cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Suicidal behaviors in adolescents with ADHD: associations with depressive and other comorbidity, parent-child conflict, trauma exposure, and impairment.

Objective: To examine potential predictors of lifetime suicidal behaviors (SBs) in adolescents with ADHD. Method: Participants were 101 adolescents with ADHD aged 11 to 18 years, evaluated for lifetime SB and psychopathology with semistructured interviews, and for lifetime trauma exposure, parent–child conflict, ADHD symptoms, and functional impairment with child, parent, and teacher ratings. Results: Controlling for the effects of age, female sex, and comorbid depressive and other disorders, lifetime SB (n = 28) remained significantly associated (p = .001) with parent–child conflict, and to a lesser extent (p < .05) with impairment in nonacademic domains of function and breadth of exposure to victimization events. Measures related to past and current ADHD symptoms and signs were not associated with lifetime SB. Conclusion: Apart from depression, clinicians should pay particular attention to parent–child conflict, victimization trauma, and social impairment rather than levels of ADHD symptoms when weighin...
Fusion of adaptive beam steering and optimization-based wavefront control for laser communications in atmosphere

The performance of mobile laser communication systems operating within Earth's atmosphere is generally limited by the pointing errors due to movement of the platforms and mechanical vibrations. In addition, atmospheric turbulence causes changes of the refractive index along the propagation path, creating random redistribution of the optical energy in the spatial domain. Under adverse conditions these effects lead to increased bit error rate. While traditional approaches provide separate treatment of these problems, suggesting high-bandwidth beam steering systems for tracking and wavefront control for the mitigation of atmospheric effects, the two tasks can be integrated. This paper presents a hybrid laser beam-steering–wavefront-control system comprising an electrically addressed spatial light modulator (SLM) installed on the Omni-Wrist sensor mount. The function of the Omni-Wrist is to provide coarse steering over a wide range of pointing angles, while that of the SLM is twofold: wavefront correction and fine steering. The control law for the Omni-Wrist is synthesized using a decentralized approach that provides independent access to the azimuth and declination channels; calculation of the required phase profile for the SLM is optimization-based. This paper presents the control algorithms, the approach to coordinating the operation of the two systems, and the results.
Sensors for monitoring the quality of molten aluminum during casting

The quality of a cast product depends directly on the quality of the molten metal from which the product is cast. Techniques for determining melt quality often require the laboratory analysis of samples taken from the molten metal. In addition to reducing processing efficiency, delays associated with this laboratory analysis can lead to uncertainties because the melt conditions can change during holding at high temperatures. On-line monitoring of the melt quality provides more rapid feedback for improved process control. In this article, techniques for monitoring the important aspects of melt quality, specifically chemical composition, gas content, and inclusion content, are reviewed.
Biosynthetic Origins of C−P Bond Containing Tripeptide K-26

Primary metabolic precursors for K-26, a naturally occurring tripeptide phosphonic acid from Actinomyces sp. K-26, are investigated by heavy-atom isotope labeled substrate incorporation experiments. A highly sensitive selected reaction monitoring (SRM)-based method for isotopic incorporation estimation in natural products is reported. The incorporation of heavy-atom isotope labeled tyrosine compounds into the (R)-1-amino-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethylphosphonic acid moiety of compound K-26 suggests a new mechanism of biosynthesis of phosphonate functionality in natural products.
Robust digital motion controllers for mechanical systems

This paper describes several methodologies for the design of robust digital motion controllers. While key ideas are given either in the continuous time domain (Laplace domain) or in the discrete time domain, all the methodologies are suited for digital implementation. Application examples will be mentioned.
Intraoperative reasons for abandoning ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedures.

PURPOSE: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become the operation of choice for most patients with chronic ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis. However, because of technical or disease factors at the time of pouch construction, IPAA must sometimes be abandoned. A retrospective review was conducted to find reasons for IPAA failure or abandonment. METHODS: Since 1981, 103 patients have had to have an IPAA procedure at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC. All charts were reviewed and data retrospectively collected. RESULTS: Six of 103 patients (six percent) were unable to have IPAA constructed. Five patients ultimately received a standard end ileostomy, and one had an ileorectal anastomosis. The reasons for abandoning the IPAA procedure were an ischemic pouch, failure to reach the anus, poorly controlled presacral hemorrhage, desmoid of the mesentery, and finding incurable colon carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Information regarding the risk of failure or abandonment during the IPAA procedure should be discussed with the patient during preoperative counseling and must be included as an element of informed consent.
Implementation schemes for avoiding artifact discontinuities in simulated annealing

