cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in the investigation of curcuminoids

More than 30 Curcuma species (Zingiberaceae) are found in Asia, where the rhizomes of these plants are used as both food and medicine, such as in traditional Chinese medicine. The plants are usually aromatic and carminative, and are used to treat indigestion, hepatitis, jaundice, diabetes, atherosclerosis and bacterial infections. Among the Curcuma species, C. longa, C. aromatica and C. xanthorrhiza are popular. The main constituents of Curcuma species are curcuminoids and bisabolane-type sesquiterpenes. Curcumin is the most important constituent among natural curcuminoids found in these plants. Published research has described the biological effects and chemistry of curcumin. Curcumin derivatives have been evaluated for bioactivity and structure-activity relationships (SAR). In this article, we review the literature between 1976 and mid-2008 on the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-HIV, chemopreventive and anti-prostate cancer effects of curcuminoids. Recent studies on curcuminoids, particularly on curcumin, have discovered not only much on the therapeutic activities, but also on mechanisms of molecular biological action and major genomic effects.
Full-scale magnetic measurements on the Berkeley 88-inch cyclotron

The measurements of midplane flux density as a function of position and current are described within the framework of a general plan for obtaining useful magnetic fields. Data were taken point-by-point in a radial direction on a grid of 1 in. by 3 deg. The separate effects of currents in the main coil and in the 17 circular trim coils were measured. The Theoretical Group calculated recommended currents and the predicted fields. The predicted fields for combinations of currents were verified by magnetic measurements at six probable operating levels. The harmonic content of the combined fields and the use of coils in the valleys for fine control of harmonics is described. The operation of the flux density measuring system and the positioning systems is described. The flux density measuring system attained a resolution of 1/4 G with a temperature-regulated Hall probe. The radial positioning was better than ± 0.005 in. using a tensioned metal tape. The azimuthal accuracy was better than 0.01 deg—by using precisely located pins on a fixed disk. Problems of current control and hysteresis are discussed. Problems of data handling, and the use of a computer to find and correct errors are discussed. Final results are evaluated by comparison of predicted and measured fields.
Nonequilibrium modeling of low-pressure argon plasma jets; Part I: Laminar flow

This paper presents a modeling attempt related to low-pressure plasma spraying processes which find increasing applications for materials processing. After a review of the various models for ionization and recombination processes, a two-temperature model for argon plasmas in chemical (ionization) nonequilibrium is established using finite rate chemistry. Results of sample calculations manifest departures from kinetic as well as chemical equilibrium, demonstrating that the conventional models based on the LTE (local thermodynamic equilibrium) assumption cannot provide proper prediction for low-pressure plasma jets.
Relationship of Low Birth Weight to Pulsatile Arterial Function in Asymptomatic Younger Adults: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Background Low birth weight, an indicator of intrauterine growth restriction, is associated with adult cardiovascular (CV) disease, type 2 diabetes, and adverse levels of CV risk factors. Impaired pulsatile arterial function is also an independent predictor of early vascular damage and related CV outcome. However, information is scant regarding the influence of low birth weight on pulsatile arterial function. Methods The study cohort consisted of 538 black and white subjects (29% black, 42% male) aged 18-44 years (mean 36.7 years) enrolled in the Bogalusa Heart Study. Subjects were categorized into low birth weight and normal birth weight. Pulsatile arterial function was assessed in terms of large artery compliance, small artery compliance, and systemic vascular resistance by noninvasive radial artery pressure pulse contour analysis. Results Blacks and females had significantly lower birth weight compared to their counterparts. Low vs. normal birth weight group had lower large artery compliance (13.3 ml/mm Hg x 10 vs. 15.5 ml/mm Hg x 10, P = 0.0002). Further, after adjusting for age, race, and sex, the large artery compliance increased across quartiles of increasing birth weight specific for race, sex, and gestational age (P for trend = 0.03). In multivariate regression model, adding race, sex, age, body surface area, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio one by one, the effect was attenuated but significant (beta = -0.067, P = 0.033). Conclusions The observed deleterious association of low birth weight on arterial wall dynamics in asymptomatic younger adults may account in part for the adverse CV risk in the Bogalusa sample.
Induced conformational preference via metal carbonyl complexation: 1H NMR and X-ray crystallographic studies of 4-chromanonechromium(0) tricarbonyl

Proton NMR studies of (4-chromanone)chromium tricarbonyl indicate that, in solution, this compound occurs with the heterocyclic ring in a sofa conformation with an O(1)-C(2)-C(3)-C(4) torsion angle of 53°. Single-crystal X-ray analysis of the same molecule reveals that a sofa form (55.6° torsion angle) is also adopted in the solid state with the further specification that C(2) is the out-of-plane atom and is displaced in the direction proximal to the Cr(CO)3 moiety.
Purification of the catalytically active phosphorylated form of insulin receptor kinase by affinity chromatography with O-phosphotyrosyl-binding antibodies

