cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shape-Wilf-equivalences for vincular patterns

We extend the notion of shape-Wilf-equivalence to vincular patterns (also known as "generalized patterns" or "dashed patterns"). First we introduce a stronger equivalence on patterns which we call filling-shape-Wilf-equivalence. When vincular patterns α and s are filling-shape-Wilf-equivalent, we prove that α?? and s?? must also be filling-shape-Wilf-equivalent. We also discover two new pairs of patterns which are filling-shape-Wilf-equivalent: when α, s, and ? are nonempty consecutive patterns which are Wilf-equivalent, α?? is filling-shape-Wilf-equivalent to s??; and for any consecutive pattern α, 1?α is filling-shape-Wilf-equivalent to 1?α. These new equivalences imply many new Wilf-equivalences for vincular patterns.
Augmenting superior sagittal sinus functionality. Commentary: Motor neuroprosthesis implanted with neurointerventional surgery improves capacity for activities of daily living tasks in severe paralysis—first in human experience

Once the domain of science fiction, the study of brain computer interfaces (BCIs) has steadily become a topic of significant rigorous scientific inquiry, with exponential growth over the last two decades of published peer-reviewed articles. BCI is a computer-based system that acquires, analyzes and translates brain signals into commands that are relayed to an output device to carry out a desired function.1 The recent JNIS publication by Oxley et al 2 describes the first in human experience with a minimally invasive, fully-implanted, wireless, ambulatory motor neuroprosthesis using an endovascular stent-electrode array to transmit electrocorticography signals from the motor cortex to a digital device translator which controls an output device. There has already been significant mainstream media coverage of this publication for good reason. For neurointerventionalists, this advance in BCI sensor technology is significant because it begins to show the feasibility of using the cerebral venous system to access robust subdural brain electrocorticography signals. BCI has for decades been limited to either scalp-recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) signals or intracortical EEG. Scalp EEG has the advantages of being safe, easy and inexpensive to acquire. But scalp EEG electrical signals are attenuated because of the dura, skull and scalp, potentially losing important information. Intracortical or cortical surface recordings can record local field potentials with higher amplitude than EEG with superior spatial resolution, spectral bandwidth, and higher frequency activity (gamma band) not seen with scalp EEG. Until recently, the need for a craniotomy to access these signals was a significant limitation in …
Guide to the Vascular Flora of Picture Creek Diabase Barrens, Granville County, North Carolina, U.S.A.

Jennifer S. Stanley, Alexander Krings, Jon M. Stucky, and Richard R. Braham. 2019. Guide to the Vascular Flora of Picture Creek Diabase Barrens, Granville County, North Carolina, U.S.A. Sida, Botanical Miscellany 51. (ISSN: 0883-1475; ISBN-13: 978-1-889878-52-2; pbk). Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press, 1700 University Dr., Fort Worth, Texas 76107, U.S.A. (Orders: www.shopbrit.org, orders@ brit.org, 1-817-332-4441). $45.00 US, 367 pp., 300+ color photographs, b/w line drawings, maps, references, index, 7" × 10".
Settler colonialism in Victorian literature: economics and political identity in the networks of empire

In his excellent new book, Settler Colonialism in Victorian Literature: Economics and Political Identity in the Networks of Empire, Philip Steer advances a bold claim: “that the development of Vict...
Giving to the Government: A Replication and Two Extensions.

We examine why individuals voluntarily donate to both private charities and government organizations. We study a “giving to the government” real donation experiment in which each participant allocates money between herself and a charitable organization. The function of the charities are either cancer research, education, or the arts. Within each function, two charities are presented; one a private organization and the other a government agency. First, we replicate the result that participants voluntarily donate money to government agencies. Second, we extend the results to organizations that provide services in the arts. Third, we examine the effect of the option to donate in honor or in memory of someone else. We find this option does not affect donations.
Changes to a rocky shore following upgrades from secondary to tertiary sewage treatment

Abstract Changes to the impacts of effluent from a large well-treated sewage discharge on a rocky shore in southern Australia were measured after it was upgraded from secondary to tertiary treatment. Two upgrades transformed a 13 year monitoring program into two BACI (Before, After, Control, Impact) experiments. A novel method was used to map changes to the distribution of space-occupying biota on six reefs on three occasions before, and 5 occasions after the first treatment upgrade. Two reefs were near (0–0.4 km) the outfall, two reefs were within the nutrient plume of the outfall (3.6–4.6 km) and 2 reefs were distant (7.5–14 km) from the outfall. The first upgrade resulted in a slow, but marked, increase in the dominant intertidal fucoid Hormosira banksii 3.6–4.6 km from the outfall, correlated with and probably ultimately driven by a decrease in dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). Hormosira recovered or was always present on reefs where DIN was ≤2.0 μM, and never recovered on reefs where DIN was ≥2.5 μM, suggesting that large-scale ecological changes, associated with the loss of Hormosira, are resisted until a threshold mean DIN concentration of ∼2.0–2.5 μM DIN is reached.
Understanding Disputes in Modular Construction Projects: Key Common Causes and Their Associations

