cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Reuse Approach for FPGA-Based SDR Waveforms

Software targeting general purpose processing (GPP) elements has been successfully reused for software defined radio (SDR) platforms in support of low-bandwidth wave-forms. The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Software Communications Architecture (SCA) promotes reuse of GPP-based software by providing a consistent framework for developing reusable waveform implementations. However, high-bandwidth waveforms, such as those used in above 2 GHz MILSATCOM terminals, overwhelm the capabilities of GPP-only radios making field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) a necessity in high-bandwidth radio systems. The SCA does not address the development of reusable FPGA-based waveform implementations. This paper presents an approach supplementing the current SCA to address FPGA-based platforms using System-on-a-chip (SoC) best practices for design reuse, including common interfaces and a robust system simulation environment.
Reduced plaque formation by the chloromethyl analogue of victamine C.

T H E C H L O R O M E T H Y L A N A L O G U E of Victamine C,* a cationic surface-active agent, reduces the formation of dental calculus in humans. 1 2 This chemical prevents crystallization of calcium phosphate in calculus smears in vitro, 3 but the mechanism whereby it inhibits calculus formation in vivo is not known. The following study was conducted to determine whether the chloromethyl analogue of Victamine C reduces the formation of dental plaque considered a precursor of calculus. 4 6
Adrenalectomy decreases the sphingomyelin and cholesterol content of fat cell ghosts.

Adrenalectomy produces a significant fall in the sphingomyelin and cholesterol content of ghosts isolated from rat epididymal fat cells. Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated an effect of dexamethasone in vitro to increase the spingomyelin content of fat cell ghosts obtained from adrenalectomized animals. The present study demonstrates that adrenalectomy influences the membrane lipid content. Dexamethasone, in vitro, was found to increase the sphingomyelin of epididymal fat cell ghosts isolated from intact animals, as it previously had been shown to affect epididymal fat cell ghosts obtained from adrenalectomized animals. Incubation with dexamethasone for 3 h had no effect on the cholesterol content of the ghosts. Adrenalectomy, on the other hand, resulted in a significant decrease in the cholesterol content of the fat cell ghosts.
Cell-based genomic screening: elucidating virus-host interactions

Viruses rely on host cell machinery for successful infection, while at the same time evading the host immune response. Characterization of these processes has revealed insights both into fundamental cellular processes as well as the nuances of viral replication. The recent advent of cell-based screening coupled with RNAi technology, has greatly facilitated studies focused on characterizing the virus–host interface and has expanded our understanding of cellular factors that impact viral infection. These findings have led to the discovery of potential therapeutic targets, but there is certainly more to be discovered. In this article we will review the recent progress in this arena and discuss the challenges and future of this emerging field.
Causal responsibility and peak load pricing

Abstract This article clarifies the basis for peak load pricing when some customers have a steady demand and others have a specific peak period demand. Causal responsibility for peak capacity rests on both types of customers. Peles, in this journal, has proposed that electricity consumption beyond the off-peak period monthly average be priced at a higher rate than other consumption. Customers consuming only on the peak would face higher prices than those who consumed relatively less during the peak. However, such a price structure can discourage economic off-peak consumption and encourage uneconomic peak period consumption. Both steady and nonsteady demanders must face the same price signal during peak periods for the achievement of efficiency, so long as each group imposes the same costs on the system.
Multidimensional assessment of homework: an analysis of students with ADHD.

Objective: Homework can have beneficial effects for students; however, it presents challenges, particularly for students with attention problems. Although effective homework interventions exist, in...
The Effects of Mutations in Helices 4 and 6 of ApoA-I on Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I (SR-BI)-mediated Cholesterol Efflux Suggest That Formation of a Productive Complex between Reconstituted High Density Lipoprotein and SR-BI Is Required for Efficient Lipid Transport

We have studied the effects of mutations in apoA-I on reconstituted high density lipoprotein (HDL) particle (rHDL(apoA-I)) binding to and cholesterol efflux from wild-type (WT) and mutant forms of the HDL receptor SR-BI expressed by ldlA-7 cells. Mutations in helix 4 or helix 6 of the apoA-I reduced efflux by 79 and 51%, respectively, without substantially altering receptor binding (apparent Kd values of 1.1–4.4 μg of protein/ml). SR-BI with an M158R mutation bound poorly to rHDL with WT and helix 4 mutant apoA-I; the helix 6 mutant restored tight binding to SR-BI(M158R) (Kd values of 48, 60, and 7 μg of protein/ml, respectively). SR-BI(M158R)-mediated cholesterol efflux rates, normalized for binding, were high for all three rHDLs (71–111% of control). In contrast, absolute (12–19%) and binding-corrected (24–47%) efflux rates for all three rHDLs mediated by SR-BI with Q402R/Q418R mutations were very low. We propose that formation of a productive complex between apoA-I in rHDL and SR-BI, in which the lipoprotein and the receptor must either be precisely aligned or have the capacity to undergo appropriate conformational changes, is required for efficient SR-BI-mediated cholesterol efflux. Some mutations in apoA-I and/or SR-BI can result in high affinity, but non-productive, binding that does not permit efficient cholesterol efflux.
Conductivity Trends of PEDOT-PSS Impregnated Fabric and the Effect of Conductivity on Electrochromic Textile

