cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A taxonomy of voting schemes for data fusion and dependable computation

Voting is an important operation in the fusion of data originating from diverse sources and in the realization of ultrareliable systems based on multiple computation channels. Voting involves the derivation of an output data object from a collection of n input data objects, as prescribed by the requirements and constraints of a voting algorithm. The objects voted on can be quite complex in terms of content and, explicitly specified or implicit, structure. Regardless of implementation details (e.g., whether realized in hardware, software, or hybrid schemes) and object space properties, voting algorithms can be classified according to how they view the input and output data objects and how they handle the votes (weights) at input and output. A 16-class (binary 4-cube) categorization results from dichotomizing each of the above voter features. This categorization leads to an abstraction that helps in the study of voting algorithms with regard to the dependability level for the outputs and the speed at which they are obtained; viz, the quality and efficiency of the algorithms. The taxonomy is broad enough to cover, and detailed enough to distinguish among, a wide variety of commonly used voting algorithms in data fusion and dependable computation. It also provides insight into the relationships of various voting schemes and facilitates comparison and fine-tuning of such algorithms.
Ion chromatography and on-line scintillation counting for the analysis of non-gamma emitting radionuclides in reactor coolant

The use of ion chromatography and on-line scintillation counting for the measurement of non-gamma emitters was evaluated for its applicability to reactor coolant. Potential chemical and radiological interferences were identified and a procedure was developed to eliminate them. The method was tested on a sample of simulated pressurized water reactor coolant.
Pilot study of recombinant human soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor (p75) fusion protein (TNFR:Fc; Enbrel) in patients with refractory multiple myeloma: increase in plasma TNFα levels during treatment

Elevated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha levels are associated with poor prognosis in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Enbrel is a TNF antagonist fusion protein consisting of the extracellular, ligand-binding domain of the human p75 TNF receptor linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1. Ten patients with refractory MM were treated with Enbrel 25mg s.c twice weekly for a minimum of eight median age was 63 years (range, 43-76). The total number of Enbrel doses was 191 (median 16; range, 3-55). TNF alpha plasma levels increased significantly during treatment with Enbrel. No objective response occurred. Acceleration of disease occurred in four patients. While well-tolerated, Enbrel did not have anti-myeloma activity as administered on this study.
Development of an Interactive Game-Based Rehabilitation Tool for Dynamic Balance Training

Conventional physical therapy techniques have been shown to improve balance, mobility, and gait following neurological injury. Treatment involves training patients to transfer weight onto the impaired limb to improve weight shift while standing and walking. Visual biofeedback and force plate systems are often used for treatment of balance and mobility disorders. Researchers have also been exploring the use of video game consoles such as the Nintendo Wii Fit as rehabilitation tools. Case studies have demonstrated that the use of video games may have promise for balance rehabilitation. However, initial usability studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that the current commercial games are not compatible with controlled, specific exercise required to meet therapy goals. Based on focus group data and observations with patients, a game has been developed to specifically target weight shift training using an open source game engine and the Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board. The prototype underwent initial usability testing with a sample of clinicians and with persons with neurological injury. Overall, feedback was positive, and areas for improvement were identified. This preliminary research provides support for the development of a game that caters specifically to the key requirements of balance rehabilitation.
Regional differences in wage inequality across industries in China

Using a panel of 29 provinces over the years 1995–2001, we explore the large regional variation in industry wage differentials in China and examine the provincial characteristics that are consistent with greater inequality. We find that the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) varies by province. One of the reasons that FDI can have differential effects is that the type of FDI (export vs. import-oriented) varies substantially across the provinces. Export-oriented FDI raises the wages of workers in industries that rely more on unskilled workers and lowers the wages of workers in industries that rely more on skilled workers, lowering the industry differential.
Spinocervical tract cells in cat and dog, labeled by the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase

The location of cells of origin of the spinocervical tract has been determined in cat and dog by injecting horseradish peroxidase into the lateral cervical nucleus (LCN). Retrogradely labeled cells were found predominantly in the ipsilateral nucleus proprius of the dorsal horn along the entire spinal cord. Cells of Clarke's column and contralateral ventral horn cells were not labeled, in agreement with previous electrophysiological indications that the spinocerebellar tracts do not maintain collateral terminations in the LCN.
Specificity and detail in autobiographical memory: Same or different constructs?

Research on autobiographical memory has focused on whether memories are coded as specific (i.e., describe a single event that happened at a particular time and place). Although some theory and research suggests that the amount of detail in autobiographical memories reflects a similar underlying construct as memory specificity, past research has not investigated whether these variables converge. Therefore, the present study compared the proportion of specific memories and the amount of detail embedded in memory responses to cue words. Results demonstrated that memory detail and proportion of specific memories were not correlated with each other and showed different patterns of association with other conceptually relevant variables. When responses to neutral cue words were examined in multiple linear and logistic regression analyses, the proportion of specific memories uniquely predicted less depressive symptoms, low emotional avoidance, lower emotion reactivity, better executive control and lower ruminatio...
Long-term results of irradiation for paraganglioma.

