cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Graph cut based deformable model with statistical shape priors

This paper presents a novel graph cut based segmentation approach with shape priors. The model incorporates statistical shape prior information with the active contour without edges model . Our model also relaxes the homogeneity constraint that assumes that the image is modeled by a piecewise constant approximation. The major contribution of this paper is to present a graph cut optimization for the energy function. Hence, the resultant approach is a fully automatic shape based segmentation approach that is insensitive to initialization and does not require any user interaction. Due to the polynomial time complexity of graph cut optimization approaches, our segmentation technique is much faster than the state of the art deformable models segmentation approaches.
Thermoreversible Gelation and Polymorphic Transformations of Syndiotactic Polystyrene in Toluene and Toluene + Carbon Dioxide Fluid Mixtures at High Pressures

The gelation and crystallization processes in solutions of syndiotactic polystyrene in toluene and toluene + carbon dioxide fluid mixtures were studied in a variable-volume view-cell system over a pressure range from 7 to 50 MPa for polymer concentrations up to 25 wt % and for CO2 concentrations up to 43 wt %. All the solutions in toluene and in toluene + CO2 mixtures up to 16 wt % CO2 displayed only a sol−gel boundary. Solutions with 28 wt % CO2 displayed also a liquid−liquid phase boundary. Solutions in 43% CO2 displayed instead a fluid−solid crystallization boundary along with a liquid−liquid phase boundary. Consequences of the phase separation path on the eventual morphology and the crystal state of the polymer were investigated. When solutions are cooled to room temperature while maintaining pressure constant during which the sol−gel boundary is crossed first, the resulting morphology is fibrillar and the polymer displays the δ crystal form with a trace amount of the β form. When the solutions are de...
Acanthamoeba castellanii: specificity of immobilization test.

Recognizable changes in the structure of Acanthamoeba castellanii (Neff strain)1 during antiserum immobilization are described and documented with phase-contrast photomicrographs. Antisera against A. castellanii used in this test failed to react with cultures of A. polyphaga, A. astronyxis, and A. palestinensis. Direct microscopic observations of the sequential changes in morphologic features (i.e., contraction, vacuole formation, crenation, agglutination, recovery, and cyst formation) during exposure to normal and immune rabbit serum, provided a definitive assay for the response of rabbits to injected amoebae. A large variation in the immobilization titers among three rabbits during a period of 90 days after injection with A. castellanii (Neff strain) was observed.
Review of Metabolic Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes in Patients with a BMI < 35 kg/m2

Bariatric/metabolic surgery is considered an accepted treatment option for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with body mass index (BMI) ≧ 35 kg/m(2). Mounting evidence also shows that metabolic surgery is effective for T2DM with BMI < 35 kg/m(2). To evaluate current status of metabolic surgery, we reviewed the available clinical studies which described surgical treatment for T2DM with mean BMI < 35 kg/m(2). 18 studies with 477 patients were identified. 30% of the patients was insulin users. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 216 months. The weight loss effect was reasonable, not excessive. Mean BMI decreased from 30.4 to 24.8 kg/m(2). Remission of T2DM was achieved in 64.7% of the patients with fasting plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin approaching slightly above normal range. Clinical T2DM status was an important factor when selecting the eligible candidates for metabolic surgery. Postoperative complication rate of 10.3% with mortality of 0% in the studies has been acceptable. Even though it would be premature at this point to state that metabolic surgery is an accepted treatment option for T2DM with BMI < 35 kg/m(2), it is clear that a high proportion of T2DM patients will derive substantial benefit from metabolic surgery.
Forms of Dissolved Carbon Dioxide Required for Photosystem II Activity in Chloroplast Membranes

High concentrations of both bicarbonate and formate inhibit photosynthetic O2 evolution at pH 8.0. At this pH, only 2.4% of the total dissolved carbon dioxide exists as CO2. At pH 7.3, where 11% of the total dissolved carbon dioxide exists as CO2, HCO3− no longer inhibits. While formate still inhibits O2 evolution at pH 7.3, its effect can be partially overcome if CO2 is also present. The rate of binding of added 14C-labeled inorganic carbon is nearly 10-fold more rapid when the internal pH of thylakoid membranes is at 6.0 than when it is at 7.8. These observations suggest that CO2, not HCO3−, is initially bound to the photosystem II reaction center and that the location of the binding site is on the inside thylakoid surface. However, additional data presented here suggest that, after binding, CO2 is hydrated to HCO3− + H+ in a pH-dependent reaction. Two possible explanations of the “bicarbonate effect” are presented.
Role of Na-K-ATPase in the renal reabsorption of sodium in the elasmobranch, Squalus acanthias.

