cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Divertor heat and particle control experiments on the DIII-D tokamak

Abstract In this paper we present a summary of recent DIII-D divertor physics activity and plans for future divertor upgrades. During the past year, DIII-D experimental effort was focused on areas of active heat and particle control and divertor target erosion studies. Using the DIII-D Advanced Divertor system we have succeeded for the first time to control the plasma density and demonstrate helium exhaust in H-mode plasmas. Divertor heat flux control by means of D 2 gas puffing and impurity injection were studied separately and in both cases up to a factor of five reduction of the divertor peak heat flux was observed. Using the DiMES sample transfer system we have obtained erosion data on various material samples in well diagnosed plasmas and compared the results with predictions of numerical models.
CONDITION OF CHLOROPHYLL IN THE LEAF.

Extensive study of the microscopic structure of chloroplasts has been carried out by many workers. While this has given us considerable information about the probable nature of the condition of the chlorophyll pigments in the chloroplast there is still much to be explained. The present experiments were undertaken for the purpose of investigating the physical and chemical state of the chlorophylls in the leaf. Trifolium repens leaves were ground with sand, extracted with buffer solution, filtered, and centrifuged so that only the colloidal material was retained as the triturate. Using this triturate it is easy to recognize when the chlorophylls are losing the magnesium from the molecule : first, by the proportional increase of the intensity of the 534 ??? absorption band (ether as solvent) as compared with the other bands ; and later, by the shift of the 662 ??? band toward the red end and appearance of a typical pheophytin spectrum. Figure l2 shows the effect of adding 0.15 gm. of a crude trypsin (Eimer
A domain decomposition tool for boundary element methods

Domain decomposition boundary element methods have become increasingly popular over the last several years for a variety of reasons. In particular, these methods reduce the storage and CPU requirements, can result in sparse linear systems, are easy to parallelize, and, when used in conjunction with a dual reciprocity method, can significantly improve the conditioning of the associated linear system. Nevertheless, for complex geometries, determining an appropriate decomposition of the domain can be extremely difficult. A domain decomposition tool based on a graph partitioning algorithm is presented to automate the process and provide quality decompositions.
The Intersubjective Turn in Psychoanalysis: A Comparison of Contemporary Theorists: Part 2: Christopher Bollas

This paper on Bollas is part 2 of a series presenting the work of three contemporary theorists whose ideas are associated with the intersubjective turn in psychoanalysis. Part 1, on Benjamin, appeared in an earlier issue of Psychoanalytic Dialogues (Vol. 10, No. 1); Part 3, on Ehrenberg, will appear in a subsequent issue. The present paper presents the work of Christopher Bollas and attempts to show how his ideas have evolved in a more intersubjective direction over time without losing touch with what is paradigmatically psychoanalytic. Although our own authorial positioning is never quite declared, as our intention was to write a representational text characterizing Bollas's thinking regarding the issue of intersubjectivity, we have come to realize the unannounced selectivity of our interpretive position or biases—biases that never quite speak their name yet, as in all unnamed/disclaimed actions, exert their influence throughout. Not surprising for a paper on the intersubjective turn. Nevertheless, it sh...
Assessing weight-related biochemical cardiovascular risk factors in African-American girls.

Objective: Hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance is a risk factor for future type 2 diabetes. Fasting insulin and blood lipids serve as direct indicators of subsequent risk and as biochemical markers of metabolically significant adiposity. We examined the feasibility of obtaining fasting blood samples and report correlates of these biochemical markers in an understudied population sample. Research Methods and Procedures: Fasting samples were requested from African-American girls, 8.00 to 10.99 years of age, for insulin, glucose, and lipid concentrations. Indices of insulin sensitivity and secretion were calculated and correlated with anthropometric, dietary, physical activity, and body composition data. Results: Samples were obtained from 119 of 210 (57%) girls, varying from 5% to 86% across the four field centers. Glucose ranged from 71 to 104 mg/dL. Eleven percent had insulin concentrations >20 mU/liter. One girl had a triglyceride concentration >130 mg/dL. Thirteen percent had total cholesterol >200 mg/dL, whereas all subjects had high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol of ≥35 mg/dL. Fourteen percent had low-density lipoprotein levels >130 mg/dL. Insulin concentrations showed consistently strong associations with measures of body weight (rs = 0.54 to 0.67); glucose, HDL, and LDL showed weaker correlations (rs = −0.11 to 0.22). Insulin concentration was highly correlated with indices of both insulin secretion and resistance (rs = 0.99). Discussion: Fasting blood samples in young African-American girls were obtained with reasonable cooperation in three of the four field centers involved in this community-based study. Fasting insulin, glucose, LDL, and HDL concentrations may help evaluate future diabetes and cardiovascular risk in children of this age.
Mitsunobu reactions of n-alkyl and n-acyl sulfonamides-an efficient route to protected amines

Abstract N-Methyl p-toluenesulfonamide and N-BOC p-toluenesulfonamide can be directly coupled with primary and secondary alcohols under Mitsunobu conditions to afford various sulfonamide-protected amines.
Cholinergic neurons in the rat substantia nigra.