Purpose: The management of paragangliomas is controversial. Observation, surgery, external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT), and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) may, alone or in combination, be appropriate, depending on the size and extent of the tumor, previous treatment, and patient age, general health, and neurologic condition. Few data exist regarding long-term tumor control and late effects after EBRT or SRS. Methods and Materials: We performed a retrospective review of all patients treated with EBRT or SRS for paraganglioma at our institution between 1967 and 1994. The endpoints of the study were tumor control and late complications. Results: The 33 patients in this study had a median follow-up of 13 years (range, 4 months to 36 years). The 10-year tumor control rate was 92% (95% confidence interval, 75–98%). At the last follow-up visit, no patient had developed a radiation-induced malignancy. Conclusion: External-beam RT and SRS are safe and effective for enlarging and/or symptomatic paragangliomas. The risk of developing a delayed radiation-induced malignancy after EBRT or SRS is low. This risk must be weighed against the significant immediate and permanent risk of cranial nerve deficits if the tumor is untreated or is surgically resected. This risk must also be weighed against the immediate but low risk of surgical mortality.
A visualization-based analysis method for multiparameter models of capillary tissue-exchange

In order to successfully use a model for parameter identification, it must be carefully analyzed. Current analysis methods, however, are ad hoc and provide only partial information. We extended these methods through the application of stacked dimensions, a scientific visualization method. The end result of our extensions are multi-dimensional parametric model-images. These images depict a model as a function of all its parameters in a single graphic. We applied parametric model-images to model verification (behavioral analysis), sensitivity analysis, and identifiability analysis. We applied our methodology to the evaluation of pulmonary vascular capillary-transport models. Results have shown that the visualization-based method provides a more complete view of a model’s behavior and its other characteristics. Furthermore, our method has also proven to be more computationally efficient than the traditional approaches.
Making and Effacing Art: Modern American Art in a Culture of Museums

Fisher's book is a remarkable study of American art today, its place in American culture, and critical reactions to it. He charts a major shift in both the theory and practice of the visual arts and does so by relating that shift to fundamental changes in our relation to the world, changes that he argues have themselves been brought about by the processes of modern technological production. The museum is the organization mediating between the realm of technology and that of art-making and consumption, and Fisher's book stresses the importance of the museum's role in the way these works of art have been perceived and in the ways that they have been made. Crucial figures in Fisher's discussion are Jasper Johns and Frank Stella, but Fisher has much to say about other artists, notably Degas, Picasso, Klee, Jackson Pollock, and Robert Rauschenberg.
Reward Processing in Healthy Offspring of Parents With Bipolar Disorder

Importance Bipolar disorder (BD) is highly familial and characterized by deficits in reward processing. It is not known, however, whether these deficits precede illness onset or are a consequence of the disorder. Objective To determine whether anomalous neural processing of reward characterizes children at familial risk for BD in the absence of a personal history of a psychopathologic disorder. Design, Setting, and Participants This study compared neural activity and behaviors of children at high and low risk for mania while they anticipate and respond to reward and loss. The study was performed from September 15, 2009, through February 17, 2012, in a university functional magnetic resonance imaging facility and included 8- to 15-year-old children without disorders born to a parent with BD (n = 20 high-risk children) and demographically matched healthy comparison children (n = 25 low-risk children). Main Outcomes and Measures Neural activity, as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging, during anticipation and receipt of reward and loss during a monetary incentive delay task. Results While anticipating losses, high-risk children had less activation in the pregenual cingulate than did their low-risk counterparts (t19 = −2.44,P = .02). When receiving rewards, high-risk children had greater activation in the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex than did low-risk children (t43 = −3.04,P = .004). High-risk children also had weaker functional connectivity between the pregenual cingulate and the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex while anticipating rewards than did low-risk children (t19 = −4.38,P Conclusions and Relevance Aberrant prefrontal activations and connectivities during reward processing suggest mechanisms that underlie early vulnerabilities for developing dysfunctional regulation of goal pursuit and motivation in children at high risk for mania. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine whether these patterns of neural activation predict the onset of mania and other mood disorders in high-risk children.
IN VITRO EFFECT OF 2-METHYL-1,2-BIS(3-PYRIDYL)-1-PROPANONE (SU-4885) AND NADPH IN THE MOUSE ADRENAL.