Abstract The catalytically active, tyrosyl-phosphorylated form of insulin receptor kinase was isolated from human placenta by a procedure which exploits the propensity for the intact α 2 β 2 form of insulin receptor to undergo insulin-promoted autophosphorylation at tyrosyl residues and concomitant activation as a tyrosyl kinase. Purification of tyrosylphosphorylated insulin receptor was effected by adsorption on and elution (with a hapten) from a column of O -phosphotyrosyl-binding antibody immobilized on protein A-Sepharose (Ab-protein A). The starting material for the purification process was protein which had been solubilized from placental membranes and purified by chromatography on immobilized wheat germ agglutinin. After chromatography on Ab-protein A to remove preexisting O -phosphotyrosyl-containing proteins, the fraction which did not adsorb to the Ab-protein A column was incubated with insulin and briefly treated with ATP so as to maximize selective autophosphorylation of insulin receptor. This material was then subjected to chromatography on Ab-protein A. Although the amount of the intact α 2 β 2 form of insulin receptor present in the starting material was only a small fraction of the protein (~0.2%) and only ~20% of the insulin-binding forms of the receptor present, it was eluted (with 10 m m p -nitrophenyl phosphate) from the column in ≥80% purity. Chromatography on Ab-protein A appears to have an advantage over the alternative affinity chromatographic procedures which utilize immobilized insulin or antiinsulin receptor antibody to adsorb insulin receptor, since these procedures do not resolve the intact α 2 β 2 form of insulin receptor from the nicked insulin-binding forms of the receptor which do not undergo insulin promoted autophosphorylation.
Time-dose factor (TDF) analysis of dose rate effects in permanent implant dosimetry

Abstract The Time-Dose Factor (TDF) concept has been applied to the "biological dosimetry" of permanent interstitial implants. The theory is derived by extrapolation to low dose rates of temporary implant data at dose rates above 25 rad/hr. This extrapolation is supported by a retrospective analysis of published techniques and results of permanent implantation, and now is being used for planning such implants. Since TDFs from various modalities are additive, the TDF theory is particularly valuable for the analysis (and planning) of combined external and Iodine-125 ( 125 I) therapy, whereas the summated rad doses are by no means representative of the biological effectiveness of the combination because of the low dose rates of 125 I implants.
Vengeance, Variously: Revenge Before Kyd in Early Elizabethan Drama

Though it is a critical commonplace that English revenge tragedy began with Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy , there has been little systematic discussion of how revenge fared as a dramatic theme before Kyd’s inaugural work. This essay reexamines the importance of revenge in early Elizabethan drama, by broadly surveying its thematic and rhetorical prominence in the corpus of extant plays that predate Kyd’s tragedy. The prominence of revenge in pre-Kydian drama reveals that The Spanish Tragedy intensifies and systematizes structurally a theme that had for decades already been a well-worn mainstay on the English stage. A study of early dramatic revenge provides the basis for a more contextually sensitive account of revenge tragedy’s origin, and of its larger relationship to contemporary Elizabethan theatre.
Substrate activity screening with kinases: discovery of small-molecule substrate-competitive c-Src inhibitors

Substrate-competitive kinase inhibitors represent a promising class of kinase inhibitors, however, there is no methodology to selectively identify this type of inhibitor. Substrate activity screening was applied to tyrosine kinases. By using this methodology, the first small-molecule substrates for any protein kinase were discovered, as well as the first substrate-competitive inhibitors of c-Src with activity in both biochemical and cellular assays. Characterization of the lead inhibitor demonstrates that substrate-competitive kinase inhibitors possess unique properties, including cellular efficacy that matches biochemical potency and synergy with ATP-competitive inhibitors.
Comparing proxy and patients' perceptions of patients' functional status: results from an outpatient geriatric clinic

Objective To compare ratings of patients referred for geriatric evaluation and their proxies with respect to patients' ability to perform activities of daily living. Design Retrospective chart audit. Setting University-based Outpatient Geriatric Clinic. Patients Elderly medicine patients referred to a university-based outpatient geriatrics clinic for the first time. Main Outcome Measures Modified Katz Physical Activities of Daily Living (PADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Results With regard to PADLs, patients were generally rated as independent by both patients (91%) and proxies (87%); for IADLs, ratings of independence by both patients (68%) and proxies (51%) were significantly lower. Concordance between patient and proxy ratings was significantly (P<0.001) greater for PADLs (92%) than for IADLs (82%). When disagreement occurred, patients consistently rated themselves as more independent than their proxies, especially for IADLs. Moreover, concordance between patients and proxies regarding IADLs was significantly (P<0.001) worse for patients who had scores below 24 on the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (72%) compared with those scoring 24 or higher (95%). Conclusions Patient and proxy ratings were concordant when rating patients' ability to perform PADLs. Moreover, concordance was extremely high on IADLs when patients' Folstein scores were 24 or higher. Concordance with respect to IADLs was relatively poor only among patients with Folstein scores below 24. In that case, patients had a more optimistic view of their independence, compared with their proxies.
Psychotechnology and insanity at the wheel.