AbstractModularization is a well-known approach that can potentially mitigate many of the current construction industry’s challenges including, for example, poor productivity, shortages in skilled ...
Comparing Standing Heat and Estrotect Heat Detection Patches

A recent survey showed that 66% of producers surveyed used some amount of heat detection in their artificial insemination program, and 74% of producers that used heat detection aids had tried Estrotect (Rockway, Inc.; Spring Valley, WS) heat detection patches. The peel-and-stick application made Estrotect more popular than types that required adhesive application. The patches are designed so that when the animal is mounted the top surface layer is removed, much like scratching a lottery ticket. After several mounts the entire layer is removed, leaving a bright-colored surface behind. A new type of patch, Standing Heat (Standing Heat, LLC; Dannebrog, NE), was recently released and has a surface layer designed to rub off with the goal of reducing false positive readings due to inadvertent scratches such as from branches or tail switching. The objective of the current study was to compare the efficacy of two different heat detection patches.
New developments in micro-X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy for high-pressure research at 16-BM-D at the Advanced Photon Source

The monochromator and focusing mirrors of the 16-BM-D beamline, which is dedicated to high-pressure research with micro-X-ray diffraction (micro-XRD) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) (6-45 keV) spectroscopy, have been recently upgraded. Monochromatic X-rays are selected by a Si (111) double-crystal monochromator operated in an artificial channel-cut mode and focused to 5 μm × 5 μm (FWHM) by table-top Kirkpatrick-Baez type mirrors located near the sample stage. The typical X-ray flux is ∼5 × 10(8) photons/s at 30 keV. The instrumental resolution, Δq/qmax, reaches to 2 × 10(-3) and is tunable through adjustments of the detector distance and X-ray energy. The setup is stable and reproducible, which allows versatile application to various types of experiments including resistive heating and cryogenic cooling as well as ambient temperature compression. Transmission XANES is readily combined with micro-XRD utilizing the fixed-exit feature of the monochromator, which allows combined XRD-XANES measurements at a given sample condition.
Immunoglobulin levels in the Kaiapit and upper Watut areas of New Guinea: with special reference to the tropical splenomegaly syndrome

Abstract Serum concentrations of IgA, IgG and IgM were estimated for 2,000 inhabitants of 2 malarious areas of New Guinea—Kaiapit, where spleen rates are high in children but splenomegaly occurs infrequently in adults and is never gross, and the Upper Watut Valley, where the tropical splenomegaly syndrome is particularly common, and 80% of adults and children have palpable spleens. Kaiapit adults had significantly higher IgM levels than children: IgM levels tended to increase throughout life, were higher in women than in men and in adults with splenomegaly. IgG and IgA levels showed no significant relation to increasing age above 10 years, to sex or to the presence or absence of splenomegaly. The youngest Watut children had higher IgM levels than Kaiapit subjects. IgM concentrations rose more rapidly with age, particularly in the first 20 years of life, so that the mean Watut adult level was more than twice that of Kaiapit adults. In Watut children splenomegaly was associated with significantly higher levels of all 3 immunoglobulin fractions, whereas adults with splenomegaly showed markedly higher levels of IgM, but significantly lower IgA concentrations than did subjects with impalpable spleens. The change in the pattern of immunoglobulin levels in association with splenomegaly occurred between the ages of 6 and 20 years, indicating that the transition from simple malarious splenomegaly to tropical splenomegaly syndrome probably occurs at this age. Subjects living near the valley floor had higher spleen rates than those living in high villages; IgM concentrations were also affected by altitude. The reason for this remains obscure, but it is suggested that both observations may be related to differences in intensity of operation of the factors responsible for the development of the tropical splenomegaly syndrome.
Chronic Critical Illness

Intensive care unit physicians frequently provide care to patients who survive initial life-threatening events but are unable to recover to the point that they are fully independent of life support. These patients are known as “chronically critically ill.” Chronic critical illness (CCI) is usually defined as an ICU patient who requires more than 21 days of assisted ventilation. Although prolonged dependence on mechanical ventilation is a hallmark of CCI, CCI is not simply an extended period of acute critical illness but a discreet syndrome encompassing distinctive derangements of metabolism, organ dysfunction, and endocrine and immunologic function.1–3
Hydrology of Prairie Pothole Wetlands during Drought and Deluge: A 17-Year Study of the Cottonwood Lake Wetland Complex in North Dakota in the Perspective of Longer Term Measured and Proxy Hydrological Records