The metabolism of progesterone-4-14C by mouse adrenals was studied in vitro following incubation with the inhibitor, 2-methyl-l,2-bis(3-pyridyl) -1-propanone(Su- 4885) alone, and in the presence of added NADPH. Su-4885 (5×10-5M) inhibited the conversion of progesterone to compounds more polar than corticosterone, as well as to corticosterone itself, with a corresponding accumulation of a number of less polar compounds, particularly ring A reduced metabolites of progesterone and deoxycorticosterone. The addition of NADPH accentuated these reductive pathways. Consideration is given to the possible functional role of reductive pathways in the adrenal cortex. (Endocrinology 75: 949, 1964)
Mother and father involvement in day care centers serving infants and young toddlers

This study compared the involvement of 28 mothers and their spouses in day care centers serving infants and toddlers. The sample consisted of parents who work at varying distances from the center. Parents were interviewed ten times each to determine the amount of time they spend in the center, frequency of communication with care providers, mid‐day visits to the center, playing with the child, and holding the child in the center. Factor analysis reduced these variables to one parental involvement factor. Mothers were significantly more involved than fathers in the center, after statistically controlling for distance to the workplace and occupational status.
Fungal volatile organic compounds: A review with emphasis on their biotechnological potential

Fungi produce various mixtures of gas-phase, carbon-based compounds called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that due to their small size are able to diffuse through the atmosphere and soils. Despite some methodological and technological constraints, researchers have detected and characterized approximately 250 fungal VOCs, many of which have characteristic odors and are produced during primary and secondary metabolism. Fungal VOCs may contribute to a controversial medical diagnosis called “sick building syndrome” and may also be important in the success of some biocontrol species of Trichoderma. VOCs also play important signaling roles for fungi in their natural environments. Many ecological interactions are mediated by VOCs, including those between fungi and plants, arthropods, bacteria, and other fungi. The diverse functions of fungal VOCs can be developed for use in biotechnological applications for biofuel, biocontrol, and mycofumigation. Volatiles represent a new frontier in bioprospecting, and the study of these gas-phase compounds promises the discovery of new products for human exploitation and will generate new hypotheses in fundamental biology.
Atmospheric chemistry of gaseous diethyl sulfate

The atmospheric reactivity of diethyl sulfate (DES) has been investigated. Upper limits to the rate constants (in cm{sup 3} molecule{sup {minus}1} s{sup {minus}1}) for the homogeneous gas-phase reactions of DES with O{sub 3}, NH{sub 3}, and H{sub 2}O have been determined by FTIR spectroscopy and are 12 years with respect to ozone. With the possible exception of its reaction with water, these results indicate that the atmospheric fate of DES within an urban air parcel is not determined by its homogeneous gas-phase reactions with any of the atmospheric species studied. No evidence has been found for the formation of DES or related compounds during the ozonolysis of olefins in the presence of SO{sub 2} and ethanol.
Nature/nurture between the Wars

The Triumph of Evolution: American Scientists and the Heredity/Environment Controversy, 1900–1941. By Hamilton Cravens. (University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia, 1978.) $17.50.
Attempts to heterogenize the Ir4(Co)12-Al2Cl6 homogeneous carbon monoxide hydrogenation catalyst

Abstract This article reports an attempt to heterogenize the homogeneous CO reduction system reported by Muetterties and coworkers and further studied by Collman and coworkers. Ir 4 (CO) 12 was bound to a phosphine-functionalized support and also physically adsorbed onto an inorganic oxide. The deposited cluster was further reacted with Al 2 Cl 6 . When a gaseous mixture of H 2 , CO and HCl was passed over the supported clusters at 75 to 125 °C: methane, methyl chloride, carbon dioxide and water were observed as the major products. In contrast to the homogeneous system where higher homologues are reported, only trace C 2 products were detected. Infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate the preparation of the phosphine-bound cluster as well as the deposited clusters and to monitor these materials during the reaction.
Analysis of protein structure: a method of choice?

In TIBS (1984) Vol. 9, pp. 508-510, Padr6s et aL commented on the utility of fourth-derivative spectrophotometry for the study of proteins. We wish to point out that there is an alternative approach that provides an analysis similar to that with fourth derivatives and which has some additional advantages. In this ap- proach, which was first employed in 1969 by Siano and Metzler 1, one or more log- normal distribution curves (skewed Gaussians) are fitted by a non-linear, least squares procedure to the experi- mental spectral data. For protein spectra 2 one log normal can be used to decribe the 280 nm absorption band of the aromatic amino acids and one or more additional log-normal curves may be fitted to the longer wavelength ab- sorption bands of any coenzymes present (Figs 1 and 2). The sum of these curves serves as a mathematically smooth baseline that can be subtracted from the experimental absorbances to give a 'fine- structure plot' which is similar to the cor- responding fourth-derivative spectrum and which can be interpreted in a similar manner (Figs i and 2). The four parameters of each absorption band - position, height, width at half-height and skewness- characterize the overall shape of that band. If a protein is examined under two or more conditions, the changes in these band parameters give a precise description of any shift in posi- tion, change of width or intensity (Table 1). Changes in the fine-structure plot may provide additional information about alterations in the environment of the chromophore. Data must be recorded in digital form suitable for analysis with a computer. A sequence of absorbance values at 0.25- 1.0 nm intervals is usually satisfactory. Many contemporary spectrophotomet- ers permit this kind of recording; the computer-assisted analysis is simple and inexpensive. The same set of data may also be used to calculate fourth-deriva- tive spectra. For theoretical reasons, it is desirable to plot the spectra against the
Electrocardiographic sequelae of right ventriculotomy in patients with ventricular septal defects.