Abstract 1. 1. The relative importance of Na-K-activated ATPase in active bulk transport of Na + in the elasmobranch kidney was examined. Fractional Na + excretion was examined before and after the administration of ouabain, associated with over a 60 per cent reduction in enzyme activity, as well as following furosemide and ethacrynic acid. 2. 2. Marked inhibition of Na-K-ATPase with ouabain did not reduce Na + reabsorption, in contrast to furosemide and ethacrynic acid which increased fractional excretion from 0·22 to 0·69. 3. 3. These data suggest that Na-K-ATPase does not participate in bulk transport of Na + in the elasmobranch kidney, where the conservation of Na + is of little importance in osmoregulation.
The adult β-globin genes of the “single” type mouse C57BL

Abstract A set of four clones containing the two adult β-globin genes of the "single" type mouse C57BL/10 (genotype Hbb s /Hbb s ) were isolated from a library of cloned restriction fragments. The two genes, designated βs and βt, were physically mapped onto a 32 kb segment of the chromosome carried by the four clones. βs and βt form a stable heteroduplex 1850 bp long, indicating that they are intact and conserved at this level of resolution throughout their length, including their intervening sequences. The βs gene is allelic with the βdmaj gene of the BALB/ c mouse (genotype Hbb d /Hbb d ). These two alleles, as well as their surrounding sequences, are highly conserved. In contrast, heteroduplexes of βt with its BALB/c allele, βdmin, revealed three extensive but localized rearrangements. One region of non-homology falls within the large intervening sequence, IVS2. To the 5′ side of the βt/βdmin gene position two unequal substitutions were observed; each results in the net insertion of about 1000 bp into the Hbb d chromosome. The β/βdmin gene position is bracketed by a 1450 bp inverted repeat. One of the 1000 bp substitutions maps within this inverted repeat.
Effects of protonation on the transport of hydrophobic nitrogen heterocycles through perfluorosulfonate ionomer membranes

Abstract Rates of transport for a series of nitrogen heterocycles across cast, perfluorosulfonate ion exchange (PFSA) membranes in the H + -and Na + -forms are reported. Concentrations of the heterocycles present in the hydrated membranes that have been equilibrated with the feed solutions from the transport expriments were also determined. Several trends relating to the transport and membrane concentration data were observed. The concentration of the heterocycles found in the membranes increased with their hydrophobicity and concentrations were substantially higher when the membranes were in the H + -form. Transport rates were higher for the H + -form membranes than for the Na + -forms by as much as a factor of 230. In general, heterocycles with fewer fused rings displayed more enhancement in transport rate in the acidic membranes.
Two Popular Books for Quantitative Literacy: What the Numbers Say , and The Numbers Game

Niederman, Derrick, and Boyum, David. What the Numbers Say: A Field Guide to Mastering Our Numerical World. (New York: Broadway Books/Random House, 2003). 288 pp. Hardcover, ISBN 978-0-7679-0998-3. Paperback, 978-0-7679-0999-0. Available as an eBook. Blastland, Michael, and Dilnot, Andrew. The Numbers Game: The Commonsense Guide to Understanding Numbers in the News, in Politics and in Life. (New York: Gotham Books/Penguin, 2009). 192 pp. Hardcover, ISBN 978-1-5924-0423-0. Paperback, ISBN 978-1-5924-0485-8. Available as an eBook. Popular books on quantitative literacy need to be easy to read, reasonably comprehensive in scope, and include examples that are thought-provoking and memorable. In contrast to textbooks, popular books can dispense with exercises and structure, and instead offer an informal voice and an inviting style. In this genre John Allen Paulos’ Innumeracy is widely regarded as a classic. However, Paulos' book is out of date, and it takes a whimsical approach to many topics. The goal of this review is to acquaint the reader with two more recent entries into the genre. What the Numbers Say by Derrick Niederman and David Boyum takes an expansive view of quantitative literacy. The Numbers Game by Michael Blastland and Andrew Dilnot, on the other hand, focuses on reasoning surrounding statistics and uncertainty in contemporary society. The Numbers Game is a revised American edition of The Tiger That Isn’t, which grew out of a BBC radio program, More or Less.
Genderless/Gender-Related Task Leader Communication and Group Satisfaction: A Test of Two Hypotheses.

Research findings support both the hypothesis that males are more satisfying leaders for group members than females because of gender role socialization and the androgyny hypothesis that male and female leaders can be equally satisfying for group members. To test these hypotheses, this study focused on the effect of leader and follower gender on leader communication behavior and follower satisfaction. The results that group members were equally satisfied with male and female leaders as long as they demonstrated similar frequencies of task‐oriented behavior generally supported the androgyny hypothesis.
BCAT1 defines gliomas by IDH status

Metabolic alterations, such as those caused by mutations in the enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), define a clinically distinct subset of primary brain cancers. Expression of BCAT1 is now reported as a new metabolic change defining brain cancers without IDH mutations (pages 901–908).
EFFECT OF ACUTE ETHANOLISM ON THE HOSPITAL COURSE AND OUTCOME OF INJURED AUTOMOBILE DRIVERS

