cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear response in the continuum

Abstract Continuum effects may be easily treated in the RPA particle-hole theory of excitations, if the calculation is done with the response function formalism. We apply the theory to the low multipolarities in 16 O, 40 Ca, and 208 Pb. We confirm that the width of the giant dipole state in light nuclei is accounted for by the continuum. In heavy nuclei the dipole decay width is relatively small. The giant quadrupole state is predicted to be much narrower than the dipole since it is concentrated in a single state. The 3ħω) octupole state is quite spread out in light nuclei, but has a width of only 1 MeV in 208 Pb.
Frequency-refined multiresolution decomposition using wavelet splitting

Frequency resolution of wavelet transform is further refined by splitting wavelets along selected directions into wavelet packets. Since the spectral distributions of wavelet packets lie within that of the wavelets, the narrowness of their spectral support contributes to improved frequency resolution. Experimental results show that such wavelet splitting offers better compression and recovery scores than the standard wavelet transform.
Multiscale modeling of the solidification microstructure evolution in the presence of ultrasonic stirring

Ultrasonic treatment (UST) was studied to improve the quality of cast ingots as well as to control the solidification microstructure evolution. Ultrasonically-induced cavitation consists of the formation of small cavities (bubbles) in the molten metal followed by their growth, pulsation and collapse. These cavities are created by the tensile stresses that are produced by acoustic waves in the rarefaction phase. The cavitation threshold pressure for nucleation of the bubbles may decrease with increasing the amount of dissolved gases and especially with the amount of inclusions in the melt. A UST model was developed to predict the ultrasonic cavitation and acoustic streaming. The developed UST modeling approach is based on the numerical solution of Lilley model (that is founded on Lighthills's acoustic analogy), fluid flow, and heat transfer equations, and mesoscopic modeling of the grain structure. The UST model was applied to study the solidification of Al-based alloys) under the presence of ultrasound. It is found that the predicted ultrasonic cavitation region is relatively small, the acoustic streaming is strong and thus the created/survived bubbles/nuclei are transported into the bulk liquid quickly. The predicted grain size under UST condition is at least one order of magnitude lower than that without UST, which is in excellent agreement with the experimental data.
Selecting intervention strategies: Using brief experimental analysis for mathematics problems

Although brief experimental analysis (BEA) procedures have been effective for aiding instructional decision making in the area of reading, there is a paucity of research extending this technology to mathematics. This study extends the literature on mathematics BEA by using an abridged data series that compares skill- and performance-based interventions, and examines effects of the selected intervention across time and on generalization worksheets. Brief experimental analysis and extended analyses across target and generalization worksheets were conducted with four children in grades 3 to 6. Results demonstrated that mathematics BEA can be used to select effective interventions and that these results remain stable across time and compared to baseline. However, collateral effects on generalization materials were found for only 1 of 4 children.
Algorithms exploiting ultrasonic sensors for subject classification

Proposed here is a series of techniques exploiting micro-Doppler ultrasonic sensors capable of characterizing various detected mammalian targets based on their physiological movements captured a series of robust features. Employed is a combination of unique and conventional digital signal processing techniques arranged in such a manner they become capable of classifying a series of walkers. These processes for feature extraction develops a robust feature space capable of providing discrimination of various movements generated from bipeds and quadrupeds and further subdivided into large or small. These movements can be exploited to provide specific information of a given signature dividing it in a series of subset signatures exploiting wavelets to generate start/stop times. After viewing a series spectrograms of the signature we are able to see distinct differences and utilizing kurtosis, we generate an envelope detector capable of isolating each of the corresponding step cycles generated during a walk. The walk cycle is defined as one complete sequence of walking/running from the foot pushing off the ground and concluding when returning to the ground. This time information segments the events that are readily seen in the spectrogram but obstructed in the temporal domain into individual walk sequences. This walking sequence is then subsequently translated into a three dimensional waterfall plot defining the expected energy value associated with the motion at particular instance of time and frequency. The value is capable of being repeatable for each particular class and employable to discriminate the events. Highly reliable classification is realized exploiting a classifier trained on a candidate sample space derived from the associated gyrations created by motion from actors of interest. The classifier developed herein provides a capability to classify events as an adult humans, children humans, horses, and dogs at potentially high rates based on the tested sample space. The algorithm developed and described will provide utility to an underused sensor modality for human intrusion detection because of the current high-rate of generated false alarms. The active ultrasonic sensor coupled in a multi-modal sensor suite with binary, less descriptive sensors like seismic devices realizing a greater accuracy rate for detection of persons of interest for homeland purposes.
Magnetic measurements with Lorentz microscopy