The simulated annealing algorithm has been applied successfully to conditional simulation of categorical variables (e.g., rock or facies units) with the objective of improving the match between measured and modeled spatial variability. In some implementation schemes, however, spurious features termed “artifact discontinuities” may occur near conditioning data, especially during the “zero- temperature” case referred to as simulated quenching. This paper shows that artifact discontinuities can be avoided by considering the anisotropy of the spatial variability model, reducing the number of lag vectors used in the objective function, and providing a rudimentary initial configuration. Results from several test cases suggest that the artifact discontinuities might be caused by overly precise fitting of measured to modeled spatial variability.
Advancing Theory of Family Conflict at the End of Life: A Hospice Case Study

Abstract Context Although family conflict is a common occurrence for families involved in caregiving for a dying family member, it has not been examined in the hospice context. Objectives The purpose of this study was to advance theory of family conflict at the end of life through replication and expansion of a case study involving professional perspectives in the context of a managed care program for low-income elders with advanced chronic disease in their last six months of life, by exploring the perceptions of professionals and family caregivers experiencing conflict in the hospice context. Methods Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 15 hospice family caregivers experiencing substantial family conflict, and focus groups with 37 professionals employed in a large multicounty and nonprofit hospice in the Midwest U.S. Dimensional analysis, a method for the generation of grounded theory, was used to refine and expand an explanatory matrix of family conflict at the end of life. Results The initial matrix was expanded through the inclusion of eight new and two refined categories, strengthening our understanding of family conflict as a complex phenomenon influenced by salient contextual variables, conditions, and factors that may contribute to a number of negative outcomes for patients, family members, and professionals. Conclusion The study findings are discussed in terms of implications for assessment and intervention.
Development of Novel Self-Healing Polymer Composites for Use in Wind Turbine Blades

Wind turbine blades undergo fatigue and their performance depletes as time progresses due to the formation of internal cracks. Self-healing in polymers is a unique characteristic used to heal the cracks inherently as they form. In this study, a new method is demonstrated for supplying the monomer (that is quintessential for the healing process) uniformly throughout a fiber reinforced polymer composite. Commercial tubes were used to produce a vascular network for increased accessibility of the healing agent. The tube layouts were varied and their effect on the composite structure was observed. Conventional glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites (PMC) without microtubing were tested using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) to study the flexural visco–elastic behavior. The vascular network arrangement coupled with DMA data can be used to uniformly supply appropriate amount of healing agent to implement Self-healing in fiber reinforced PMC.
Instructional Patterns in Science An Exploratory Study

This article describes a re-analysis of a national study of instructional practices in seventh- and eighth-grade science classes. Responses from a subset (n = 81) of Christian-school teachers taken from the original study population (n = 543) was analyzed to determine what instructional practices predominated in Christian-school science classes. Results indicate the use of a variety of both teacher- and student-centered instructional approaches by science teachers in Christian schools.
Inhibition of Electrochemical Reactions at Gold Surfaces by Grafted, Highly Fluorinated, Hyperbranched Polymer Films

We report the synthesis and passivation properties of surface-grafted, highly fluorinated, hyperbranched poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) films that contain up to 50 atom % F. These films are very hydrophobic (water contact angle of up to 114°) and block electrochemical reactions on gold electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry in basic solution shows that while an electrode covered with a three-layer PAA (3-PAA) film mimics an assembly of microelectrodes, a fluorinated three-layer PAA (3-PAA/F) film blocks nearly all electron transfer to the gold surface. The charge transfer resistance of electrodes covered with a 3-PAA/F film is about 40 times greater than that for an electrode covered with a nonfluorinated 3-PAA film. 3-PAA/F films are initially 10 times more blocking than C16SH SAMs. Additionally, while the SAM is desorbed by electrochemical cycling, 3-PAA/F films are still highly blocking after ten potential sweeps over a 1.5 V range. Thus fluorinated PAA films are promising candidates for corrosion-inhibiting coatings.
PREDICTING BEHAVIOR OF SUSPENDED PIPELINES IN THE SEA

Describes an analytical procedure permitting the determination of the static and dynamic behavior of pipeline systems suspended below the sea surface. The procedures make it possible to evaluate behavior in either a two or three-dimensional manner. Examples applied to a ball jointed pipeline system are included.
Surface probes of porous toluene/water ices: adsorption kinetics and annealing spectra measured by second-harmonic generation

We have applied the technique of second harmonic generation to the study of the solid/vapor interface of porous toluene/water ice films at low temperature. The ice samples are condensed from the vapor onto a cold support at 90 K and are typically approximately 500 micrometers thick with an internal surface area of approximately 200 m2. The ices are transparent to both the 532 nm probe laser and to the 266 nm second harmonic signal. Second harmonic light is generated from surfaces throughout the bulk of the porous sample. Significant differences in the efficiency for second harmonic generation from water and toluene enable the species specific study of annealing and adsorption in this binary system. Measurements of the coverage dependent adsorption of toluene on water ice, and the observation of a coverage dependent liquid-solid phase transition in a few monolayers of toluene adsorbed on water ice at temperatures below the bulk toluene melting temperature are presented.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reef Fish Assemblage Structure Affected by Small-Scale Spacing and Size Variations of Artificial Patch Reefs

