cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Environment for rapidly creating interactive design tools

The Garnet toolkit was specifically designed to make highly interactive graphical programs easier to design and implement. Visual, interactive, user-interface design tools clearly fall into this category. At this point, we have used the Garnet toolkit to create three different interactive design tools: Gilt, a simple interface builder for laying out widgets; Lapidary, a sophisticated design tool for constructing application-specific graphics and custom widgets; and C32, a spreadsheet interface to constraints. The features of the Garnet toolkit that made these easier to create include use of a prototype-instance object system instead of the usual class-instance model, integration of constraints with the object system, graphics model that supports automatic graphical update and saving to disk of on-screen objects, separation of specifying the graphics of objects from their behavior, automatic layout of graphical objects in a variety of styles, and a widget set that supports such commonly used operations as selection, moving and growing objects, and displaying and setting their properties.
What's in a Name? Persuasion Perhaps

Four studies demonstrate the potential influence of name similarity on perceptions of similarity to oneself in general, liking, and compliance. Some participants received a scenario in which the protagonist's name was similar to their own. These participants indicated that the character was more similar to themselves, reported greater liking for the person, and expressed more willingness to comply with a request for help than control participants did. In addition, the persuasive influence of name similarity on questionnaire return rates indicated that both undergraduates and college professors completed and returned questionnaires more frequently if the name on the cover letter was similar to their own. The influence of name similarity was independent of name familiarity. The importance of name similarity in eliciting overt behavioral action is discussed.
Geological Exploration as Related to Railroad Development in Kansas and the Western United States

Preliminary geologic reconnaissance of Kansas and the western United States tended to develop in concert with preliminary railroad surveys and later construction. Developing railroads had immediate needs for coal, water, dimension stone, and ballast stone for construction purposes and long-term interest in any mineral resource that might generate shipping revenue to the completed road. Military expeditions as early as S. H. Long's 1819-20 tour reported occurrences of such geologic resources as coal on the western plains near the Rocky Mountain front. Interest in a transcontinental railroad in the 1850's caused the Congress to order a series of Pacific railroad surveys which included possible construction routes and reports by J. H. Schiel on the various mineral and fuel resources along these routes. Early detailed knowledge of stratigraphy developed from railroad coal mines and examination of stone quarries opened for construction. Geologists such as Orestes H. St. John worked first on government surveys ...
Role of π Dimers in Coupling (“Handcuffing”) of Plasmid R6K's γ ori Iterons

One proposed mechanism of replication inhibition in iteron-containing plasmids (ICPs) is “handcuffing,” in which the coupling of origins via iteron-bound replication initiator (Rep) protein turns off origin function. In minimal R6K replicons, copy number control requires the interaction of plasmid-encoded π protein with the seven 22-bp iterons of the γ origin of replication. Like other related Rep proteins, π exists as both monomers and dimers. However, the ability of π dimers to bind iterons distinguishes R6K from most other ICPs, where only monomers have been observed to bind iterons. Here, we describe experiments to determine if monomers or dimers of π protein are involved in the formation of handcuffed complexes. Standard ligation enhancement assays were done using π variants with different propensities to bind iterons as monomers or dimers. Consistent with observations from several ICPs, a hyperreplicative variant (π·P106L∧F107S) exhibits deficiencies in handcuffing. Additionally, a novel dimer-biased variant of π protein (π·M36A∧M38A), which lacks initiator function, handcuffs iteron-containing DNA more efficiently than does wild-type π. The data suggest that π dimers mediate handcuffing, supporting our previously proposed model of handcuffing in the γ ori system. Thus, dimers of π appear to possess three distinct inhibitory functions with respect to R6K replication: transcriptional autorepression of π expression, in cis competition (for origin binding) with monomeric activator π, and handcuffing-mediated inhibition of replication in trans.
Stability of a Time-Delayed System With Parametric Excitation

This paper investigates two different temporal finite element techniques, a multiple element (h-version) and single element (p-version) method, to analyze the stability of a system with a time-periodic coefficient and a time delay. The representative problem, known as the delayed damped Mathieu equation, is chosen to illustrate the combined effect of a time delay and parametric excitation on stability. A discrete linear map is obtained by approximating the exact solution with a series expansion of orthogonal polynomials constrained at intermittent nodes. Characteristic multipliers of the map are used to determine the unstable parameter domains. Additionally, the described analysis provides a new approach to extract the Floquet transition matrix of time periodic systems without a delay.
Action of fluoroacetate on uptake of PAH by renal slices of the dog.