From 1988 to 1992 the north-central plains of North America had a drought that was followed by a wet period that continues to the present (1997). Data on the hydrology of the Cottonwood Lake area (CWLA) collected for nearly 10 years before, and during, the recent dry and wet periods indicate that some prairie pothole wetlands served only a recharge function under all climate conditions. Transpiration from groundwater around the perimeter of groundwater discharge wetlands drew water from the wetlands by the end of summer, even during very wet years. Long-term records of a climate index (Palmer Drought Severity Index), stream discharge (Pembina River), and lake level (Devils Lake) were used to put the 17-year CWLA record into a longer term perspective. In addition, proxy records of climate determined from fossils in the sediments of Devils Lake were also used. These data, indicate that the drought of 1988-92 may have been the second Worst of the 20th century, but that droughts of that magnitude, and worse, were common during the past 500 years. In contrast, the present wet period may be the wettest it has been during the past 130 years, or possibly the past 500 years.
Detecting Trojans Using Data Mining Techniques

A trojan horse is a program that surreptitiously performs its operation under the guise of a legitimate program. Traditional approaches using signatures to detect these programs pose little danger to new and unseen samples whose signatures are not available. The focus of malware research is shifting from using signature patterns to identifying the malicious behavior displayed by these malwares. This paper presents the novel idea of extracting variable length instruction sequences that can identify trojans from clean programs using data mining techniques. The analysis is facilitated by the program control flow information contained in the instruction sequences. Based on general statistics gathered from these instruction sequences, we formulated the problem as a binary classification problem and built random forest, bagging and support vector machine classifiers. Our approach showed a 94.0% detection rate on novel trojans whose data was not used in the model building process.
A framework for transforming, analyzing, and realizing software designs in unified modeling language

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is the most comprehensive and widely accepted object-oriented modeling language due to its multi-paradigm modeling capabilities and easy to use graphical notations, with strong international organizational support and industrial production quality tool support. However, there is a lack of precise definition of the semantics of individual UML notations as well as the relationships among multiple UML models, which often introduces incomplete and inconsistent problems for software designs in UML, especially for complex systems. Furthermore, there is a lack of methodologies to ensure a correct implementation from a given UML design. The purpose of this investigation is to verify and validate software designs in UML, and to provide dependability assurance for the realization of a UML design. In my research, an approach is proposed to transform UML diagrams into a semantic domain, which is a formal component-based framework. The framework I proposed consists of components and interactions through message passing, which are modeled by two-layer algebraic high-level nets and transformation rules respectively. In the transformation approach, class diagrams, state machine diagrams and activity diagrams are transformed into component models, and transformation rules are extracted from interaction diagrams. By applying transformation rules to component models, a (sub)system model of one or more scenarios can be constructed. Various techniques such as model checking, Petri net analysis techniques can be adopted to check if UML designs are complete or consistent. A new component called property parser was developed and merged into the tool SAM Parser, which realize (sub)system models automatically. The property parser generates and weaves runtime monitoring code into system implementations automatically for dependability assurance. The framework in the investigation is creative and flexible since it not only can be explored to verify and validate UML designs, but also provides an approach to build models for various scenarios. As a result of my research, several kinds of previous ignored behavioral inconsistencies can be detected.
Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Finasteride, a 5α-Reductase Inhibitor

Finasteride is a 4-azasteroid inhibitor of one isoenzyme of 5 alpha-reductases that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). We characterized the time course of DHT concentrations. The following model was used to assess DHT pharmacodynamics: [formula: see text] where joint fitting of three dose levels yielded kin0 = 28% change/hour, kout = 0.28 hour-1, IC50 = 0.012 ng/ml, and Emax = 0.7. The modification of a previous model with the maximum partial effect factor, Emax, may be useful in characterizing the pharmacodynamics of drugs with similar indirect mechanisms.
Active Authentication on Mobile Devices via Stylometry, Application Usage, Web Browsing, and GPS Location

Active authentication is the problem of continuously verifying the identity of a person based on behavioral aspects of their interaction with a computing device. In this paper, we collect and analyze behavioral biometrics data from 200 subjects, each using their personal Android mobile device for a period of at least 30 days. This data set is novel in the context of active authentication due to its size, duration, number of modalities, and absence of restrictions on tracked activity. The geographical colocation of the subjects in the study is representative of a large closed-world environment such as an organization where the unauthorized user of a device is likely to be an insider threat: coming from within the organization. We consider four biometric modalities: 1) text entered via soft keyboard, 2) applications used, 3) websites visited, and 4) physical location of the device as determined from GPS (when outdoors) or WiFi (when indoors). We implement and test a classifier for each modality and organize the classifiers as a parallel binary decision fusion architecture. We are able to characterize the performance of the system with respect to intruder detection time and to quantify the contribution of each modality to the overall performance.
Periphyton Nutrient Limitation and Maximum Potential Productivity in the Beaver Lake Basin, United States1