Right bundle-branch block appeared frequently after closure of ventricular septal defects, particularly in those patients who also had infundibular stenosis and in whom some of the infundibular muscle was resected. The magnitude of the postoperative changes of right bundle-branch block indicates that a conduction disturbance was produced, probably as a result of interruption of pathways in the septum. These alterations are in contrast to the postoperative disappearance or regression of secondary R waves in rSR' complexes in other patients whose preoperative interpretation included incomplete right bundle-branch block. Regression of these abnormalities supports the view that right ventricular hypertrophy rather than delayed conduction through the septum was at fault in the beginning. Extensive T-wave changes in precordial [see figure in the PDF file] leads after right ventriculotomy and closure of ventricular septal defects indicate a significant alteration ventricular repolarization. The extent and durati...
Radiation therapy in the management of desmoid tumors

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of patients with extra-mesenteric desmoid tumors treated with radiation therapy, with or without surgery. Methods and Materials: The outcome for 75 patients receiving radiation for desmoid tumor with or without complete gross resection between 1965 and 1994 was retrospectively reviewed utilizing univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Results: With a median follow-up of 7.5 years, the overall freedom from relapse was 78% and 75% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Of the total, 23 patients received radiation for gross disease because it was not resectable. Of these 23 patients, 7 sustained local recurrence, yielding a 31% actuarial relapse rate at 5 years. Radiation dose was the only significant determinant of disease control in this group. A dose of 50 Gy was associated with a 60% relapse rate, whereas higher doses yielded a 23% relapse rate ( p Conclusions: Radiation is an effective modality for desmoid tumors, either alone or as an adjuvant to resection. For patients with negative resection margins, postoperative radiation is not recommended. Patients with positive margins should almost always receive 50 Gy of postoperative radiation. Unresectable tumors should be irradiated to a dose of approximately 56 Gy, with a 75% expectation of local control.
Laparoscopic Hartmann's procedure: a viable option for treatment of acutely perforated diverticultis.

A laparoscopic technique for acutely perforated diverticulitis (i.e., laparoscopic Hartmann’s procedure) has not been described. The authors present their technique for laparoscopic sigmoid resection, end colostomy, and subsequent laparoscopic takedown of colostomy. A retrospective review of patients with Hinchey III/IV diverticulitis who underwent a laparoscopic Hartmann’s procedure was performed in this study. Laparoscopic takedown of sigmoid colostomy was performed 2 to 3 months later. Data from these procedures including estimated blood loss (EBL), length of the operative procedure, patient outcomes, and demographics were evaluated. Seven patients with a mean age of 49.7 years underwent laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy with end colostomy. None of these patients had a history of diverticulitis. Their mean EBL was 138 ml, and their mean operative time was 154 min. None of the procedures required conversion to use of a hand port or conversion to open procedure. The average time to return of bowel function was 3.7 days, with one patient experiencing a postoperative ileus. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 6.6 days. There were no complications. Laparoscopic Hartmann’s takedown was performed for all the patients approximately 2 to 3 months later. The mean EBL was 107 ml, and the average operative time was 189 min. One patient had intraoperative anastomotic leak, which was successfully repaired and retested. Again, none of the procedures required the use of a hand port or a laparotomy. The average time to return of bowel function was 3.4 days. The average length of hospital stay was 5.3 days, with one patient experiencing a fat necrosis. Laparoscopic Hartmann’s procedure and laparoscopic takedown are technically feasible procedures with reasonable outcomes.
Assessing Affirmative Action: Past, Present, and Future.

A fundamental goal of affirmative action is to eliminate both the consequences of past discrimination and likelihood of future discrimination. Thus, any assessment of the impact of affirmative action must examine two basic questions: (1) Have the consequences of discrimination been eliminated? (2) Are measures in place to prevent discrimination from occurring in the future? The basic conclusion that will be offered in this assessment is that while affirmative action has been successful in reducing some of the effects of discrimination, a wide variety of evidence suggests that the ultimate goal of affirmative action has yet to be reached. Some concerns and limitations of any attempt to assess the impact of affirmative action are discussed along with some thoughts about the future of these programs and policies.
Existence of Solutions of One-Dimensional Flow of a Real Gas

Formal solutions to the equations of motion of the one‐dimensional, unsteady flow of a viscous, compressible, heat‐conducting gas are presented. The relationship between the existence of these solutions and the problem of hydrodynamic stability is discussed.
Discovering order in chaos: stable self-organization of neural recognition codes.