SummarySmall doses of fluoroacetate mainly inhibit the ability of dog renal slices to respond to acetate stimulation as measured by PAH uptake and oxygen consumption. Larger doses of fluoroacetate produced inhibition of oxygen consumption and PAH uptake of renal slices in the absence of substrate. The effects on PAH uptake are more marked than are those on oxygen consumption.
Fluorescence and reflectance spectra specify intrinsic fluorescence spectrum corrected for tissue optics distortion

The dependence of total fluorescence escape from a homogeneous, semi-infinite tissue on tissue optics has been examined. A measurement of total fluorescence escape (F) is related to the intrinsic fluorescence coefficient ((Beta) ) by a factor that depends on the optical properties of the tissue: F((lambda) ) equals (Beta) ((lambda) x, (lambda) ) (integral) O(infinity ) (Phi) (z; (lambda) x) E(z; (lambda) ) dz. (Beta) is the product of fluorophore absorption coefficient and fluorophore quantum yield. (Phi) is the fluence rate of excitation light ((lambda) x) in the tissue. E is a dimensionless function that describes the probability for escape to the surface of emission light ((lambda) ) originating at a depth z. The source strength of fluorescence emission at depth z is the product (Beta) (Phi) . Accurate expressions have been developed for the depth dependence of (Phi) and E, valid for both absorption-dominant and scattering-dominant light wavelengths in a tissue. These expressions have been based on Monte Carlo simulations of photon transport. They have been used to evaluate the integral in the above equation to yield an analytic expression for fluorescence escape which is a function of the total diffuse reflectance (Rd) and optical penetration depth ((delta) ) at both the excitation and emission wavelengths. Tissue phantoms have been used to experimentally verify the theory of total fluorescence escape. Non-invasive measurements of total fluorescence escape, diffuse reflectance, and penetration depth allow determination of the intrinsic fluorescence spectrum.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
T cells and the anti-trinitrophenyl antibody response to fetal calf serum and 2-mercaptoethanol.

AbstractUnprimed murine lymphocytes maintained in culture medium containing fetal calf serum (FCS) and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) developed very high levels of anti-trinitrophenyl (TNP) plaque forming cells (PFC). Both FCS and 2-ME contributed to the response. The development of anti-TNP PFC during culture was accompanied by a 10-fold expansion in the number of immunoglobulin-secreting cells, indicating polyclonal stimulation. However, the number of anti-TNP PFC was disproportionately high and not accompanied by a similar increase in plaques specific for sheep red blood cells. The TNP-specific plaques were not artifacts of the plaque assay since they were 98% inhibited by specific antigen. The in vitro induction of anti-TNP PFC by FCS and 2-ME was common to a number of mouse strains, although some genetic variation occurred. Nylon-wool-separated B cells, nude mouse spleen cells, and bone marrow cells all produced high levels of anti-TNP after culture with medium containing FCS and 2-ME. The addition of T ce...
Developing a bankruptcy prediction model via rough sets theory

The high individual and social costs encountered in corporate bankruptcies make this decision problem very important to parties such as auditors, management, government policy makers, and investors. Bankruptcy is a worldwide problem and the number of bankruptcies can be considered an index of the robustness of individual country economies. The costs associated with this problem have led to special disclosure responsibilities for both management and auditors. Bankruptcy prediction is a problematic issue for all parties associated with corporate reporting since the development of a cause–effect relationship between the many attributes that may cause or be related to bankruptcy and the actual occurrence of bankruptcy is difficult. An approach that has been proposed for dealing with this type of prediction problem is rough sets theory. Rough sets theory involves a calculus of partitions. A rough sets theory based model has the following advantages: (1) the rough sets data analysis process results in the information contained in a large number of cases being reduced to a model containing a generalized description of knowledge, (2) the model is a set of easily understandable decision rules which do not normally need interpretation, (3) each decision rule is supported by a set of real examples, (4) additional information like probabilities in statistics or grade of membership in fuzzy set theory is not required. In keeping with the philosophy of building on prior research, variables identified in prior recursive partitioning research were used to develop a rough sets bankruptcy prediction model. The model was 93% accurate in predicting bankruptcy on a 100-company developmental sample and 88% accurate on the overall separate 100-company holdout sample. This was superior to the original recursive partitioning model which was only 65% accurate on the same data set. The current research findings are also compared, both in terms of predictive results and variables identified, to three prior rough sets empirical bankruptcy prediction studies. The model produced by the current research had a significantly higher prediction accuracy on its validation sample and employed fewer variables. This research significantly extends prior rough sets bankruptcy prediction research by using a larger sample size and data from U.S. public companies. Implications for both bankruptcy prediction and future research are explored. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rogers–Ramanujan subpartitions and their connections to other partitions

In this paper the idea of a Rogers–Ramanujan subpartition of an ordinary partition is introduced and how these subpartitions are related to other types of partitions is explored.
Activities and Self-Esteem Continuing the Development of Activity Theory

Data derived from in-depth telephone interviews with full-time working men and women aged 58 to 64 years old who reside in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area are used to explore the influence of activities on self-esteem. Findings include that: (a) among the traditional measures, only leisure activities exert a positive effect on self-esteem; (b) among the new measures, activities with relatives and activities with work friends have a positive effect on self-esteem for women but not for men; (c) activities performed alone exert a positive effect on the self-esteem for men, but not for women; and (d) for women, but not for men, three of the four sets of activities have a more positive effect on self-esteem when role commitment is high.
Using quantitative redox proteomics to dissect the yeast redoxome.