Abstract To examine how varying the distance between patch reefs affects reef fish assemblage structure, replicate concrete reef modules (∼ 1 m 3 each) were deployed on sand bottom at 8 m depth off Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA (26°07N, 80°05W). Modules were positioned at the apices of one of four differently sized equilateral triangles. Triangular configurations had side lengths of: 25 m, 15 m, 5 m, and 0.33 m; each treatment with two replicates. Two additional configurations: (1) a solitary module (Single) and (2) two modules side by side (Double), also with two replicates, were deployed in order to examine the interaction of reef size with fish assemblages. SCUBA divers censused fishes monthly, for 2 years, recording the species present, their abundance and sizes (TL). Fishes were assigned to one of five length categories: 2–5 cm, > 5–10 cm, > 10–20 cm, and > 20 cm. In general and excluding the smallest three-module spacing treatment (0.33 m treatment), which may have provided unique treatment-specific refuge, total fish abundance and richness were shown to increase when isolation distance increased. However, there were also species-specific and size class differences in response to isolation distance. The second part of this study indicated varying reef size, by doubling and tripling the number of reef modules, increased total fish abundance and species richness. Nevertheless, fish abundance and species richness did not change by an identical multiplier (e.g., doubling modules ≠ double abundance). These results suggest that scientists and marine managers alike should consider reef size and isolation as habitat attributes capable of altering the structure and dynamics of reef fish assemblages.
Media images and female body dissatisfaction: the moderating effects of the Five-Factor traits.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to examine how the Five-Factor personality traits moderated the effects of exposure to idealized images on body dissatisfaction in women. Method Sixty-four college women completed the NEO-PI and the Eating Disorder Inventory and were then randomly exposed to images of either thin fashion models or heavier, (“plus-sized”) models. Following presentation of the stimuli, participants completed a second body esteem measure, which was the dependent variable. Results Women high in neuroticism showed significantly greater shifts in body esteem following exposure to media images than did less neurotic women, feeling more dissatisfied with their bodies after viewing idealized images and more satisfied with their bodies after viewing heavier women. Each of the other traits was associated with more favorable self-appraisals following exposure to the idealizing images. Conclusions Of the Five-Factor traits, the harmful effects of idealized images seem to be limited to women with relatively higher levels of neuroticism. These results suggest that the harmful effects of media images may not be as pervasive as is widely believed.
Mean wind pressures on flat roof corners affected by parapets: field and wind tunnel studies

Abstract This paper describes the experimental data obtained in a full-scale wind-pressure study on a low-rise building, 3.3 m high, located beside a football field on the Loyola Campus of Concordia University in Montreal. Mean wind-induced pressures have been measured on 12 roof corner points for several wind directions. A series of building models were also tested in the boundary layer wind-tunnel of the Centre for Building Studies at three different geometric scales. In particular, the effect of parapets on roof corner local suctions (mean values) has been examined in detail. Both full-scale and wind-tunnel data show that high parapets generally reduce the high suctions on roof corners. On the other hand, low parapets may increase the high values of mean suctions on roof edges and corners. Extensive experimentation has shown that significant suction increases occur only for a particular range of parapet height to building length ratio, namely 0.01 h / L
WHEN KNIGHTLY COURAGE MAY FAIL: BATTLE ORATIONS IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE

(1991). When Knightly Courage May Fail: Battle Orations in Medieval Europe. The Historian: Vol. 53, No. 3, pp. 489-504.
Lactosylceramide stimulates aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation

Abstract We have investigated the effects of various sphingolipids on aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation employing viable cell counting, [3H] thymidine incorporation into DNA and the release of lactate dehydrogenase. Assays for UDP Gal: GlcCer B1–4 galactosyltransferase (GalT-2) in control and treated cells were pursued simultaneously. Lactosylceramide stimulated cell proliferation in the order of 5 fold. Antibody against LacCer but not GbOse3Cer blocked the proliferative effects of LacCer in these cells. This phenomena was specific for aortic smooth muscle cells as LacCer decreased cell viability of aortic endothelial cells and had no effect on pulmonary endothelial cells. D-PDMP inhibited the activity of GalT-2 in smooth muscle cells and markedly prevented cell proliferation. In contrast, L-PDMP stimulated the activity of GalT-2 in smooth muscle cells and stimulated cell proliferation. Antibody against GalT-2 inhibited cell proliferation. Our findings suggest that the activation of GalT-2 leads to increased LacCer levels, which in turn, may be involved in aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation.
Propagation of transverse optical coherence in random multiple-scattering media

We experimentally investigate the evolution of the transverse spatial coherence of light as it traverses a random, multiple-scattering medium. For near-forward scattering, it has been proposed that the wave-transport process can be well described by a transport equation for the spatial-angular Wigner function of the light, or equivalently for the two-point spatial coherence function (mutual intensity). We find good agreement between the wave-transport theory and our experimental results for media of different thickness. In a dense medium (for example, optical distance, or density, greater than 5), the nature of the scattered light field can be qualitatively described by a complex Gaussian-Schell model, which raises an interesting interpretation about the process of long-path optical transport.
Studies on the metabolism of valine, proline, leucine and isoleucine by rumen microorganisms in vitro.