Ludwig, Andrea, Marty Matlock, Brian Haggard, and Indrajeet Chaubey, 2012. Periphyton Nutrient Limitation and Maximum Potential Productivity in the Beaver Lake Basin, United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(5): 896-908. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2012.00657.x Abstract: The objectives of this study were to measure periphytic growth responses to enrichment with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and simultaneous N and P using in situ bioassays in streams draining Beaver Reservoir Basin, Northwest Arkansas; compare periphytic growth responses measured with in situ bioassays with a range of land use and point sources; and test the lotic ecosystem trophic status index (LETSI) as a simplifying metric to compare effects of nonpoint-source pollutant-limiting variables of N, P, and sediment across the basin. P limitation was observed at sites across a transect of stream orders throughout the basin; however, at the two sites with highest ambient nitrogen concentrations, limitation was often coupled with nitrogen limitation. Nutrients were at nonlimiting levels at both of two sites below wastewater treatment plants in all seasonal deployments. A Michaelis-Menten growth equation described LETSI as a function of ambient PO4-P concentrations (p < 0.05); the midpoint (LETSI of 0.50) corresponded with a PO4-P concentration of approximately 3 μg/l. Change-point analysis indicated a threshold point at LETSI of 0.80 and 15 μg/l PO4-P. These low values show that the periphytic community has a high affinity for available P, and that the watershed as a whole is sensitive to available nutrient inputs.
Assessment of Wheelchair Technology in Tanzania

The purpose of this assessment was to determine the current state of wheelchair technology in Tanzania and the factors that prevent Tanzania’s disabled from utilizing wheelchair technology. Ninety-nine interviews of wheelchair and tricycle users, wheelchair and tricycle manufacturers, and advocacy groups for the disabled were conducted throughout Tanzania during the summer of 2005. Technical issues identified included: tricycles are more popular and much less expensive than wheelchairs; most disabled people rely on donations to buy a mobility aid; production costs can be decreased by using bicycle components and outsourcing tasks; bicycle components are available in rural areas and are attractive for use in wheelchairs; and donated wheelchairs are often irresponsibly distributed and poorly designed for their operating environment. The assessment was conducted under the supervision of the Tanzania Training Center for Orthopedic Technologists and Whirlwind Wheelchair International.
Suppression of near-surface scattered body-to-surface waves: a steerable and nonlinear filtering approach

We present an approach based on local-slope estimation for the separation of scattered surface waves from reflected body waves. The direct and scattered surface waves contain a significant amount of seismic energy. They present great challenges in land seismic data acquisition and processing, particularly in arid regions with complex near-surface heterogeneities (e.g., dry river beds, wadis/large escarpments, and karst features). The near-surface scattered body-to-surface waves, which have comparable amplitudes to reflections, can mask the seismic reflections. These difficulties, added to large amplitude direct and back-scattered surface (Rayleigh) waves, create a major reduction in signal-to-noise ratio and degrade the final sub-surface image quality. Removal of these waves can be difficult using conventional filtering methods, such as an f − k filter, without distorting the reflected signal. The filtering algorithm we present is based on predicting the spatially varying slope of the noise, using steerable filters, and separating the signal and noise components by applying a directional nonlinear filter oriented toward the noise direction to predict the noise and then subtract it from the data. The slope estimation step using steerable filters is very efficient. It requires only a linear combination of a set of basis filters at fixed orientation to synthesize an image filtered at an arbitrary orientation. We apply our filtering approach to simulated data as well as to seismic data recorded in the field to suppress the scattered surface waves from reflected body waves, and we demonstrate its superiority over conventional f − k techniques in signal preservation and noise suppression.
Transcriptional regulation of human oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase by sterol response element binding protein

Oxysterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7B1) metabolizes oxysterols, potent regulators of lipid homeostasis. Very little is known about transcriptional regulation of human CYP7B1. The present results indicate that sterol response element binding protein (SREBP), a family of oxysterol-responsive transcription factors that stimulates cholesterol synthesis, may be an important regulator of CYP7B1. SREBP suppressed a human CYP7B1 luciferase reporter gene in several cell lines, most markedly in rat hepatoma McA-RH7777 cells. An SREBP-1-responsive region was mapped to a GC-rich sequence in the proximal CYP7B1 promoter, containing binding sites for the basal transcriptional activator Sp1. Mutagenesis of this sequence abolished SREBP-1-mediated suppression. Data indicated that SREBP does not bind this sequence but affects the gene indirectly, probably via interaction with Sp1. Our findings indicate that CYP7B1 transcription is controlled by SREBP and reveal a link between oxysterol-sensitive regulators and oxysterol metabolism. We propose that CYP7B1 is important for regulating cellular sterol content and protects against oxysterol-mediated toxicity.
The S-matrix and graviton self-energy in quantum Yang-Mills gravity

The S-matrix, its unitarity and the graviton self-energy at the one-loop level are discussed on the basis of quantum Yang-Mills gravity with the translational gauge symmetry in flat space-time. The unitarity and gauge invariance of the S -matrix in a class of gauge conditions is preserved by massless ghost vector particles, called “Feynman-DeWitt-Mandelstam” (FDM) ghosts, in quantum Yang-Mills gravity. Using dimensional regularization, the graviton self-energy is explicitly calculated with a general gauge condition. The resultant divergence of graviton self-energy at the one-loop level resembles that in quantum electrodynamics.
Seismic inelastic design spectra

To alleviate some of the shortcomings associated with the statistically based inelastic spectral shapes, a rigorous method for the construction of inelastic design spectra is proposed. The method is based on several bounds which are derived from the differential equation of motion for a single degree of freedom system. Comparisons of the proposed spectral bounds with the actual elastoplastic response spectra and with the 84 per cent Newmark elastoplastic design spectra reveal that the proposed method yields a more economical, reliable and simple design aid. To demonstrate the quality of the proposed bounds, comparisons of the bounding spectra with their corresponding constant ductility elastoplastic response spectra for a number of records have been presented.
Anti-streptococcal activity of lactoperoxidase III.