To understand and eventually predict the effects of changing redox conditions and oxidant levels on the physiology of an organism, it is essential to gain knowledge about its redoxome: the proteins whose activities are controlled by the oxidation status of their cysteine thiols. Here, we applied the quantitative redox proteomic method OxICAT to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and determined the in vivo thiol oxidation status of almost 300 different yeast proteins distributed among various cellular compartments. We found that a substantial number of cytosolic and mitochondrial proteins are partially oxidized during exponential growth. Our results suggest that prevailing redox conditions constantly control central cellular pathways by fine-tuning oxidation status and hence activity of these proteins. Treatment with sublethal H2O2 concentrations caused a subset of 41 proteins to undergo substantial thiol modifications, thereby affecting a variety of different cellular pathways, many of which are directly or indirectly involved in increasing oxidative stress resistance. Classification of the identified protein thiols according to their steady-state oxidation levels and sensitivity to peroxide treatment revealed that redox sensitivity of protein thiols does not predict peroxide sensitivity. Our studies provide experimental evidence that the ability of protein thiols to react to changing peroxide levels is likely governed by both thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, making predicting thiol modifications challenging and de novo identification of peroxide sensitive protein thiols indispensable.
Spanning the gap: experimental determination of paratenic host specificity of horsehair worms (Nematomorpha: Gordiida)

. Details of the life cycle of freshwater nematomorphs (gordiids) remain unclear. Free-living aquatic larval gordiids must make a critical transition from an epibenthic aquatic environment to terrestrial hosts. In order to identify potential hosts capable of bridging this ecological gap, the specificity of paratenic hosts of three common species of North American gordiids was investigated. All three species were characterized by an identical infection pattern: low host specificity. Gordiids were able to encyst within annelids, mollusks, crustaceans, insects and a vertebrate. Three species of putative host (a turbellarian, a water mite, and a mosquito larva) were not infected with any of the gordiid species. Internal defense reactions (IDR) and feeding behaviors are implicated as preventing infection in these species. Several of the other host species produced either an IDR or an immune reaction to the cysts, although reactions to the cysts were highly variable between species. In most species, IDR did not cause noticeable harm to the encysted larvae. It is proposed that although many species are easily infected with gordiid cysts, most do not act as natural paratenic hosts. For some of these host groups, especially snails, a role as reservoir host is suggested. Of all hosts included in this study, aquatic insects were identified as the hosts likely responsible for spanning the ecological gap and acting as true hosts for gordiids.
Interfacial oxide determination and chemical/electrical structures of HfO2/SiOx/Si gate dielectrics

Abstract An expression that can be used to determine the thickness of an interfacial oxide layer between a high-K dielectric and Si substrate has been derived using the photoelectron intensity ratio of high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HRXPS). Experimental results show the interfacial silicon oxide thickness obtained with the expression fits very well with Ellipsometer measurements. We also studied the formation of an interfacial layer between a high-k HfO2 film and a Si substrate as well as its thermal stability. The results have revealed that: (i) the interfacial oxide formation requires the existence of thermally energized oxygen in an environment to break the H–Si bonds first for hydrogen terminated Si surface and (ii) the thermodynamic stability of the oxide interfacial layer depends on its initial formation process. The valence band structures of Si, SiO2, and HfO2 have been analyzed using HRXPS and an energy band diagram of HfO2/SiO2/Si has been constructed.
The use of rational functions in numerical quadrature

Quadrature problems involving functions that have poles outside the interval of integration can profitably be solved by methods that are exact not only for polynomials of appropriate degree, but also for rational functions having the same (or the most important) poles as the function to be integrated. Constructive and computational tools for accomplishing this are described and illustrated in a number of quadrature contexts. The superiority of such rational/polynomial methods is shown by an analysis of the remainder term and documented by numerical examples.
CHOLINE AS A MEMBER OF THE VITAMIN B2 COMPLEX