Cet article presente un systeme d'equations differentielles qui caracterise completement une categorie de reseaux de la theorie de la resonance adaptative. Le modele illustre comment l'homme peut organiser spontanement en contextes coherents les messages sensitifs chaotiques auxquels il est continuellement expose
Synergism between anti-microtubule agents and growth stimulants in enhancement of cell cycle traverse

COLCHICINE and other mitotic inhibitors have been used widely in cell cycle studies to produce synchronous cell populations1. This application is based on the ability of these drugs to inhibit mitosis by binding to tubulin and preventing microtubule (mitotic spindle) formation2. As well as inhibiting mitosis, these drugs modify the morphology and functions of cells during interphase. For example, colchicine inhibits the formation of cilia3, affects phagocytosis, the normal distribution of lysosomes4, and the synthesis and secretion of various proteins5–7 and alters the transport of certain nucleotides8. At very high concentrations (2–35×10−3 M) colchicine and colcemid retard the initiation of DNA synthesis and prolong the period of DNA synthesis9. We describe here the synergistic effects of colchicine and other anti-microtubule agents at lower concentrations (1–2×10−7 M) in the insulin- or serum-induced increase in cells moving from G1 to S phase. Our results suggest that microtubules have an important role in the regulation of DNA synthesis by growth factors.
Mathematical modeling of scroll compressors — part II: overall scroll compressor modeling

Abstract This paper presents the development of a comprehensive simulation model of a horizontal scroll compressor, which combines a detailed compression process model (Chen Y., Halm N., Groll E., Braun J. Mathematical modelling of scroll compressors — part I: compression process modeling, International Journal of Refrigeration 2002;25(6):731–750) and an overall compressor model. In the overall model, compressor components are analyzed in terms of nine different elements. Steady state energy balance equations are established applying the lumped capacitance method. In combination with the detailed compression process model, these equations were implemented into computer code and solved recursively. In this way, the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant in different compressor chambers, the temperature distributions in the scroll wraps, and the temperatures of the other compressor elements can be obtained. Thereafter, power consumption and efficiency of the compressor can be calculated. Tests were used to verify the overall model on a macroscopic basis. Using the simulation program based on the overall compressor model, a parametric study of the scroll compressor was performed, and the effects of internal leakage and heat transfer losses were investigated and some preliminary results were obtained. These results indicate that the comprehensive scroll compressor model is capable of predicting real compressor behavior and useful to the design and optimization of scroll compressors.
Exactly Solvable Field Theory of Tunneling Between Edge States in the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect

In these conference proceedings, we present an introduction to our work on the exact linear-response and non-equilibrium transport properties through an impurity in a Luttinger liquid. This model is to describe exactly the universal, and experimentally measured, conductance through a point contact in a fractional quantum Hall device.
Use of carotid ultrasound to identify subclinical vascular disease and evaluate cardiovascular disease risk: Summary and discussion of the american society of echocardiography consensus statement

This consensus statement wasendorsed by the Society for Vascular Medicine. Itwas the product of a year-long effort to synthesizethe best data available regarding CIMT and caro-tid plaque presence as predictors of CVD risk,with a goal of producing a clinically useful docu-ment that provided recommendations for the useof carotid ultrasonography in clinical practice.This document addressed issues of standardizationand will help improve the availability of experi-enced clinical laboratories that can perform high-quality CIMT studies in a clinical setting. Thispaper summarizes the major ﬁndings of the ASEconsensus statement and updates areas related tothe effects of carotid ultrasound on patient andphysician outcomes, as well as recent studies eval-uating the predictive values of CIMT and coro-nary calciﬁcation.
Psychological aspects of breast surgery.

The author discusses in a personal manner, and not as a practicing psychologist or psychiatrist, the psychological aspects of breast surgery which should be considered when a patient who presents herself to the plastic surgeon for the various types of aesthetic surgery available today.
Parathyroid Hormone–Related Protein as a Regulator of pRb and the Cell Cycle in Arterial Smooth Muscle

Background— Parathyroid hormone–related protein (PTHrP), a normal product of arterial vascular smooth muscle (VSM), contains a nuclear localization signal (NLS) and at least 2 translational initiation sites, one that generates a conventional signal peptide and one that disrupts the signal peptide. These unusual features allow PTHrP either to be secreted in a paracrine/autocrine fashion, and thereby to inhibit arterial smooth muscle proliferation, or to be retained within the cytosol and to translocate into the nucleus, thereby serving as an intracrine stimulator of smooth muscle proliferation. Methods and Results— Here, we demonstrate 2 important findings. First, PTHrP dramatically increases the percentage of VSM cells in the S and in G2/M phases of the cell cycle. These effects require critical serine and threonine residues at positions Ser119, Ser130, Thr132, and Ser138 in the carboxy-terminus of PTHrP and are associated with the phosphorylation of the key cell cycle checkpoint regulator retinoblastoma ...
Building bone mass through exercise: could less be more?

