed subset of $\mathbb{R}^n$. For each $x \in C$, the tangent cone $T_C(x)$ in the sense of Clarke consists of all $y \in \mathbb{R}^n$ such that, whenever one has sequences $t_k\downarrow 0$ and $x_k \rightarrow x$ with $x_k \in C$, there exist $y_k \rightarrow y$ with $x_k + t_ky_k \in C$ for all $k$. This is not Clarke’s original definition but it is equivalent to it.
Passive RFID Asset Monitoring System in Hospital Environments

Passive Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technique is implemented in Hartford Hospital, Connecticut, for asset tracking. In particular, the technique is employed to monitor Telemetry Transmitters (TT) in order to prevent losing them. The work exploits the capabilities of passive RFID technology to determine the location of TTs as they pass through certain key spots in the hospital. The asset monitoring system is able to communicate with the hospital equipment management database, in order to get queries or send other necessary commands. An alarm feature is designed to alert the responsible staff members when one of the TTs passes through the common identifiable spots. Based on the proposed asset monitoring prototype, a Return on Investment (ROI) analysis and evaluation is conducted to justify the feasibility of installing a hospital-wide asset monitoring system with passive RFID solution.
Adaptive acoustic echo cancellation in the presence of multiple nonlinearities

A Hammerstein-Wiener system consists of a linear time invariant subsystem sandwiched between two memoryless nonlinear blocks as is the case of an acoustic system with a nonlinear loudspeaker and a nonlinear microphone. We propose to model the memoryless nonlinear blocks of the Hammerstein-Wiener system using a linear combination of nonlinear basis functions, and concentrate on the task of parameter estimation for the nonlinear blocks. An adaptive algorithm is proposed using a pseudo magnitude squared coherence (PMSC) function-based criterion. The proposed method carries out nonlinearity identification without knowing the linear block in the Hammerstein-Wiener system. This is particularly useful for nonlinear acoustic echo cancellation (NAEC) applications, where dealing with the linear and nonlinear blocks together can be computationally challenging due to the long room impulse response. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the performance of the proposed method.
Finding solutions for effective collaboration in a heterogeneous industrial scenario

This work introduces a model that categorizes computer-supported collaboration in different levels, according to its support for communication, coordination, cooperation and interoperability. This model is useful for defining the level of collaboration needed in real industrial scenarios or the level that is possible to achieve with the available technology, resources and working culture. These ideas are illustrated by collaborative tools in the field of computer graphics being developed for a large oil and gas company.
OUTCOMES OF VARICOCELE LIGATION DONE FOR PAIN

AbstractPurpose: Surgical ligation is an option in the management of patients with painful varicocele. Little objective data exist addressing the effectiveness of this treatment. We reviewed records from 58 patients who underwent varicocele ligation at our institution from January 1985 to May 1996 to establish success of surgical ligation of the painful varicocele.Materials and Methods: ICD-9 billing codes were used to identify all patients who had undergone varicocele ligation for pain since 1985. We documented patient age, grade and location of varicocele, duration and quality of pain, response to conservative therapy and surgical approach to ligation. Telephone interviews and chart reviews were conducted to determine resolution of pain, complications of the procedure and if the patient would choose surgery again.Results: We obtained followup on 35 of the 58 painful varicocele patients (60%). Average patient age was 25.7 years (range 15 to 65). The varicocele was on the left side in 30 men and bilateral...
Annotation and comparative analysis of the glycoside hydrolase genes in Brachypodium distachyon