A stretchable e-textile was fabricated by simply soaking Spandex fabric in a conductive polymer aqueous dispersion, PEDOT-PSS. The resulting conductive fabric had an average conductivity of 0.1 S/cm. Subjecting the fabric to more than one soaking step increased the conductivity of the fabric up to ca. 2.0 S/cm resulting in a 33% faster switching speed. This simple methodology is not limited to Spandex (50% nylon/50% polyurethane). Several other fabric compositions were investigated for their conductivity via this process, including 100% cotton, 60% cotton/40% polyester, 95% cotton/5% Lycra, 60%polyester/40% rayon, 100% polyester, and 80% nylon/20% Spandex, listed in order of decreasing hydrophilicity. Those fabrics with higher water uptake resulted in higher conductivities upon soaking in PEDOT-PSS. Electrochromic polymers coated on the fabric could be switched between their different colored states, even upon stretching of the Spandex. SEM revealed that the electrochromic polymer coated on the substrate ...
Relationships between crude protein and determination of nondispersible lignin

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between crude proetin (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), ADF CP, and acid detergent lignin CP and measures of lignin, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and digestibility. Specifically, the study examined whether a relationship existed between these measures and the CP content of feed or the residual CP found in ADF or acid detergent lignin. Sixty-seven samples (15 alfalfa hay, 16 tall fescue hay, 15 orchardgrass hay, 10 vegetative corn plants, and 11 vegetative wheat plants) were collected at different maturities for study. Samples were analyzed for CP, NDF, digestibility, and lignin (acid detergent, permanganate, chlorite, and acetyl bromide). In addition, batches of ADF and acid detergent lignin were prepared for CP determination. Results of correlations between the feed CP, ADF CP, or acid detergent lignin CP and measures of lignin, NDF, or digestibility were found to be highly dependent on feedstuffs. In some instances, such as the correlations between acid detergent lignin CP and lignin, NDF, or digestibility, different feedstuffs produced equally close, but opposite (positive versus negative) correlations for the same relationship. Consideration of the type of material involved, maturity, or the assay was of little help in explaining the results. Overall, CP contamination was a significant problem for the determination of ADF and lignin concentrations.
Pigment removal in anaerobically digested effluent through polyelectrolyte flocculation and liquid–liquid extraction

BACKGROUND: Use of flocculation in wastewater treatment involves interactions of polymer with suspended solids and some dissolved organic compounds that can have a significant impact on aggregation process. RESULTS: It was found that a strong interaction between cationic compounds and dissolved pigments in anaerobically digested (AD) wastewater occurred. The interactions were investigated by light adsorption of the pigments using a commercial flocculant added in the solutions and through a liquid–liquid extraction method using a model cationic surfactant (CTAB) dissolved in organic solvents. The absorbance of pigments decreased significantly with added cationic flocculant as the pigments and flocculants formed insoluble complexes that were removed by centrifugation. CONCLUSION: The absorbance results indicate that the pigments can form complexes even at high concentrations (e.g. 2000 mg L−1) of the flocculants. In addition, the extraction results demonstrated that pigments in the aqueous phase were transferred into the CTAB organic phase due to a strong interaction between the pigments and CTAB. These results suggest that the pigments present in AD effluent could be a negative factor for the flocculation process, probably resulting in the need for a high dosage of flocculants. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
ARE ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USERS LESS SATISFIED WITH LIFE AS YOUNG ADULTS AND IF SO, WHY?*

The present study investigated whether adolescent cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use predicts life satisfaction in young adulthood. Survey data were used from a longitudinal cohort of 2376 adolescents at ages 18 and 29, originally recruited from California and Oregon middle schools at age 13. Results of multivariate models indicated that use of cigarettes and hard drugs at age 18 was associated with lower life satisfaction at age 29, controlling for adolescent environmental, social, and behavioral factors related to lower life satisfaction, including poor mental health, loneliness, poor social skills, and Black race. Adolescent alcohol and marijuana use were not significantly related to adult life satisfaction. Low income, poor health, and cigarette use during adulthood each independently mediated the relationship between adolescent cigarette use and adult life satisfaction, together explaining 84.58% of the effect. Adult hard drug use mediated the effect of adolescent hard drug use, explaining 54.79% of the effect. Results suggest that some forms of adolescent substance use limit socio-economic opportunities, and have a lasting effect on health, consequently decreasing life-satisfaction. Continued use of substances may also lead to lower subjective well-being over time. Findings indicate a need for programs that increase social skills and effectively prevent adolescents from using substances, perhaps by incorporating information about consequences of use for socio-economic status, health, and well-being over the long term.
Combined effects of salinity and temperature on survival and reproduction of five species of Artemia