SummaryThe growth of Str. cremoris, strain 972, is inhibited by a purified preparation of the enzyme lactoperoxidase under aerobic conditions. Lactoperoxidase does not inhibit the organism anaerobi...
Game called on account of fog: metametaphysics and epistemic dismissivism

Is arguing over ontology a mistake? A recent proposal by Karen Bennett suggests that some metaphysical disputes, such as those over constitution and composition, can be dismissed on epistemic grounds. Given that both sides in a dispute try to minimize the differences between them, there are no good metaphysical grounds for choosing between them. In this paper, I expand on her epistemic dismissivism, arguing that given the Quinean conception of the task and method of metaphysics, we are warranted in believing that all ontological disputes will end in a draw, even if they have not yet done so. By a draw, I mean that while both sides in a dispute are genuinely disagreeing about what there is and there are still moves open to them, there are no moves remaining that will advance the discourse further.
The Role of Viruses in Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Viruses have been implicated as causative agents in the etiopathogenesis of some forms of feline lower urinary tract disease (LUTD). This hypothesis was supported by isolation of feline calicivirus, bovine herpesvirus 4 (strain FeCAHV), and feline syncytia-forming virus from cats with naturally occurring LUTD, and by experimental studies of induced viral urinary tract infection. Results of early clinical studies yielded contradictory results concerning the role of viruses in feline LUTD. However, recent detection of bovine herpesvirus 4 antibodies in feline serum samples and discovery of calicivirus-like particles in crystalline/matrix urethral plugs obtained from cats with naturally occurring LUTD, suggests the need to reexamine the etiopathologic role of viruses using contemporary methods of virus identification and localization.
The transformation of linear to cyclic monosaccharide structures

The two-dimensional representation of the cyclic carbohydrate structures, furanose and pyranose, and the anomeric designations are described. Methods are represented to convert Fischer projection formulae, and both vertical and horizontal zig-zag representations to cyclic forms.
The 19-Amino Acid Insertion in the Tumor-associated Splice Isoform Rac1b Confers Specific Binding to p120 Catenin

The Rac1b splice isoform contains a 19-amino acid insertion not found in Rac1; this insertion leads to decreased GTPase activity and reduced affinity for GDP, resulting in the intracellular predominance of GTP-bound Rac1b. Here, using co-precipitation and proteomic methods, we find that Rac1b does not bind to many common regulators of Rho family GTPases but that it does display enhanced binding to SmgGDS, RACK1, and p120 catenin (p120ctn), proteins involved in cell-cell adhesion, motility, and transcriptional regulation. We use molecular modeling and structure analysis approaches to determine that the interaction between Rac1b and p120ctn is dependent upon protein regions that are predicted to be unstructured in the absence of molecular complex formation, suggesting that the interaction between these two proteins involves coupled folding and binding. We also find that directed cell movement initiated by Rac1b is dependent upon p120. These results define a distinct binding functionality of Rac1b and provide insight into how the distinct phenotypic program activated by this protein may be implemented through molecular recognition of effectors distinct from those of Rac1.
Convergence of Weighted Empirical Measures

This article considers a system with infinitely many interacting particles, starting with a system of n interacting particles that is described by a system of n stochastic differential equations for the time-varying locations and weights. Any particle in the system interacts with others through the weighted empirical measure Un formed by the sum of weighted Dirac measures on the n particles. Weak convergence of the weighted empirical measure is studied under suitable conditions, such as bounded initial values, and linear growth of drift and diffusion coefficients. Thereafter, the limit of the weighted empirical measures is identified to be a martingale solution of the infinite interacting system.
Relativistic klystron amplifier I: high-power operation

An evaluation is made of the performance of a Relativistic Klystron Amplifier (RKA) at 1.3 GHz. Problems are found to be associated with the RKA's RF pulse generation which place an upper limit on the RKA's operating range. RF-breakdown initiated by the X-ray flux also puts a limit on the electron-beam voltage. Large RF output pulses require use of the phase-locking property of the RKA.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Amelia of the arms and femur/fibula deficiency with splenogonadal fusion in a child born to a consanguineous couple.