The experimental rations commonly used in studies on the vitamin B2 complex are, as a rule, low in content of choline. Addition of vitamin B6 has an aggravating influence on the specific effect of deficiency of choline, especially with regard to the development of cortical necrosis of the kidneys. The acute and subacute lesions associated with this specific type of renal injury are described. The renal lesions and fat infiltration of the liver, observed in rats kept on a vitamin B free diet, supplemented with thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin B6, are indistinguishable from those attributed hitherto to cystine intoxication. Attention is drawn to the role of choline as a potential member of the vitamin B2 complex and, in this connection, to the importance of the ratio cystine/methionine in the diet.
Enhanced PS-wave images of deep-water, near-seafloor geology from 2-D 4-C OBC data in the Gulf of Mexico

Summary We present a method for constructing high-resolution converted PS-wave images of near-seafloor strata in deep water (~800m) Gulf of Mexico using data from a 2-D 4-C ocean bottom cable (OBC) survey. Images are constructed from radial component common- receiver gathers. New concepts presented here include the use of commonreceiver gathers as a proxy for common conversion point gathers in the near-ocean-bottom environment, and a method for reducing PP-wavefield effects on radial gathers to better estimate the upgoing PS-wavefield. The techniques reduce the effects of P-wave contamination in the image and allow for better interpretation of near-oceanbottom sediments. The resulting PS-images with dominant 90Hz energy are comparable to PP-images from highresolution data from a 2-8kHz source.
Easily Tunable Crossed-Loop (Bimodal) EPR Resonator

Abstract A new crossed-loop resonator (CLR) structure is described that uses two orthogonal resonators to isolate the EPR signal from the microwave source. Resonators of this type are usually referred to as bimodal, which is descriptive of cavity or distributed element resonators. However, it is more useful to think of the new resonator as two virtually independent lumped-element resonators that have a common sample volume where the loops of the two resonators meet orthogonally. The first resonator excites the spins, and the second resonator (or resonant section of the CLR) acts like an antenna that detects only the signal caused by the spin system. In this manner, the very phenomenom that is being studied is used to separate the desired EPR signal from the microwave source and performs the function of the circulator. The signal coupled into the second resonator is due to the spin system. The phase noise of the source is reflected from the first resonator back toward the source and is efficiently isolated from the second resonator and the EPR signal. This resonator structure eliminates the need for the circulator, simplifies the spectrometer circuit, virtually eliminates source phase noise in the detected signal, and allows dispersion spectra to be measured with the same high signal-to-noise (S/N) as absorption spectra. In addition, for pulse experiments, this resonator greatly decreases the dead time of the instrument and allows measurement of a portion of the signal previously inaccessible with other resonators. The CLR is rugged, easy to tune, does not have to be critically coupled, and is easily adjusted to maintain source isolation when the sample is changed.
Dasymetric Modeling and Uncertainty

Dasymetric models increase the spatial resolution of population data by incorporating related ancillary data layers. The role of uncertainty in dasymetric modeling has not been fully addressed as of yet. Uncertainty is usually present because most population data are themselves uncertain, or the geographic processes that connect population and the ancillary data layers are not precisely known. A new dasymetric methodology—the penalized maximum entropy dasymetric model (P–MEDM)—is presented that enables these sources of uncertainty to be represented and modeled. The P–MEDM propagates uncertainty through the model and yields fine-resolution population estimates with associated measures of uncertainty. This methodology contains a number of other benefits of theoretical and practical interest. In dasymetric modeling, researchers often struggle with identifying a relationship between population and ancillary data layers. The P–MEDM model simplifies this step by unifying how ancillary data are included. The P–M...
Investigation Of Threshold Dependence In Adaptive Vector Quantization For Image Transmission In Packet Switched Networks

In heavily congested packet-switched networks, instead of trying, a priory, to predict the load to the network for a particular set of users, a preferred approach may be to endeavor to control the load. In order to effect dynamic control of the network load, the user (video encoder), and the service provider (packet-switched network), must be interactively linked, in marked departure of traditional source - network separation. Moreover, the resulting source-network system must be capable to dynamically adjust the values of the average bit rate (B) and/or distortion (D) of the variable bit rate transmission source. Adaptive vector quantization has been employed to encode the image source with constant local picture quality: An activity index, A, has been used to classify image areas into two groups, active and non-active, according to whether A>T or A<T, respectively; T is a heuristic threshold value. For non-active areas, large block size is used, while for active areas the block size is small. Two codebooks are generated corresponding to each of the two groups of blocks formed. Linearized parametric expressions for B and D have been derived for 4x4 blocks and for several 256x256 8-bit images, of the form: B-∝=a+b*T and D=c+d*T. The value of m has been found to be approximately equal to 4.0 for all images studied, while a, b, c, and d vary with the image and can be initially estimated by sampling. By allowing the determination of the proper operating point value for T, these relations may provide the required "handle" to the source-network sytem to effect dynamic adjustments to the distortion, and thus the average picture quality level, and/or the average bit rate, and thus the source load to the network.
Bypassing Bluetooth Device Discovery Using a Multimodal User Interface