The electron microscope may be operated in a mode which permits the exploration of the magnetization configurations in thin magnetic films. This mode of operation, known as Lorentz microscopy, is a powerful technique for investigating thin NiFe films because it offers high resolution, because it provides an unequivocal identification of the local magnetization direction, and because it permits correlations to be made between the magnetic structure and the underlying physical (crystallographic) structure of the film. In the past, Lorentz microscopy has found fruitful employment in the analysis of the magnetization configurations of domain walls, in studies of various magnetization reversal processes, and in specialized investigations of unusual magnetic structure. Besides these primarily qualitative investigations, however, some quantitative measurements may be made with this instrument. Such measurements are useful not only because they permit direct evaluation of basic magnetic parameters of films being studied by Lorentz microscopy, but because they afford insight into the fundamental processes which occur in the standard macroscopic magnetic measurements of NiFe films deposited on glass substrates. The following measurements are discussed: 1) determination of the Curie temperature; 2) measurement of the anisotropy field H k by the standard hysteresigraph and the Feldtkeller techniques; 3) quantitative studies of wall motion by labyrinth propagation and by wall creep; 4) the investigation of anisotropy dispersion by the Crowther and Torok techniques. The accuracy of these measurements is, in general, lower than that of the analogous measurements made by macroscopic methods on films deposited on glass substrates. Nevertheless, macroscopic measurements performed on a film on a glass substrate showed good agreement with Lorentz measurements performed on a simultaneously-deposited film which was suitable for Lorentz microscopy.
Disruption of Ttll5/stamp gene (tubulin tyrosine ligase-like protein 5/SRC-1 and TIF2-associated modulatory protein gene) in male mice causes sperm malformation and infertility.

TTLL5/STAMP (tubulin tyrosine ligase-like family member 5) has multiple activities in cells. TTLL5 is one of 13 TTLLs, has polyglutamylation activity, augments the activity of p160 coactivators (SRC-1 and TIF2) in glucocorticoid receptor-regulated gene induction and repression, and displays steroid-independent growth activity with several cell types. To examine TTLL5/STAMP functions in whole animals, mice were prepared with an internal deletion that eliminated several activities of the Stamp gene. This mutation causes both reduced levels of STAMP mRNA and C-terminal truncation of STAMP protein. Homozygous targeted mutant (Stamptm/tm) mice appear normal except for marked decreases in male fertility associated with defects in progressive sperm motility. Abnormal axonemal structures with loss of tubulin doublets occur in most Stamptm/tm sperm tails in conjunction with substantial reduction in α-tubulin polyglutamylation, which closely correlates with the reduction in mutant STAMP mRNA. The axonemes in other structures appear unaffected. There is no obvious change in the organs for sperm development of WT versus Stamptm/tm males despite the levels of WT STAMP mRNA in testes being 20-fold higher than in any other organ examined. This defect in male fertility is unrelated to other Ttll genes or 24 genes previously identified as important for sperm function. Thus, STAMP appears to participate in a unique, tissue-selective TTLL-mediated pathway for α-tubulin polyglutamylation that is required for sperm maturation and motility and may be relevant for male fertility. Background: Ttll5/STAMP is a multifunctional protein in cells with unknown activity in animals. Results: Targeted disruption of the Ttll5/Stamp gene in mice causes male infertility with reduced α-tubulin polyglutamylation and axoneme disruption in sperm. Conclusion: Ttll5/Stamp deficiency differs from previously described defects in sperm maturation and function. Significance: Ttll5/Stamp is a new gene involved in sperm maturation that may be relevant for human fertility.
Synthesis of methyl glycosides of β-(1→6)-linked d-galactobiose, galactotriose, and galactotetraose having a 3-deoxy-3-fluoro-β-d-galactopyranoside end-residue☆

Abstract Methyl 2,4-di- O -acetyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-β- d -galactopyranoside was synthesized by sequential tritylation, acetylation, and detritylation of methyl 3-deoxy-3-fluoro-β- d -galactopyranoside, and used as the initial nucleophile in the synthesis of methyl β-glycosides of (1→6)-β- d -galacto-biose, -triose ( 20 ), and -tetraose ( 22 ) having a 3-deoxy-3-fluoro-β- d -galactopyranoside end-residue. The extension of the oligosaccharide chais, to form the internal units in 20 and 22 , was achieved by use of 2,3,4-tri- O -acetyl-6- O -bromoacetyl-α- d -galactopyranosyl bromide as a glycosyl donor, and mercuric cyanide or silver triflate as the promotor. While fewer by-products were formed in the reactions involving mercuric cyanide, the reactions catalyzed by silver triflate were stereospecific and yielded only the desired β (trans) products.
Ethanol Injection of Hepatic Tumors

To assess the efficacy of intratumoral injections of absolute ethanol in the treatment of hepatic tumors, 18 New Zealand White rabbits underwent implantation of two 1-mm3 fragments of the VX-2 carcinoma. The animals were reexplored 2 weeks postimplant and the tumors measured. One nodule was treated by intratumoral injections of 2.28 ± 0.72 mL of absolute ethanol; the second was injected with an equal amount of normal saline. The animals were sacrificed 4 weeks postimplant, and the tumors were measured and microscopically examined. On gross inspection, tumor size, expressed as the product of the largest and smallest diameters. was 4.59 ± 3.4 cm2 fir the ethanol-injected tumors vs 6.73 ± 2.1 cm2 for the saline-treated nodules (p =. 01). Histologic sections through the largest tumor diameter were microscopically examined using a computerized image analyzer. The mean cross-sectional area of viable tumor was 0.51 ± 0.3 cm2 for the ethanol-treated nodules vs 2.01 f 0.5 cm2 for the saline-treated nodules (p <. 0...
Effect of ascorbic acid on forearm reactive hyperaemia in patients with hypercholesterolaemia.