Glycoside hydrolases cleave the bond between a carbohydrate and another carbohydrate, a protein, lipid or other moiety. Genes encoding glycoside hydrolases are found in a wide range of organisms, from archea to animals, and are relatively abundant in plant genomes. In plants, these enzymes are involved in diverse processes, including starch metabolism, defense, and cell-wall remodeling. Glycoside hydrolase genes have been previously cataloged for Oryza sativa (rice), the model dicotyledonous plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and the fast-growing tree Populus trichocarpa (poplar). To improve our understanding of glycoside hydrolases in plants generally and in grasses specifically, we annotated the glycoside hydrolase genes in the grasses Brachypodium distachyon (an emerging monocotyledonous model) and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum). We then compared the glycoside hydrolases across species, at the levels of the whole genome and individual glycoside hydrolase families. We identified 356 glycoside hydrolase genes in Brachypodium and 404 in sorghum. The corresponding proteins fell into the same 34 families that are represented in rice, Arabidopsis, and poplar, helping to define a glycoside hydrolase family profile which may be common to flowering plants. For several glycoside hydrolase familes (GH5, GH13, GH18, GH19, GH28, and GH51), we present a detailed literature review together with an examination of the family structures. This analysis of individual families revealed both similarities and distinctions between monocots and eudicots, as well as between species. Shared evolutionary histories appear to be modified by lineage-specific expansions or deletions. Within GH families, the Brachypodium and sorghum proteins generally cluster with those from other monocots. This work provides the foundation for further comparative and functional analyses of plant glycoside hydrolases. Defining the Brachypodium glycoside hydrolases sets the stage for Brachypodium to be a grass model for investigations of these enzymes and their diverse roles in planta. Insights gained from Brachypodium will inform translational research studies, with applications for the improvement of cereal crops and bioenergy grasses.
Oxidative Stress and Molecular Reactions in Arteriogenic Erectile Dysfunction

Vascular disorders are the leading causes of organic erectile dysfunction (ED). Most cases of arteriogenic ED are associated with vascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and smoking. These conditions impair vascular structure directly or indirectly by facilitating oxidative damage due to accumulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species such as superoxide (O 2 − ), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite (O=NOO − ). Clinical studies have shown that the degree of arteriogenic ED cannot be predicted exclusively by the arterial integrity, suggesting that it involves local changes within penile smooth muscle cells, endothelium, nerves, and microvasculature. It is thought that arterial occlusion and subsequent lack of erectile tissue perfusion, nutrient deficiency, hypoxia, and accumulation of waste products constitute an environment hospitable to free radical formation and detrimental to nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Studies of animal and cell culture models have revealed that exposure to ischemia and hypoxia triggers a cascade of cellular and molecular changes in the erectile tissue with devastating impact on its structure and function. These alterations involve cytotoxic radicals, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), eicosanoids, neurotoxic elements, and growth factors and lead to impairment of NO/cGMP pathway, smooth muscle dysfunction, microvascular damage, and neurodegeneration. Ultimately, these events lead to erectile tissue fibrosis and the failure of penile veno-occlusive mechanism. These local changes in the hypoxic erectile tissue may explain the failure of revascularization surgery to completely cure arteriogenic ED and imply the need for newer therapeutic strategies to remove cytotoxic and neurotoxic elements from the chronically ischemic penis.
Consistency, Concurrency and Compact Development: Three Faces of Growth Management Implementation in Florida

This study covers the implementation of Florida Growth Management Act (GMA) from 1985 to 2004. The purpose is to evaluate and compare the implementation of three leading GMA policies: consistency, concurrency and compact development. Consistency mandated co-ordination and compliance among state, regional and local plans. Concurrency dictated the volume and pace of local growth because it required public facilities that support development to be available 'concurrent' with the impact of such development. Compact development aimed to restrain suburban sprawl from spreading towards natural resources and agricultural lands and direct it towards urban areas of mixed land uses and high densities. Each policy dominated the GMA implementation in a defined period. Each changed the implementation course of the Act. The different purposes, critical issues, implementation processes and outcomes of the policies create the 'three faces' evaluation story of the GMA. Shedding light on turmoil and policy change in this mu...
Role of Cytokines