A male infant was born with symmetrical tetramelic limb deficiency consisting of bilateral upper limb amelia with severe symmetrical proximal focal femoral deficiency and fibula deficiency associated with left splenogonodal fusion of the discontinuous type, micrognathia, and a prominent capillary haemangioma of the face. The parents are first cousin Lebanese muslims. This observation suggests the possibility of recessive inheritance in some cases of the Amelia, Femur-Fibula dysostosis syndrome with or without splenogonadal fusion. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Martian occultation of ϵ Gem as observed from the C. E. Kenneth Mees observatory

Ground-based observations of the occultation of epsilon Gem by Mars on April 8, 1976 have been reduced to yield the scale height and temperature profiles of the Martian atmosphere for number densities between 10 to the 13th and 10 to the 15th per cu cm. The deduced variations in temperature are remarkably similar to the in situ measurements from the Viking landers.
Crystal structure of the central coiled-coil domain from human liprin-β2.

Liprins are a conserved family of scaffolding proteins important for the proper regulation and development of neuronal synapses. Humans have four liprin-αs and two liprin-βs which all contain long coiled-coil domains followed by three tandem SAM domains. Complex interactions between the coiled-coil and SAM domains are thought to create liprin scaffolds, but the structural and biochemical properties of these domains remain largely uncharacterized. In this study we find that the human liprin-β2 coiled-coil forms an extended dimer. Several protease-resistant subdomains within the liprin-β1 and liprin-β2 coiled-coils were also identified. A 2.0 A crystal structure of the central, protease-resistant core of the liprin-β2 coiled-coil reveals a parallel helix orientation. These studies represent an initial step toward determining the overall architecture of liprin scaffolds and understanding the molecular basis for their synaptic functions.
Global harmonization of hemoglobin A1c.

Measurement of glycohemoglobin (GHb) is widely used in patients with diabetes mellitus as a monitor of long-term glycemic control (1)(2)(3). In addition, prospective randomized clinical trials, most notably the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS), have demonstrated that GHb is a measure of the risk for the development of diabetes complications (4)(5). GHb is therefore an integral component of the management of patients with diabetes. GHb comprises several different hemoglobin-glucose adducts, including hemoglobin A1a (HbA1a), HbA1b, and HbA1c. More than 30 different methods are commercially available to measure GHb. Together these factors have led to considerable variation in reference intervals and results reported by different laboratories. When the DCCT was published in 1993, the lack of standardization of GHb methods produced very wide variability among methods, with values ranging from 4.0% to 8.1% on the same blood sample (6). In the United States, the NGSP (previously known as the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program) has reduced interlaboratory variation (7). Using a standardization process based on the DCCT reference method, the NGSP has promoted a dramatic improvement in comparability of GHb values among laboratories (3). Data from the 2003 GH2 survey from the College of American Pathologists indicated that ≥98% of participating laboratories use NGSP-certified methods and report results as HbA1c or HbA1c equivalents (3). Analogous standardization programs in Sweden and Japan (8)(9), established to harmonize GHb results, have also reduced variability among GHb results. More recently, the IFCC Working Group on HbA1c Standardization prepared primary reference materials of pure HbA1c and HbA0 and developed a reference method for HbA1c (10). They defined HbA1c as the stable adduct of glucose to the N-terminal valine of the β-chain of hemoglobin. In the reference method, hemoglobin is cleaved …
Interleukin-6 Production by Human Neonatal Monocytes Stimulated by Type III Group B Streptococci

The subcellular components of type III group B streptococci (GBS) that contribute to the host inflammatory response were determined by measuring production of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 by cord blood monocytes. Monocytes were stimulated with encapsulated (COH1) or unencapsulated (COH1-13) whole type III GBS or with purified GBS components, including type III capsular polysaccharide (III-PS), group B antigen (GB-Ag), lipoteichoic acid (LTA), or Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Monocytes exposed to COH1 and COH1-13 released similar amounts of IL-6. GBS III-PS, GB-Ag, and LTA each induced IL-6. However, IL-6 release by monocytes was significantly greater after stimulation by GB-Ag than by III-PS or LTA (P < .05). Sera from 16 neonates with systemic GBS disease had IL-6 levels of 8 pg/mL to 4.28 ng/mL. GB-Ag is a potent inducer of IL-6 and may play an important role in tissue inflammation during GBS infection.
On the elastic-plastic torsion problem

It is shown that solving the elastic-plastic torsion problem is equivalent to solving a nonlinear boundary value problem. The equivalence is valid for a strictly convex cross-section and angles of twist large enough that the plastic region encloses the elastic region. The advantage of this formulation is that no free boundaries are present.
Temporal Expression of Pertussis Toxin and Ptl Secretion Proteins by Bordetella pertussis