Acute ethanolism in automobile drivers is purported to be both protective and detrimental in susceptibility to injury from an accident. The potential influence of acute intoxication (serum ethanol greater than 100 mg/dl) on pattern and severity of injury, hospital course, and long-term outcome, including mortality, was examined in 182 consecutive automobile drivers requiring admission to a regional university trauma center during 1980. Significantly more drivers were intoxicated than not, 61% vs. 39%. Similarly, more than 75% of the intoxicated drivers were young males and more than 80% of the intoxicated drivers were felt to be negligent and at cause for the accident. However in this series, the patterns and severity of injuries, hospital course, and late outcome were unaffected by the patient's blood alcohol level. Acute alcohol intoxication apparently neither protected nor hindered the response to injury in these motor vehicle drivers.
Bouveret's Syndrome Resulting in Gallstone Ileus

An 82-year-old female presented with 6 days of worsening nausea, abdominal pain, and one episode of coffee ground emesis. CT scan revealed gastric outlet obstruction secondary to a 3.6×3.3 cm gallstone seen within the second portion of the duodenum (Fig. 1). An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) confirmed the presence of a 4-cm obstructing, pigmented gallstone in the second portion of the duodenum. Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) and subsequent mechanical lithotripsy were used to fragment the obstructing stone. The largest stone fragment was withdrawn into the stomach; it could not be fully retrieved but was felt small enough to allow spontaneous passage through the GI tract. Ampullary sphincterotomywas also performed andmultiple, smaller gallstones were removed from the common bile duct. No cholecystoenteric fistula was identified, and a plastic stent was placed. Following the procedure, the patient tolerated a diet and was discharged symptom-free. Two weeks after discharge, the patient re-presented with nausea and vomiting. CT scan revealed an obstruction at the jejunoileal junction caused by a gallstone, and the patient was taken to the operating room for laparotomy and enterotomy with stone removal. Upon surgical exploration, an obvious transition point was identified with a firm, impacted gallstone in the jejunumwith proximal small bowel dilation (Fig. 2a). A small longitudinal enterotomy was made just proximal to the gallstone and a 2.5×2.5×2.5 cm yellow-brown stone was removed along with a large amount of debris (Fig. 2b). The enterotomy was closed transversely with a TA-30 stapler and interrupted 3-0 silk seromuscular Lembert sutures. A nasogastric tube was maintained several days postoperatively until the return of bowel function.
Structure and decomposition barrier of the ethyldiazenyl radical

Abstract The structure and dissociation of ground-state ( 2 A ′) C 2 H 5 N 2 , the ethyldiazenyl radical, were studied using ab initio quantum mechanical techniques, including the self-consistent-field (SCF), single and double excitation configuration interaction (CISD), single and double excitation coupled cluster (CCSD) and single, double and perturbative triple excitation coupled cluster (CCSD(T)). The activation barrier for the decomposition of the ethyldiazenyl radical to form N 2 plus C 2 H 5 was predicted to be smaller than that of CH 3 N 2 . The tunneling frequency of C 2 H 5 N 2 estimated within the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation gave a tunneling rate corresponding to a lifetime of 0.3 ps for the ground vibrational state. The energetics and rate of C 2 H 5 N 2 decomposition are similar to those of the methyldiazenyl radical CH 3 N 2 , and are very different from those of HN 2 , the lifetime of which is in the nanosecond range.
Cell Therapy for Diabetic Neuropathy Using Adult Stem or Progenitor Cells

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is the most common and disabling complication of diabetes that may lead to foot ulcers and limb amputations. Despite widespread awareness of DN, the only effective treatments are glucose control and pain management. A growing body of evidence suggests that DN is characterized by reduction of vascularity in peripheral nerves and deficiency in neurotrophic and angiogenic factors. Previous studies have tried to introduce neurotrophic or angiogenic factors in the form of protein or gene for therapy, but the effect was not significant. Recent studies have shown that bone marrow (BM)-derived stem or progenitor cells have favorable effects on the repair of cardiovascular diseases. Since these BM-derived stem or progenitor cells contain various angiogenic and neurotrophic factors, these cells have been attempted for treating experimental DN, and turned out to be effective for reversing various manifestations of experimental DN. These evidences suggest that cell therapy, affecting both vascular and neural components, can represent a novel therapeutic option for treatment of clinical DN.
The effect of a lower extremity kinematic constraint on lifting biomechanics

Leaning against a stationary barrier during manual materials handling tasks is observed in many industrial environments, but the effects of this kinematic constraint on low back mechanics are unknown. Thirteen participants performed two-handed lifting tasks using both a leaning posture and no leaning posture while trunk kinematics, muscle activity and ground reaction force were monitored. Results revealed that lifting with the leaning posture required significantly less activity in erector spinae (26% vs. 36% MVC) and latissimus dorsi (8% vs. 14% MVC), and less passive tissue moment compared with the no leaning posture. Peak sagittal accelerations were lower when leaning, but the leaning posture also had significantly higher slip potential as measured by required coefficient of friction (0.05 vs. 0.36). The results suggested that the leaning lifting strategy provides reduced low back stress, but does so at the cost of increased slip potential.
Orthorhombic Zr2Co11 phase revisited