Abstract The distribution of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-like immunoreactivity (LI), demonstrated according to an avidin-biotin procedure, was evaluated in the substantia nigra (SN) of rats. Although ChAT positivity was considerably less in the nigral neuropil than in the interpeduncular nucleus, it was also higher, particularly in caudal pars reticulata, than background as exampled by ChAT staining in the mesencephalic tegmentum, medial lemniscus and cerebral peduncle. Unexpectedly, a few ChAT-containing cells (approximately 1–5 per brain section) were also observed within the borders of pars reticulata of the substantia nigra but only at caudal levels. These latter cells were large (20–30 μm in maximum soma extent) and were morphologically similar to ChAT-positive neurons in, for example, the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and substantia innominata. Although the origins of ChAT-LI in the nigral neuropil are unknown, possible sources include the processes of intranigral ChAT-containing cells, as well as extranigral cholinergic neurons. It is suggested that the ChAT-positive cells in the SN may be ectopically located neurons of the pontomesencephalotegmental cholinergic system.
A Controlled Study of the Safety of Pooled Plasma Stored in the Liquid State at 30–32 C for Six Months

A prospective, controlled study of the frequency of hepatitis following transfusion of commercial pooled plasma, stored for at least six months in the liquid state at 30–32 C was performed, using 5 per cent albumin as a control solution. Twelve of 120 plasma recipients developed hepatitis. None of the 46 control subjects developed hepatitis. Fifty per cent of the hepatitis cases were icteric (total serum bilirubin greater than 2.0 mg/100 ml). All of the instances of hepatitis were confirmed by liver biopsy. It is concluded that infectivity for hepatitis persists in some commercial plasma prepared by this technic.
Orthodontic education, certification, and licensure.

Abstract The place of orthodontics in the undergraduate curriculum may be more sharply defined when other departments in the school give fuller recognition to certain biologic fundamentals. This can be achieved by allotting more time to basic material in the curriculum, and by integrating those concepts with clinical teaching. This would relieve the orthodontist of teaching subject matter which they must now cover if students are to get it at all. Orthodontics would then be presented for what it is—a complex clinical field which involves specialized training and skill—a line of endeavor which the general practitioner cannot hope to practice, but one with which he should have more than a casual acquaintance. The Preventive Curriculum at the University of California has shown itself to be an effective program for training specialists in orthodontics, even though the original intention of its sponsors were somewhat different. The plan has distinct advantages over the usual graduate or postgraduate course taken after the dental degree has been won; not only do the students have a longer period of contact with patients under treatment, thus seeing a higher percentage of cases through to completion under supervision, but they also have a longer period of time for mulling over problems and establishing close rapport with instructors. Certification of dental specialists by qualified boards has had an auspicious beginning, and its rapid growth in the immediate future may be expected. The mutual interest of established diplomates, prospective diplomates, and educational institutions must receive careful consideration in the coming years of rapid expansion. Because the boards and the specialties which they represent secure their strength primarily from the respect they can command, wielding no police power, they may expect a certain amount of harassment from those who are specialists by declaration only. In localities where the irresponsibilities of pretenders threaten the public welfare and the reputations of properly qualified men, state licensure for specialists should be considered. This is a dismal recommendation to make when there seem to be more than enough laws already, but grave ailments sometimes require strong medicine.
The specificity of the interaction of insulin-I131 with tissue.

Insulin-I131 possessing full hypoglycemic activity and insulin-I131 totally inactivated either by treatment with dilute NaOH at 37° or by heavy iodine substitution (5.6 I atoms⁄molecule) were intravenously injected into male albino rats. The following results were demonstrated 5 minutes later. 1) Inactivation caused a marked reduction in the concentration of the labeled protein by the liver and, in marked contrast to the active hormone, permitted large quantities to be removed by perfusion. 2) The proportion of inactivated insulin-I131 bound to intracellular structures was reduced by alkali inactivation and increased by heavy iodine substitution; specific alterations were also observed in the pattern of distribution among the intracellular structures (nuclei, mitochondria and microsomes). 3) Degradation by liver and kidney was different for both inactivated insulin preparations. These results support the thesis that the metabolic fate of hormonally intact insulin-I131 in the liver is specific. The data ar...
Effects of the microsporidium Nosema pyrausta (Microsporida: Nosematidae) on the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma nubilale (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Trichogramma nubilale developing in Nosema pyrausta-infected eggs of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, were directly affected by the microsporidium. Microsporidian spores, which were confined to the gut lumen in the larval stage, were found in the adjacent tissues of the gut epithelium, muscle, and nervous system of the pupal and adult stages. This infection resulted in a significantly reduced adult emergence rate and fecundity of the parasitoid.
Falsely elevated hemoglobin A1c due to S-β+-thalassemia interference in Bio-Rad Variant II Turbo HbA1c assay