Pertussis toxin is an AB5 toxin comprised of protein subunits S1 through S5. The individual subunits are secreted by a Sec-dependent mechanism into the periplasm, where the toxin is assembled. The Ptl type IV secretion system mediates secretion of assembled toxin past the outer membrane. In this study, we examined the time course of protein expression, toxin assembly, and secretion as a function of the bacterial growth cycle. Logarithmic growth was observed after a 1-h lag phase. Secreted toxin was first observed at 3 h. Secretion continued throughout the logarithmic growth phase and decreased as the culture entered the stationary phase after about 24 h. On a per cell basis, toxin secretion occurred at a constant rate of 3 molecules/min/cell from 2 to 18 h. More of toxin subunits S1, S2, and S3 were produced than were secreted, resulting in periplasmic accumulation. Periplasmic S1, S2, and S3 were found to be soluble in the periplasm, as well as membrane associated. About one-half of the periplasmic S1, S2 and S3 subunits were incorporated into holotoxin. Secretion component PtlF was present at a low level at time zero, and the level increased between 2 and 24 h from 30 to 1,000 molecules per cell; however, the initial level of PtlF, 30 molecules per cell, supported maximal secretion. The accumulation of both periplasmic toxin and secretion components suggests that translation rates exceed the rate of secretion and that secretion, not toxin and Ptl complex assembly, is rate limiting.
Safety Systems Design and Criteria Evolve Together: Lessons from the HFIR

The development of system design guidelines for reactor safety instrumentation and controls consists largely of evaluating modern practice. This paper describes such efforts at ORNL, noting difficulties in reducing the HFIR protection system practice to definitive criteria. Arguments are advanced for increasing the emphasis on informal guidance documents to supplement concise criteria.
Low temperature impact properties of phosphorus and sulfur doped and sensitized type 304 stainless steel

The low temperature impact strength of four sulfur and four phosphorus doped and sensitized Type 304 stainless steels, based on a commercial heat that had been vacuum remelted to include the dopants, has been determined and compared to that of an ultra low sulfur and the undoped heat. The impact energies and the fracture surface morphologies vary with sensitizing time, temperature, and dopant. The impact energy is reduced up to 50 pct for the sulfur doped heats which fractured transgranularly, and the impact energies which varied with dopant addition and increasing time and temperature were reduced by up to 10-fold for the phosphorus doped heats which had a mixed fracture surface morphology. A minimum in impact energy was observed at 750 °C and sensitization times as low as 1500 seconds. As the dopant level increased, the reduction in impact energy extended to a broader temperature range centered about 750 °C. The impact strength was generally regained at heat treatmentsT > 750 °C andt > 1500 seconds depending on the dopant level.
The intentional use of chapter XI: Lingering versus immediate filing

This paper focuses on the timing, i.e. delay or accelerate, of the declaration of Chapter XI prior to financial insolvency. Chapter XI can be declared by firms who believe that the firm can emerge from bankruptcy protection as a re-vitalized organization. The timing of its selection is proposed to be a function of the level of environmental adversity and organizational attributes, especially slack resources. Recent developments in the bankruptcy code and its usage by firms, suggest the increasing use of managerial prerogative in the selection of Chapter XI prior to financial insolvency. Chapter XI protection can allow firms the necessary time for effective reorganization if managerial intervention is exercised. As a result of a more precise timing of selection and a proactive reorganization, there will be a higher probability of re-emerging from bankruptcy as a revitalized organization.
Analysis of Retrieved Ultra–High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Tibial Components From Rotating-Platform Total Knee Arthroplasty

Mobile-bearing total knee Arthroplasties (TKAs) were designed to increase conformity, decrease contact stresses, and decrease polyethylene damage. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of retrieved mobile-bearing TKAs with respect to wear damage of the polyethylene in a series of components obtained at revision surgery. Tibial component polyethylene superior and inferior surface damage and radiographic radiolucency analysis was conducted on 40 retrieved mobile-bearing TKAs. Higher levels of superior articulating surface damage were found to be associated with higher levels of inferior surface damage in this retrieval study. Greater levels of damage were present on both surfaces in components with greater radiographic radiolucency scores and mechanically loose components. The mobile-bearing TKA remains vulnerable to polyethylene wear damage at the superior surface and introduces an independent inferior surface also vulnerable to wear damage.
Strong Intra-Nucleoid Interactions Organize the E. Coli Chromosome into a Nucleoid Filament

The stochastic nature of chromosome organization was investigated by fluorescently labeling genetic loci in live E. coli cells. Measurements of the locus distributions reveal that the E. coli chromosome is precisely organized into a nucleoid filament. Loci in the body of the nucleoid show a precision of positioning within the cell of better than 10% the cell length. The precision of inter-locus positioning of genomically proximal loci was greater than just 4% of the cell length. The measured dependence of inter-locus positioning on genomic distance singles out intra-nucleoid interactions as the mechanism responsible for chromosome organization, from which we infer the existence of an as-yet uncharacterized higher-order DNA organization in prokaryotic cells. We demonstrate that both the stochastic and average structure of the nucleoid is captured by a fluctuating elastic filament model. This organization is shown to be dependent on a number of structural genes. The quantitative analysis of the deletion phenotypes of these genes, in the framework of the nucleoid model, reveals new insights into the mechanisms by which these genes effect cellular-scale organization.
Mesoscale lattices and temporal multiplexing in liquid crystal/polymer dispersions