The structure of the orthorhombic Zr2Co11 phase was revisited in the present work. Selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) techniques were used to investigate the structure. They show the orthorhombic Zr2Co11 phase has a 1-D incommensurate modulated structure. The structure can be approximately described as a B-centered orthorhombic lattice. The lattice parameters of the orthorhombic Zr2Co11 phase have been determined by a tilt series of SAED patterns. A hexagonal network with a modulation wave has been observed in the HREM image and the hexagonal motif is considered as the basic structural unit.
Functional brain transplants

Abstract Substantia nigra (SN), dorsal raphe nucleus, adrenal medulla, spinal cord, and whole eyes have been successfully transplanted from one mammal to the brain of another. The transplanted tissues grow and differentiate normally and in some cases send processes into the host brain. The motor abnormality induced by a lesion of the SN was reversed by transplantation of a SN from another animal. This reversal was associated with a replenishment of the lost dopamine and a histological reinnervation of the caudate nucleus. We can conclude from these experiments that it is possible to graft mammalian brain tissue from one animal to another and alter the behavior of the recipient or host animal in a manner consistent with the normal function of the grafted tissue. It is hoped that other transplanted tissues also become integrated into the host brain and become functional in a behavioral sense. If so they might offer the patient with a clinical illness a more physiological treatment than is presently available.
Production of poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates from CO and H2 by a novel photosynthetic bacterium

A novel process is described to efficiently photoconvert low-grade organic materials such as waste biomass into natural biological plastics. When heterogeneous forms of dry biomass are thermally gasified, relatively homogeneous synthesis gas mixtures composed primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen are produced. Unique strains of photosynthetic bacteria were isolated that nearly quantitatively photoassimilate the carbon monoxide and hydrogen components of synthesis gas into new cell mass. Under unbalanced culture conditions when cellular growth is limited by shortages of nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, iron, or essential vitamins, up to 28% of the new cell mass is found as granules of poly-3-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a highmolecular-weight thermoplastic that can be solvent-extracted. The dominant monomeric unit of PHAs is 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), which is polymerized into the homopolymeric poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB). PHB is marketed as a biodegradable plastic with physical properties similar to polystyrene. When a green alga was cocultured with the photosynthetic bacterium in light-dark (day-night) cycles, the bacteria synthesized a polymer of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHB-V) with a composition of 70% 3HB and 30% 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) to an extent of 18% of the new cell mass. PHB-V is commercially marketed as Biopol and has physical properties similar to polypropylene or polyethylene. Our results demonstrate that a strain of photosynthetic bacteria capable of photoassimilating synthesis gas or producer gas is a potential candidate for large-scale production of biological polyesters.
Biodiversity and ecosystem services: A multi-scale empirical study of the relationship between species richness and net primary production

Abstract Biodiversity (BD) and Net Primary Productivity (NPP) are intricately linked in complex ecosystems such that a change in the state of one of these variables can be expected to have an impact on the other. Using multiple regression analysis at the site and ecoregion scales in North America, we estimated relationships between BD (using plant species richness as a proxy) and NPP (as a proxy for ecosystem services). At the site scale, we found that 57% of the variation in NPP was correlated with variation in BD after effects of temperature and precipitation were accounted for. At the ecoregion scale, 3 temperature ranges were found to be important. At low temperatures (− 2.1 °C average) BD was negatively correlated with NPP. At mid-temperatures (5.3 °C average) there was no correlation. At high temperatures (13 °C average) BD was positively correlated with NPP, accounting for approximately 26% of the variation in NPP after effects of temperature and precipitation were accounted for. The general conclusion of positive links between BD and ecosystem functioning from earlier experimental results in micro and mesocosms was qualified by our results, and strengthened at high temperature ranges. Our results can also be linked to estimates of the total value of ecosystem services to derive an estimate of the value of the biodiversity contribution to these services. We tentatively conclude from this that a 1% change in BD in the high temperature range (which includes most of the world's BD) corresponds to approximately a 1/2% change in the value of ecosystem services.
Visual and cognitive processing of face information in schizophrenia: Detection, discrimination and working memory

Face recognition involves several physiological and psychological processes, including those in visual, cognitive and affective domains. Studies have found that schizophrenia patients are deficient at recognizing facial emotions, yet visual and cognitive processing of facial information in this population has not been systematically examined. In this study, we examined visual detection, perceptual discrimination and working memory of faces as well as non-face visual objects in patients. Visual detection was measured by accuracy when detecting the presence of a briefly displayed face, image which contained only the basic configural information of a face. Perceptual discrimination was measured by discriminability scores for individual facial identity images, in which the degree of similarity between images was systematically varied via morphing. Working memory was measured by the discriminability scores when two comparison face images were separated by 3 or 10 s. All measurements were acquired using a psychophysical method (two-alternative forced choice). Relative to controls, patients showed significantly reduced accuracy in visual detection of faces (p=0.003), moderately degraded performance in perceptual discrimination of faces (p=0.065), and significantly impaired performance in working memory of faces (p<0.001 for both 3 and 10 sec conditions). Patients' performance on non-face versions of these tasks, while degraded, was not correlated with performance on face recognition. This pattern of results indicates that greater signal strength is required for visual and cognitive processing of facial information in schizophrenia.
A Simple Method for Identifying Plant/T-DNA Junction Sequences Resulting from Agrobacterium-mediated DNA Transformation