Abstract Survival and reproductive performance were measured at nine temperature–salinity (T–S) combinations (15°C, 24°C and 30°C/60 ppt, 120 ppt and 180 ppt) for four sexual ( Artemia franciscana , A. salina , A. sinica and A. persimilis ) and one parthenogenetic ( A. parthenogenetica ) species of brine shrimp. There was significant interaction between temperature and salinity for survival and reproductive traits. For most species there was disconcordance among seven performance estimators (LT 50 , 21-day survival, r , and four female reproductive traits) for the optimal T–S combination. We propose that the best ecological estimator of reproductive success is cohort reproductive output because it incorporates both survival ( l x ) and reproductive ( m x ) functions. All species had maximum reproduction at 24°C; at 120 ppt for A. parthenogenetica , A. sinica and A. franciscana , and at 180 ppt for A. salina and A. persimilis . There was only one T–S combination (24°C/120 ppt) where all species completed their life cycle. While at least one Artemia species reproduced at eight of the nine possible T–S combinations, sustainable reproduction (where R o ≥1) occurred at only five T–S combinations. A. parthenogenetica had the narrowest tolerance range of T–S combinations, contradicting the general purpose genotype hypothesis advanced for obligately parthenogenetic species.
Vinylogous Mannich reactions: some theoretical studies on the origins of diastereoselectivity.

Ab initio calculations at the RHF/3-21G* level were used to investigate the limiting transition states in the addition of 2-methoxyfuran to a pyrrolinium ion. Four stationary points were found on the potential energy surface with relative energies of threo Diels−Alder, 0.0 kcal/mol; erythro open, 0.9 kcal/mol; erythro Diels−Alder, 1.3 kcal/mol; and threo open, 1.8 kcal/mol.
Changes in protein expression during multistage mouse skin carcinogenesis

To directly compare the expression patterns of different proteins known to be altered during mouse skin carcinogenesis, serial sections of normal and hyperplastic skin and tumors from various stages of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-initiated, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-promoted female SENCAR mice were examined by immunohistochemistry. In untreated, normal mouse skin, keratin 1 (K1) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGFbeta1) were strongly expressed in the suprabasal layers, whereas integrin alpha6beta4 was expressed only in basal cells and only moderate staining for transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFalpha) was seen. In hyperplastic skin, TGFalpha expression became stronger, whereas expression of another epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor ligand, heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), was strongly induced in all epidermal layers from no expression in normal skin. Likewise, the gap-junctional protein connexin 26 (Cx26) became highly expressed in the differentiated granular layers of hyperplastic skin relative to undetectable expression in normal skin. Expression of cyclin D1 in the proliferative cell compartment was seen in all benign and malignant tumors but not in hyperplastic skin. Beginning with very early papillomas (after 10 wk of promotion), expression of alpha6beta4 in suprabasal cells and small, focal staining for keratin 13 (K13) were seen in some tumors. Later (after 20-30 wk), focal areas of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activity appeared in a few papillomas, whereas TGFbeta1 expression began to decrease. Cx26 and TGFalpha staining became patchier in some late-stage papillomas (30-40 wk), whereas suprabasal alpha6beta4, K13, and GGT expression progressively increased and K1 expression decreased. Finally, in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), there was an almost complete loss of K1 and a further decline in TGFalpha, HB-EGF, TGFbeta1, and Cx26 expression. On the other hand, almost all SCCs showed suprabasal staining for alpha6beta4 and widespread cyclin D1 and K13 expression, whereas only about half showed positive focal staining for GGT activity.
Genomic evolution in a virus under specific selection for host recognition.

Abstract Genetic variation in viral structural proteins is often explained by evolutionary escape of strong host defenses through processes such as immune evasion, host switching, and tissue tropism. An understanding of the mechanisms driving evolutionary change in virus surface proteins is key to designing effective intervention strategies to disease emergence. This study investigated the predictability of virus genomic evolution in response to highly specific differences in host receptor structure. The bacteriophage ΦX174 was evolved on three E. coli mutant hosts, each differing only by a single sugar group in the lipopolysaccharides, used for phage attachment. Large phage populations were used in order to maximize the amount of sequence space explored by mutation, and thus the potential for parallel evolution. Repeatability was assessed by genome sequencing of multiple isolates from endpoint populations and by fitness of the endpoint population relative to its ancestor. Evolutionary lines showed similar magnitudes of fitness increase between treatments. Only one mutation, occurring in the internal DNA pilot protein H, was completely repeatable, and it appeared to be a necessary stepping stone toward further adaptive change. Substitutions in the surface accessible major capsid protein F appeared to be involved in capsid stability rather than specific interactions with host receptors, suggesting that non-specific alterations to capsid structure could be an important component of adaptation to novel hosts. 33% of mutations were synonymous and showed evidence of selection on codon usage. Lastly, results supported previous findings that evolving populations of small ssDNA viruses may maintain relatively high levels of genetic variation.
Timing Failure Analysis of Commercial CPUs Under Operating Stress