A fixed Bluetooth transmitter can offer mobile services to people in proximity. However, the Bluetooth device discovery process introduces a significant delay, which impacts usability. A number of solutions have been proposed for bypassing device discovery; in this paper we propose a new technique leveraging multimodal user interfaces. In our approach, someone coming into range of proximity-based services reads a sign listing their names. The person starts a multimodal service browser, and speaks the name of a service. This name, plus the current location (e.g., at the granularity of the current cell tower identifier), is mapped into a Bluetooth address and an optional service identifier. The service browser then connects directly to the transmitter and service. We implemented this approach on handsets connecting into a commercial voice server over a 2G data network. The server-side Bluetooth service directory consisted of 5,727 unique service names. An experiment demonstrated a very good speech recognition rate, and confirmed that the overall time savings were equivalent to other techniques for bypassing Bluetooth device discovery. The multimodal approach also has significant cost and usability advantages.
Lipoproteins and the progression/regression of atherosclerosis

Summary Lipoproteins and the impact of lipid lowering on progression and regression of coronary artery disease are discussed. Angiographically assessed regression studies are reviewed (NHLBI, LIT, LHT, CLAS I and II, FATS, POSCH, Heidelberg, STARS, SCRIP, MAAS, PLAC I, HARP, UC-SF), as are B-mode ultrasound studies (ACAPS, PLAC II) and survival studies (Oslo diet-smoking study, SSSS, Pravastatin, Oxford). Although study populations and the interventions are different in the studies, I have come to the following conclusions. Regression of atherosclerosis correlates well with reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase in HDL cholesterol. Although overall improvement in the severity and extent of the disease was modest, reduction of clinical events was impressive. Lipid modulation may stabilize existing lesions by improving the stability of the lesion cap and/or promoting loss of cholesterol content from within the plaque. Survival studies indicate that lipid lowering lowers morbidity and increases longevity in patients with established coronary heart disease. The B-mode ultrasound studies using the carotid artery as surrogate for the change in atherosclerosis in the coronary seems extremely promising. The atherosclerotic process as well as complications may be studied at an early stage using non-invasive methods.
Addressing volume loss in hand rejuvenation: A report of clinical experience

Background: Current options for treating the aging hand include microdermabrasion, fractional thermolysis, chemical peeling, intense light sources and laser therapy (such as pigment lasers and ablative resurfacing), as well as injectable fillers and volumizers to correct soft tissue atrophy. Objective: This article reviews the latest technologies in hand rejuvenation and provides data from three clinical practices using injectable poly‐l‐lactic acid (PLLA) for soft tissue augmentation. Methods: Patient data from three clinical practices were retrospectively collected and tabulated. This included baseline patient data, the number of injections and vials of product used, and adverse events. Results: PLLA was used to improve volume loss in the hand to the satisfaction of a majority of patients. The most commonly reported adverse events, such as bruising, swelling and pain, were injection‐related and resolved within a few days of treatment. No papules or nodules were reported in any patients and there were no...
Dislocation Nucleation and Source Activation during Nanoindentation Yield Points

The onset of plasticity during nanoindentation of a tungsten single crystal was examined as a function of pre-existing dislocation density. Vickers indentations were used to generate a spatially varying dislocation density, and nanoindentation was then carried out at regions of high and low dislocation densities. Even with dislocation densities as high as 1.8 × 1013 m−2, a sharp elastic-plastic transition was observed during some indentations. At lower dislocation densities, 3.5 × 109 m−2, the shear stress at the elastic plastic transition increased and approached the theoretical shear stress of the crystal. A first-order model that predicts the load required for the onset of plasticity during nanoindentation from the activation of a dislocation source within a critical volume of material, rather than homogeneous dislocation nucleation, is developed. The model correlates well with experimentally measured loads at the onset of plasticity for dislocation densities of 1012 m−2 and higher for these nanoindentation conditions.
Sex-role orientation of nursing students at a community college.

The sex-role orientation of 20 male and 48 female nursing students at an urban community college was assessed by the Bern Sex-role Inventory. Sex and sex-role orientation were not significantly ass...
Arbitrage, linear programming and martingales¶in securities markets with bid-ask spreads

In a general, finite-dimensional securities market model with bid-ask spreads, we characterize absence of arbitrage opportunities both by linear programming and in terms of martingales. We first show that absence of arbitrage is equivalent to the existence of solutions to the linear programming problems that compute the minimum costs of super-replicating the feasible future cashflows. Via duality, we show that absence of arbitrage is also equivalent to the existence of underlying frictionless (UF) state-prices. We then show how to transform the UF state-prices into state-price densities, and use them to characterize absence of arbitrage opportunities in terms of existence of a securities market with zero bid-ask spreads whose price process lies inside the bid-ask spread. Finally, we argue that our results extend those of Naik (1995) and Jouini and Kallal (1995) to the case of intermediate dividend payments and positive bid-ask spreads on all assets.
Town raisings: reviving the town square in the wild west