Evidence is presented that valine is oxidatively deaminated and decarboxylated by rumen microorganisms in vitro giving rise to isobutyric acid, and that proline undergoes reductive ring cleavage and deamination at the δ-position to form valeric acid. These fatty acids have been shown previously to enhance the digestion of cellulose by rumen microorganisms; thus the cellulolytic factor activity of valine and proline arises through their conversion to these fatty acids. The significant observations made on the metabolic breakdown of these amino acids were: (a) Up to 43% of the C14 in dl-valine-1-C14 can be recovered as C14O2; (6) α-ketoisovaleric acid-1-C14 was isolated from dl-valine-1-C14 reaction mixtures; (c) δ-aminovaleric acid-C14 was isolated from fermentations to which l-proline-C14 had been added; (d) as the fermentations with l-proline-C14 proceeded, an increase in the radioactivity of valeric acid was demonstrated; and (e) the proposed intermediates in valine, proline, leucine, and isoleucine metabolism were found to be cellulolytically active for rumen microorganisms in vitro.
A vibrational spectroscopic comparison of vinyltriethoxysilane and vinylphosphonic acid adsorbed on oxidized aluminum

Results from inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS), IR transmission, and multiple reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy are presented in a comparison of the adsorption of monolayers of vinylphosphonic acid (VPA) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) on oxidized aluminum. Spectra obtained from VPA suggest that adsorption occurs via a condensation reaction that forms a resonance structure involving deprotonated hydroxyl oxygen atoms and the phosphoryl oxygen. A symmetric tridendate structure is proposed and discussed for the adsorbed state of VPA. For adsorbed VTES, these results support a previously proposed reaction involving condensation and formation of siloxanes at the oxide surface. The relative intensities of the bands associated with the vinyl group are similar for both compounds, suggesting that the organofunctional groups are oriented on the surface in the same way and, in the case of IETS, that the Pb top electrode has little effect on band position.
Rapidly degraded terpolymers of dl-lactide, glycolide, and epsilon-caprolactone with increased hydrophilicity by copolymerization with polyethers.

A series of 66 terpolymers of dl-lactide, glycolide, and epsilon-caprolactone was synthesized for the purpose of identifying those materials which exhibited rapid degradation in vitro. Polymers having half-lives from a few weeks to several months were identified. The morphology of each material was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry. A terpolymeric composition of 60% glycolide, 30% dl-lactide, and 10% epsilon-caprolactone, which exhibited a half-life of 17 days, was selected for further investigation. The hydrophilicity of this material was increased by performing the polymerization in the presence of a polyether prepolymer, Pluronic F-68, with the motivation of concomitantly reducing cell and tissue adhesion. An increase in the hydrophilicity of the material was apparent from contact angle measurements. Copolymerization with the prepolymer also resulted in a stronger and partly crystalline material which was mechanically stable at physiological temperature in water. A slight increase was observed in the half-life of the polymer relative to the base polymer due to the presence of the prepolymer. [on SciFinder (R)]
Controlled tin catalyzed hydrolysis of 3-acryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane with mono- and multi-functional mercaptans

Abstract Mechanistic investigations were initiated to further our understanding of the reaction pathways for hydrolysis and condensation of organofunctional alkoxysilanes in organic media. Previous work has shown that addition of mercaptans to solutions that contain dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL), which functions as a catalyst, and 3-acryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane can greatly reduce the rate of silane hydrolysis and condensation. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) hydrolysis studies were carried out to understand how mercaptan structure and concentration affected the relative hydrolysis rate of the acrylate silane in solution. Detailed nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (ESI-FTICR) mass spectrometry (MS) were carried out on simple mixtures of DBTDL and select mercaptans, and with varying mercaptan concentrations, to elucidate which significant tin complexes can form. These studies showed that mercaptans readily undergo ligand exchange reactions with the labile carboxylate groups of DBTDL and that an excess of mercaptans reduced the amount of proposed active catalyst species. It was found that an excess of mercaptan functional group was necessary to prevent significant and rapid hydrolysis of the organofunctional silane in organic media. A minimum of 1:4 DBTDL carboxylate group:mercaptan functional group was required for most mercaptans examined. A tetramercaptan, pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate), was shown to be effective in deactivating the DBTDL catalyst, even at relatively low concentrations of tetramercaptan. The findings in this work provide further support for the proposed mechanism for catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation. The tin metal was determined to be predominately 4-fold coordinated in the various tin mercaptide compounds studied. Evidence for transient tin hydroxide reactive intermediates was detected using mass spectrometry, as upon the addition of water, oligomeric condensation products were observed. However, the lifetime of these reactive intermediates precluded their direct observation by either mass spectrometry or NMR. Oligomeric and cyclic tin mercaptide species were shown to form when multifunctional mercaptans were combined with DBTDL in solution.
Gender differences, mediation, and disciplinary styles in children's responses to television