The timing margin of an operating physical device suffers from crosstalk, power supply voltage fluctuation, and temperature variation among other elements. This problem is increasingly pronounced with deep-submicron technology. A conservative testing, binning and marketing policy alleviates the reliability concerns but at a loss of realizable performance of the device. This paper presents a methodology for a more practical estimation of the timing margin through analytical and empirical analysis of noise sources. First, the sources of noise are modeled. Then physical experiments are conducted to measure time-to-failure of the target CPUs under stress. The accelerated test results are used for parameterizing the models to empirically determine the device timing margin under realistic operating conditions. The results indicate that the actual safe-operating region for a set of tested microprocessors is significantly wider than that reported in manufacturer?s? specifications for new devices.
Absence of All Components of the Flagellar Export and Synthesis Machinery Differentially Alters Virulence of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium in Models of Typhoid Fever, Survival in Macrophages, Tissue Culture Invasiveness, and Calf Enterocolitis

In this study, we constructed an flhD (the master flagellar regulator gene) mutant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and compared the virulence of the strain to that of the wild-type strain in a series of assays that included the mouse model of typhoid fever, the mouse macrophage survival assay, an intestinal epithelial cell adherence and invasion assay, and the calf model of enterocolitis. We found that the flhD mutant was more virulent than its parent in the mouse and displayed slightly faster net growth between 4 and 24 h of infection in mouse macrophages. Conversely, the flhD mutant exhibited diminished invasiveness for human and mouse intestinal epithelial cells, as well as a reduced capacity to induce fluid secretion and evoke a polymorphonuclear leukocyte response in the calf ligated-loop assay. These findings, taken with the results from virulence assessment assays done on an fljB fliC mutant of serovar Typhimurium that does not produce flagellin but does synthesize the flagellar secretory apparatus, indicate that neither the presence of flagella (as previously reported) nor the synthesis of the flagellar export machinery are necessary for pathogenicity of the organism in the mouse. Conversely, the presence of flagella is required for the full invasive potential of the bacterium in tissue culture and for the influx of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the calf intestine, while the flagellar secretory components are also necessary for the induction of maximum fluid secretion in that enterocolitis model. A corollary to this conclusion is that, as has previously been surmised but not demonstrated in a comparative investigation of the same mutant strains, the mouse systemic infection and macrophage assays measure aspects of virulence different from those of the tissue culture invasion assay, and the latter is more predictive of findings in the calf enterocolitis model.
Symmetric source implementation for the ADI-FDTD method

The alternating-direction-implicit finite-difference time-domain (ADI-FDTD) method has been introduced to overcome the Courant limit present in the standard FDTD scheme. However, the ADI-FDTD scheme may produce small asymmetries in the field distributions according to the source implementation. In this communication, we compare different source implementation strategies and show that ADI-FDTD scheme has no asymmetry errors up to the numerical noise level, and can be implemented most accurately if the excitation is directly incorporated within the tridiagonal matrix and if the time discretization of the source is done appropriately within each full time step.
Effects of Cardiac Microstructure on Propagating Electrical Waveforms

Abstract— Electrical waveforms measured during propagation at microscopic level are considerably affected by normal variations in cardiac microstructure as well as by the superfusing fluid. On the basis of evidence we present in this article, we argue that the anisotropic waveform variations discussed here are explained primarily by the associated variations in different microstructural components of myocardial architecture rather than by the effects of the perfusing bath. The results suggest that different components of myocardial architecture have preferential effects on V max and on the shape of the foot of the transmembrane action potential (V m foot). Resistive discontinuities primarily affect V max , and an additional capacitive component in the local circuit due to the capillaries in interstitial space primarily affects V m foot. Resistive discontinuities also have an important influence on cardiac conduction. These discontinuities include spatial variations in the size of interstitial space (interstitial resistive discontinuities) and the role of cellular scaling (effects of cell size) when changes occur in the cellular and multicellular distribution of gap junctions during remodeling of normal mature myocardium to proarrhythmic structural substrates. The full text of this article is available at http://www.circresaha.org.
Role of noncoding RNAs in diseases

Abstract: Most of the fundamental biological processes involve the interaction between various protein-coding and noncoding RNAs, and the RNA-binding proteins associated with them. The RNA-protein interactions results in the formation of ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) and altercations in the levels and structure of either can affect the associated cellular function. Recent studies suggest that non-protein coding share of the genome is aggressively involved in multiple functions, ranging from gene expression, chromatin modification, to cell proliferation and involved in a wide range of diseases. Further studies on the mechanisms by which ncRNAs operate would yield a wealth of information regarding their functional role and the growing understanding of RNA biology to develop new RNA-based tools for developing therapeutics.
A Thermodynamic Characterization of Manufacturing Processes