Abstract Background Hemoglobin (Hb) S-β+-thalassemia is a relatively mild form of S-β-thalassemia, but it may interfere with HbA1c (A1c) assay. We report a falsely elevated A1c due to S-β+-thalassemia interference in the Bio-Rad Variant II Turbo cation-exchange HPLC assay (Bio-Rad Turbo). Methods A1c was determined with Bio-Rad Turbo and turbidimetric inhibition immunoassay (TINIA, Siemens) respectively. The former measured the A1c fraction only of glycated HbA, while the latter measured all Hb variants that are glycated at the beta chain N-terminus and have epitopes identical to that of A1c. S-β+-thalassemia was confirmed with the Bio-Rad Classic Variant HPLC method using the beta thalassemia short program. Results The A1c levels of 4 patients were 30.3%, 26.3%, 25.3%, and 27.6% by Bio-Rad Turbo, while the levels were 5.8%, 4.8%, 4.7%, and 4.9% by TINIA. Hemoglobinopathy analysis showed a typical S-β+-thalassemia pattern: the fraction of HbS is greater than that of HbA with increased HbA2 and F. Conclusions S-β+-thalassemia interferes with Bio-Rad Turbo assay causing falsely elevated A1c. If significantly increased A1c is detected and HbS is > 50%, S-β+-thalassemia should be suspected. In this case, A1c should be measured with other assays not significantly subject to S-β+-thalassemia interference.
The influence of preplanting dips and postplanting temperatures on root growth and development of nonprecooled tulips, daffodils and hyacinths

Abstract The effects of preplanting dips and postplanting temperatures were studied, using nonprecooled bulbs of Tulipa gesneriana L. ‘Paul Richter’, Narcissus pseudonarcissus L. ‘Explorer’ and Hyacinthus orientalis L. ‘Pink Pearl’, for 2 consecutive years. Preplanting treatments consisted of a non-dip control, and 30-min dips of either tap water or benomyl—ethazol. After planting, the tulips and daffodils received temperatures of 5, 9, 13, 17 or 21° C for a 5-week period. Hyacinths received temperatures of 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29 or 33° C for 5 weeks in the first year and for 25 days in the second year. It was determined that 17° C for 3 weeks and 17° C for 3–4 weeks were the optimal temperatures and periods of time for root development of tulips and daffodils, respectively. For hyacinths, a range of from 17 to 25° C for 10–14 days was optimal. Under these conditions, a minimum root length of 70 mm was obtained and all bulbs of each species had rooted. The benomyl-ethazol and water preplanting dips stimulated root growth for the first 2 weeks for tulips. This effect was not observed for daffodils and hyacinths.
Energy Bands in Periodic Lattices—Green's Function Method

The mathematical basis of calculations of energy bands in periodic lattices using the Green's function method is presented and the method's usefulness discussed. The original formulation of the method by Kohn and Rostoker is modified to achieve more efficient and accurate evaluation of "structure constants" using symmetry considerations and the full Ewald summation procedure. Formulas are derived giving the wave function both inside and outside the sphere inscribed in the unit cell. The method is demonstrated with the 3-dimensional Mathieu potential. Convergence is found to be very rapid both in this test case and in practical calculations on metals, and accurate energies and wave functions can be obtained without elaborate calculation even at points of low symmetry within the Brillouin zone.
Temporal progress and control of tomato spotted wilt virus in flue-cured tobacco

Abstract Tomato spotted wilt virus causes tomato spotted wilt (TSW), a disease that results in economic losses on several crops including tobacco in the southeastern United States. The effect of imidacloprid (IMD) applied as a pre-transplant soil drench alone, in combination with acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), or followed by a foliar application of ASM immediately after transplanting on TSW incidence and severity on tobacco was quantified in studies conducted in North Carolina from 2006 to 2008. Pre-transplant IMD application in combination with ASM provided the greatest reduction in TSW incidence and severity; however other treatments provided economically efficacious controls when TSW incidence was 30%), classes corresponding to different control recommendations, and subsequently used for modeling temporal TSW progress in a field. The temporal progress of TSW was modeled with data collected from 23 tobacco fields in North Carolina from 2006 to 2008. Cumulative degree-days (DD) and the average class of TSW incidence observed in a field for 5 seasons before the one that data were collected were significant variables (P
Einstein X-ray observations of clusters of galaxies

Abstract The X-ray imaging capability of the Einstein Observatory has provided new observational material in many branches of astrophysics. In this contribution we will review the implications of the X-ray observations for the classification of clusters, the formation of SO galaxies, and the interaction of the galaxies with the intracluster gas.
Nose-only versus whole-body aerosol exposure for induction of upper respiratory infections of laboratory mice.