BackgroundThis study was designed to research the effect of hypercholesterolemia and ascorbic acid on forearm blood flow (FBF) reactive hyperaemia (RH). Reactive hyperaemia seems to be at least partly endothelium-dependent. Endothelial dysfunction has been described in patients with hypercholesterolaemia, and has been reversed with ascorbic acid administration.MethodForearm blood flow was studied with venous occlusion plethsmography in 26 healthy volunteers and 46 hypercholesterolaemic patients. Hypercholesterolaemic patients were divided into two groups. Group A comprised 25 patients, who received ascorbic acid and group B comprised 21 patients, who received placebo. All subjects underwent measurement of FBF at baseline and during RH (phase A). Forearm blood flow during RH was measured every 15 seconds for three minutes. Subsequently patients in group A received 2 g of ascorbic acid orally in the form of effervent tablets, and patients in group B received placebo orally in the same form. Forearm blood fl...
Accumulation of a metallo-carboxypeptidase inhibitor in leaves of wounded potato plants.

Abstract Mechanical wounding of young potato plants induces over a two fold increase in inhibitory activity against the bovine pancreatic metalloexopeptidase carboxypeptidase A. This increase in inhibitory activity in both wounded and unwounded leaves parallels the increases of two inhibitors of bovine serine endopeptidases, trypsin and chymotrypsin. This suggests that the Proteinase Inhibitor Inducing Factor is regulating the synthesis and accumulation of inhibitors of two different mechanistic classes of proteases found in animals and microorganisms. These increases in antiproteolytic activities due to wounding support the hypothesis that this response is part of a defense mechanism directed against plant pests.
Boundaries of the receding horizon control for interconnected systems

In recent years, the finite-horizon quadratic minimization problem has become popular in process control, where the horizon is constantly rolled back. In this paper, this type of control, which is also called the receding horizon control, is considered for interconnected systems. First, the receding horizon control equations are formulated; then, some stability conditions depending on the interconnection norms and the horizon lengths are presented. For ∈-coupled systems, stability results similar to centralized systems are obtained. For interconnected systems which are not ∈-coupled, the existence of a horizon length and a corresponding stabilizing receding horizon control are derived. Finally, the performance of a locally computed receding horizon control for time-invariant and time-varying systems with different updating intervals is examined in an example.
Generation and Characterization of Psoralen Radical Cations

— Radical cations of psoralen, 8-methoxypsoralen(8-MOP) and 5-methoxypsoralen have been generated by photosensitized electron transfer in acetonitrile and aqueous buffer/acetonitrile (1:1) and have absorption maxima at 600, 650 and 550 nm, respectively. The radical cations have lifetimes of 5 p.s under these conditions, are unreactive toward oxygen and show behavior typical of ar-ylalkene radical cations in their reactivity toward nucle-ophiles and the precursor psoralens. Direct 355 nm excitation of 8-MOP in aqueous buffer at physiological pH results in monophotonic photoionization to give 8-MOP*+ with a quantum yield of 0.015.The 8-MOP*+ reacts with both guanosine and adenosine mononucleotides (k= 2.5 times 109 and 3.4 times 107 M-1 s1, respectively) via electron transfer to give the purine radical cations, but does not react with pyrimidine mononucleotides. These results suggest that reactions of psoralen radical cations generated by electron transfer or photoionization may be involved in psoralen/UVA therapy.
Gaseous Fission Reactors for Booster Propulsion

The gaseous fission reactor concept is examined as the prime energy source for direct heating of the propellant in a high thrust rocket engine. The analysis reveals that, if regenerative cooling is the only mechanism for removing the radiation heat deposited in the solid members of the reactor and engine, the maximum attainable specific impulse is about three times that for the corresponding all solid fuel reactor. In the high thrust application, i.e., booster stages, thermal radiation from the fissioning gas is not a critical factor. Even with conservative estimates of gas emissivities, the resulting engine performance is markedly superior to other methods of propulsion. Typical engine and vehicle characteristics are determined for a variety of missions ranging from 25,000 to 60,000 fps velocity increments.
Inaccuracies in program profilers

Run-time program profiling is a valuable tool in understanding software efficiency. Techniques for obtaining profiles make assumptions that may result in misleading data. In the paper we illustrate flaws in two profiling systems: the Unix ‘Gprof’ family (including the packages ‘monitor’, ‘prof’ and ‘profil’), and the TI Explorer metering package for Lisp.
Synthesis, structure, and spectroscopic properties of (nitrito-O,O′)[tris[2-(1-methyl)imidazolyl]methoxymethane]copper(II), Cu(II)(TIMM)(NO2)21