The aim of this paper is to characterize the material and energy transformations that take place in manufacturing processes. The measures used here are energy, and a related property "exergy". We summarize thermodynamic data for three aspects of the manufacturing processes: 1) the energy requirements for the materials used in manufacturing processes, 2) the energy requirements for manufacturing processes themselves, and 3) the efficiency of the material and energy transformations in manufacturing processes.
Adolescent Psychiatry: A Brief Research Note

Abstract Problems encountered while undertaking developmental research in the Chicago suburban school system during the early 1960s are compared with problems encountered while undertaking similar research in the late 1970s. Empirical evidence is presented to demonstrate that the climate for doing mental health research has improved during the past 18 years, making it easier to undertake complex developmental research.
Impulsive versus premeditated aggression: implications for mens rea decisions.

Science can provide more information about the nature of aggressive acts, and therefore the mens rea of criminal offenses, than is commonly assumed. For example, progress has been made in classifying aggression as impulsive or premeditated within the context of the role of conscious experience in controlling behavior. This review of the status of the scientific ability to distinguish conscious from unconscious acts and more specifically impulsive from premeditated aggressive acts is organized around four themes: (i) How is aggression defined and measured in general? (ii) How does the distinction between impulsive and premeditated aggression relate to the legal concept of mens rea? (iii) How do various scientific disciplines contribute to the mind/body discourse? (iv) What risk factors are associated with impulsive and premeditated aggression respectively? The authors conclude that the most promising approach to researching the nature of behavioral intention and motivation is to apply a discipline neutral model that integrates the data from multiple disciplines, collectively designated the cognitive neurosciences.
Implementing evidence-based psychological treatments for cancer patients

Objective New regulations and guidelines require implementation of screening and evidence based psychological treatment (EBT) for cancer patients, but little research exists to assist psychosocial care providers with implementation. This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework for community providers to consider as they embark on implementation of EBTs. Methods Full-time psychosocial care providers received dissemination training in delivery of a cancer-specific EBT and then received implementation support. Qualitative data were collected in two phases. In Phase I, after training, trainees (N = 52) participated in six monthly group conference calls with six to eight trainees and EBT trainers. Qualitative data from the calls were analyzed using a grounded theory paradigm. In Phase II, the resultant framework was piloted with additional trainees (N = 73) during EBT training to prompt early planning for implementation at their home institutions. Results In Phase I, themes of ‘person’ (i.e. attitudes, vocalizations, and behaviors of others) and ‘environment’ factors (i.e. material, monetary, and time resources of organizations) affecting implementation emerged. It appeared that both factors influenced how easily barriers could be addressed, although positive person factors also appeared to positively influence environment factors. In Phase II, trainees found the framework acceptable and considered it when generating solutions for implementation challenges. Conclusions The framework suggests tailoring implementation efforts to consider person and environment factors. As person support is developed, resource limitations of the environment may be more easily addressed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of radiation therapy on permanent pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator function

BACKGROUND Radiation therapy's (RT's) effects on cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and pacemakers (PMs) are not well established, leading to device removal or relocation in preparation for RT. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of scattered RT on CIED performance. METHODS We analyzed 69 patients—50 (72%) with PMs and 19 (28%) with ICDs—receiving RT at the University of Michigan. Collected data included device model, anatomic location, and treatment beam energies, treatment type, and estimated dose to the device. Patients were treated with either high-energy (16-MV) and/or low-energy (6 MV) photon beams with or without electron beams (6–16 MeV). The devices were interrogated with pre- and post-RT and/or weekly with either in-treatment or home interrogation, depending on the patient's dependence on the device and the estimated or measured delivered dose. Outcomes analyzed were inappropriate ICD therapies, device malfunctions, or device-related clinical events. RESULTS The PMs were exposed to 84.4±99.7 cGy of radiation, and the ICDs were exposed to 92.1±72.6 cGy of radiation. Two patients with ICDs experienced a partial reset of the ICD with the loss of historic diagnostic data after receiving 123 and 4 cGy, respectively. No device malfunction or premature battery depletion was observed at 6-month follow-up from RT completion. CONCLUSIONS CIED malfunction due to indirect RT exposure is uncommon. Regular in-treatment or home interrogation should be done to detect and treat these events and to ensure that diagnostic data are preserved.
The IRIDIUM system-a revolutionary satellite communications system developed with innovative applications of technology

Motorola will launch a constellation of 77 small, smart, low-Earth-orbiting satellites forming a digitally switched voice and data network. Called the IRIDIUM system, the functional concept is based on a small, portable, cellular-like telephone that will communicate to/from any place on or above the Earth. The IRIDIUM system is composed of three basic segments: the user subscriber units, the satellites, and the Earth station gateways. In addition, a system control segment is needed for state of health, commanding, and anomaly analysis and resolution. The services the IRIDIUM system will offer from a handheld unit include voice, 2.4 kb/s data, position location, paging, and two-way messaging. >
Stationary stochastic control for Itô processes