The article discusses psychological testing of automobile drivers performed by the Psychopathic Clinic affiliated with the Traffic Court of the Detroit Recorder's Court. Between 1936 and 1965 more than 15,000 drivers who had either run afoul of the traffic codes or been involved in a traffic collision. A statistical analysis of these cases reveals that the psychologists and psychiatrists working at the clinic were reinforcing existing ethnic, racial, and gender stereotypes in their pursuit of traffic safety. Patients who were deemed unfit drivers were recommended to the judges for sanctions ranging from license revokations to forced committment. Language: en
Endometriosis of the diaphragm: four cases treated with a combination of laparoscopy and thoracoscopy

Abstract Study Objective We aim to describe the clinical characteristics and the principles of combined laparoscopic and thoracoscopic management of women with diaphragmatic endometriosis at our institution. Design Case series (Canadian Task Force Classification II2). Setting Tertiary care referral center. Patients Four women with diaphragmatic endometriosis. Interventions Laparoscopy and thoracoscopy. Measurements We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 4 consecutive women with diaphragmatic endometriosis who underwent laparoscopy and thoracoscopy from June 2008 through September 2008. Main Results Four patients underwent a combination of laparoscopy for treatment of abdominopelvic endometriosis and thoracoscopy for treatment of diaphragmatic endometriosis. All patients had a history of chest pain. Three had a history of pelvic pain. Two had a history of catamenial hemothorax or pneumothorax. Two had been previously diagnosed with endometriosis, and three had a history of hormonal pharmacotherapy. All underwent laparoscopy and thoracoscopy without complications. All had uneventful recoveries. At nine-month follow-up, all patients were free of chest pain, and one patient had recurring pelvic pain. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this constitutes the only reported series of patients with endometriosis who underwent a procedure systematically combining both laparoscopy and thoracoscopy for treatment of abdominopelvic and thoracic disease. It confirms that combined laparoscopic and thoracoscopic diagnosis and management of diaphragmatic endometriosis is reasonable. The inferior aspect of the diaphragm should be evaluated in all patients undergoing laparoscopy for endometriosis. Concomitant thoracoscopy should be considered for all patients with history of catamenial hemopneumothorax, cyclic chest or shoulder pain, or cyclic dyspnea. The aim of treatment should be to remove endometriotic lesions, to provide symptomatic relief, and to avoid recurrence. The use of these minimally invasive techniques may reduce the need for laparotomy or thoracotomy in affected patients.
In vitro synthesis of DNA components of human genes for globins.

Avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase has been shown to use human globin mRNA as an in vitro template.
Sick Sinus Syndrome

Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is the name given to several conditions in which the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial or SA node) does not function normally. The sinus node is the normal pacemaker of the heart and is responsible for the regular, rhythmic heartbeat. It consists of a collection of specialized cells located at the top of the right collecting chamber (right atrium) (Figure). These cells generate regular electric impulses that then spread through the atria and pumping chambers (ventricles) and cause the muscular contractions responsible for the pumping function of the heart. Under normal conditions, the sinus node produces 60 to 100 impulses a minute; this is the normal resting heart rate. The sinus node can increase the heart rate during periods of stress, such as exercise or high fever. Conversely, during quiet sleep, the sinus node may slow down to below 60 impulses, or beats, per minute. Well-conditioned athletes often have a slow heart rate at rest. This is normal and does not indicate the presence of sinus node malfunction. Schematic diagram of the heart showing the sinus (SA) node. Reprinted with permission from the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology (http://www.naspe.org). When the sinus node malfunctions several different abnormalities may result:
Initial carrier relaxation dynamics in ion-implanted Si nanocrystals: Femtosecond transient absorption study

Transient absorption spectra of ion-implanted Si nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit two picosecond photoinduced absorption features, attributed to carriers in NC quantized states (high-energy band) and Si/SiO2 interface states (low-energy band). Fast relaxation of the high-energy band indicates that populations of quantized states are short lived and decay on the sub-10-ps time scale due to efficient surface trapping. This shows that the red emission in our samples is not due to carriers in quantized states but rather is a result of deactivation of surface traps.
The Sign Test with Ties Included

The sign rank test is taught in virtually all introductory Statistics classes. When teaching the sign rank test the students are told to ignore the ties. Ignoring ties that support the null hypothesis is not logical. Why should valid data that support the null hypothesis be ignored? The approach taken here demonstrates a method for testing with ties included. A typical problem presentation in a text book would indicate that if you had ten ties in a sample of size fifty the tie scores would be excluded. However, the ten tie scores are a very valuable piece of statistical information which should not be ignored. The method demonstrated here shows that a different conclusion is reached in some cases when the ties are not excluded. Further many sign tests often will have ties because in some cases the data are not a cardinal number, but an ordinal number chosen from a set often results in ties. The alternative approach uses a one-tailed distribution and considers both +’s and -'s separated. A two-tailed test for equal variances is done with a one-tail of an F distribution. This alternate approach to the sign test allows the use of important statistical information which has been ignored with the traditional sign rank test.
Justinian's Flea: Plague, Empire, and the Birth of Europe – By William Rosen