A sample of kindergarten and first-grade children was studied in a research center and at school to determine the extent to which family communication mediated their comprehension of television, as well as a series of cognitive skills necessary for such comprehension. Separate analyses were conducted for boys and girls, and results indicated that certain styles of family mediation facilitated comprehension more effectively for boys than for girls. Additionally, differential effects of two styles of discipline were found for each sex.
Dopamine receptor messenger RNA: Localization in the human hippocampus

It is known that there exist specific neurodevelopmental abnormalities in the medial temporal lobe in schizophrenia. For example, pre-a cells in the parahippocampal gyrus show aberrant migration patterns. It is possible that glutamate abnormalities previously shown in schizophrenia are related to neurodevelopment, and the abnormalities seen in dystrophic cells (glutamate receptors have trophic properties). We have previously shown that the expression of a particular glutamate receptor subunit (GluKl) is markedly reduced in schizophrenia (Harrison et al, Lancet 337, p450), and as a test of temporal lobe immaturity in schizophrenia, we have investigated the expression of two developmentally distinct isoforms of the glutamate receptor subunits GluRA and GluRB in the hippocampus of 17 schizophrenics and 13 ageand sex-matched control brains by the techniques of in situ hybridization and quantitative film autoradiography. Initial experiments pointed to the fact that the expression pattern of these isoforms of GluRA and GluRB was different in human hippocampus when compared to the rat, and cloning of cDNA from human frontal cortex has revealed that the two isoforms of human GluRB have virtual nucleotide sequence identity with the alternatively-spliced exons in the rat, confming the usefulness of oligonucleotides complementary to the rat cDNAs as probes for these receptor subunits in human neuropsychiatric disorders. These results suggest that we are able to confirm these sequences as developmentally relevant in human brain tissue and facilitates a post mortem approach to understanding the developmental abnormality in schizophrenia.
Hammerhead ribozyme kinetics.

The hammerhead ribozyme is a small RNA motif that self cleaves at a specific phosphodiester bond to produce 2′,3′ cyclic phosphate and 5′ hydroxyl termini (Hutchins et al., 1986; Forster & Symons, 1987a). The secondary structure of the hammerhead consists of three helices of arbitrary sequence and length (designated I, II, and III) that intersect at 15 nucleotides termed the catalytic core (Fig. 1A) (Forster & Symons, 1987b; Hertel et al., 1992). The X-ray crystal structures of two hammerhead ribozyme–inhibitor complexes revealed that the core residues fold into two separate domains and the helices are arranged in a Y-shape conformation with helix I and helix II forming the upper portion of the Y (Pley et al., 1994; Scott et al., 1995). Although the hammerhead is found as an intramolecular motif embedded in several RNAs in vivo (Symons, 1989), it can be assembled from two separate oligonucleotides (Fig. 1B) in three different arrangements (Uhlenbeck, 1987; Haseloff & Gerlach, 1988; Koizumi et al., 1988; Jeffries & Symons, 1989). In these bimolecular formats, the hammerhead effects RNA cleavage in a similar manner to a true “enzyme,” proceeding through multiple rounds of substrate binding, cleavage, and product release (Uhlenbeck, 1987).
Computational Methods for Gene Expression-Based Tumor Classification

Gene expression profiles may offer more or additional information than classic morphologic- and histologic-based tumor classification systems. Because the number of tissue samples examined is usually much smaller than the number of genes examined, efficient data reduction and analysis methods are critical. In this report, we propose a principal component and discriminant analysis method of tumor classification using gene expression profile data. Expression of 2000 genes in 40 tumor and 22 normal colon tissue samples is used to examine the feasibility of gene expression-based tumor classification systems. Using this method, the percentage of correctly classified normal and tumor tissue was 87.0%. The combined approach using principal components and discriminant analysis provided superior sensitivity and specificity compared to an approach using simple differences in the expression levels of individual genes.
A bio-inspired event-based size and position invariant human posture recognition algorithm

This paper proposes a new approach to recognize human postures in realtime video sequences. The algorithm employs temporal difference imaging between video sequences as input and then decompose the contour of the active object into vectorial line segments. A scheme based on simplified Line Segment Hausdorff Distance combined with projection histograms is proposed to achieve size and position invariance recognition. Consistent with the hierarchical model of the human visual system, sub-sampling techniques are used to represent the object by line segments at multiple resolution levels. The whole classification is described as a coarse to fine procedure. An average realtime recognition rate of 88% is achieved in the experiment. Compared to conventional convolution method, the proposed algorithm reduces the computation cycles by 10 – 100 times. This work sets the foundation for size and position invariant object recognition for the implementation of event-based vision systems
Cholesterol Depletion Delocalizes Phosphatidylinositol Bisphosphate and Inhibits Hormone-stimulated Phosphatidylinositol Turnover.