This chapter described the physiologic, pharmacologic, and pathologic effects of cytokines. They are glycosylated small polypeptides, synthesized and released by a variety of sources including lymphocytes, leukocytes, and other cell sources. Cytokines are a crucial component of immune response, as they aid in the intercellular communication and are involved in both health and disease, through their physiological and pathological effects. They are involved in mediating natural immunity and regulating the activation, growth, and differentiation of lymphocytes, leukocytes, as well as other cell types. Furthermore, they play a role in the regulation of immune-mediated inflammation and stimulate hematopoiesis. Their effects are mediated via cell surface receptors. Based on their physiological and pathological effects, they are ideal therapeutic agents, either by themselves or as antagonists, which also include specific monoclonal antibodies directed against them.
Cell cycle progression score predicts metastatic progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma after resection.

Background The outcome of surgically resected, apparently localized, clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) is uncertain. Objective To evaluate if cell cycle progression (CCP) gene expression can predict future metastasis. Methods Pathologic T2a-T3b tumors at University of Iowa were reviewed. Patients with known or suspected metastasis, lymph node involvement or who received neoadjuvant or adjuvant radiation, chemotherapy or immunotherapy were excluded. Case and control cohorts were defined as those who did or did not develop metastatic disease within 5 years. Measured levels of 31 cell cycle genes and 15 control genes from the tumor were calculated as a CCP score. Additionally, gene expression data for a separate ccRCC cohort was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Results Univariate analysis of 26 cases and 38 controls revealed that the CCP score predicted progression to metastasis (OR 2.65, p = 0.0091). In multivariate logistic regression modeling, CCP expression remained a significant independent predictor for progression (p = 0.026). The CCP score was also significantly associated with distant metastasis in the TCGA renal cancer cohort in both univariate (p = 1.0 × 10-9) and multivariate (p = 5.6 × 10-3) analysis. Conclusion The CCP score has prognostic value in predicting metastatic progression after resection of organ-confined ccRCC.
The Case against Company Stock in 401(k)s

The stock market has been on a roller coaster in recent years, and such volatility always creates winners and losers among investors, especially those who concentrate their bets on a few individual stocks instead of a broadly diversified investment portfolio. The S&P 500 plunged over 40 percent from the third quarter of 2008 through the first quarter of 2009 before fully recovering by the beginning of 2011. Regardless of the broader performance of equities, there are always underperformers. The risk of overbetting on underperforming stocks is particularly acute to the security of US workers' retirement savings. In this Outlook, I focus on asset diversification within employer-sponsored defined-contribution plans. After discussing the importance of diversification generally, I explain how overinvestment in company stock in retirement accounts poses grave risks. I conclude with potential policy safeguards that could ensure that workers' retirement accounts more effectively manage the tradeoff between risk and expected return.
Economic and Environmental Impacts of Energy Efficiency Investment on Local Manufacturers

The main goal of this study is to estimate the community-wide economic and environmental impacts of energy efficiency investment on the local manufacturing using data with different granularity. A systematic framework is developed by using multiple scale/layer of data. Result shows that a $14M investment in HVAC upgrade to reduce energy and cost in the economy of the Montgomery County, Ohio can result in a total local economic impact of $22M, stemming from the $14.5M coming from direct impact, $2.8M coming from indirect impact, and $4.7M coming from induced impacts. Job creation over the investment period yields a total of 106 jobs. Analysis provides insight into the most important types of economic effects to the local industries. From an environmental perspective, short term economy-wide carbon dioxide emissions increase because of the increased community-wide economic activities spurred by the production from local manufacturers and installation of energy efficiency measures, however the resulting energy savings provide continuous carbon dioxide reduction for various target savings.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
The Most Prudent Virgin and the Wise King:Isaac's Virgo prudentissima Compositions in the Imperial Ideology of Maximilian I