As a longtime editor and publishing executive, the author of this book could have made his first book a model of popular history. Instead, Justinian's Flea exemplifies most of the defects of popula...
Stability of Teachers' Expectations for Elementary School Aged Children:

To determine the stability of teacher expectations six elementary physical education specialists were asked to rate their students according to how they expected each to perform in terms of 4 expec...
Modified Hypersensitization Procedure for Eastman Kodak I–Z Spectroscopic Plates*

Hypersensitization procedure for spectroscopic plates, minimizing nonuniformities of plate fog by use of stop bath
Talc pleuradesis : a particulate analysis

Abstract —The administration of talc particles to the pleural space for the production of symphysis has been practiced for over 70 years with little understanding of the key particle parameters that lead to desired or undesired clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, talc has become the sclerosant of choice for pleuradesis. In addition to its ability to obliterate the pleural space, talc has also been indicated to slow the progression of cancer leading to improved quality of life and longer lifespans for patients suffering from malignant pleural effusions. However, the occurrence of fatal side effects — particularly acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) — has recently raised concerns. The potential influence of the physical properties and chemical state (impurity levels and type) of clinically administered talc on the frequency of ARDS in clinical outcomes is investigated in this study. The outcomes indicate a need for cross-disciplinary collaborations between physicians and particle scientists to yield an improved understanding of the fundamental talc particle properties that instigate therapy and those that induce adverse effects. These developments are expected to lead to further insights into the interactions that occur between particles and tissues, in addition to strategies for engineering multifunctional next-generation pleuradesis agents.
Gender Meets Neo-Liberalism

(2001). Gender Meets Neo-Liberalism. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 115-118.
Time Reversed Transmission with Chirp Signaling for UWB Communications and Its Application in Confined Metal Environments

A time reversal chirp scheme is suggested, for the first time, for UWB applications in some confined metal environments. Propagation measurements are used to evaluate the performance. Finally, maximum achievable data transmission rates of different schemes are compared to benchmark the suggested time reversal chirp scheme.
Association of a p95 Vav-containing Signaling Complex with the FcϵRI γ Chain in the RBL-2H3 Mast Cell Line EVIDENCE FOR A CONSTITUTIVE IN VIVO ASSOCIATION OF Vav WITH Grb2, Raf-1, AND ERK2 IN AN ACTIVE COMPLEX

Aggregation of the high affinity receptor for IgE (FcϵRI) on the mucosal mast cell line, RBL-2H3, results in the rapid and persistent tyrosine phosphorylation of Vav. Immunoprecipitation of Vav from activated cells revealed co-immunoprecipitated phosphoproteins of molecular weights identical to the FcϵRI β and γ chains, and the former was reactive with antibody to the FcϵRI β chain. Conversely, Western blots revealed the presence of p95 Vav in FcϵRI immunoprecipitates. The association of Vav and of Grb2 with the receptor was found to be regulated by aggregation of the receptor, and the interaction of Vav with the FcϵRI was localized to the γ chain. To gain insight on the signaling pathway in which Vav participates, we investigated the in vivo associations of Vav with other molecules. A reducible chemical cross-linking agent was used to covalently maintain protein interactions under nonreducing conditions. A fraction of Vav increased in mass to form a complex of >300 kDa in molecular mass. Under reducing conditions the cross-linked Vav immunoprecipitates showed the presence of Grb2, Raf-1, and p42mapk (ERK2). In vitro kinase assays of Raf-1 activity associated with Vav revealed that this complex had an activity greater than that of Raf-1 derived from nonactivated cells, and aggregation of the FcϵRI did not modulate this activity. In contrast, aggregation of the FcϵRI increased the total Raf-1 activity by 2-5-fold. These results demonstrate that Vav associates constitutively with components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway to form an active multimeric signaling complex whose in vivo activity and associations may be directed by aggregation of the FcϵRI. The findings of this study may also be relevant to other members of the immune recognition receptor family that share the T-cell antigen receptor ζ/γ chains.
Focal and contextual components of price history as determinants of expected price

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate how consumers adjust their price expectations for brands in response to previously encountered prices. The effects of two distinct components of price history, focal and contextual, are examined. The focal component represents the role of a brand's own previous price(s) in determining future price expectations. In contrast, the contextual component represents the impact of the prices of previously considered competing brands.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 60 subjects were enrolled to participate in a longitudinal, quantitative, survey‐based study that required them to provide information on brand perceptions, price expectations, brand consideration and choice.Findings – Empirical comparison of several model formulations confirms that both components are crucial in explaining how consumers adjust their price expectations in response to the prices of considered brands. Consistent with a wide body of research, a brand's own previous price exerts the greatest...
Doppler Evaluation of Aortic Regurgitation in Children