Caveolae and detergent-insoluble, glycosphingolipid-enriched domains (DIGs) are cholesterol-enriched membrane domains that have been implicated in signal transduction because a variety of signaling proteins as well as phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PtdInsP2) are compartmentalized in these domains. We report here that depletion of cellular cholesterol leads to the inhibition of epidermal growth factor- and bradykinin-stimulated PtdIns turnover in A431 cells. This is associated with the loss of compartmentalization of epidermal growth factor receptors, Gq, and PtdInsP2 in the low density membrane domains. Replacement of cellular cholesterol leads to the reorganization of signaling molecules in the low density domains and the reestablishment of hormone-stimulated PtdIns hydrolysis. Oxysterol derivatives show a variable ability to functionally replace the cholesterol in this system. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that localization of signaling proteins and lipids to cholesterol-enriched domains is required for the proper function of hormone-stimulated PtdIns turnover.
Self‐Assembled Monolayers on Electrodes

Alkanethiols and related molecules spontaneously adsorb from solution or vapor phase onto oxide-free metals, especially gold, to form close-packed oriented monolayers. The ease and flexibility of the self-assembly process provides a convenient method for altering the properties of the metal as an electrode. The close-packed hydrocarbon layer blocks access of most solution species to the electrode surface. Consequently, interfacial capacitances are markedly reduced and most electron-transfer reactions are strongly inhibited. The monolayers also provide a foundation for attachment of additional molecules or molecular layers to electrodes. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on electrodes have been used in voltammetric methods to improve the analytical sensitivity and to impart greater selectivity towards specific analytes. Redox molecules have been anchored at fixed and controllable distances from the electrode surface, thereby permitting the study of electron-transfer kinetics over long distances and at large driving forces. The ability of SAMs to inhibit metal corrosion and to promote better adhesion of electroactive polymers has been demonstrated.
Microtubule: A Common Target for Parkin and Parkinson’s Disease Toxins

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the selective loss of nigral dopaminergic (DA) neurons, which have long axons enriched with microtubules. Depolymerization of microtubules by PD toxins such as rotenone disrupts vesicular transport. The ensuing accumulation of vesicles in the cell body leads to increased cytosolic concentration of dopamine due to leakage of the vesicles. Elevated oxidative stress induced by dopamine oxidation may thus trigger the selective demise of DA neurons. Many strategies have been developed to protect DA neurons by stabilizing microtubules either directly or through intracellular signaling cascades. On the other hand, parkin, one of the most frequently mutated genes in PD, encodes for a protein-ubiquitin E3 ligase that strongly binds to microtubules. Parkin stabilizes microtubules through three domains that provide strong and independent interactions with tubulin and microtubules. These interactions anchor parkin on microtubules and may facilitate its E3 ligase activity o...
Aesthetic Tension: The Text-Image Relationship in Heinrich Hoffmann's Struwwelpeter

Heinrich Hoffmann's children's book Der Struwwelpeter is frequently criticized as being unsuitable for children, yet it remains the most popular German children's book of all time worldwide. This article accounts for this ambivalent reception by means of a dialectical approach to the text-image relationship at work in Hoffmann's book which reveals that the images do not simply support the horrific events described in the text nor fully subvert them via comical depictions, but rather manage to do both at once. The analysis reveals that on occasion the images subvert the text precisely by supporting it too faithfully—that is, by depicting the exaggerated elements of the text in a literal manner. Such 'conflicts of agreement' explain how readers can simultaneously be amused and shocked by Hoffmann's work, contributing to both its long-lived popularity and its notoriety. (BP)
Chip Optimization Through STI-Stress-Aware Placement Perturbations and Fill Insertion

Starting at the 65-nm node, stress engineering to improve the performance of transistors has been a major industry focus. An intrinsic stress source-shallow trench isolation (STI)-has not been fully utilized up to now for circuit performance improvement. In this paper, we present a new methodology that combines detailed placement and active-layer fill insertion to exploit STI stress for performance improvement. We conduct process simulation of a 65-nm production STI technology to generate mobility and delay impact models for STI stress. We then utilize these models to perform STI-stress-aware delay analysis of critical paths using Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE). We present our timing-driven optimization of STI stress in standard cell designs, using detailed placement perturbation and active-layer fill insertion to improve complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor performance. We assess the proposed analysis and optimization on small designs implemented with a 65-nm production cell library and a standard synthesis place-and-route flow. Our stress-aware timing analysis improves the clock frequency by 4.68% to 6.31% over traditional worst case analysis, and our optimization improves clock frequency by 2.44% to 5.26%. The frequency improvement through exploitation of STI stress comes at practically zero cost in terms of design area and wire length.
Living kidney donation: evolution and technical aspects of donor nephrectomy.