Consider a real-valued Ito process X(t) = x + ∫0 t μ(s)ds + ∫0 t σ(s)dW(s) + A(t) driven by a Brownian motion {W(t) : t > 0}. The controller chooses the real-valued progressively measurable processes μ, σ and A subject to constraints |μ(t)| ≤ μ0(X(t-)) and |σ(t)| ≥ σ0(X(t-)), where the functions μ0 and σ0 are given. The process A is a bounded variation process and |A|(t) represents its total variation on [0,t]. The objective is to minimize the long-term average cost lim sup T→∞(1/T)E[|A|(T) + ∫0 T h(X(s))ds], where h is a given nonnegative continuous function. An optimal process X * is determined. It turned out that X * is a reflecting diffusion process whose state space is a finite interval [a *, b *]. The optimal drift and diffusion controls are explicitly derived and the optimal bounded variation process A * is determined in terms of local-time processes of X * at the points a * and b *.
Differences in stiffness of the interface between a cementless porous implant and cancellous bone in vivo in dogs due to varying amounts of implant motion

Abstract To determine the mechanical properties of the interface between the tissue ingrowth into porous coatings and the implant, porous-coated cylindrical implants were inserted into the distal femur in 20 mature dogs and oscillated in vivo 8 hours per day for 6 weeks at fixed amounts of micromotion (0, 20, 40, and 150 μm). Applied torques and resulting displacements were recorded. The torsional resistance per unit angular displacement (TR/AD), reflecting the stiffness of the bone—porous coating interface, was 0.88 ± 0.25 N-M/deg immediately after implantation in the 20-μm displacement group. It increased with time after surgery, reaching a maximum of 1.25 ± 0.60 N-M/deg at 6 weeks. The TR/AD was lower initially (0.77 ± 0.43 N-M/deg) in the 40-μm group and gradually decreased with time after surgery, reaching a maximum of 0.54 ± 0.13 N-M/deg at 6 weeks. The TR/AD was even lower (0.24 ± 0.10 N-M/deg) in the 150-μm group initially and remained the same (0.16 ± 0.09 N-M/deg) with time after surgery. Histologic evaluation showed bone ingrowth in continuity with the surrounding bone in the 20-μm group consistent with the high stiffness values at sacrifice. In contrast, a mixture of fibrocallus and bone were found at the bone-porous coating interface in the 40-μm group, consistent with the intermediate stiffness values. In contrast, despite the fact that bone was found in the depth of the porous coating in the dogs in the 150-μm group, the low stiffness values were a reflection of fibrous tissue formation at the interface in that group, because of the large motion disrupting bony ingrowth at the bone—porous coating interface. By monitoring the torsional resistance per unit of angular displacement dynamically in vivo , it was possible to evaluate the mechanical properties of the bone—porous coating interface as tissue ingrowth proceeded. Twenty microns of oscillating displacement was compatible with stable bone ingrowth with high interface stiffness, whereas 40 and 150 μm of motion was not.
Expanding role of capsule endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease.

Capsule endoscopy has been shown to detect small bowel inflammatory changes better than any other imaging modality. Selection criteria have been optimized to increase the yield of capsule endoscopy in patients suspected to have Crohn’s disease. Capsule endoscopy allows for earlier diagnosis of Crohn’s disease of the small bowel and improved diagnosis of colitis in patients where it is unclear if they suffer from Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. A test capsule is available to assess for small bowel strictures and thus avoid capsule retention. A common language has been developed and a new scoring index will be added to capsule software. It is envisioned that the manner in which we treat Crohn's disease in the future will change, based on earlier diagnosis and treatment aimed at mucosal healing rather than symptom improvement.
Xenon-emission-spectra identification in the 5–20-nm spectral region in highly ionized xenon capillary-discharge plasmas

We have identified intense extreme-ultraviolet emission spectra within the 5–20-nm wavelength region, originating from transitions in the Xe8+,Xe9+,Xe10+, and Xe11+ ion species, which were generated in high-current pulsed capillary discharges operating with xenon gas. We have also obtained a time-dependent estimate of the plasma electron temperature for these plasmas at peak pulsed current densities in the range of 400–800 kA/cm2.
Efficient incorporation of HLA class II onto human immunodeficiency virus type 1 requires envelope glycoprotein packaging.