The effectiveness of two aerosol delivery systems, nose-only and whole-body, were compared using Swiss-Webster mice and two pathogens, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus. With K. pneumoniae the median lethal dose (LD50) and the mean time to death correlated with the inhaled dose. An LD50 value of 335 colony forming units (cfu) for nose-only exposure was significantly less than the LD50 value of 3741 cfu obtained for whole-body exposure. The LD50 values obtained with VEE virus for nose-only exposure [8 plaque forming units (pfu)] and whole-body exposure (11 pfu) were similar to each other. Following a 10-min nose-only exposure, concentrations of K. pneumoniae approximating lO4/g were present after 24 hr in the upper respiratory tract (URT) and lungs. The numbers of bacteria reached a peak at 72 hr, when resolution of the infection began. Detectable levels of bacteria in the blood and tissues were delayed in mice given whole-body exposure, plus there was a decreased concent...
Poles, zeros, and sheaf cohomology

Abstract The Fundamental Pole–Zero Exact Sequence for a transfer function matrix, first enunciated in 1989, supplies a structural meaning to the hope that “the number of zeros of a transfer function is the same as the number of poles”. This principle requires the inclusion of generic zeros counted using Wedderburn–Forney spaces which measure the kernel and cokernel of the transfer function. In this brief note we identify the Wedderburn–Forney space as a cohomology group and give a new approach to the Fundamental Pole–Zero Exact Sequence in terms of exact sequences of sheaf cohomology groups.
Traumatic brain edema in diffuse and focal injury: cellular or vasogenic?

The objective of this study was to confirm the nature of the edema, cellular or vasogenic, in traumatic brain injury in head-injured patients using magnetic resonance imaging techniques. Diffusion-weighted imaging methods were quantified by calculating the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC). Brain water and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were also measured using magnetic resonance and stable Xenon CT techniques. After obtaining informed consent, 45 severely injured patients rated 8 or less on Glasgow Coma Scale (32 diffuse injury, 13 focal injury) and 8 normal volunteers were entered into the study. We observed that in regions of edema, the ADC was reduced, signifying a predominantly cellular edema. The ADC values in diffuse injured patients without swelling were close to normal and averaged 0.89 ± 0.08. This was not surprising, as ICP values for these patients were low. In contrast, in patients with significant brain swelling ADC values were reduced and averaged 0.74 ± 0.05 (p < 0.0001), consistent with a predominantly cellular edema. We also found that the CBF in these regions was well above ischemic threshold at time of study. Taking these findings in concert, it is concluded that the predominant form of edema responsible for brain swelling and raised ICP is cellular in nature.
Integrated head design concepts

Integrated recording head concepts and studies have been presented with experimental results. Integrated heads offer many possibilities and improvements due to their intrinsic flat nature. We have tried to benefit from this idea, and we have studied a new multitrack integrated head design which we will describe in the paper. The main characteristics of this integrated head design can be summarized as follows: a/- assembly with glass bonding of two substrate with integrated heads deposited on each substrate and interlaced. b/- two servo compensated heads deposited on side of pad. c/- very flat pad permitting perpendicular electrical contact. d/- beam lead connections with flexible connector which assume the gimbal function. e/- track positioning, track width and flying surface profile made by ion beam. We will discuss advantages and limitations of such design concepts that we consider to be the result of advanced technologies.
Inhibition of ACTH‐induced differentiation of cortical cells and their mitochondria by corticosterone in tissue culture of fetal rat adrenals

Tissue cultures of fetal rat adrenals were used to study the effects of corticosterone on the ACTH-induced ultrastructural differentiation of cortical cells and their mitochondria. Corticosterone in dosages of 0.2, 2.0, 5.0, 10, and 20 μg/ml (corresponding to concentrations of 6 × 10−7, 6 × 10−6, 1.5 × 10−5, 3 × 10−5, and 6 × 10−5 molar) was added alone or together with 100 mU/ml of ACTH to the culture medium, daily from the sixteenth day of cultivation up to and including the twenty-first day. Corticosterone alone induced no ultrastructural changes in cortical cells. Corticosterone in concentrations of 6 × 10−7 to 3 × 10−5 M given with ACTH induced hypertrophy of Golgi apparatus. Corticosterone in concentrations of 6 × 10−5 M inhibited the ACTH-induced differentiation of cortical cells. However, the nuclear chromatin increased and Golgi apparatus was strikingly hypertrophied. Mitochondria often aggregated adjacent to the nuclear envelope but their ultrastructure remained undifferentiated with tubular or tubulovesicular cristae. Ribosomes appeared as single particles. A marked increase of smooth surfaced endoplasmic reticulum was noted also in cortical cells treated with 6 × 10−5 M of corticosterone. The present observations suggest that corticosterone acts as an intracellular inhibitor in cortical cells. It appears to inhibit cytoplasmic protein synthesis at the ribosomal level and prevents synthesis of cytoplasmic mitochondrial protein synthesis stimulating factor and the latter, in turn, inhibits the activation of mitochondrial protein synthesis. A new model is presented to explain the regulation of growth and secretion in the adrenal cortex.
Actors Programming for the Mobile Cloud