Abstract The nitrito-O,O′ complex, Cu(II)(TIMM)(NO2)2, (1) has been characterized by X-ray crystallography, UV-vis, IR, and EPR spectroscopy. CuC14H18N8O5 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2 1 /n, with a = 7.7068(6), b = 17.933(1), c = 13.615(1) A , β = 95.334(8)° and Z = 4 . The structure was refined to an R value of 0.031 based upon 2150 observed reflections. The distorted tetragonal N2O4 coordination is supplied by two TIMM imidazole groups and two anisobidentate nitrito-O,O′ groups, resulting in a dx2-y2 ground state for the Cu(II). Methanolic 1 exhibits an electronic absorption at 352 nm (shoulder, e &2∼ 900 ) assigned as the lowest energy nitrite → Cu(II) CT absorption (it obscures the weak (ϵ ∼ 30) lowest energy localized nitrite absorption at ∼ 360 nm). The nitrite → Cu(II) CT absorption appears as a shoulder (∼405 nm) in the mineral oil mull spectra of polycrystalline 1. The relationship between the observed bond distances and nitrite stretching frequencies is discussed.
Cloning and sequencing of an alternative splicing-derived cDNA variant of the GM-CSF receptor alpha subunit, which encodes a truncated protein.

GM-CSF interacts with the low affinity GM-CSF receptor α-subunit, which leads to high affinity association with the α-subunit/common β-subunit complex and transduction of intracellular signals leading to proliferation, differentiation, and/or activation of hemopoietic cells, predominantly in the neutrophil and monocyte/macrophage lineages. Several alternative splicing-derived variants of the GM-CSF receptor α-subunit have been described previously by this and other laboratories. A newly discovered alternative-splicing derived variant was isolated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. This variant lacks 397 base pairs corresponding to exons 8–11 of the wild type GM-CSF receptor α-subunit cDNA and potentially encodes a 233 amino acid protein lacking a membrane-anchoring domain and creating the fourth known potential soluble isoform of the α-subunit of the GM-CSF receptor. Am. J. Hematol. 58:145–147, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Gauge models for spin-glasses

A Landau-Ginzburg description of a spin-glass which incorporates naturally the concept of "frustration," or the incompatibility of different local stable spin configurations in neighboring regions, is presented. For a planar spin, the effective Hamiltonian has a form analogous to that of the Landau-Ginzburg functional for a superconductor in a magnetic field, except that the role of the vector potential is taken by a quenched random variable $Q(x)$ which represents the wave vector of the spin-density wave of minimum local free energy. The model is thus a simple transcription to a Landau-Ginzburg picture of the basic notion of a spin-glass as a material whose properties are determined by competition between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. The probability distribution of $Q(x)$ is chosen not to depend on $Q(x)$ directly (in order not to favor any particular value of $Q$), but to be Gaussian in the curl of $Q(x)$. The variance $f$ of this distribution, the mean-square vorticity in $Q(x)$, is a measure of the degree of frustration. [Any longitudinal part of $Q(x)$ is gauged away by rotating the local spin axes appropriately.] For a classical vector (Heisenberg) spin system, the analogous description is a Hamiltonian of $O(3)$ Yang-Mills form, again with the gauge random variable. Two calculations are presented. The first tests the stability of the $f=0$ theory (thermodynamically identical to an ordinary ferromagnet) against the introduction of a small amount of frustration. The result is that the $f=0$ fixed point is unstable, and no new fixed point (of order $4\ensuremath{-}d$) appears. Thus the spin-glass transition does not appear to be related to any normal sort of critical point with a particular local-spin-density configuration as a "hidden" order parameter. The second is a mean-field analysis of a transition to a state characterized by an Edwards-Anderson order parameter; its qualitative features are similar to those of mean-field theories for other models for spin-glasses. The conditions for the thermodynamic stability of such a state remain unknown.
Diabetes and Associated Risk Factors in Patients Referred for Physical Therapy in a National Primary Care Electronic Medical Record Database