HLA class II DR is one of the most abundant cell surface proteins incorporated onto human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) during budding. The mechanism for HLA class II protein incorporation is not known and may involve a viral protein. To determine whether Env affects HLA class II protein incorporation, HIV-1 virions, either with or without Env on their surface, were produced from HLA class II-expressing cells and analyzed by whole-virus immunoprecipitation with antisera against HLA class II proteins. HLA class II proteins were detected on virions only when wild-type Env was incorporated, while similar experiments showed that HLA class I proteins were incorporated independent of Env packaging. Therefore, the packaging of HIV-1 Env protein is required for the efficient incorporation of HLA class II but not class I proteins into the virion. Analysis of two Env mutants revealed that the presence of a 43-amino-acid sequence between amino acids 708 and 750 in the gp41TM cytoplasmic tail was required for efficient incorporation of HLA class II proteins. These data show that HIV-1 actively incorporates HLA class II proteins in a process that, either directly or indirectly, requires Env.
Myocardial Infarction Triggers Chronic Cardiac Autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes

Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) suffer excessive morbidity and mortality after myocardial infarction (MI) that is not fully explained by the metabolic effects of diabetes. Acute MI is known to trigger a profound innate inflammatory response with influx of mononuclear cells and production of proinflammatory cytokines that are crucial for cardiac repair. We hypothesized that these same pathways might exert "adjuvant effects" and induce pathological responses in autoimmune-prone T1D hosts. Here, we show that experimental MI in nonobese diabetic mice, but not in control C57BL/6 mice, results in a severe post-infarction autoimmune (PIA) syndrome characterized by destructive lymphocytic infiltrates in the myocardium, infarct expansion, sustained cardiac autoantibody production, and T helper type 1 effector cell responses against cardiac (α-)myosin. PIA was prevented by inducing tolerance to α-myosin, demonstrating that immune responses to cardiac myosin are essential for this disease process. Extending these findings to humans, we developed a panel of immunoassays for cardiac autoantibody detection and found autoantibody positivity in 83% post-MI T1D patients. We further identified shared cardiac myosin autoantibody signatures between post-MI T1D patients and nondiabetic patients with myocarditis, which were absent in post-MI type 2 diabetic patients, and confirmed the presence of myocarditis in T1D by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging techniques. These data provide experimental and clinical evidence for a distinct post-MI autoimmune syndrome in T1D. Our findings suggest that PIA may contribute to worsened post-MI outcomes in T1D and highlight a role for antigen-specific immunointervention to selectively block this pathway.
Convergence analysis of a hierarchical enrichment of Dirichlet boundary conditions in a mesh‐free method

Implementation of Dirichlet boundary conditions in mesh-free methods is problematic. In Wagner and Liu (International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 2001; 50:507), a hierarchical enrichment technique is introduced that allows a simple implementation of the Dirichlet boundary conditions. In this paper, we provide some error analysis for the hierarchical enrichment mesh-free technique. We derive optimal order error estimates for the hierarchical enrichment mesh-free interpolants. For one-dimensional elliptic boundary value problems, we can directly apply the interpolation error estimates to obtain error estimates for the mesh-free solutions. For higher-dimensional problems, derivation of error estimates for the mesh-free solutions depends on the availability of an inverse inequality. Numerical examples in 1D and 2D are included showing the convergence behaviour of mesh-free interpolants and mesh-free solutions when the hierarchical enrichment mesh-free technique is employed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Value of Purchase History Data in Target Marketing

An important aspect of marketing practice is the targeting of consumer segments for differential promotional activity. The premise of this activity is that there exist distinct segments of homogeneous consumers who can be identified by readily available demographic information. The increased availability of individual consumer panel data open the possibility of direct targeting of individual households. The goal of this paper is to assess the information content of various information sets available for direct marketing purposes. Information on the consumer is obtained from the current and past purchase history as well as demographic characteristics. We consider the situation in which the marketer may have access to a reasonably long purchase history which includes both the products purchased and information on the causal environment. Short of this complete purchase history, we also consider more limited information sets which consist of only the current purchase occasion or only information on past product choice without causal variables. Proper evaluation of this information requires a flexible model of heterogeneity which can accommodate observable and unobservable heterogeneity as well as produce household level inferences for targeting purposes. We develop new econometric methods to implement a random coefficient choice model in which the heterogeneity distribution is related to observable demographics. We couple this approach to modeling heterogeneity with a target couponing problem in which coupons are customized to specific households on the basis of various information sets. The couponing problem allows us to place a monetary value on the information sets. Our results indicate there exists a tremendous potential for improving the profitability of direct marketing efforts by more fully utilizing household purchase histories. Even rather short purchase histories can produce a net gain in revenue from target couponing which is 2.5 times the gain from blanket couponing. The most popular current electronic couponing trigger strategy uses only one observation to customize the delivery of coupons. Surprisingly, even the information contained in observing one purchase occasion boasts net couponing revenue by 50% more than that which would be gained by the blanket strategy. This result, coupled with increased competitive pressures, will force targeted marketing strategies to become much more prevalent in the future than they are today.
Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors and no-reflow.