Insertion of a rest interval between loading events greatly amplifies the response of bone to loading
Parallel ELLPACK for shared memory multiprocessors

Abstract This paper describes a parallel version of ELLPACK for shared memory multiprocessors. ELLPACK is a system for numerically solving elliptic PDEs. It consists of a very high level language for defining PDE problems and selecting methods of solution, and a library of approximately 50 problem solving modules. Each of the modules performs one of the basic steps in solving an elliptic PDE: discretization, reordering of equations and unknowns, linear system solution, etc. ELLPACK may be used to solve linear elliptic PDEs posed on general two-dimensional domains or in three-dimensional boxes, nonlinear problems, time-dependent problems and systems of elliptic equations. Earlier work considered three discretization modules (five point star, hodie and hermite collocation), two linear system solution modules (linpack spd band and jacobi cg) and a triple module (hodie fft), which includes both discretization and solution, all for rectangular domains and simple boundary conditions. Here we describe parallel versions of six additional modules (hermite collocation, hodie helmholtz, five point star, band ge, sor, symmetric sor cg) for general boundary conditions and domains, and discuss modifications to the ELLPACK preprocessor, the tool that translates an ELLPACK “program” into FORTRAN. The parallelization strategy is based on kernels, with the machine-dependent and performance critical code located in a relatively small number of kernels. We report performance of these parallel ELLPACK modules on a Sequent Symmetry S81 shared memory multiprocessor with 26 processors for two simple test problems, and a problem involving a composite laminate with spatially varying fiber orientations.
Evaluation of a procedure to measure the time course of a drug's behavioral action

The utility of a novel procedure to examine a drug's time course of behavioral action was evaluated. Time- and dose-effect relations for the antiepilepsy drug methsuximide were determined in pigeons during 12-hr overnight sessions through the use of a multiple variable-interval 60-sec extinction (mult VI EXT) schedule of food delivery. The VI 60-sec components were programmed for the first 10 min of each hour and were followed by 50-min EXT components. Methsuximide produced dose-dependent decreases in rate of responding; the higher the dose, the longer the duration of effect. The present procedure appears to be useful for determining effective presession injection intervals and time-effect relations.
Metabolic network motifs can provide novel insights into evolution

Display Omitted We present a novel application of metabolic network motifs that can provide insights into evolution.We illustrate our novel application to investigate the ancestral origin of Eukaryotic organelles.Our preliminary analysis supports the hypothesis of an early proto-Eukaryote.Our analysis also suggests that a ?- or ?-Poteobacteria may have been the endosymbiotic partner that gave rise to modern mitochondria.We propose a methodology for constructing phylogenetic trees that incorporates metabolic network signatures. Phylogenetic trees are typically constructed using genetic and genomic data, and provide robust evolutionary relationships of species from the genomic point of view. We present an application of network motif mining and analysis of metabolic pathways that when used in combination with phylogenetic trees can provide a more complete picture of evolution. By using distributions of three-node motifs as a proxy for metabolic similarity, we analyze the ancestral origin of Eukaryotic organelles from the metabolic point of view to illustrate the application of our motif mining and analysis network approach. Our analysis suggests that the hypothesis of an early proto-Eukaryote could be valid. It also suggests that a ?- or ?-Proteobacteria may have been the endosymbiotic partner that gave rise to modern mitochondria. Our evolutionary analysis needs to be extended by building metabolic network reconstructions of species from the phylum Crenarchaeota, which is considered to be a possible archaeal ancestor of the eukaryotic cell. In this paper, we also propose a methodology for constructing phylogenetic trees that incorporates metabolic network signatures to identify regions of genomically-estimated phylogenies that may be spurious. We find that results generated from our approach are consistent with a parallel phylogenetic analysis using the method of feature frequency profiles.
Rural food accessibility: An analysis of travel impedance and the risk of potential grocery closures

This paper examines the potential spatial impact of grocery store closures and their impact on the food accessibility of the population of one rural county in Southern Illinois. Additionally, we offer public health officials a simple method for locating populations at particular risk of food inaccessibility in the event of a grocery store closure. A model is introduced for weighting different types of food outlets based on the types of food products offered to potential customers. By using a weighted system for measuring different types of food outlets, individual addresses, and a novel method of visualizing food access, we find an improved means of locating areas of risk in a fluid food-access landscape.
Quantum Tweezer for Atoms