A high percentage of the population of New Mexico and the western United States live in small towns. These towns were built around a diverse heritage of types of central town commons. This paper (1 ) reviews the history of central town commons in New Mexico, (2) reports on efforts undertaken at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of New Mexico to revitalize these town commons, and (3) outlines a strategic plan to amplify these efforts through the development of an advocacy center. It is the author's hope to solicit advice on the development and implementation of this strategic plan.
Hepatosplenic candidiasis in non-neutropenic patients: a case report and literature survey

Hepatosplenic candidiasis is an increasingly recognized infectious complication in patients who have an underlying malignancy and/or have chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Only six cases of hepatosplenic candidiasis in non-neutropenic patients have been described to date, to which we add a seventh. Our patient had many of the classically described manifestations of hepatosplenic candidiasis, and responded well to therapy with amphotericin B. Retrospective comparative analysis of cases of hepatosplenic candidiasis reveals that non-neutropenic patients seem to respond well to medical therapy that is less intensive than that given to neutropenic subjects (total dosage of amphotericin B 0.84 g vs. 2.70 g, respectively) and tend to have a better prognosis (mortality rate 33% vs. 44%, respectively).
Simple, Inexpensive System for Controlled-Dispersion Flow Analysis in Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry

An inexpensive peristaltic pump has been modified for computer control and coupled to a commercial autosampler to provide completely automated sample introduction and calibration via controlled-dispersion flow injection. Precision of 4.2% RSD can be achieved with an injection volume of 10 μL or larger. With this device, controlled-dispersion flow analysis was used for computer-controlled standard calibration of Ca+2 from a single concentrated sample; a dilution of 180-fold of a 10-μg/mL Ca+2 sample was readily achieved. Intelligent control of the system was also realized through the implementation of a LabVIEW software system on a Macintosh computer. Advantages of the new system are the benefit of simplicity and low cost for flow-injection analysis, a reduction in sample consumption, and the convenience of performing single-standard calibration.
Decentralized model reference adaptive control of water quality in water distribution networks

This paper presents a partially decentralized adaptive control approach for water distribution networks. The approach is based on approximating the input/output dynamic behavior of chlorine concentration in the distribution system as a time-varying, discrete-time linear model with uncertain or unknown coefficients. Each local adaptive control algorithm requires knowledge of the remaining control actions but feedback information from only one sensor output. The closed-loop stability properties of the control algorithm are investigated and a simulation example is presented to illustrate the approach.
Regional chemotherapy in the canine liver.

Using a fluorometric assay, mean drug levels of Adriamycin were significantly higher in the normal canine liver following bolus injection of this drug via the hepatic artery or portal vein as compared to hepatic tissue levels following systemic intravenous administration (P < 0.001). However, the variations in tissue levels observed after hepatic artery (± 16.8 mcg/gm tissue) or portal vein (± 21.1 mcg/gm) infusion were significantly wider than those observed after systemic (± 1.3 mcg/gm) administration (P = 0.03). Using C14-labeled drugs, regional infusion of Adriamycin through the hepatic artery or portal vein resulted in significantly higher mean drug levels in the liver than after systemic intravenous administration, but the difference was more pronounced with bolus infusion of the drug than 1-hour infusion. 5-FU bolus or 1-hour infusion in the hepatic artery resulted in significantly higher mean drug levels in the liver compared to peripheral intravenous administration, but this was not so with the 3-hour infusion. The above experiments confirm previous studies that regional chemotherapy results in higher drug levels in the regional tissues compared to systemic administration. They also: (1) demonstrate the spotty drug distribution in the regional tissues after regional administration, a potentially correctable problem, and (2) suggest that the advantage of intra-arterial infusion may be more pronounced within a certain range of infusion times. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
γ-Secretase activity modulates store-operated Ca2+ entry into rat sensory neurons

Abstract Presenilin-1 is required for γ-secretase activity, which participates in Notch receptor processing, the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and the modulation of Ca 2+ signaling. We tested the hypothesis that γ-secretase proteolytic activity modulates store-operated Ca 2+ entry (SOCE) in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Depletion of intracellular Ca 2+ stores by blocking the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca 2+ pump with cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) evoked a transient increase in [Ca 2+ ] i but no sustained Ca 2+ influx. However, in cells expressing a dominant negative presenilin-1 mutant (PS1-D257A), γ-secretase activity was inhibited and treatment with CPA evoked sustained Ca 2+ influx. Similarly, pharmacologic inhibition of γ-secretase with DAPT for 48 h enhanced SOCE. SKF96365, an inhibitor of store-operated channels, blocked SOCE in cells expressing PS1-D257A. Thus, γ-secretase proteolytic activity regulates a SOCE pathway in sensory neurons.
The redshift-space cluster–galaxy cross-correlation function – I. Modelling galaxy infall on to Millennium simulation clusters and SDSS groups