Genomic integration of transferred T-DNA is traditionally analyzed by Southern hybridization; however, these analyses often do not provide sufficient information pertaining to the transformation event. Analysis of the junction sequences spanning the region between the T-DNA borders and plant genomic DNA, give a clear demonstration of genomic integration. The procedures available for border junction analysis can be problematic, therefore a simplified method was developed for plants transformed by Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring the binary vector with pBI121 backbone.
A surface-charge induction motor

A motor that uses an electric field interaction with surface charges induced on the surface of a lossy dielectric rotor as the force mechanism is described. A theory of force generation and efficiency for a transverse-magnetic wave interaction with a moving conducting medium and a space-harmonic analysis of a practical circuit to carry such a wave are presented. A comparison is made between the results of this analysis and test results on a three-phase 60-Hz motor using a Bakelite or a Plexiglas rotor. Satisfactory agreement between theory and experiment is obtained in most respects. Motor operation was observed in both directions of rotation, as a result of interaction with the first backward space harmonic. Generator operation is also theoretically possible and the theory for a single-harmonic-wave generator is presented. Generator operation was not observed, however, in the device that was tested.
A new SHV-derived extended-spectrum β-lactamase (SHV-24) that hydrolyzes ceftazidime through a single-amino-acid substitution (D179G) in the Ω-loop.

A new SHV-derived extended-spectrum β-lactamase (SHV-24) conferring high-level resistance to ceftazidime but not cefotaxime and cefazolin was identified in Japan. This enzyme was encoded by a transferable 150-kb plasmid from an Escherichia coli clinical isolate. The pI and Km for CAZ of this enzyme were 7.5 and 30 μM, respectively. SHV-24 was found to have a D179G substitution in the Ω-loop of the enzyme.
Method of Sale, Price Volatility, and Borrowing Costs on New Issue Municipal Bonds

Most municipal bonds are sold through negotiated underwriting, despite a large body of evidence that competitive underwriting usually produces more ecient, transparent, and equitable outcomes. In this paper I use data on several million municipal bond transactions to test the claim that negotiated sales are advantageous because they mitigate information asymmetries between municipal bond issuers and investors. The results suggest that under certain circumstances negotiated sales are, in fact, an eective tactic to reduce that information asymmetry. However, the results also indicate that reduced asymmetry does not necessarily translate to lower actual borrowing costs for most issuers.
Selective laser trabeculoplasty.

has been to reduce the energy level delivered to the TM that would minimize complications without losing the IOP-lowering effect. This has included such measures as reduction of the number of spots and the area treated at a single sitting [13,16,17]. Laser treatment of the TM to lower IOP without causing coagulative damage could therefore be a particularly advantageous approach. Laser puncture of the TM (ie, goniopuncture or trabeculopuncture techniques) was studied as an approach to treat OAG by producing photodisruption and photomechanical effects without coagulation using a Q-switched Nd:YAG (neodymium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet) laser. Epstein and colleagues [18] and Melamed and colleagues [19] treated patients with POAG and juvenile glaucoma with this laser technique and had limited success with POAG but showed moderate success with juvenile glaucoma. In 1983, Anderson and Parish [20] discovered that selectively absorbed optical radiation could cause damage to pigmented structures. In theory, this made precise aiming unnecessary because inherent tissue properties provide target selectivity. In the hope of applying this concept of selective photothermolysis clinically, and thus reducing ALT side effects, Latina and Park [21] conducted a study designed to develop a procedure to selectively target pigmented TM cells while sparing adjacent cells and tissues from collateral thermal damage and to maintain the TM architecture. They irradiated a mixed cell culture of pigmented and nonpigmented TM cells with a Q-switched Nd:YAG and frequency-doubled Nd;YAG laser, microsecondpulsed dye-laser, and an argon ion laser to define a regimen wherein laser absorption would be confined to pigmented TM cells. This was achieved using pulsed lasers with low-threshold radiant exposures,
A Comparison of Buyer-Determined and Price-Based Multiattribute Mechanisms

Reverse auctions are fast becoming the standard for many procurement activities. In the past, the majority of such auctions have been solely price based, but increasingly attributes other than price affect the auction outcome. Specifically, the buyer uses a scoring function to compare bids and the bid with the highest score wins. We investigate two mechanisms commonly used for procurement in business-to-business markets, in a setting in which buyers' welfare is affected by exogenous nonprice attributes such as the quality, service, and past relationships. Under both mechanisms, bidders bid based on price, but in the “buyer-determined” mechanism, the buyer is free to select the bid that maximizes her surplus while in the “price-based” mechanism, the buyer commits to awarding the contract to the low price bidder. We find, both in theory and in the laboratory, that the “buyer-determined” mechanism increases the buyer's welfare only as long as enough suppliers compete. If the number of suppliers is small and the correlation between cost and quality is low, the buyer is better off with the “price-based” mechanism. These findings are intended to help procurement managers make better decisions in designing procurement mechanisms for a variety of settings.
Training-based and semiblind channel estimation for MIMO systems with maximum ratio transmission