We propose a quantum tweezer for extracting a desired number of neutral atoms from a reservoir. A trapped Bose-Einstein condensate is used as the reservoir, taking advantage of its coherent nature, which can guarantee a constant outcome. The tweezer is an attractive quantum dot, which may be generated by red-detuned laser light. By moving at certain speeds, the dot can extract a desired number of atoms from the condensate through Landau-Zener tunneling. The feasibility of our quantum tweezer is demonstrated through realistic and extensive model calculations.
The resistive barrier discharge

Nonequilibrium, atmospheric pressure plasma discharges are increasingly being used in various novel applications. In many of these applications, a nonthermal, large volume, atmospheric pressure discharge, which can be generated in a practical and economical way is sought. We present a novel method to produce such plasma. This method uses a similar configuration to the dielectric barrier discharge. However, instead of a dielectric, a resistive layer is used to cover at least one of the electrodes. This allows the operation of the discharge in either DC or AC (60 Hz) modes.
Atomic force microscopy using a piezoresistive cantilever

An atomic force microscope (AFM) is an instrument which measures the topography of a surface by bringing a cantilever beam into contact with a sample and measuring the deflection of the cantilever as it is scanned across the surface. The complexity of an AFM is predominantly governed by the detector used for measuring the deflection of the cantilever probe. The authors describe the fabrication of a silicon cantilever beam with an integrated piezoresistor for sensing its deflection. A silicon-on-insulator material is used for the fabrication. A p-type resistor is fabricated at the surface of the cantilever along a direction so that the piezoresistive effect of silicon causes its resistance to vary linearly with its deflection. The cantilevers considered typically have spring constants from 1 to 10 N/m and minimum detectable deflections from 1 to 10 AA over a 10-Hz-1-kHz frequency range. The cantilevers were successfully used in an AFM, and an image of a grating was obtained with this technique. >
Coastal Perturbations of Marine-Layer Winds, Wind Stress, and Wind Stress Curl along California and Baja California in June 1999

Abstract Month-long simulations using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) with a horizontal resolution of 9 km have been used to investigate perturbations of topographically forced wind stress and wind stress curl during upwelling-favorable winds along the California and Baja California coasts during June 1999. The dominant spatial inhomogeneity of the wind stress and wind stress curl is near the coast. Wind and wind stress maxima are found in the lees of major capes near the coastline. Positive wind stress curl occurs in a narrow band near the coast, while the region farther offshore is characterized by a broad band of weak negative curl. Curvature of the coastline, such as along the Southern California Bight, forces the northerly flow toward the east and generates positive wind stress curl even if the magnitude of the stress is constant. The largest wind stress curl is simulated in the lees of Point Conception and the Santa Ba...
Diffractive optics calibrator: design and construction

We present a new device, the diffractive optics calibrator, for measuring duty cycle and etching depth for computer-generated holograms (CGHs). The system scans the CGH with a collimated laser beam and collects the far-field diffraction pattern with a CCD array. The relative intensities of the various orders of diffraction are used to fit the phase shift from etching and the duty cycle of the binary pattern. The system is capable of measuring variations that cause 1-nm peak-to-valley (PV) phase errors in the wavefront created by the CGH. The measurements will be used primarily for quality control CGHs, but the data can also be used to provide a lookup table for corrections that allow calibration of the lithography errors. Such calibrations may be necessary for us to achieve our goal of measuring freeform aspheric surfaces with 1-nm RMS accuracy.
Turning liabilities into assets: Exploiting deep submicron CMOS technology to design secure embedded circuits

This paper explores an unexpected link between system-level security considerations and deep-submicron CMOS circuits. Many deep-submicron effects including increased leakage power, process variability, noise-level, power- density and integration density are thought of to be liabilities for integrated design. However, we show how they may instead be an asset for certain types of secure circuits. These circuits are useful for secure embedded systems design, where stringent cost-, power- and implementation constraints, as well as the increased risk towards physical attacks, are among the design issues. We also conclude that not all deep sub-micron liabilities are secure-circuit assets, and point out some of the open challenges in secure circuit design.
Affect processing for narratives

This paper presents a theory of AFFECT processing in the context of BORIS [Dyer, 1982] [Dyer, 1981a], a computer program designed to read and answer questions about complex narratives. Here, "complex" entails the coordination, application and search of many distinct sources of knowledge during both comprehension and question answering. This paper concentrates only on those structures and processes which interact with affect situations. The affect component in BORIS is not a separate module, but rather a series of structures and processes which arise as various lexical items are encountered during narrative comprehension and question answering [Dyer, 1981b].
Near-field FTIR Imaging: A Technique for Enhancing Spatial Resolution in FTIR Microscopy

SYNOPSIS Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopy is a powerful analytical technique for characterization of polymeric materials. In certain applications, however, it would be advantageous to obtain higher spatial resolution than what is presently feasible. This contribution reviews the key principles of FTIR microscopy and presents a design enhancement that increases the spatial resolution that may be obtained with a standard FTIR microscope. Representative results are shown, which illustrate the technique’s effectiveness. q 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Dynamic behavior of a sandwich beam with internal resonators