For more than 40 years, living donor nephrectomy was performed through a flank incision drawn on the urologic experience with nephrectomy for cancer. Since its introduction one decade ago, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy has gained widespread acceptance and popularity; currently over one-half of donor nephrectomies in the United States are performed with this technique. The changing practice of donor nephrectomy resembles in many ways the evolution of minimally invasive surgery in other subspecialties. The lessons learned from these technical developments are valuable and can be adapted by general surgeons and urologists when called upon to perform nephrectomy for organ donation or kidney disease.
Family Capital of Family Firms: Bridging Human, Social, and Financial Capital

The purpose was to present a family capital typology based on Sustainable Family Business Theory II and to document its relative contribution to short-term firm achievements and long-term sustainab...
Evaluation of corn plant as potential banker plant for supporting predatory gall midge, Feltiella acarisuga (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) against Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) in greenhouse vegetable production

Abstract The twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is one of the most important and highly polyphagous pests of vegetables and other crops worldwide. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory and greenhouse to evaluate corn (Zea mays L.) as a banker plant for the predatory gall midge, Feltiella acarisuga (Vallot) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) to potentially control T. urticae. Choice and no-choice experiments were carried out to determine the host plant preference of an alternative prey, Oligonychus pratensis (Banks)(Acari: Tetranychidae) to corn and green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Results showed that O. pratensis adults strongly preferred corn as a host plant and posed no risk to green bean. F. acarisuga was found to fly at least 7.0 m to search for new preys on green bean plants, and over 176 F. acarisuga larvae per leaf were recorded at 14 d after dispersal. F. acarisuga proved to be an excellent predator of both T. urticae and O. pratensis. The predation by F. acarisuga to T. urticae and O. pratensis ranged from 43.7 to 67.9% and 59.2 to 90.3%, respectively, under laboratory conditions. In a non-cage study, 81.2% of T. urticae population was suppressed by F. acarisuga in reference to the control (cage treatment). The results showed that this banker plant system has potential for controlling T. urticae in greenhouse vegetable production.
Neurologic Complications of Cancer

Cancer is so pervasive in medicine and critically illness that this book is an essential reference for any hospitalist or intensivist. Complications of cancer may lead to acute critical illness from progressing disease or complications of treatment. Many patients may have prolonged stays in surgical and medical intensive care units, and a neurologic manifestation may prompt a consult. In tertiary centers— next to neurooncologists—neurointensivists are often asked to provide consultative services in the ICU. Patients with cancer may also be admitted to Neurosciences ICU with a progressive paraneoplastic syndrome or solitary metastasis resulting in a flurry of seizures or status epilepticus. This new edition by DeAngelis and Posner is invaluable not only in understanding the pathophysiology of this established field—both authors are recognized pioneers— but also provides specific treatment options in handling these unfortunate complications. Problems such as intractable pain, spinal cord compression, seizures are ubiquitous but are discussed in minute detail. There is a superb chapter on delirium and nutritional complications of cancer patients but there are also equally strong chapters on CNS infections and vascular disorders. Its strong points are its rich content, the clear discussions on pathophysiology, supportive care, and management of complex complications. A weak point is the surprising absence of guidance to patients and families and end of life care. There is very little in this book does not affect the practice of the neurointensivist. Now thoroughly updated and modernized, this is an enormously worthwhile book.
VEGFR-1 blockade disrupts peri-implantation decidual angiogenesis and macrophage recruitment

Background Angiogenesis and macrophage recruitment to the uterus are key features of uterine decidualization; the progesterone-mediated uterine changes that allow for embryo implantation and initiation of pregnancy. In the current study, we characterized the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) in macrophages and endothelial cells of the peri-implantation uterus and determined if VEGFR-1 function is required for decidual angiogenesis, macrophage recruitment, and/or the establishment of pregnancy.
A strategic r&d planning model with an application to an energy research organization†

This paper describes a two-stage strategic planning model for determining the optimal R&D portfolio in the presence of both exploratory and developmental research projects. An example is illustrated in the context of energy research. Research portfolios are analysed using a Bayesian approach in which probability assessments are updated as new information generated by exploratory research becomes available. Useful insights are obtained through sensitivity analysis. It is found that exploratory research tends to exhibit a lumpy characteristic.
Electronic design automation in undergraduate digital system curriculum