Actor programming languages provide the kind of inherent parallelism that is needed for building applications in the mobile cloud. This is because the Actor model provides encapsulation (isolation of local state), fair scheduling, location transparency, and locality of reference. These properties facilitate building secure, scalable concurrent systems. Not surprisingly, very large-scale applications such as Facebook chat service and Twitter have been written in actor languages. The paper introduces the basics of the actor model and gives a high-level overview of the problem of coordination in actor systems. It then describes several novel methods for reasoning about concurrent systems that are both effective and scalable.
Unsuitability of the northern bobwhite as a model species for the assessment of reproductive behavior in toxicological studies.

The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is used in numerous wildlife toxicity studies, however no published reports could be located that mention the measurement of reproductive behavior in this species. Changes in reproductive behavior can be potentially more sensitive to environmental contaminant exposures and less resilient than more traditional physiological responses. Male bobwhite copulatory behaviors were measured similarly to those that are well established for use in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Time to initiate mating, time to achieve a successful copulation, the number of mating attempts, and the number of successful copulations were recorded daily for four consecutive days over a period of 3 min for each male/female pair of birds per day. When females were introduced to male cages, males were more occupied with shows of aggression towards neighboring males than attempts to mate with the female sharing their space. Only one male successfully mated with a female over the entire 4 days...
Exposure to Community Violence, Parental Involvement, and Aggression Among Immigrant Adolescents

Although exposure to community violence and parental involvement have been previously found to independently predict aggressive behaviors, the interaction effect is less clear. Additionally, unique associations between exposure to community violence and reactive and proactive aggression, two widely-studied forms of aggression, in the context of parental involvement has yet to be examined. One population that may be of particular interest for such an investigation is immigrant adolescents, a population at increased risk of experiencing community violence and developing aggression. The current study therefore examined the joint and interactive contribution of community violence and parental involvement in the explanation of reactive and proactive forms of aggression among 81 immigrant adolescents (M age = 15.44). As expected, exposure to community violence was positively associated with both reactive and proactive aggression. Parental involvement, however, was not associated with either form of aggression. Further, the association between exposure to community violence and proactive aggression was found to vary by level of parental involvement. Contrary to expectations, when levels of parental involvement were high, there was a positive association between exposure to community violence and proactive aggression and no association when levels of parental involvement were low. Results have important implications for understanding unique developmental pathways and distinct correlates of reactive and proactive aggression among immigrant adolescents.
The posthatch physiology of the turkey poult-III. Yolk depletion and serum metabolites

Abstract 1. 1. Serum glucose, serum lipid, feed consumption and yolk weights of developing turkey poults were measured daily and associated with early poult mortality. 2. 2. The first peak in poult mortality at 4–5 days followed nadirs in feed consumption, yolk weights and serum lipids. 3. 3. The second peak in mortality at days 8–10 followed a decrease in serum glucose levels. 4. 4. These observations suggest that neonatal mortality is associated with metabolic changes which exacerbate morbidity in weaker poults.
Discourses of the soul: The negotiation of personal agency in Tzotzil Maya dream narrative

In this article, I examine the framing of personal agency in Tzotzil Maya dream narrative. Drawing on contemporary linguistic, psychodynamic, and phenomenological approaches, I focus on the lexical and semantic resources typical of highland Maya dream talk, illustrating the way these resources can be used to pragmatically negotiate questions of volition and authorial responsibility in relation to dream experience. By locating experience at a distance from the speaker, this framing provides an expressive resource for managing—mitigating, diffusing, or even disclaiming—agentic responsibility for described events or experiences, particularly those with significant implications for social status or self-definition. I close with reflections on the interpretive potential of an integrative “cultural psychodynamic” approach, one that draws on discourse-analytic, ethnographic, and psychoanalytic methods and theories in the service of understanding complex cultural subjectivities.
Eclipses of Natural Planetary Satellites

A general method is given for predicting eclipse events for natural planetary satellites suitable for use on a large scale digital computer. The precision is sufficient to process photometric eclipse observations to improve natural satellite ephemerides. Expected accuracy improvement for Saturn's satellites should be an order of magnitude or better. Predicted eclipse times of satellites by Saturn and the Rings are given for the next decade.
Simple and rapid quantitative high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of plasma amino acids.