The no-reflow phenomenon is the inability to perfuse a portion of the myocardium after re-establishment of patency of a previously occluded epicardial coronary artery [(1–3)][1]. This phenomenon has been described in experimental animal models in which the coronary artery is occluded with a
The Rain Drain

The Amazon and African rainforests are fragile environments that need to be protected. How can this be done effectively without putting the economic burdens of industrialized nations on the delicate chemical synthesis performed by plant life in developing countries, or on their social and economic systems?
Production of stable and unstable light nuclei and hyperfragments in 11.5 A GeV/c Au+Pb collisions

Abstract We present measurements of the production of stable light nuclei for mass number A ≤ 7, of strongly decaying states 5 He and 5 Li and of the hypernucleus 3 Λ H . We also examine trends in the production of these multibaryon states as a function of kinematic variables and properties of the states including strangeness content.
Reductive silylation of Cp*UO2(MesPDIMe) promoted by Lewis bases

Functionalization of the uranyl moiety (UO22+) in Cp*UO2(MesPDIMe) (1-PDI) (MesPDIMe = 2,6-((Mes)NCMe)2C5H3N; Mes = 2,4,6-triphenylmethyl), which bears a reduced, monoanionic pyridine(diimine) ligand, is reported. Silylating reagents, R3Si-X (R = Me, X = Cl, I, OTf, SPh; R = Ph, X = Cl), effectively add across the strong OUO bonds in the presence of the Lewis base, OPPh3, generating products of the form (R3SiO)2UX2(OPPh3)2 (R = Me, X = I (2-OPPh3), Cl (3-OPPh3), SPh (5-OPPh3), OTf (6-OPPh3); R = Ph, X = Cl (4-OPPh3)). During this transformation, reduction to uranium(IV) occurs with loss of (Cp*)2 and MesPDIMe, each of which acts as a one-electron source. In the reaction, the Lewis base serves to activate the silyl halide, generating a more electrophilic silyl group, as determined by 29Si NMR spectroscopy, that undergoes facile transfer to the oxo groups. Complete U–O bond scission was accomplished by treating the uranium(IV) disiloxide compounds with additional silylating reagent, forming the family (Ph3PO)2UX4. All compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, infrared, and electronic absorption spectroscopies. X-ray crystallographic characterization was used to elucidate the structures of 2-OPPh3, 4-OPPh3, 5-OPPh3, and 6-OPPh3.
Innovation and Global eLearning: A Case Study at Brigham Young University–Idaho

This chapter provides a case study of innovation using eLearning in higher education. The case study shows how one university made system-wide organizational and procedural changes to create low-cost, open-access distance learning opportunities on a global level in response to student needs and opportunities.
Chromosome Studies of Certain Pocket Mice Genus Perognathus (Rodentia: Heteromyidae)

The somatic metaphase chromosome complements of seven species of pocket mice, genus Perognathus , subgenus Chaetodipus , were analyzed from dividing bone marrow cells. The species studied include P. penicillatus (2n = 46), P. pernix (2n=38), P. intermedins (2n = 46), P. goldmani (2n = 52), P. artus (2n = 54), P. baileyi (2n = 48), and P. hispidus (2n = 34). Chromosome characters serve to arrange these species in species-groups and sibling species lines. Such taxonomic conclusions are generally those established by Osgood (1900). The one exception is P. pernix , which herein is included in the intermedius -group. This arrangement is supported by evidence drawn from aspects of the pelage, baculum, and karyotype.
Diffusion Barrier Characteristics of Zirconium Diboride Films Grown by Remote Plasma CVD

Low resistivity and fully conformal ZrB2 thin films are deposited by remote plasma chemical vapor deposition using zirconium tetrahydroborate, Zr(BH4)4. The problems with thermal CVD using this precursor — excess B incorporation, oxygen contamination, and high resistivity — are eliminated by injecting atomic hydrogen from a remote microwave plasma source onto the substrate. Using this technique, the films are stoichiometric, have ~ 40 ώΩ-cm resistivity, < 4 at.% oxygen contamination, and are fully conformal in deep trenches and vias. We show that a 50 nm thick ZrB2 film on c-Si (100) prevents Cu in-diffusion after 1 hour annealing at 650°C.
Use of Yard Trimmings Compost For Restoration Of Saline Soil Incineration Ash

Removal of organic contaminants from soil by high temperature (circa 900°C) incineration also destroys soil structure, removes all soil organic matter, sterilizes the soil, removes some fine particulates, alters the crystalline structure of soil clay minerals, and adds salts and alkalinity. The resulting soil ash is incapable of supporting plant life, and revegetation is usually done by covering with borrow soil material. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine if restoration of saline, alkaline soil incineration ash was possible by amendment with yard trimmings compost and chemical fertilizer. Ash was placed in pots (40 cm tall by 18.5 cm diam) and was mixed to depths of 15 to 30 cm with four rates of compost and NPK fertilizer. Pots were moistened to field capacity, and after two weeks were planted with birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). During the 22 week experiment, pots were watered daily to meet plant needs, were leached four times by application...
Use of Zebrafish and Zoonoses

Culturing of zebrafish is generally a low risk research activity for immunocompetent staff. The risk of infection can be further reduced with a sound educational policy.