We demonstrate multi-beam holographic lithography and temporal multiplexing techniques to create complex two- and three-dimensional structures in holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (H-PDLC) materials. H-PDLCs are a variant of PDLCs formed under holographic conditions. The holographic image is typically a two-beam interference pattern, resulting in an array of liquid crystal (LC) droplets and solid polymer planes that act as a Bragg grating. Applying an external electric field can reversibly erase the resulting refractive index modulation. Using multi-beam holographic lithography, two-dimensional square lattices and three-dimensional FCC lattices have been created. The structures of the created lattices have been confirmed using a scanning electron microscope. We demonstrate the switchability of the lattices and tunability of the photonic bandgaps upon application of an electric field. Instead of simultaneously exposing a sample to multiple laser beams, we have developed a technique for creating complex structures by time-sequentially exposing the sample with multiple holographic configurations. By time-sequentially exposing the sample, two switchable reflection gratings are formed in a single film. The reflectance of the resulting gratings is well controlled by the individual exposure time. The optical performance can be modeled using a 2x2 matrix method based on the reaction diffusion equation.
On the geometry of core-catcher holders for hot-water based ice coring of sediment-laden ice

Analysis of sediment-laden ice accreted at the base of ice sheets provides useful information on subglacial conditions and processes that otherwise cannot be observed or are very difficult to observe. While sediment-laden accreted basal ice can be accessed directly at the terminus of alpine glaciers, the basal zone of ice sheets is only accessible by drilling. Small amounts of sediment in the ice have provided few or no problems for conventional ice-core drilling (Gow and others, 1979; Weis and others, 1997); however, the higher-sediment-content accreted ice beneath West Antarctic ice streams (Vogel and others, 2005) has not been recovered using the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) hot-water ice corer (Engelhardt and others, 2000).
Why were we wrong for so long? The pancreas of type 1 diabetic patients commonly functions for decades.

The type 1 diabetes field has held firm to the dogma that the pancreas is no longer viable, and thus incapable of producing insulin, within 1 to 2 years of diagnosis for the majority of patients. A new study in this issue of Diabetologia (DOI: 10.1007/s00125-013-3067-x), based on a hypersensitive assay, has found detectable C-peptide, a marker of insulin production, in individuals with long-standing type 1 diabetes. This new study confirms and expands a decades-long track record of research finding intact pancreatic islet cells in advanced disease. Because the evidence, stemming back to 1902, was largely histological in nature, it was dismissed as lacking functional corroboration. This new study in patients with long-term diabetes shows appropriate functioning of pancreatic islet cells after exposure to a mixed-meal stimulus. The weight of evidence now makes it clear that a large fraction of patients with long-standing diabetes have low level, but persistent functioning of pancreatic islet cells enduring more than a decade after disease onset.
The fixed scatterer approximation and nucleon deuteron scattering

Abstract A method of solving the Schroedinger Equation for the scattering from two fixed local potentials is presented. The solutions are used within the framework of the fixed scatterer approximation to perform model calculations of N-D scattering using both effective range theory potentials and a “semi-realistic” potential with a strong repulsive core. For smooth potentials approximate solutions to the fixed scatterer problem are proposed and found to be quite accurate. Other procedures for calculating elastic scattering were compared with the exact fixed scatterer approximation. The results show that the neglect of longitudinal momentum transfer in the Glauber multiple diffraction theory is a severe effect except in the forward direction. For small angle scattering the Glauber prediction for the double scattering amplitude is quite accurate, and does not depend strongly upon either the extent of potential overlap, or the ratio V E . Comparisons with the Agassi and Gal results for nonoverlapping potentials indicate that the effects of potential overlap are important, at least for the lowest partial waves. Conclusions about the overall importance of off-energy shell effects in nucleon-deuteron scattering, and about the interference of these effects with the determination of the correlation structure of nuclei are not free from ambiguities.
Learning to search : from weak methods to domain-specific heuristics

Learning from experience involves three distinct components—generating behavior, assigning credit, and modifying behavior. We discuss these components in the context of learning search heuristics, along with the types of learning that can occur. We then focus on SAGE, a system that improves its search strategies with practice. The program is implemented as a production system, and learns by creating and strengthening rules for proposing moves. SAGE incorporates five different heuristics for assigning credit and blame, and employs a discrimination process to direct its search through the space of rules. The system has shown its generality by learning heuristics for directing search in six different task domains. In addition to improving its search behavior on practice problems, SAGE is able to transfer its expertise to scaled-up versions of a task, and in one case, transfers its acquired search strategy to problems with different initial and goal states.
Relative error covariance analysis techniques and application

A technique for computing the error covariance of the difference between two estimators derived from different (possibly overlapping) data arcs is presented. The relative error covariance is useful for predicting the achievable consistency between Kalman-Bucy filtered estimates generated from two (not necessarily disjoint) data sets. The relative error covariance analysis technique is then applied to a Venus Orbiter simulation.