This paper is a comparative study of training-based and semiblind multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) flat-fading channel estimation schemes when the transmitter employs maximum ratio transmission (MRT). We present two competing schemes for estimating the transmit and receive beamforming vectors of the channel matrix: a training-based conventional least-squares estimation (CLSE) scheme and a closed-form semiblind (CFSB) scheme that employs training followed by information-bearing spectrally white data symbols. Employing matrix perturbation theory, we develop expressions for the mean-square error (MSE) in the beamforming vector, the average received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the symbol error rate (SER) performance of both the semiblind and the conventional schemes. Finally, we describe a weighted linear combiner of the CFSB and CLSE estimates for additional improvement in performance. The analytical results are verified through Monte Carlo simulations
a1 Protein alters the dna binding specificity of α2 repressor

Abstract The α2 protein of S. cerevisiae, the product of the MATα2 gene, represses a set of cell-type-specific genes (the a-specific genes) by binding to an operator sequence upstream of each gene. We demonstrate that a second yeast regulatory protein, at, the product of the MATαl gene, can alter the binding specificity of α2 so that it no longer recognizes the a-specific gene operator, but instead acquires the ability to recognize a different operator sequence found upstream of haploid-specific genes. Thus, under the influence of a1, α2 can repress haploid-specific genes. An α cell expresses a2 but not at, so that a2 turns off only the a-specific genes. An a/α cell makes both a1 and α2, in a ratio that ensures that α2 is distributed between two distinct binding modes: the α2 binding mode and the a1-α2 binding mode. Thus in an a/α cell, α2 represses two distinct classes of genes.
HermesB: A Continuous Neural Recording System for Freely Behaving Primates

Chronically implanted electrode arrays have enabled a broad range of advances in basic electrophysiology and neural prosthetics. Those successes motivate new experiments, particularly, the development of prototype implantable prosthetic processors for continuous use in freely behaving subjects, both monkeys and humans. However, traditional experimental techniques require the subject to be restrained, limiting both the types and duration of experiments. In this paper, we present a dual-channel, battery-powered neural recording system with an integrated three-axis accelerometer for use with chronically implanted electrode arrays in freely behaving primates. The recording system called HermesB, is self-contained, autonomous, programmable, and capable of recording broadband neural (sampled at 30 kS/s) and acceleration data to a removable compact flash card for up to 48 h. We have collected long-duration data sets with HermesB from an adult macaque monkey which provide insight into time scales and free behaviors inaccessible under traditional experiments. Variations in action potential shape and root-mean square (RMS) noise are observed across a range of time scales. The peak-to-peak voltage of action potentials varied by up to 30% over a 24-h period including step changes in waveform amplitude (up to 25%) coincident with high acceleration movements of the head. These initial results suggest that spike-sorting algorithms can no longer assume stable neural signals and will need to transition to adaptive signal processing methodologies to maximize performance. During physically active periods (defined by head-mounted accelerometer), significantly reduced 5-25-Hz local field potential (LFP) power and increased firing rate variability were observed. Using a threshold fit to LFP power, 93% of 403 5-min recording blocks were correctly classified as active or inactive, potentially providing an efficient tool for identifying different behavioral contexts in prosthetic applications. These results demonstrate the utility of the HermesB system and motivate using this type of system to advance neural prosthetics and electrophysiological experiments.
Analytically Modeling Unreliable Parallel Processing Systems with General Task Time Distributions

For many computing systems, failure is rare enough that it can be ignored or dealt with as an afterthought. In other systems, failure is so common that the recovery procedure can have a significant impact on the performance of the system. There are many different recovery schemes for tasks, however, they can be grouped into three broad categories: (1) Resume: When a task fails, it knows exactly where it stops and can continue at that point when allowed to resume (i.e., preemptive resume -prs); (2) Replace: When a task fails, then later when the processor continues, it begins with a brand new task (i.e., preemptive repeat different - prd); and, (3) Restart: When a task fails it loses all work done to that point and must start anew upon continuing later preemptive repeat identical - pri. In this paper, assuming a computing system is unreliable, we discuss how heavy-tail distributions can appear in an otherwise exponentially or non-exponentially distributed task stream. This is an important consideration since it is known that power-tails can lead to unstable systems. We then demonstrate how to obtain performance and dependability measures for a class of computing systems comprised ofP unreliable processors and a finite number of tasks, N.
The Application of Cognitive-Developmental or Mediated Cognitive Learning Strategies in Online College Coursework