Isaac quoted the chant Virgo prudentissima (Most Prudent Virgin), Magnificat antiphon for the Feast of the Assumption, in four compositions. Three of them can be shown to have connections to the Hofkapelle court chapel) of Emperor Maximilian I, Isaac9s employer starting in 1496. They are: (1) the six-voice ceremonial motet Virgo prudentissima, composed in 1507 while Isaac was in Constance for the imperial Reichstag that Maximilian had convened in order to plan his coronation as Emperor; (2) the six-voice Missa Virgo prudentissima, which has sometimes been thought to be an earlier work but probably dates from around the same time; and (3) Gaudeamus omnes, the Assumption Introit in volume 2 of the Choralis Constantinus, which quotes Virgo prudentissima as a secondary cantus firmus. All three of these works appropriate the liturgy and theology of the Assumption of the Virgin so that Maximilian9s ascent to the Imperial throne and coronation as Emperor might be aligned symbolically with the Virgin Mary9s Assumption into heaven and Coronation therein as Queen. The symbolism of Isaac9s compositions helped Maximilian, who crafted his public image very carefully by commissioning numerous large-scale propagandistic textual and visual works, to portray himself as a noble and enlightened ruler seeking protection for his imperial crown and empire from the Virgin Mary. Isaac9s musical imagery also aligns very closely with the visual iconography of Albrecht Durer9s painting Festival of the Rose Garlands.
The role of race in preservice teachers' perceptions of and attitudes towards corporal punishment & child maltreatment

In school contexts where corporal punishment is permitted, teachers have two potentially conflicting roles; an indirect participant in the administration of corporal punishment and as a mandated reporter of child maltreatment. Attitudes influenced by racial group may further complicate the issue. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between preservice teachers' race and their attitudes towards corporal punishment, child maltreatment, mandated reporting and their perceptions of parental discipline techniques. RESULTS indicated differences by racial group on attitudes towards corporal punishment and ratings of abusiveness of parental discipline practices. Implications for teacher education are discussed. Language: en
Comparison of methicillin, nafcillin, and oxacillin in therapy of Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in rabbits.

Abstract Methicillin (M), nafcillin (N), and oxacillin (OX) (400 mg administered intramuscularly every 8 hours) were compared in the therapy of left-sided endocarditis in rabbits infected with two different strains of Staphylococcus aureus . The three antibiotics were equally effective in eliminating staphylococci from cardiac vegetations. N and OX were four to eight times as active against the staphylococci as M in broth but had equivalent activity in serum. The peak M and OX levels in serum were at least twice the peak N level, but the half-life of N in the serum (2.1 hours) was about three times that of M (0.6 hours) and twice that of OX (1.1 hours). Serum bactericidal activity tests demonstrated essentially equal activity with the three antibiotics 1 and 2 hours after injection; however, at 4 and 6 hours N had an advantage over M and OX. Therefore, despite clear differences in in vitro activity, protein binding, and pharmacodynamics, M, N, and OX were equally effective in therapy of staphylcoccal endocarditis in rabbits.
Erythroid Cells Adapt to L-Leucine Scarcity By Reducing Hemoglobin Production Via the mTORC1/4E-BP Pathway

Abstract In multicellular organisms, the mechanisms by which diverse cell types acquire distinct amino acids and how cellular function adapts to their availability are fundamental questions in biology. Here, we find that maturing erythroid cells increase L-leucine uptake via transcriptional up-regulation of the L-leucine transporter, LAT3. Inadequate L-leucine uptake by L-leucine starvation or LAT3 inhibition triggers a specific reduction in hemoglobin production in zebrafish embryos and murine erythroid cells via the mTORC1/4E-BP pathway. CRISPR-mediated deletion of 4E-BPs in murine erythroid cells renders them resistant to mTORC1 and LAT3 inhibition, markedly restoring hemoglobinization. Our complementary results demonstrate that globins are direct translational mTORC1 targets during normal development. This pathway is distinct from the previously reported translational regulatory mechanisms mediated by the heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI) kinase or by severe amino acid deprivation via the general control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) kinase. We propose that, in red cells, mTORC1 serves as a homeostatic sensor coupling hemoglobin production to sufficient L-leucine uptake. Download : Download high-res image (122KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1 . Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.