Digital Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools have seen a remarkable improvement over the last decade. In addition to providing good documentation, their ability to simulate a design provides immense convenience in optimizing a design and in examining what-if scenarios which would otherwise be very time-consuming, expensive, and even impossible using hardware. This paper begins with an overview of EDA tools and related issues. Next, it discusses the implementation of an EDA laboratory established with funding from the National Science Foundation. Details of four experiments and an evaluation of the EDA tools used in the undergraduate curriculum have been presented.
Autonomous control of a horizontally configured undulatory flap propelled vehicle

This paper describes initial results regarding navigation and control algorithms developed for Gamera, an autonomous underwater vehicle. In order to perform high precision controlled motions, the robot employs a novel propulsion system known as Nektons, and carries a comprehensive sensor suite to track orientation and position. A model of the robot has been developed that relates the 12 robot controlled propulsion outputs-frequency, amplitude, and center point of oscillation for each of the four motors-to the forces generated by the entire system. We explore the rationalization of control algorithms for this system. Using these algorithms, Gamera demonstrates a high level of control and successfully performs pre-specified maneuvers autonomously.
Critical analysis of Strattice performance in complex abdominal wall reconstruction: intermediate-risk patients and early complications.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance of a porcine-derived acellular dermal matrix (Strattice Reconstructive Tissue Matrix) in patients at increased risk for perioperative complications. We reviewed medical records for patients with complex abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) and Strattice underlay from 2007 to 2010. Intermediate-risk patients were defined as having multiple comorbidities without abdominal infection. Forty-one patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age, 60 years; mean body mass index, 35.5 kg/m2). Comorbidities included coronary artery disease (63.4%), diabetes mellitus (36.6%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17.1%). Fascial closure was achieved in 40 patients (97.6%). Average hospitalization was 6.4 days (range, 1–24 days). Complications included seroma (7.3%), wound dehiscence with Strattice exposure (4.9%), cellulitis (2.4%), and hematoma (2.4%). All patients achieved abdominal wall closure with no recurrent hernias or need for Strattice remov...
Simplified Nonlinear Modeling Approach for a Bolted Interface Test Fixture

The sensitivity of the response characteristics of a bolted interface to the bolt preload level used in the joint can often cause the dynamic properties of a system to be difficult to predict. A bolted interface test fixture was fabricated to investigate the effects of preload changes on the system dynamic response characteristics, and experimental results indicated that increases in bolt preload led to increases in modal frequency and decreases in modal damping. Furthermore, the system demonstrated a nonlinear behavior that resulted in the increase in modal frequency due to increases in impact amplitude when preload levels were low. The experimental results motivated the creation of a simplified low order nonlinear system model to represent the two dominant modes of the system. A model was used to describe the relationship between static stiffness and preload to account for the changes in initial bolt preload, and cubic stiffness terms were included to account for the amplitude dependent nonlinearity that was observed. The resulting model was able to accurately simulate system frequencies and general trends, but was unable to match some response characteristics of the system due to the lack of force information for the high amplitude loading used in the experiments.
Mammographic and Sonographic Characteristics of a Cavernous Hemangioma in a Male Patient

Vascular tumors of the breast, including benign hemangiomas, are infrequently encountered. These lesions are especially rare in the male breast, with only several case reports in the literature. We report a case of a pathologically diagnosed cavernous hemangioma in a male breast and describe the imaging characteristics.
Improved overall survival for patients with advanced ovarian, tubal, and primary peritoneal carcinoma as a result of a change in surgical approach: A follow-up study

5530 Background: In January 2001, we initiated a programatic change in our primary surgical approach to advanced ovarian carcinoma utilizing extensive upper abdominal procedures as needed to achiev...
Evaluation of Mooring Forces

Study of active and semiactive moorings along mooring facilities; method of evaluation of natural and operational mooring forces including atmospheric disturbances, dynamic pressure of currents, drag force or frictional resistance, stimulated pull, yawing or rolling of berthed vessel, and seismic disturbances.
The [Female] Subject in Critical Venues: Poetics, Politics, Autobiographical Practices

(1991). The [Female] Subject in Critical Venues: Poetics, Politics, Autobiographical Practices. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 6, Illness, Disability, and Lifewriting, pp. 109-130.
On the Information Service of the Institute Library in Island for the Whole Society

Starting at analyzing the potential functions of the institute library in island , this paper puts forward that the new service idea must be set up, the new service patterns must be explored, the special cultural service must be provided with so that the full advantage of the university library in island can be expanded. Put up the sharing platform of island culture and information resources and put the information service for the whole society into effect.
Performance Enhancement of NFTL Algorithm for Solid State Drive

The NFTL algorithm shows a lot of deficiencies,such as low space utilization,low erase efficiency,to ensure the read speed at the expense of Flash read performance advantage,and it does not apply to solid-state drive.This paper presents an improved program for the shortcomings of NFTL algorithm using additional memory storage,including valid bit map and the reverse mapping table metadata to make NFTL algorithm also apply to solid-state drive and it makes some performance improvements.