This research article explores the active use of cognitive-developmental or mediated cognitive learning strategies in undergraduate online courses. Examples and applications are drawn from two online sessions integrating online interaction, essay and discussion assignments, as well as a variety of multimedia components conducted during the spring of 2008. While focus on the interaction among students remains an important aspect of the online discussion environment, particular attention is given to the interaction between the student and the instructor. This paper argues that while online learning environments are ultimately student-controlled, they should be teacher-centered. The findings of this research suggest that students are more directly influenced by an instructor's intentional effort to mediate the learning process than by the course objectives, material, or subject matter. Successful use of online technologies requires deliberate action on the part of the instructor to integrate various mediated cognitive learning strategies: (a) student participation and response is significantly increased, and (b) student motivation and morale is dramatically influenced.
A Simple Mathematical Approach for Determining Intersection of Quadratic Surfaces

This paper is primarily concerned with the mathematical formulation of the conditions for intersection of two surfaces described by general second degree polynomial (quadratic) equations. The term quadric surface is used to denote implicitly a surface described by a quadratic equation in three variables. Of special interest is the case of two ellipsoids in the three dimensional space for which the determination of intersection has practical applications. Even the simplest of traditional approaches to this intersection determination has been based on a constrained numerical optimization formulation in which a requisite combined rotational, translational and dilational transformation reduces one of the ellipsoids to a sphere, and then a numerical search procedure is performed to obtain the point on the other ellipsoid closest to the sphere’s center. Intersection is then determined according to whether this shortest distance exceeds the radius of the sphere. An alternative novel technique, used by Alfano and Greer [AG01] is based on formulating the problem in four dimensions and then determining the eigenvalues which yield a degenerate quadric surface. This method has strictly relied on many numerical observations of the eigenvalues to arrive at the conclusion whether these ellipsoids intersect. A rigorous mathematical formulation and solution was provided by Chan [Cha01] to explain the myriads of numerical observations obtained through trial and error using eigenvalues.
Human skin pigmentation, migration and disease susceptibility

Human skin pigmentation evolved as a compromise between the conflicting physiological demands of protection against the deleterious effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and photosynthesis of UVB-dependent vitamin D3. Living under high UVR near the equator, ancestral Homo sapiens had skin rich in protective eumelanin. Dispersals outside of the tropics were associated with positive selection for depigmentation to maximize cutaneous biosynthesis of pre-vitamin D3 under low and highly seasonal UVB conditions. In recent centuries, migrations and high-speed transportation have brought many people into UVR regimes different from those experienced by their ancestors and, accordingly, exposed them to new disease risks. These have been increased by urbanization and changes in diet and lifestyle. Three examples—nutritional rickets, multiple sclerosis (MS) and cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM)—are chosen to illustrate the serious health effects of mismatches between skin pigmentation and UVR. The aetiology of MS in particular provides insight into complex and contingent interactions of genetic and environmental factors necessary to trigger lethal disease states. Low UVB levels and vitamin D deficiencies produced by changes in location and lifestyle pose some of the most serious disease risks of the twenty-first century.
Surgical mandibular advancement: A cephalometric analysis of treatment response☆

Abstract Fifty-two cases of surgical advancement of the mandible were evaluated by retrospective cephalometric and computer analysis for longitudinal skeletal and dental changes an average of 3 1 2 years after surgery. Postsurgical treatment response appeared to be a multifactorial biologic phenomenon with considerable individual variability. Results showed generally good stability after mandibular advancement, with a minimal to moderate tendency toward skeletal relapse during intermaxillary fixation. Positional change of the proximal segment was the most important parameter in determining stability or relapse of the advanced mandible. Anteroinferior displacement of the condyle and increased posterior facial height were found to be important factors in the skeletal relapse observed during the period of intermaxillary fixation. The magnitude of mandibular advancement was a reliable surgical predictor of postsurgical relapse. Preoperative mandibular plane angle, postfixation intersegment instability, and patient's age cannot be isolated as being solely responsible for specific postsurgical changes.
Enhancing Cancer Immunotherapy Via Activation of Innate Immunity

Given recent technological advances and advances in our understanding of cancer, immunotherapy of cancer is being used with clear clinical benefit. The immunosuppression accompanying cancer itself, as well as with current cancer treatment with radiation or chemotherapy, impairs adaptive immune effectors to a greater extent than innate effector cells. In addition to being less suppressed, innate immune cells are capable of being enhanced via immune-stimulatory regimens. Most strategies being investigated to promote innate immune responses against cancer do not require complex, patient-specific, ex vivo cellular or molecular creation of therapeutic agents; thus they can, generally, be used as "off the shelf" therapeutics that could be administered by most cancer clinics. Successful applications of innate immunotherapy in the clinic have effectively targeted components of the innate immune response. Preclinical data demonstrate how initiation of innate immune responses can lead to subsequent adaptive long-term cancer immunity. We hypothesize that integration of innate immune activation strategies into combination therapies for cancer treatment will lead to more effective and long-term clinical benefit.
Pluralism, Corporatism, and Confucianism: Political Association and Conflict Regulation in the United States, Europe, and Taiwan