The large scale infall of galaxies around massive clusters provides a potentially powerful diagnostic of structure growth, dark energy, and cosmological deviations from General Relativity. We develop and test a method to recover galaxy infall kinematics (GIK) from measurements of the redshift-space cluster-galaxy cross-correlation function \xi_{cg}(r_p,r_\pi). Using galaxy and halo samples from the Millennium simulation, we calibrate an analytic model of the galaxy kinematic profiles comprised of a virialized component with an isotropic Gaussian velocity distribution and an infall component described by a skewed 2D t-distribution with a characteristic infall velocity v_r and separate radial and tangential dispersions. We show that convolving the real-space cross-correlation function with this velocity distribution accurately predicts the redshift-space \xi_{cg}, and we show that measurements of \xi_{cg} can be inverted to recover the four distinct elements of the GIK profiles. These in turn provide diagnostics of cluster mass profiles, and we expect the characteristic infall velocity v_r(r) in particular to be insensitive to galaxy formation physics that can affect velocity dispersions within halos. As a proof of concept we measure \xi_{cg} for rich galaxy groups in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and recover GIK profiles for groups in two bins of central galaxy stellar mass. The higher mass bin has a v_r(r) curve very similar to that of 10^{14} Msun halos in the Millennium simulation, and the recovered kinematics follow the expected trends with mass. GIK modeling of cluster-galaxy cross-correlations can be a valuable complement to stacked weak lensing analyses, allowing novel tests of modified gravity theories that seek to explain cosmic acceleration.
Classification of multiple types of organic carbon composition in atmospheric particles by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy analysis

A scanning transmission X-ray microscope at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is used to measure organic functional group abundance and morphology of atmospheric aerosols. We present a summary of spectra, sizes, and shapes observed in 595 particles that were collected and analyzed between 2000 and 2006. These particles ranged between 0.1 and 12 mm and represent aerosols found in a large range of geographical areas, altitudes, and times. They include samples from seven different field campaigns: PELTI, ACE-ASIA, DYCOMS II, Princeton, MILAGRO (urban), MILAGRO (C-130), and INTEX-B. At least 14 different classes of organic particles show different types of spectroscopic signatures. Different particle types are found within the same region while the same particle types are also found in different geographical domains. Particles chemically resembling black carbon, humic-like aerosols, pine ultisol, and secondary or processed aerosol have been identified from functional group abundance and comparison of spectra with those published in the literature.
Odd-parity stability of a Reissner-Nordström black hole

The odd-parity perturbations of a Reissner-Nordstr\"om black hole are studied through the use of a variational principle for the perturbation equations. The Hamiltonian for the perturbations is expressed in terms of a natural set of canonical variables and shown to be (weakly) positive-definite. This result is used to prove the nonexistence of unstable normalmode solutions of the perturbation equations. The two wave equations governing gravitational and electromagnetic perturbations are decoupled by a simple transformation.
Emerging Infectious Diseases in New England from the Puritans to the Present

Abstract Although five centuries have passed since the Pilgrims first arrived in New England, some of the same infectious diseases are still causing problems today. This article examines these and new emerging infections.
Robust Speaker Adaptation by Weighted Model Averaging Based on the Minimum Description Length Criterion

The maximum likelihood linear regression (MLLR) technique is widely used in speaker adaptation due to its effectiveness and computational advantages. When the adaptation data are sparse, MLLR performance degrades because of unreliable parameter estimation. In this paper, a robust MLLR speaker adaptation approach via weighted model averaging is investigated. A variety of transformation structures is first chosen and a general form of maximum likelihood (ML) estimation of the structures is given. The minimum description length (MDL) principle is applied to account for the compromise between transformation granularity and descriptive ability regarding the tying patterns of structured transformations with a regression tree. Weighted model averaging across the candidate structures is then performed based on the normalized MDL scores. Experimental results show that this kind of model averaging in combination with regression tree tying gives robust and consistent performance across various amounts of adaptation data
Mechanical properties of soft, electrodeposited Fe-Co-Ni films for magnetic recording heads

