cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coherent (VQ) Detector Error Analysis Software

Software for analysis and alignment of I/Q Detectors is described using the results developed by Kyle in " Precision Alignment of I/Q Detectors Using Fourier Transforms". The relationship of the continuous and discrete Fourier transforms is described. The measurement technique uses two locked synthesizers to provide sinusoidal responses at the outputs, I and Q, of the detector. Measurement data acquisition uses sampling techniques to obtain time sequences of the detector I and Q outputs. The sampling process is performed by a Tektronix 390AD giving 2048 values (10 bits each) for each input. The 390AD data is processed to give floating point time samples of the I and Q response. Availability of the time response sequences permits use of digital signal processing techniques for detector characteristics analysis. Discrete Fourier Transforms are introduced and compared with the continuous tranforms. The FFT of the time sequences i (t), q (t) are performed resulting in frequency domain (spectrum) sequences I (n) and Q (n). The spectral coefficients are identified for the input signal and analyzed to determine ka, the detector amplitude balance, and ?, the detector phase error. The power spectrum is developed and Image Rejection is evaluated. The power spectrum is plotted with the amplitude balance, phase error, and image rejection shown. Finally window functions are shown to provide equivalent results for the non-ideal i (t) and q (t) sequences. The technique is shown to provide fast-accurate results of the determination of I/Q detector characteristics.
Total bone calcium in normal women: Effect of age and menopause status

Bone density in different regions of the skeleton was measured in 392 normal women aged 20-80 years by dual photon absorpiometry. In premenopausal women, aged 25-50 years, multiple regression analysis of regional bone density on age, height, and weight showed a small significant decrease in total bone density (less than 0.01) but no significant change in other regions of the skeleton. In postmenopausal women there were highly significant decreases in all regions of the skeleton (p less than 0.001), and bone density in these areas decreased as a logarithmic function of years since menopause. Based on multiple regression analyses, the decrease in spine density and total bone calcium was 2.5-3.0 times greater in the 25 years after menopause than the 25 years before menopause. The largest change, however, occurred in the first five years after menopause. During this time the estimated annual change in spine density and total bone calcium was about 10 times greater than that in the premenopausal period. These results demonstrate the important effect of the menopause in determining bone mass in later life.
An 11-item index predicted 5-year and 9-year mortality in community-dwelling elderly adults

Source Citation Schonberg MA, Davis RB, McCarthy EP, Marcantonio ER. External validation of an index to predict up to 9-year mortality of community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older. J Am Geriatr S...
Polyaniline/poly(methyl methacrylate) coaxial fibers: The fabrication and effects of the solution properties on the morphology of electrospun core fibers

Electrically conductive polyaniline (PANi)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) coaxial fibers were prepared through the chemical deposition of PANi onto preformed PMMA fibers via in situ polymerization. PMMA fibers were prepared as core materials via electrospinning. Spectral studies and scanning electron microscopy observations indicated the formation of PANi/PMMA coaxial fibers with a diameter of approximately 290 nm and a PANi layer thickness of approximately 30 nm. The conductivity of the PANi/PMMA coaxial fibers was significantly higher than that of electrospun fibers of PANi/poly(ethylene oxide) blends and blend cast films of the same PANi composition. To reproducibly generate uniform-core polymer fibers, the organic solution properties that affected the morphology and diameter of the electrospun fibers were investigated. The polymer molecular weight, solution concentration, solvent dielectric constant, and addition of soluble organic salts were strongly correlated to the morphology of the electrospun fiber mat. In particular, the dielectric constants of the solvents substantially influenced both the fiber diameter and bead formation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3934–3942, 2004
The Asymptotic Diffusion Limit of Discretized Transport Problems

A well-known asymptotic analysis describes the transition of transport theory to diffusion theory in the limit of optically thick systems with small absorption and sources. Recently, this analysis ...
Dual role of orphan nuclear receptor pregnane X receptor in bilirubin detoxification in mice

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) and the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) are implicated in xenobiotic and endobiotic detoxification, including the clearance of toxic bilirubin. Previous studies have suggested both overlapping and preferential regulation of target genes by these receptors, but the mechanism of cross-talk remains elusive. Here we reveal a dual role of PXR in bilirubin detoxification in that both the loss and activation of PXR led to protection from hyperbilirubinemia induced by bilirubin infusion or hemolysis. The increased bilirubin clearance in PXR-null mice was associated with selective upregulation of detoxifying enzymes and transporters, and the pattern of regulation is remarkably similar to that of transgenic mice expressing the activated CAR. Interestingly, the increased bilirubin clearance and associated gene regulation were absent in the CAR-null or double-knockout mice. In cell cultures, ligand-free PXR specifically suppressed the ability of CAR to induce the multidrug resistance associated protein 2 (MRP2), a bilirubin-detoxifying transporter. This suppression was, at least in part, the result of the disruption of ligand-independent recruitment of coactivator by CAR. In conclusion, PXR plays both positive and negative roles in regulating bilirubin homeostasis, and this provides a novel mechanism that may govern receptor cross-talk and the hierarchy of xenobiotic and endobiotic regulation. PXR is a potential therapeutic target for clinical treatment of jaundice. (HEPATOLOGY 2005;41:497-505.).
The Effect of Complete Ischemia on the Intracellular Electrical Activity of the Whole Mammalian Heart