Abstract A simple and rapid high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of plasma amino acids was developed. The method uses minimal sample volume and automated online precolumn derivitization of amino acids with o-phthalaldehyde and fluorescent detection. Amino acids are separated by a simplified gradient without column heating. The assay is linear from 5 to 1000 μmol/L for all amino acids. Recovery of amino acids was between 91 and 108%, intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) was 1–7%, and inter-assay CV was 2–12%. The simple sample preparation and minimal sample volume make the method useful for the quantitation of amino acids in both patient and experimental animal samples.
Automatic Recognition of Text Difficulty from Consumers Health Information

Internet is used as one of major sources of health information. However, some studies show that the readability of health information presented on health web sites is difficult for many consumers. Readability formulas usually measure difficulty of writing style, instead of difficulty of content. In order to recommend health information with appropriate reading level to consumers, we investigate the feasibility of identifying text difficulty of health information using machine learning methods. Support Vector Machine is used to classify consumer health information into easy to read and reading level for the general public. Three feature sets: surface linguistic features, word difficulty features, unigrams and their combinations are compared in terms of classification accuracy. Unigram features alone reach an accuracy of 80.71%, and the combination of three feature sets is the most effective in classification with accuracy of 84.06%. They are significantly better than surface linguistic features, word difficulty features and their combination.
Application of Noise Cancelling and Damage Detection Algorithms in NDE of Concrete Bridge Decks Using Impact Signals

Delamination is a commonly observed distress in concrete bridge decks. Among all the delamination detection methods, acoustic methods have the advantages of being fast and inexpensive. In traditional acoustic inspection methods, the inspector drags a chain alone or hammers on the bridge deck and detects delamination from the “hollowness” of the sound. The signals are often contaminated by ambient traffic noise and the detection of delamination is highly subjective. This paper describes the performance of an impact-based acoustic NDE method where the traffic noise was filtered by employing a noise cancelling algorithm and where subjectivity was eliminated by introducing feature extraction and pattern recognition algorithms. Different algorithms were compared and the best one was selected in each category. The comparison showed that the modified independent component analysis (ICA) algorithm was most effective in cancelling the traffic noise and features consisting of mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) had the best performance in terms of repeatability and separability. The condition of the bridge deck was then detected by a radial basis function (RBF) neural network. The performance of the system was evaluated using both experimental and field data. The results show that the selected algorithms increase the noise robustness of acoustic methods and perform satisfactorily if the training data is representative.
Design and characterization of a metal ion-imidazole self-assembled monolayer for reversible immobilization of histidine-tagged peptides.

We report the design and characterization of a metal ion–imidazole self-assembled monolayer on a gold electrode. The resultant monolayer is well-suited for direct immobilization of histidine and methylene blue-modified peptides.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis and related conditions in the work environment.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis can occur from a wide variety of occupational exposures. Although uncommon and difficult to recognize, through a detailed work exposure history, physical examination, radiography, pulmonary function studies, and selected laboratory studies using sera and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, workers can be identified early to effect avoidance of the antigen and institute pharmacologic therapy, if necessary. A lung biopsy may be necessary to rule out other interstitial lung diseases. Despite the varied organic antigen triggers, the presentation is similar with acute, subacute, or chronic forms. Systemic corticosteroids are the only reliable pharmacologic treatment but do not alter the long-term outcome.
MOE-based carrier tracking for multicarrier CDMA systems

A minimum-output-energy-based carrier tracking scheme is proposed for MC-CDMA systems. By utilizing an exponentially weighted empirical correlation whose weights are dictated by an adaptive forgetting factor, the proposed non-data-aided gradient-descent algorithm improves the tracking speed, while maintaining a small steady-state tracking error. Simulation results show that it takes only around 160 iterations to converge in response to an abrupt carrier frequency change of 10% of the intercarrier spacing.
The natural history of transfer RNA and its interactions with the ribosome

Transfer RNA (tRNA) is undoubtedly the most central and one of the oldest molecules of the cell. Without it genetics and coded protein synthesis are impossible. The crucial specificities responsible for the genetic code and accurate translation are by far entrusted to interactions between tRNA and translation proteins, fundamentally aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzymes and elongation factor (EF) switches (Yadavalli and Ibba, 2012). Discrimination mediated by aaRSs and EFs against misincorporated tRNA and amino acids is at least 20 times more stringent than ribosomal recognition, editing, and other proofreading mechanisms (Reynolds et al., 2010). The fact that crucial genetic code specificities in highly selective interactions with protein enzymes do not involve the ribosomal ribonucleoprotein biosynthetic machinery challenges the “replicators first” origin of life scenario of an ancient RNA world (Caetano-Anolles and Seufferheld, 2013). It also highlights the central functional, mechanistic, and evolutionary roles of tRNA and its recognition determinants, which enable coevolution between nucleic acids and proteins. These coevolutionary relationships are compatible with a late origin of the ribosome in its mechanism and not in protein biosynthesis, which was inferred from the computational analysis of thousands of RNAs and proteomes (Harish and Caetano-Anolles, 2012). These analyses showed tight coevolution of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and ribosomal proteins (r-proteins). While these relationships delimit molecular makeup when organisms use translation to negotiate growth and viability amidst environmental change, coevolution also constrains recruitment of the canonical L-shaped structure of the tRNA molecule into a multiplicity of modern functions. These new functions include the synthesis of antibiotics, bacterial cell wall peptidoglycans and tetrapyrroles, modification of bacterial membrane lipids, protein turnover, and the synthesis of other aminoacyl-tRNA molecules (Francklyn and Minajigi, 2010). Here we unfold coevolutionary relationships between tRNA substructures and translation proteins that embody crucial protein-nucleic acid interactions. We focus on a series of computational biology analyses of the structure and conformational diversity of tRNAs and their interacting proteins that provide information about the history of structural accretion of this “adaptor” molecule. Using this information, we place tRNA history within the framework of an evolutionary timeline of protein domain innovation, uncovering the natural history of tRNA within the context of the geological record.
Algebraic approaches for fault identification in discrete-event systems