Objective: The prevalence of diabetes (type 2) in the general population has increased dramatically over the last decade, yet patients with diabetes are rarely referred for physical therapy management of their condition. The majority of patients referred for outpatient physical therapy have musculoskeletal-related conditions. Secondary conditions, such as diabetes, may be prevalent in this population, and physical therapists need to be aware of this to adjust interventions and treatment. The purpose of this article is to describe the prevalence of diabetes and the associated risk factors in adults referred for physical therapy in a primary care outpatient setting. Subjects and Methods: Patients aged 18 years or older referred for physical therapy were identified from the Centricity Electronic Medical Records database during the period of December 13, 1995, to June 30, 2007. Patients were evaluated on the basis of clinical (height, weight, blood pressure, laboratory values), treatment (prescriptions), and diagnostic (ICD-9 codes) criteria to identify the presence of diabetes or associated risk factors (eg, hypertension, elevated triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein, body mass index, and prediabetes). Results: There were 52,667 patients referred for physical therapy, the majority of whom were referred for a musculoskeletal-related condition. Approximately 80% of the total study population had diabetes, prediabetes, or risk factors associated with diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes in the study population was 13.2%. Of the diabetes-associated risk factors evaluated, hypertension was the most prevalent (70.4%), and less than half (39.1%) of the study population had an elevated body mass index. Only 20% of the study population had values within normal limits for all clinical, treatment, and diagnostic criteria. Clinical and treatment measurements available to physical therapists identified the majority of associated risk factors. Conclusions: Although not the primary indications for referral, diabetes and associated risk factors were identified in a high proportion of the study population. The evaluation of associated conditions in the outpatient orthopedic setting needs to be considered for treatment planning adjustments and to optimize care.
Home rule and environmentalism: the adoption of green initiatives in US municipalities

This article examines the adoption of green initiatives among US municipalities. The author posits that home rule municipalities are more likely to embrace green initiatives than their non-home rule counterparts. Through analysis of an original data set of 50 municipalities, the author finds that the adoption of a home rule charter increases the likelihood of green initiative adoption within a municipality. In conclusion, this research proposes that the consideration of home rule status as an accurate environmental policy predictor needs further scholarly attention and may be a missing link regarding environmental policy adoption at the local government level.
Progressive damage and failure strength of notched woven fabric composites under axial loading with varying strain rates

Abstract This study investigated the failure of notched and un-notched plain weave composite specimens subjected to varying strain rate loading. Different strain rate axial loads were applied to observe the rate effect on the failure. Both uniform and non-uniform strain rate loads were applied to the notched and un-notched composite specimens, respectively. Notched specimens showed initial cracks at the edge of the hole before final fracture. The initial crack under tensile loading became smaller as the strain rate increased. The initial crack length was predicted using the finite element analysis of the non-homogeneous, micromechanics-based model. The predicted length agreed well with the experimental measurement. Application of the initial crack size for the characteristic distance of the Average Stress failure criterion yielded acceptable tensile notch strengths. The compressive notch strength was less sensitive to the tensile notch strength. The non-constant, varying strain rate loading showed that the failure strength and stiffness depend on the history of the applied loading rates. The effects of the varying strain rates on both notched and un-notched specimens were different qualitatively. However, the strength ratios of the notched to un-notched specimens under varying rates were greater than those under constant rates regardless of tensile or compressive loading.
Construction and Validation of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 DNA Microarray: Transcriptome Flexibility at Diverse Growth Modes

A high-density oligonucleotide DNA microarray, a genechip, representing the 4.6-Mb genome of the facultative phototrophic proteobacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1, was custom-designed and manufactured by Affymetrix, Santa Clara, Calif. The genechip contains probe sets for 4,292 open reading frames (ORFs), 47 rRNA and tRNA genes, and 394 intergenic regions. The probe set sequences were derived from the genome annotation generated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory after extensive revision, which was based primarily upon codon usage characteristic of this GC-rich bacterium. As a result of the revision, numerous missing ORFs were uncovered, nonexistent ORFs were deleted, and misidentified start codons were corrected. To evaluate R. sphaeroides transcriptome flexibility, expression profiles for three diverse growth modes—aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration in the dark, and anaerobic photosynthesis—were generated. Expression levels of one-fifth to one-third of the R. sphaeroides ORFs were significantly different in cells under any two growth modes. Pathways involved in energy generation and redox balance maintenance under three growth modes were reconstructed. Expression patterns of genes involved in these pathways mirrored known functional changes, suggesting that massive changes in gene expression are the major means used by R. sphaeroides in adaptation to diverse conditions. Differential expression was observed for genes encoding putative new participants in these pathways (additional photosystem genes, duplicate NADH dehydrogenase, ATP synthases), whose functionality has yet to be investigated. The DNA microarray data correlated well with data derived from quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, as well as with data from the literature, thus validating the R. sphaeroides genechip as a powerful and reliable tool for studying unprecedented metabolic versatility of this bacterium.
Defect reduction in Cu dual damascene process using short-loop test structures

This paper outlines the defect reduction measures performed during the development of a 130-nm Cu dual-damascene process. The test methodology, using short-loop test structures, included defect tracing, overlaying defect data and electrical measurement data, physical analyses based on these results, and analyses of defect size distribution. While the defect size distributions for large-scale integration processes are considered to depend on x/sup -k/, the distribution for the Cu dual-damascene process is found to be different and is instead characterized by a cumulative distribution described by the composition of several Lorentzian functions. Using these procedures, defect densities were successfully reduced by 50% in half the time taken previously and without the need for actual products.
NIRS-Based Hyperscanning Reveals Increased Interpersonal Coherence in Superior Frontal Cortex during Cooperation