A sandwich beam with embedded internal resonators was studied. Two continuum Timoshenko beam models were employed to model the sandwich beam. One model treats the resonators as continuously distrib...
RNA Determinants Required for L4-mediated Attenuation Control of the S10 r-Protein Operon ofEscherichia coli

Abstract We have probed regions of the S10 leader RNA to determine their role in L4-mediated, NusA-dependent attenuation control of the S10 ribosomal protein operon. Using genetic and “antisense” oligonucleotide competition approaches, we were able to distinguish between the determinants necessary for intrinsic (NusA-independent) pausing by RNA polymerase at the S10 attenuation site, for NusA-dependent enhancement of pausing, and for L4 stabilization of the paused ternary complex. The upper stem-loop structure in the attenuator hairpin is the major determinant for the NusA-dependent pause, while the sequence at the site of pausing is important for RNA polymerase to pause in the absence of NusA. The determinants of L4 stabilization of the paused complex include the hairpin immediately upstream of the attenuator hairpin as well as the ascending side of the attenuator structure. In conclusion, our results suggest that there are three distinct pausing activities by RNA polymerase during its transcription of the S10 leader, with three corresponding signals in the S10 leader.
Fibromyalgia: new hope for a medical dilemma.

The history of fibromyalgia as a medical entity in the literature illustrates the struggle, perseverance and success of our academic enterprise. While careful epidemiologic studies in the community suggest a shared familial risk for fibromyalgia and depression (1) and that environmental stress is not causal of fibromyalgia, although worsening its symptoms (2), treatment outcome studies enable investigators to study these hypotheses longitudinally. Papers by Arnold (3), Thimineur (4) and Hooton (5) and their colleagues in this issue show similar improvement in fibromyalgia and psychological symptoms from three promising, but vastly different treatments, a rehabilitation program, pregabalin, and neurostimulation. These studies suggest the possibility that a variety of different treatments may soon be widely available for this debilitating problem. Selection …
Classification of Ships in Surveillance Video

Object classification is an important component in a complete visual surveillance system. In the context of coastline surveillance, we present an empirical study on classifying 402 instances of ship regions into 6 types based on their shape features. The ship regions were extracted from surveillance videos and the 6 types of ships as well as the ground truth classification labels were provided by human observers. The shape feature of each region was extracted using MPEG-7 region-based shape descriptor. We applied k Nearest Neighbor to classify ships based on the similarity of their shape features, and the classification accuracy based on stratified ten-fold cross validation is about 91%. The proposed classification procedure based on MPEG-7 region-based shape descriptor and k Nearest Neighbor algorithm is robust to noise and imperfect object segmentation. It can also be applied to the classification of other rigid objects, such as airplanes, vehicles, etc.
Low-sensitivity optimal feedback control for linear discrete-time systems

The problem of reducing sensitivity of discrete-time systems to parameter variations is considered. State and output feedback gains are obtained to minimize a quadratic criterion which includes sensitivity functions. Necessary conditions for optimality are derived and numerical examples are discussed.
Cells and iron oxide nanoparticles on the move: magnetic resonance imaging of monocyte homing and myocardial inflammation in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

The treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) has focused heavily on early reperfusion of the infarct-related artery. However, the inflammatory processes in the infarct that occur shortly after MI and govern wound healing in the heart have not been targeted therapeutically. Perhaps this has resulted from our inability to visualize these processes. In contrast to coronary angiography, which has clearly depicted stenotic arteries for decades and initiated the era of percutaneous coronary interventions, imaging inflammation in the heart of patients with MI has been difficult. In this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging , Alam et al1 describe important progress to overcome this hurdle. Their article reports the first human study in which an iron oxide nanoparticle (ferumoxytol, AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Lexington, MA) was used to image leukocytes in the infarcted tissue by T2* weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Building on previous preclinical data in mice with MI,2 and the use of ferumoxtran in patients with inflammatory disease,3–5 the authors imaged 16 patients within the first week after MI, 10 of whom received intravenous ferumoxytol. R2* values tripled in the infarct and doubled in the remote zone 24 to 48 hours after ferumoxytol administration. Because all patients in this small pilot study survived the subacute infarct period, corroborating histologic data on the tissue uptake of ferumoxytol were not available. Article see p 559 The uptake of ferumoxtran and ferumoxytol by leukocytes in vivo occurs without active targeting and is caused by the size, blood half-life, and surface properties of these agents. In a recent issue of the journal, Richards et al6 report another clinical first with the agent ferumoxides, an iron oxide nanoparticle designed and used clinically for liver imaging. Here, they use ferumoxides to label human monocytes ex vivo and then reinject the labeled cells to …