In this comparison of the role of interest groups in three different political settings, Harmon Zeigler addresses two main questions: Why do people join organizations? and, Does it matter how a government regulates conflict? In confronting these questions, he describes and contrasts the characteristics of pluralism in the United States, societal corporatism in Europe, and state corporatism, or authoritarianism, in Taiwan. The first book to compare such disparate cultures, "Pluralism, Corporatism, and Confucianism" examines the motivations for group membership and the functions of "encompassing" organizations. While it is generally accepted that the form of government is not the major contributor to the shape or content of policy, Zeigler suggests that there are substantial differences between individualist and collectivist societies.Because Taiwan is a "soft authoritarian" government in its mode of interest group regulation he sees it as lending itself to comparison, as an example of state corporatism, with societal corporatism of Europe. The influence of Confucianism, a secular religion that considers conflict unnatural, is evident in most Asian governments. While "Confucian" countries may vary substantially in their mode of conflict resolution, they usually adhere to the basic ethical principles of Confucius: groups are more important than individuals, and society should be organized hierarchically. In his discussion of Asian corporatism, Zeigler takes note of the recent upheavals in South Korea. Author note: Harmon Zeigler is Philip M. Phibbs Distinguished Professor of American Politics at the University of Puget Sound and Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington.
The Face as a Sensory Organ

The human face is a highly specialized organ which receives sensory information from the environment and transmits it to the cortex. The advent of facial transplantation has recently shown that excel- lent reconstruction of disfiguring defects can be achieved; thus, the expectations are now focused on functional recovery of the transplant. So far, restora- tion of the facial sensation has not received the same attention as the recovery of motor function. We describe the current knowledge of the sensory pathways of the human face and their respective functions, the avail- able methods of sensory assessment, and the data on normal sensation. The topographical sensory anatomy of facial subunits is summarized, the trigemino-facial connections are illustrated, and the implications of these anatomical variations on facial allotransplanta- tion are emphasized.
A Retrospective Study of 248 Pediatric Oral Sedations Utilizing the Combination of Meperidine and Hydroxyzine for Dental Treatment

Oral sedation for pre-cooperative and anxious pediatric patients is an important tool for the pediatric dentist. Few studies have examined the sedation regimen of meperidine and hydroxyzine. Objectives: The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the overall safety and effectiveness of the meperidine/hydroxyzine drug combination. Secondary goals included detecting potential factors that alter sedation effectiveness. Study Design: Two hundred and forty eight electronic health records of pediatric patients (131 females, 117 males) who received meperidine/hydroxyzine sedations in a university setting were evaluated. Pediatric dental residents rated each case according to the Frankl behavioral scale and for effectiveness. Numerous factors were analyzed to evaluate their significance on overall effectiveness. Factors examined included age at time of treatment, gender, ASA status, Frankl score at various points during treatment, sextant of treatment, operator experience, dosage, use of nitrous oxide, and any...
The Predictability of the Fama-French Factors and Momentum

Previous research suggests that the Fama-French factors contain information about future economic activity and that the stock market may be inefficient. Considered together, these ideas hint that the Fama-French factors may have predictability power. This manuscript tests this implication. We find that both statistically and economically the Fama-French factors can predict future industry returns. The evidence therefore suggests a modification to the original three-factor model. We find by including past factor realizations the modified three-factor model can explain the momentum in industry portfolio returns. Thus, the present paper rejects the idea that momentum is due to firm-specific risk and supports the idea that momentum is due to common factors.
Simulation of Flow in Fractured Poroelastic Media: A Comparison of Different Discretization Approaches

We study two finite element computational models for solving coupled problems involving flow in a fracture and flow in poroelastic media. The Brinkman equation is used in the fracture, while the Biot system of poroelasticity is employed in the surrounding media. Appropriate equilibrium and kinematic conditions are imposed on the interfaces. We focus on the approximation of the interface conditions, which in this context feature the interaction of different variables, such as velocities, displacements, stresses and pressures. The aim of this study is to compare the Lagrange multiplier and the Nitsche’s methods applied to enforce these non standard interface conditions.
DaimlerChrysler v. Cuno, State Investment Incentives, and the Future of the Dormant Commerce Clause Doctrine

One of the Term's most anticipated decision, Cuno turned out to be a bit of an anticlimax, since the Court declined to reach the merits of the plaintiffs' suit against the State of Ohio for certain of its investment tax credits, concluding that the state taxpayer-plaintiffs lacked standing. In this essay, written for the CATO Supreme Court Review, I describe the Court's decision, reexamine the arguments for and against the constitutionality of the investment tax credits, and offer some thoughts on why the constitutional question - still a live one after Cuno - is so difficult. I conclude that the Court's own imprecision in its dormant Commerce Clause doctrine jurisprudence as to the meaning of discrimination contributes in no small part and offer some preliminary suggestions for clarifying that concept.