In this note, we develop algebraic approaches for fault identification in discrete-event systems that are described by Petri nets. We consider faults in both Petri net transitions and places, and assume that system events are not directly observable but that the system state is periodically observable. The particular methodology we explore incorporates redundancy into a given Petri net in a way that enables fault detection and identification to be performed efficiently using algebraic decoding techniques. The guiding principle in adding redundancy is to keep the number of additional Petri net places small while retaining enough information to be able to systematically detect and identify faults when the system state becomes available. The end result is a redundant Petri net embedding that uses 2k additional places and enables the simultaneous identification of 2k-1 transition faults and k place faults (that may occur at various instants during the operation of the Petri net). The proposed identification scheme has worst-case complexity of O(k(m+n)) operations where m and n are respectively the number of transitions and places in the given Petri net.
Limited feedback unitary precoding for spatial multiplexing systems

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless systems use antenna arrays at both the transmitter and receiver to provide communication links with substantial diversity and capacity. Spatial multiplexing is a common space-time modulation technique for MIMO communication systems where independent information streams are sent over different transmit antennas. Unfortunately, spatial multiplexing is sensitive to ill-conditioning of the channel matrix. Precoding can improve the resilience of spatial multiplexing at the expense of full channel knowledge at the transmitter-which is often not realistic. This correspondence proposes a quantized precoding system where the optimal precoder is chosen from a finite codebook known to both receiver and transmitter. The index of the optimal precoder is conveyed from the receiver to the transmitter over a low-delay feedback link. Criteria are presented for selecting the optimal precoding matrix based on the error rate and mutual information for different receiver designs. Codebook design criteria are proposed for each selection criterion by minimizing a bound on the average distortion assuming a Rayleigh-fading matrix channel. The design criteria are shown to be equivalent to packing subspaces in the Grassmann manifold using the projection two-norm and Fubini-Study distances. Simulation results show that the proposed system outperforms antenna subset selection and performs close to optimal unitary precoding with a minimal amount of feedback.
Big-brained people are smarter: A meta-analysis of the relationship between in vivo brain volume and intelligence

The relationship between brain volume and intelligence has been a topic of a scientific debate since at least the 1830s. To address the debate, a meta-analysis of the relationship between in vivo brain volume and intelligence was conducted. Based on 37 samples across 1530 people, the population correlation was estimated at 0.33. The correlation is higher for females than males. It is also higher for adults than children. For all age and sex groups, it is clear that brain volume is positively correlated with intelligence.
Surgery in the Patient with Endocrine Dysfunction

Patients with preoperative endocrinopathies represent a particular challenge not only to anesthesiologists but also to surgeons and perioperative clinicians. The "endocrine axis" is complex and has multiple feedback loops, some of which are endocrine and paracrine related, and others that are strongly influenced by the surgical stress response. Familiarity with several of the common endocrinopathies facilitates management in the perioperative period. This article focuses on 4 of the most common endocrinopathies: diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and adrenal insufficiency. Perioperative challenges in patients presenting with pheochromocytoma are also discussed.
Modulation of Endothelial Cell Growth Arrest and Apoptosis by Vascular Endothelial Growth Inhibitor

Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI), a new member of the tumor necrosis factor family, is an endothelial cell–specific gene and a potent inhibitor of endothelial cell proliferation, angiog...
From highly relevant to not relevant: examining different regions of relevance