We used Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to simultaneously measure brain activity in two people while they played a computer-based cooperation game side by side. Inter-brain activity coherence was calculated between the two participants. We found that the coherence between signals generated by participants' right superior frontal cortices increased during cooperation, but not during competition. Increased coherence was also associated with better cooperation performance. To our knowledge, this work represents the first use of a single NIRS instrument for simultaneous measurements of brain activity in two people. This study demonstrates the use of NIRS-based hyperscanning in studies of social interaction in a naturalistic environment.
Ecological Factors in Learning Disabilities

Environmental causes of learning and behavior problems, as contrasted with genetic or congenital causes, are explored for the purpose of alerting the learning disabilities professional to those conditions for which remedial measures may be taken These environmental causes fall into five general categories chronic anxiety, malnutrition, toxicity, allergy, and electromagnetic radiation or technical pollution. Although remediation procedures will be different for each individual ecologic cause, recognition by the learning disabilities professional of ecologiceffected conditions will allow for recommendation and initiation of diagnostic procedures, which in turn could remediate the specific condition.
Ultraviolet ion laser performance and spectroscopy - Part I: New strong noble-gas transitions below 2500 &#197;

The performance and spectroscopy of UV ion lasers have been investigated to 1850 A, the limit of available mirrors. New anomalously strong transitions of about 1-kW peak power were found in Xe IV? at 2315.357 A and Kr IV at 2191.916 A. The shortest wavelength new laser transition was Kr IV at 1949.623 A. Wavelengths were measured for 25 new and many previously known UV laser transitions to about 0.006 A. Optimum output in watts was also measured as a function of bore current density and gas pressure. All measurements were taken from a 7-mm-bore 150-cm-arc-length tube designed for low electrical inductance providing current excitation pulses with 250-ns full width at half maximum (FWHM).
RAMP Blue: A Message-Passing Manycore System in FPGAs

We are developing a set of reusable design blocks and several prototype systems for emulation of multi-core architectures in FPGAs. RAMP Blue is the first of these prototypes and was designed to emulate a distributed-memory message-passing architecture. The system consists of 768-1008 MicroBlaze cores in 64-84 Virtex-II Pro 70 FPGAs on 16-21 BEE2 boards, surpassing the milestone of 1000 cores in a standard 42U rack. An architecture based on point-to-point channels and switches using a combination of custom and generic hardware provides the functionality. Virtual-cut-through dimensional routing on one of two hybrid topologies with virtual channels provides the connectivity. A control network with a tree topology provides management and debugging capabilities. A software infrastructure consisting of GCC, uClinux and UPC allows running off-the-shelf applications and scientific benchmarks. Initial performance is encouraging for emulation purposes. In this paper we report on the design and implementation of RAMP Blue and discuss our experiences and lessons learned.
Analysis of Glucocorticoid Receptors and Their Apoptotic Response to Dexamethasone in Male Murine B Cells During Development

Glucocorticoids have an important role in the resolution of inflammation and clinically they are routinely used to treat allergies, asthma, sepsis, and autoimmune diseases. In addition, glucocorticoids are well recognized to negatively impact the development and function of T cells in the immune system by inducing apoptosis. Less is known however about glucocorticoid function in B lymphocytes. Herein, we demonstrate that the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is present in B-cell populations isolated from both the spleen and the bone marrow. B-cell populations were found to express more GR than non-B-cell populations from both the spleen and the bone marrow. GR protein was found in all B-cell (B220+) developmental subsets (Mature IgM+IgD+, Immature IgM+IgD-, and Pro/Pre IgM-IgD-) isolated from spleen. GR staining intensity was varied among the B-cell developmental subsets and was found to be higher in B cells isolated from the spleen (secondary lymphoid organ) versus the bone marrow (primary lymphoid organ). Ex vivo cell culture of murine splenocytes and bone marrow lymphocytes indicated that dexamethasone stimulated apoptosis in all B-cell developmental subsets demonstrating glucocorticoid responsiveness. Furthermore, in vivo administration of dexamethasone to adrenalectomized mice reduced B-cell numbers in both spleen and bone marrow. These data suggest that glucocorticoid signaling has an important understudied role in B-cell life-or-death decisions.
Early hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves outcome for radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis

Abstract Objectives To assess the clinical factors that affect the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO 2 ) therapy in treating radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. HBO 2 therapy is an effective treatment for radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis, with reported response rates ranging from 76% to 100%. Methods The data from patients with radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis treated at our institution between May 1988 and December 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. All patients received HBO 2 therapy at 2.36 atm absolute pressure, with 90 minutes of 100% oxygen breathing per treatment. The outcome was assessed after at least 12 months of follow-up. We evaluated patient demographics, types of pelvic malignancy and radiotherapy, total radiation dose, onset and severity of hematuria, and prior intravesical management. Clinical improvement was defined as the absence of, or reduction in, macroscopic hematuria. Results A total of 60 patients (55 men and 5 women), mean age 70 years, received an average of 33 HBO 2 treatments (range 9 to 63). Of the 60 patients, 48 (80%) had either total or partial resolution of hematuria. When treated within 6 months of hematuria onset, 96% (27 of 28) had complete or partial symptomatic resolution ( P = 0.003). All 11 patients with previous clot retention had clinical improvement if treated within 6 months of hematuria onset ( P = 0.007). Prior intravesical chemical instillation did not affect the clinical outcome. Patients who had undergone primary, adjuvant, or salvage external beam pelvic radiotherapy showed response rates of 81%, 83%, and 78%, respectively ( P = 0.950). Conclusions Our results show that delivery of HBO 2 therapy within 6 months of hematuria onset is associated with a greater therapeutic response rate. Treatment efficacy was independent of prior intravesical therapy and the timing of radiotherapy.
Fabry Disease in a Renal Allograft