Doppler indexes have been used successfully to determine the severity of aortic regurgitation (AR) in adults but have not been evaluated systematically in children. To evaluate the accuracy of specific Doppler echocardiographic indexes in assessing the degree of AR in children, 30 children underwent 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography within 24 hours of angiography. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on the degree of angiographic AR. Color Doppler jet width, short-axis jet area, jet length, and maximum jet area were measured. AR slope was measured using continuous-wave Doppler. Flow in the abdominal aorta was evaluated using pulsed Doppler. Doppler indexes were compared with the angiographic grade of AR. Jet width and short-axis jet area were significantly different between groups and showed strong correlation with the angiographic grade. Holodiastolic flow reversal in the abdominal aorta separated 1+ to 2+ from 3+ to 4+ AR (100% sensitivity and 100% negative predictive value for 3+ to 4+ AR). Jet length, maximum jet area, and the ratio of reverse to forward abdominal aortic velocity time integrals correlated with angiography but showed little difference between groups that differed by only 1 angiographic grade. AR slope did not correlate with the angiographic grade. We conclude that in children, color Doppler jet width, short-axis jet area, and holodiastolic abdominal aortic flow reversal are the best predictors of angiographic severity. Use of these indexes may obviate the need for angiography to determine the degree of AR in children.
Nanoparticle Detachment Using Shock Waves

The fundamentals of nanoparticle detachment at the sub-100nm level using pulsed laser-induced plasma (LIP) shock waves are investigated in the current study. Two detachment mechanisms based on rolling resistance moment and rolling by resonant frequency excitation are identified as possible detachment mechanisms for nanoparticles. The gas molecule-nanoparticle interactions are studied using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method to gain knowledge about the nature of the detachment forces and moments acting on a nanoparticle in the LIP shock wave field. The discrete nature of the gas molecules colliding with the particle on the sub-100 nm length scale is linked to the stochastic transient moment experienced by the particle. Both experimental and computational findings of the current study indicate that nanoparticle detachment at the sub-100 nm level is possible by LIP shock waves.
Negotiating Cultural Values in Social Media: A Case Study from Wikipedia

Wikipedia arguably is one of the most visible examples of the use of social media to enlist volunteers to contribute to a social good. Wikipedia was created to provide an accessible, encyclopedic information resource for people of all nations and cultures. Previous research has shown potential for unacknowledged cultural bias in socio-technical systems. However, the extent to which the technological and social structures of the English Wikipedia are shaped by its western origin and orientation has not been examined. We fill this gap by studying how Wikipedia editors created the culturally controversial article Jyllands-Posten Muhammad Cartoon Controversy. We use Carlile's boundary-spanning model to illustrate how Wikipedia is unable to satisfactorily resolve the fundamental tension between its stated mission of global access and empowerment and the inherent (but unacknowledged) cultural bias of the technologies and processes employed by the English language Wikipedia community. This case study illustrates how knowledge management systems, even those intended to encompass multiple value systems through the use of an open social media design, have built-in (value) biases through the specific technologies and processes employed in the design.
Synthesis and Physical Properties of New Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals Consisting of 2(S)-[2 (S)-Methylbutyloxy] Propanol

New ferroelectric liquid crystals containing two chiral centers, 4-(4′-n-alkyloxyphenyl)phenyl 4-{2(S)-[2(S)-methylbutyloxy]propoxy}benzoate (4a-4f) and 4-(n-alkyloxy)phenyl 4-{4′-[2(S)-(2(S)-methylbutyloxy)propoxy]phenyl}benzoate (5a-5f) were synthesized and their physical properties studied. A phase-transition sequence of C-Sc*-N*-I was observed in most cases. Some homologues of them, 4a-4d, possess monotropic Sc * phase. Not only the Sc* phase-transition temperature of 5a-5f is lower than that of the corresponding 4a-4f, but their Sc * phase-transition temperature range is also wider than the corresponding 4a-4f. The Sc * phase temperature range can be up to 48 °C. The spontaneous polarization of 8-28 nC/cm2 and the electric rise time of 240-420 μs were measured in FLCs 4a-5f.
‘Ungoverned Space’ and the Oil Find in Turkana, Kenya

AbstractIn developing countries, mineral wealth has usually failed to benefit most people at both national and local levels. Conflicts between locals and investors and/or governments over perceived lack of local opportunities and negative impacts such as environmental degradation are common. In 2012 a substantial reserve of oil was struck in Turkana, north-west Kenya, bringing hopes of boosting the national and local economy, and leading to grand-scale plans for infrastructure development across the region. However, conflicts over land rights, job opportunities and tenders have already begun to emerge, leading to the brief withdrawal of Tullow Oil staff from the site in 2013. Turkana has a number of existing security challenges, such as rampant cross-border and inter-ethnic livestock raids, a high prevalence of illegal small arms and low state penetration of security with an over-reliance on armed civilian volunteer forces (the Kenya Police Reserve). This work argues that in this ‘ungoverned’ context the ...
A new speaker identification algorithm for gaming scenarios