Electrodeposited Fe-Co-Ni alloys are promising candidates for the writer in ultrahigh-density magnetic recording systems. In this paper, the mechanical properties of these materials have been studied by stress measurements as a function of temperature and nanoindentation. The alloy films (/spl sim/1-/spl mu/m-thick) were electrodeposited onto Cu/Ti/Si substrates. Three distinct structural regions were observed: FCC, mixed FCC+BCC, and BCC phases as Fe content in the alloy increased. The internal stress of Fe-Co-Ni films increases with decreasing current density, as reported for Ni-Fe films. The hardness of the as-deposited films was around 4.8 GPa; after annealing to 400/spl deg/C hardness was reduced to 3.6 GPa. The coefficient of thermal expansion CTE was /spl sim/10-11 /spl times/ 10-6/spl deg/C/sup -1/, comparable to typical values of bulk Ni/sub 78/Fe/sub 22/ (CTE -12 /spl times/ 10/sup -1//spl deg/C/sup -1/). Reduced Young's modulus E/(1 - /spl nu//sup 2/) changes from 150 to 180 Gpa, corresponding to the structural change from BCC to FCC. The ratio H/E is smaller than other materials investigated for write heads, indicating a lower resistance to deformation. H/E further decreases after annealing.
Distance Metric Learning for Large Margin Nearest Neighbor Classification

We show how to learn a Mahanalobis distance metric for k-nearest neighbor (kNN) classification by semidefinite programming. The metric is trained with the goal that the k-nearest neighbors always belong to the same class while examples from different classes are separated by a large margin. On seven data sets of varying size and difficulty, we find that metrics trained in this way lead to significant improvements in kNN classification—for example, achieving a test error rate of 1.3% on the MNIST handwritten digits. As in support vector machines (SVMs), the learning problem reduces to a convex optimization based on the hinge loss. Unlike learning in SVMs, however, our framework requires no modification or extension for problems in multiway (as opposed to binary) classification.
2.8 A crystal structure of the malachite green aptamer.

Previous in vitro selection experiments identified an RNA aptamer that recognizes the chromophore malachite green (MG) with a high level of affinity, and which undergoes site-specific cleavage following laser irradiation. To understand the mechanism by which this RNA folds to recognize specifically its ligand and the structural basis for chromophore-assisted laser inactivation, we have determined the 2.8 A crystal structure of the aptamer bound to tetramethylrosamine (TMR), a high-affinity MG analog. The ligand-binding site is defined by an asymmetric internal loop, flanked by a pair of helices. A U-turn and several non-canonical base interactions stabilize the folding of loop nucleotides around the TMR. The aptamer utilizes several tiers of stacked nucleotides arranged in pairs, triples, and a novel base quadruple to effectively encapsulate the ligand. Even in the absence of specific stabilizing hydrogen bonds, discrimination between related fluorophores and chromophores is possible due to tight packing in the RNA binding pocket, which severely limits the size and shape of recognized ligands. The site of laser-induced cleavage lies relatively far from the bound TMR (∼15 A). The unusual backbone conformation of the cleavage site nucleotide and its high level of solvent accessibility may combine to allow preferential reaction with freely diffusing hydroxyl radicals generated at the bound ligand. Several observations, however, favor alternative mechanisms for cleavage, such as conformational changes in the aptamer or long-range electron transfer between the bound ligand and the cleavage site nucleotide.
An application of parallel discrete event simulation algorithms to mixed domain system simulation

We present our system-level co-simulation environment for mixed domain microsystems. The environment provides synchronization and co-simulation between the Chatoyant MOEMS (micro-electro mechanical systems) simulator and ModelTech ModelSim. By using shared memory IPC (inter-process communication) and PDES (parallel discrete event simulation) techniques, we achieve two orders of magnitude speedup over standard pipe/socket communication.
Underwater Sound as a Biological Stimulus

Of all the sensory stimuli discussed in this volume, only sound allows longrange transmission of information underwater. This is a consequence of the extraordinarily low attenuation of sound in water and the ability of sound speed gradients in the ocean to channel sound so that it can propagate without interaction with the surface or bottom.
Epidemiology and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

We conducted a case-series study of multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients who did not have cystic fibrosis. Patient characteristics, antibiotic exposures, time course of emergence of resistance, and clinical outcomes were examined. Twenty-two patients were identified from whom P. aeruginosa resistant to ciprofloxacin, imipenem, ceftazidime, and piperacillin was isolated. Nineteen (86%) had clinical infection. Patients received prolonged courses of antipseudomonal antibiotics before isolation of multiresistant P. aeruginosa. Nine of 11 patients with soft-tissue infection exhibited resolution of clinical infection but usually required surgical removal of infected tissue with or without revascularization. Overall, three patients died. In two instances in which multiple isolates with different susceptibility profiles from the same patient were available, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles of serial isolates were indistinguishable or closely related. This study illustrates that multiresistant P. aeruginosa emerges in a stepwise manner after exposure to antipseudomonal antibiotics and results in adverse outcomes.