Incidental findings of rare diseases in organ donors can be seen in allograft biopsies that may have profound implications for the recipient and for the donor and their family. Fabry disease is an X-linked recessive lipid storage disease with cardiovascular, renal and lenticular abnormalities. Phenotypic expression in female heterozygote carriers depends on lyonization. Minimal data exists on outcomes of transplanted kidneys from carriers of Fabry disease. We report a patient with ESRD secondary to focal sclerosis who received a HLA-identical transplant from her sister whose pretransplant donor work up was completely negative. Post-transplant, while pregnant, the recipient developed increasing proteinuria and was biopsied. The biopsy showed extensive myelin figures consistent with Fabry disease. Subsequent genetic, enzymatic and pedigree analysis confirmed the diagnosis in the recipient, the donor and the donor's son. Two years post-transplant the patient continues to have non-nephrotic range proteinuria with normal serum creatinine.
Flexible, dry-released process for aluminum electrostatic actuators

We present an all-aluminum MEMS process (Al-MEMS) for the fabrication of large-gap electrostatic actuators with process steps that are compatible with the future use of underlying, pre-fabricated CMOS control circuitry. The process is purely additive above the substrate as opposed to processes that depend on etching pits into the silicon, and thereby permits a high degree of design freedom. Multilayer aluminum metallization is used with organic sacrificial layers to build up the actuator structures. Oxygen-based dry etching is used to remove the sacrificial layers. While this approach has been previously used by other investigators to fabricate optical modulators and displays, the specific process presented herein has been optimized for driving mechanical actuators with relatively large travels. The process is also intended to provide flexibility for design and future enhancements. For example, the gap height between the actuator and the underlying electrode(s) can be set using an adjustable polyimide sacrificial layer and aluminum "post" deposition step. Several Al-MEMS electrostatic structures designed for use as mechanical actuators are presented as well as some measured actuation characteristics. >
Robot vision systems

The state of the art in vision systems is discussed, with particular reference to robot vision systems. The technology is considered, as are problem specification and requirements.
Energy Transfer Ratio as a Metric of Right Ventricular Efficiency in Repaired Congenital Heart Disease

Objective. With the success of early repair, continued functional assessment of repaired congenital heart disease is critical for improved long-term outcome. Pulmonary regurgitation, which is one of the main postoperative sequelae of congenital heart disease involved with the right ventricle (RV) such as tetralogy of Fallot and transposition of the great arteries, results in progressive RV dilatation coupled with pulmonary artery (PA) obstruction causing elevated RV pressures. The appropriate timing of intervention to correct these postoperative lesions remains largely subjec- tive. In the present study, we evaluated an energy-based end point, namely energy transfer ratio (eMPA), to assess the degree of RV and PA inefficiency in a group of congenital heart disease patients with abnormal RV-PA physiology. Methods. Eight patients with abnormal RV-PA physiology and six controls with normal RV-PA physiology were investigated using a previously validated technique that couples cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and invasive pressure measurements. Results. The mean eMPA of the patient group (0.56 0.33) was significantly lower (P < .04) than that of the control group (1.56 0.85), despite the fact that the patient group had a significantly higher RV stroke work indexed to body surface area (RV SWI) than the control group (0.205 0.095 J/m 2 vs. 0.090 0.038 J/m 2 ; P < .02). Conclusion. We determined that the patients had inefficient RV-PA physiology due to a combination of RV dilatation with pulmonary regurgitation and RV outflow obstruction leading to an elevated end-systolic pressure. Using coupled magnetic resonance imaging and invasive pressure measurements, eMPA is determined to be a sensitive energy-based end point for measuring RV-PA efficiency. It may serve as a diagnostic end point to optimize timing of intervention.
In Vitro and In Vivo Neutralization of the Relapsing Fever Agent Borrelia hermsii with Serotype-Specific Immunoglobulin M Antibodies