Speaker identification is a well-established research problem but has not been a major application used in gaming scenarios. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm for the open-set, text-independent, speaker ID problem, applied as an important component (among other cues) of a game player identification system. This scenario poses new challenges: far-field, limited training and very short test data, and almost real-time processing. To tackle this, we introduce new and more informative feature sets. The scores given by these feature sets are then combined in an optimal way to construct the final score. Experimental results on the gaming device's processed reverberated-speech show the effectiveness of the new features, and that reliable decisions can be made after very short (2 – 5 second) test utterances required by the gaming scheme.
On Whitespace and Stability in Mixed-Size Placement and Physical Synthesis

In the context of physical synthesis, large-scale standard-cell placement algorithms must facilitate incremental changes to layout, both local and global. In particular, flexible gate sizing, net buffering and detail placement require a certain amount of unused space in every region of the die. The need for "local" whitespace is further emphasized by temperature and power-density limits. Another requirement, the stability of placement results from run to run, is important to the convergence of physical synthesis loops. Indeed, logic resynthesis targetting local congestion in a given placement or particular critical paths may be irrelevant for another placement produced by the same or a different layout tool. In this work we offer solutions to the above problems. We show how to tie the results of a placer to a previously existing placement, and yet leave room for optimization. In our experiments this technique produces placements with similar congestion maps. We also show how to trade-off wirelength for routability by manipulating whitespace. Empirically, our techniques improve circuit delay of sparse layouts in conjunction with physical synthesis. In the context of earlier proposed techniques for mixed-size placement, we tune a state-of-the-art recursive bisection placer to better handle regular netlists that offer a convenient way to represent memories, data paths and random-logic IP blocks. These modifications and better whitespace distribution improve results on recent mixed-size placement benchmarks.
Aerobraking Challenges for a Combined Mars Orbiter and Lander in 2018

ESA and NASA had been working on a pair of joint missions to Mars: a 2016 orbiter and a 2018 lander. Budget pressures associated with the cost of two NASA supplied launch vehicles triggered a study into what might be achieved with a single launch in 2018. The combined conceptual mission consisted of a lander plus a relay orbiter. The lander would be dropped off a few days before a direct entry at Mars, while the periapsis of the orbiter would then be raised to 500 km before a propulsive capture into a 4 sol orbit. The orbit period would be propulsively reduced to 1 sol before starting an Aerobraking phase that would circularize the orbit into a 400 km orbit. This paper will describe the Aerobraking challenges associated with the low inclination orbit dictated by the requirement to provide a relay link to the co-manifested lander during the Mars Orbit Insertion burn coupled with the very tight propellant budget associated with the launch of two spacecraft on a single vehicle.
Spray-drying process optimization for manufacture of drug―cyclodextrin complex powder using design of experiments

Background: Design of experiments (DOE), a component of Quality by Design, is systematic and simultaneous evaluation of variables (process or formulation) to develop a product with predetermined quality attributes. This study presents a case study to understand the effects of process variables in a spray-drying process used in the manufacture of drug-cyclodextrin complex for a drug that is prone to chemical instability at elevated temperature conditions encountered during processing. Methods: Experiments were designed, and data were collected according to a three-factor, three-level face-centered central composite design. The factors investigated were inlet temperature, spray rate, and batch size. Responses analyzed for computing the interaction effects were drug content, impurities, moisture content, and process yield. The spray-drying process conditions were optimized using DOE to maximize production yields while minimizing moisture content and drug-related impurities. Process validation batches were executed using the optimum process conditions obtained from software Design-Expert® to evaluate both the repeatability and reproducibility of spray-drying technique. Results: Optimization of process variables using DOE resulted in a significant improvement of process yields, above 90% and moisture content below 6% (w/w). The impurities were controlled within acceptable limits. The desirability function used to optimize the response variables and observed responses were in agreement with experimental values. These results demonstrated the reliability of selected model for manufacture of powder complex with predictable quality attributes. Conclusion: The study indicates the general applicability of DOE approach to optimize critical process parameters in the manufacture of drug product with desired quality attributes.
Fault diagnosis of a GHz CMOS LNA using high-speed ADC-based BIST

This paper presents a fault isolation method using the digital signatures from a LNA BIST solution. The fault localization capabilities of the functional test and data analysis methods are demonstrated by circuit level simulation. Also a discussion of the efficacy of this method is given. Results showed that only 16% of the resistive faults examined here cannot be mapped to its specification location in the LNA.
Monetary Trends and Other Phenomena