Abstract User relevance judgments are central to both the systems and user-oriented approaches to information retrieval (IR) systems research and development. User-oriented relevance research has also operated on two largely unconnected tracks. First, a relevance level track that examines users' criteria for relevance judgments. Second, a regions of relevance track that examines the measurement of users' relevance judgments. Users judgments and criteria for highly relevant items have been central issues for much of the relevance research. Findings are presented from four separate studies of relevance judgments by 55 users, conducting their initial online search on a particular information problem. In three studies, the number of items judged “partially” relevant (on a scale of relevant, partially relevant or not relevant) was positively correlated with different aspects of changes in users', including: (1) information problem definition, (2) search intermediaries' perceptions that a user's question and information problem has changed during the mediated search interaction, (3) personal knowledge due to the search interaction, and (4) criteria for making relevance judgments. Users with high knowledge and topic levels were more likely to judge items as highly relevant. Differences between users' criteria for highly, partially and non-relevant items are also identified. Findings suggest the need to expand the framework for relevance research and further identify the characteristics of the middle region of relevance or partial relevance as: (1) partially relevant items may play an important role in the early stages of a user's information seeking process over time for a particular information problem and (2) a relationship may exist between partially relevant items retrieved and changes in users' information problems during an information seeking process. Results also suggest that partially relevant items may be useful at the early stages of users' information seeking processes. We propose a useful concept of relevance as a relationship and an effect on the movement of a user through the iterative stages of their information seeking process. Users' relevance judgments can also be plotted on a three-dimensional spatial model of relevance level, region and time. Implications for the development of IR systems, searching practice and relevance research are also discussed.
Excitotoxin Mediated Neuronal Loss and the Regulation of Excitatory Amino Acid Release in the Aging Brain

The aging brain is characterized by a decrease in weight and concomitant loss of neurons1,2. The exact causes and mechanisms for neuronal loss in aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases are largely unknown. Recent studies have shown that in ischemic, hypoxic and hypoglycemic-induced neuronal loss, the necrotic changes are due to an excess release of excitatory amino acids (glutamate, GLU: aspartate, ASP: etc.)3,4,5. The ability of competitive and noncompetitive antagonists to block or ameliorate neuronal cell death induced by excitatory amino acids has further served to confirm the specificity and importance of receptor-mediated excitotoxicity6,7,8. Therefore, in the central nervous system excessive or unregulated release of excitatory amino acids appears to be a predominate mechanism mediating neuronal death.
MR imaging of spinal cord and vertebral body infarction.

PURPOSE To study the usefulness of MR in the evaluation of spinal cord infarctions and associated findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS MR examinations of 12 patients (10 men and two women) were reviewed retrospectively. Onset of symptoms of spinal cord ischemia was abrupt in all patients; MR was performed 8 hr to 4 months after onset. Contrast-enhanced MR was performed in four of the patients. RESULTS Abnormal MR findings of the spinal cord included abnormal cord signal (11 of 12), best demonstrated on T2-weighted images, and morphologic changes (cord enlargement during the acute phase in nine patients and cord atrophy during the chronic phase in two), best demonstrated on T1-weighted images. Vascular abnormalities (aortic) were detected by MR in four of the 12 patients. Three of these four patients also had abnormal bone marrow signal, predominantly in the anterior half (one) or in multiple areas near the endplate and/or deep medullary portion of the vertebral body involving several vertebrae (two). T1-weighted images were not sensitive in detecting signal changes in either the bone marrow (two of three) or spinal cord (nine of 12). Enhanced MR imaging was performed in four patients (two in the acute phase and two in the chronic phase) and showed diffuse enhancement of the spinal cord proximal to a relatively unenhancing distal conus in one of the two patients imaged during the acute phase. No abnormal enhancement was noted in the other three patients. CONCLUSION MR is a useful means of detecting spinal cord infarction and associated vascular and bony changes. The patterns of bone marrow abnormalities reflect the underlying pathophysiology of the blood supply to the spinal cord and bone. The associated vascular and bone marrow abnormalities serve as additional information for the diagnosis of spinal cord infarction.
Value Creation, Net Present Value and Economic Profit

This technical note compares economic-profit (economic-value-added) and net-present-value techniques for evaluating corporate investments and performance. The note shows the relationship between the two approaches and sets out the conditions under which they yield the same conclusions about value creation. It also discusses the differences in their estimation and use and talks about some of the difficulties of application. The note is useful for students who have already been exposed to net-present-value techniques.
Construction and Functional Selection of a T4 Lysozyme Gene Library Randomly Mutagenized at Five Specific Sites

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses construction and functional selection of a T4 lysozyme gene library randomly mutagenized at five specific sites. Random mutagenesis followed by selection or screening for a specific phenotype have been long used to identify functionally important genetic elements and interactions, from the cellular to the amino acid level. The advantage of such an approach is that little prior understanding of the system under investigation is required, other than the means and limitations of the particular mutagenesis and selection employed. A major advantage of using T4 lysozyme as a model for mutational analysis of protein function and stability is the ease of high-resolution crystallographic analysis, and the large amount of existing thermodynamic and structural data. This chapter describes a method using the polymerase chain reaction for generation of mutant genes that are randomized at sites far apart in the DNA sequence but that are proximal in the three-dimensional structure. A library of mutants at five sites was constructed to study interactions in the hydrophobic core of T4 lysozyme. The library was cloned into a phage λ vector, which permitted selection, activity screening, and sequencing of functional genes and subsequent production of the encoded proteins.