The antigenic variation of the relapsing fever agent Borrelia hermsii is associated with changes in the expression of the Vlp and Vsp outer membrane lipoproteins. To investigate whether these serotype-defining proteins are the target of a neutralizing and protective antibody response, monoclonal antibodies were produced from spleens of infected mice just after clearance of serotype 7 cells from the blood. Two immunoglobulin M monoclonal antibodies, H7-7 and H7-12, were studied in detail. Both antibodies specifically agglutinated serotype 7 cells and inhibited their growth in vitro. Administered to mice before or after infection, both antibodies provided protection against infection or substantially reduced the number of spirochetes in the blood of mice after infection. Whereas antibody H7-12 bound to Vlp7 in Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunoprecipitation assays, as well as to whole cells in other immunoassays, antibody H7-7 only bound to wet, intact cells of serotype 7. Antibody H7-7 selected against cells expressing Vlp7 in vitro and in vivo, an indication that Vlp7 was a conformation-sensitive antigen for the antibody. Vaccination of mice with recombinant Vlp7 with adjuvant elicited antibodies that bound to fixed whole cells of serotype 7 and to Vlp7 in Western blots, but these antibodies did not inhibit the growth of serotype 7 in vitro and did not provide protection against an infectious challenge with serotype 7. The study established that a Vlp protein was the target of a neutralizing antibody response, and it also indicated that the conformation and/or the native topology of Vlp were important for eliciting that immunity.
Data Fusion for Difficulty Adjustment in an Adaptive Virtual Reality Game System for Autism Intervention

A virtual reality driving simulator is designed as a tool for improving driving skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Training at an appropriate driving difficulty level can maximize long term performance. Affective state information has been used for difficulty level adjustment in our previous work. This paper integrates performance with affective state information to predict the optimal difficulty level. The participant’s performance data, physiology signals, and eye gaze data are captured. The performance features and affective state features are extracted. Two classification methods, Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), are implemented to predict difficulty level. The results demonstrate that performance together with affective state information outperform the separated features in difficulty level prediction. A highest accuracy of 83.09% is achieved with the integrated features.
SIMILARITY BASED SPECIFICITY MEASURES

The concept of specificity is an important measure of the information contained in a possibility distribution. This measure provides an indication of the degree to which a fuzzy subset or possibility distribution points to one and only one element as its manifestation. We review some properties and formulations of this measure. We next review some concepts from the literature of fuzzy similarity relations. We then combine these ideas by introducing a general measure of specificity which takes into account the similarity between the elements in the underlying set.
A Walk or a Rush - Comments on I.J. Sing's Recent Article

The note provides an argument for a rapid economic transition in Eastern Europe, inter alia, by comparing and contrasting the initial conditions and different institutional environments in Eastern Europe and China.
Seizure prediction using polynomial SVM classification

This paper presents a novel patient-specific algorithm for prediction of seizures in epileptic patients with low hardware complexity and low power consumption. In the proposed approach, we first compute the spectrogram of the input fragmented EEG signals from a few electrodes. Each fragmented data clip is ten minutes in duration. Band powers, relative spectral powers and ratios of spectral powers are extracted as features. The features are then subjected to electrode selection and feature selection using classification and regression tree. The baseline experiment uses all features from selected electrodes and these features are then subjected to a radial basis function kernel support vector machine (RBF-SVM) classifier. The proposed method further selects a small number features from the selected electrodes and train a polynomial support vector machine (SVM) classifier with degree of 2 on these features. Prediction performances are compared between the baseline experiment and the proposed method. The algorithm is tested using intra-cranial EEG (iEEG) from the American Epilepsy Society Seizure Prediction Challenge database. The baseline experiment using a large number of features and RBF-SVM achieves a 100% sensitivity and an average AUC of 0.9985, while the proposed algorithm using only a small number of features and polynomial SVM with degree of 2 can achieve a sensitivity of 100.0%, an average area under curve (AUC) of 0.9795. For both experiments, only 10% of the available training data are used for training.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CFRP STRUCTURES

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are the prime candidate materials for long-term missions in low-earth-orbit level space structure. Because they offer light weight, high specific strength and stiffness, relatively high damping capacity and low coefficient of thermal expansion. Moreover, CFRP has been successfully used in commercial and military aircraft, such as controlled surfaces, wings and fuselages. This paper presents an experimental evaluation of strength of composite truss type structure. The objective of this research is to investigate the failure behavior of composite structures and to design the most weight efficient structure with the highest failure load. Two types of manufacturing process, hand lay-up and filament winding are developed. It is shown that these structures can be constructed by filament winding, the process can be automated, the manufacturing costs can be greatly reduced and high strength to weight ratio can be achieved.
A model for predicting mixed-phase flow in ground test facilities

A recent need at the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) for simulating mixed-phase (ice crystal and water droplet) flow conditions for engine component testing, lead to a review of submillimeter, supercooled water particle freezing. From the review, models for water particle freezing were developed and incorporated into a one-dimensional, multi phase flow code. The flow code was then used to analyze conditions in both research scale as well as full-scale component test facilities, to attempt to understand the processes leading to water particle freezing in cold, ducted, multi phase flows for icing and adverse weather simulation testing. spray nozzles, and not in the ducted flows themselves. In fact, ice crystal melting was indicated to have occurred in the ducted flow downstream of the air-blast nozzles that created the ice crystals.