The publication of Monetary Trends in the United States and the United Kingdom by Milton Friedman and Anna J. Schwartz completes a cycle of publications on monetary topics that has extended over the whole of my professional life.' A Monetary History of the United States, 1867-1960, appeared in 1963, before I completed my doctoral dissertation, and Monetary Statistics of the United States was published in 1970. Together with related publications by Friedman, Schwartz, Cagan, and others, these books have transformed the field of monetary economics and monetary history.2 One index of the transformation is that it is impossible to remember the state of the field before the Monetary History, with its new data and its sweeping revision of macroeconomic history in the last century. Friedman and Schwartz's account of the "Great Contraction" is perhaps the most well-known story, but our view of how the money-supply process works, how foreign exchange rates were determined, and how other business cycles developed also bear the unmistakable stamp of their reasoning and their data. Even when we disagree with their conclusions, as I often do, we still use Friedman and Schwartz's work as the starting point for our own. The first part of this essay will attempt to survey this massive intellectual edifice as a whole and reflect on its place in the intellectual landscape of economic history. Other reviewers have discussed the impact of Friedman and Schwartz's work on current topics, and I will neglect that aspect of their work here.3 The second and third parts will take a closer look at two of the pillars on which this impressive building stands: the demand for money and the relationship of money to interest rates. Here, too, I will focus on the historical aspects of the questions, concentrating on the long run in Section II and on the inter-war period in Section III.
Passively Released Heme from Hemoglobin and Myoglobin Is a Potential Source of Nutrient Iron for Bordetella bronchiseptica

Colonization by Bordetella bronchiseptica results in a variety of inflammatory respiratory infections, including canine kennel cough, porcine atrophic rhinitis, and a whooping cough-like disease in humans. For successful colonization, B. bronchiseptica must acquire iron (Fe) from the infected host. A vast amount of Fe within the host is sequestered within heme, a metalloporphyrin which is coordinately bound in hemoglobin and myoglobin. Utilization of hemoglobin and myoglobin as sources of nutrient Fe by B. bronchiseptica requires expression of BhuR, an outer membrane protein. We hypothesize that hemin is acquired by B. bronchiseptica in a BhuR-dependent manner after spontaneous loss of the metalloporphyrin from hemoglobin and/or myoglobin. Sequestration experiments demonstrated that direct contact with hemoglobin or myoglobin was not required to support growth of B. bronchiseptica in an Fe-limiting environment. Mutant myoglobins, each exhibiting a different affinity for heme, were employed to demonstrate that the rate of growth of B. bronchiseptica was directly correlated with the rate at which heme was lost from the hemoprotein. Finally, Escherichia coli cells expressing recombinant BhuR had the capacity to remove hemin from solution. Collectively, these experiments provided strong experimental support for the model that BhuR is a hemin receptor and B. bronchiseptica likely acquires heme during infection after passive loss of the metalloporphyrin from hemoglobin and/or myoglobin. These results also suggest that spontaneous hemin loss by hemoglobin and myoglobin may be a common mechanism by which many pathogenic bacteria acquire heme and heme-bound Fe.
INFLUENCE OF FK 506 (TACROLIMUS) ON CIRCULATING CD4 + T CELLS EXPRESSING CD25 AND CD45RA ANTIGENS IN 19 PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PROGRESSIVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PARTICIPATING IN AN OPEN LABEL DRUG SAFETY TRIAL

We have taken the opportunity of a clinical trial of the potential efficacy and safety of FK 506 (tacrolimus) in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) to examine the influence of this potent new immunosuppressant on circulating T-lymphocytes in an otherwise healthy non-transplant population. Peripheral blood levels of subsets of CD4+ T lymphocytes expressing the activation molecule interleukin-2 receptor (p55 α chain; CD25) or the CD45RA isoform were determined sequentially in 19 patients that were treated continuously with oral FK 506 (starting dose 0.15 mg/kg/day) for 12 months. No significant change in the proportion of circulating CD25 + CD4+ cells was observed over the study period in which the mean trough plasma FK 506 level rose from 0.3 ±0.2 to 0.5 ±0.4 ng/ml. There was also no significant effect of FK 506 on the percentage of CD45RA + CD4 + cells in the peripheral blood at 12 months compared with pretreatment values. Analysis of a subgroup of 7 patients, who showed a sustained reduction in ...
"If You Did Not Grow Up Here, You Cannot Appreciate Living Here": Neoliberalism, Space-time, and Affect in Post-Katrina Recovery Planning

In post-Katrina New Orleans, local government officials have represented neighborhood recovery planning as a mechanism of shared governance, where all residents can participate as collective authors of the city's reconstruction directive. In these representations, expert planners were described as professional facilitators who served the primary role of documenting and giving a common format to resident ideas about urban recovery. Contrary to these official representations, this article shows how neighborhood recovery planning for the city's centrally located 4th planning district was characterized by significant tensions between professional planners' visions of urban development and resident notions of neighborhood and community. The article makes the case that the anthropological literature on the social production of space, time, and affect provides us with a resourceful vantage point for understanding what is at stake in the different ways New Orleanians and professional planners envisioned urban rec...
Chronically increased ciliary neurotrophic factor and fibroblast growth factor-2 expression after spinal contusion in rats.

Demyelination and oligodendrocyte loss following spinal cord injury (SCI) are well documented. Recently, we showed oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) accumulation and robust oligodendrocyte genesis occurring along SCI lesion borders. We have since begun investigating potential mechanisms for this endogenous repair response. Here, we examined ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) expression, because both factors alter progenitor proliferation and differentiation and are increased in several CNS disorders. We hypothesized that CNTF and FGF-2 would increase after SCI, especially in regions of enhanced oligogenesis. First, CNTF protein was quantified using Western blots, which revealed that CNTF protein continually rose through 28 days post injury (dpi). Next, by using immunohistochemistry, we examined the spatiotemporal expression of CNTF in cross-sections spanning the injury site. CNTF immunoreactivity was observed on astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in naive and contused spinal cords. Significantly increased CNTF was detected in spared white and gray matter between 5 and 28 dpi compared with uninjured controls. By 28 dpi, CNTF expression was significantly higher along lesion borders compared with outlying spared tissue; a similar distribution of phosphorylated STAT3, a transcription factor up-regulated by CNTF and to a lesser extent FGF-2, was also detected. Because CNTF can potentiate FGF-2 expression, we examined the distribution of FGF-2+ cells. Significantly more FGF-2+ cells were noted along lesion borders at 7 and 28 dpi. Thus, both CNTF and FGF-2 are present in regions of elevated OPC proliferation and oligodendrocyte generation after SCI and therefore may play a role in injury-induced gliogenesis. J. Comp. Neurol. 510:129–144, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Analysis of morphological features and vascular layers of choroid in diabetic retinopathy using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

Importance Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is characterized by microaneurysms, capillary nonperfusion, and ischemia within the retina, ultimately leading to neovascularization and/or macular edema. Evidence suggests that choroidal angiopathy may coexist with retinal vascular damage. Recent advances in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) permit an efficient visualization of the choroid. Objective To analyze the morphological features and vascular layers of the choroid in patients with DR using SD-OCT. Design A cross-sectional retrospective review identified patients with DR and healthy (control) subjects who underwent 1-line raster scanning from February 1, 2010, through June 30, 2012. Patients were classified into the following 3 groups: nonproliferative DR without macular edema (9 eyes), proliferative DR without macular edema (PDR) (10 eyes), and diabetic macular edema (DME) (14 eyes). Two independent raters experienced in analyzing OCT images evaluated the morphological features and vasculature of the choroid. Setting New England Eye Center. Participants Thirty-three eyes of 33 patients with DR and 24 eyes of 24 controls. Exposure Diabetic retinopathy. Main Outcome and Measure Choroidal morphological features and vasculature analysis. Results The choroidoscleral interface had an irregular contour in 8 of 9 eyes with nonproliferative DR (89%), 9 of 10 eyes with PDR (90%), and 13 of 14 eyes with DME (93%) compared with 0 of 24 controls. The thickest point of the choroid was displaced from under the fovea, and focal choroidal thinning was observed in eyes with DR. Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness and mean subfoveal medium choroidal vessel layer and choriocapillaris layer thickness were significantly reduced in eyes with PDR ( P P Conclusions and Relevance Choroidal morphological features are altered in patients with moderate to severe DR. The subfoveal choroidal thickness and the subfoveal medium choroidal vessel layer and choriocapillaris layer thicknesses are significantly reduced in patients with PDR and DME. To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the morphological features and vasculature of the choroid in DR using SD-OCT. These findings may be clinically useful in predicting the progression of DR.
Minimizing Tip-Sample Contact Force in Automated Atomic Force Microscope Based Force Spectroscopy

In atomic force microscope based force spectroscopy, it is often necessary to minimize the tip-sample contact force. While it is possible to control the contact force using force feedback, this method is susceptible to sensor drift and is often under-utilized due to the noise associated with the feedback process. Here we present a method to control the tip-sample contact force for repeated pulling cycles without relying on force feedback or tedious user-controlled z-stage step increments. The custom pulling program uses the data recorded during the previous retraction cycle to automatically reposition the sample surface to account for changes in topography and system drift. Using this method we were able to complete 250 automated pulling cycles, 76% of which had evidence of tip-sample contact. Of those pulling cycles with tip-sample contact, the average contact force was 83 pN, with the maximum contact force not exceeding 292 pN.© 2009 ASME
Antibiotic knowledge and self-care for acute respiratory tract infections in Mexico

Objective. To examine knowledge of and self-treatment with antibiotics among medically-insured adults in Mexico. Materials and methods. We conducted a cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey among 101 adult patients seeking care for acute respiratory tract infections in a family medicine clinic in Mexico. Knowledge scores were calculated as a composite of correct, incorrect and don’t know responses. Factors associated with antibiotic knowledge and antibiotic self-treatment were explored with bivariate analyses. Results. 47% of participants were taking antibiotics prior to the visit, 20% were self-treating. Antibiotic knowledge was highly variable. Many participants believed common nonantibiotic treatments for colds and coughs were antibiotics, such as ambroxol (45%), Desenfriol (45%) and paracetamol (44%). Older participants (>40 years) had better knowledge scores. Discussion. Self-treatment with and misperceptions about antibiotics are common among medically insured adults seeking medical attention in Mexico.