Spontaneous ventricular electrical potentials of whole mammalian hearts subjected to complete ischemia were investigated by means of the intracellular microelectrode. Spontaneous membrane action potentials persist for 20 min, following the onset of anoxia. Early, the duration of the action potential shortens, followed by a progressive fall in the amplitude of the spike. The resting potential shows a diminution to 65 per cent of the control value. The relationship of these effects to change in membrane ionic transports and metabolic processes are discussed.
The distracting effect of material reward: An alternative explanation for the superior performance of reward groups in probability learning

Abstract To determine whether the distraction effect associated with material rewards in discrimination learning can account for the superior performance of reward groups in probability learning, the performance of 144 school children (preschool, second, and fifth grades) on a two-choice successive discrimination task was compared under three reinforcement conditions (material reward, marker, and knowledge of results). The two events in the task had different frequencies of occurrence, as in probability learning, yet they appeared in a constant order to make 100% payoff possible. The subjects in the reward and marker groups learned the task more slowly, and the nonlearners among them used stereotyped alternation patterns to a greater degree than subjects in the knowledge-of-results condition. These findings suggest that a distracting effect of material reward is present in probability learning and may explain the superior performance of reward groups typically found in probability learning studies.
Assessment of Second Harmonic Properties of Tumor Collagen: Determining the Structural Relationship between Reactive Stroma and Healthy Stroma

We utilize the polarization and directionality of second harmonic generation to determine structural relationships between fibrillar collagen in mouse mammary tumor models and the healthy mammary fat pad.
Food deprivation, estrogen levels and self-stimulation in the female rat.

The effects of two concurrently changing drive variables, food deprivation and estrogen level, on the self-stimulation rate in the hypothalamus, septum, caudate nucleus, or dorsal hippocampus of 15 female albino rats were studied. When the effects of hunger were calculated using only scores on days of diestrus and the effects of estrogen were calculated using only scores on days of 0-hr. food deprivation, the correlation of these hunger and estrogen effects amounted to 0.67. When the hunger effects were calculated using only scores on days of estrus and these hunger effects correlated with the previously calculated estrogen effects, the correlation amounted to −0.49. These results are consistent with the concept of diffuse overlapping motivational systems in the brain. Controls indicated that the changes in self-stimulation rate were not artifacts of changes in nonspecific activity.
Preparation of End-Tethered DNA Monolayers on Siliceous Surfaces Using Heterobifunctional Cross-Linkers

Modification of solid supports with biomolecules (nucleic acids, peptides) finds application in sensing, chromatography, medical diagnostics, and related areas where specific recognition between immobilized and free species provides diagnostic information or serves as part of a purification or separations process. The chemistry employed for immobilization of biomolecules to the solid support is of crucial importance as it impacts the activity and permanence of the surface-tethered layer. This report considers preparation of maleimide-activated siliceous surfaces, which are often employed for surface conjugation of thiolated biomolecules. Emphasis is placed on validation of each chemical step involved. Use of high surface area fumed silica as the solid support enabled application of standard analytical techniques of infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and titration assays to the modified surfaces. Silica derivatized with (aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) in a first step was then activated with he...
Acral lentiginous melanoma A clinicopathologic study of 36 patients

Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) is a distinct variant of malignant melanoma with a predilection for the soles, palms, and nail beds. This melanoma has characteristic histologic features, and its biologic behavior is similar to that of nodular melanoma. It occurs predominantly in the sixth, seventh, and eighth decades of life, with a peak incidence in the seventh decade for males and in the sixth decade for females. Diagnosis of ALM during the radial growth phase is often difficult, and it may not be recognized initially, but treatment in this phase offers an excellent prognosis. There is a high incidence of regressive changes and desmoplasia in ALM; these changes, together with the anatomic peculiarities of nail beds, palms, and soles as compared with other skin areas, make it difficult to determine the Clark's level and to measure the depth of invasion. Wide local excision with lymph node dissection is recommended for subungual melanomas measuring more than 1.00 mm and for lesions showing severe regression. Volar melanomas less than 1.00 mm deep and those in the radial growth phase with minimal invasion require only wide local excision. Amputation of digits and lymph node dissection are recommended for subungual melanomas, if the melanomas exhibit the vertical growth phase. If there is only radial growth without regressive changes, wide local excision is adequate. Patients with metastasis to lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis usually have shorter survival times than do those without lymph node involvement (P = 0.027).
Prospective and retrospective effects in human motor control: Planning grasps for object rotation and translation.

People pick up objects in ways that reflect prospective as well as retrospective control. Prospective control is indicated by planning for end-state comfort such that people grasp a cylinder to be rotated or translated with a hand orientation or at a height that affords a comfortable final posture. Retrospective control is indicated when people reuse a remembered grasp rather than using a new grasp that would ensure end-state comfort. Here, we asked whether these manifestations of prospective and retrospective control co-occur. We did so by having healthy young-adult participants grasp a cylinder to rotate and translate it between a horizontal position and a vertical position at each of five heights. We found that participants planned for comfortable final hand orientations for first moves but relied on recall for subsequent hand orientations. The results suggest that motor planning is sensitive to computational as well as physical demands and that object rotation and translation are not dissociable features of motor control, at least as reflected in their contributions to grasp selection. The latter result is consistent with the hypothesis that movements constitute holistic body changes between successive goal postures.
Towards parallel execution of IEC 61131 industrial cyber-physical systems applications

In industrial cyber-physical systems (CPS)1, the ability of a system to react quicker to its inputs by just a few milliseconds can be translated to billions of dollars in additional profit over just a few years of uninterrupted operation. Therefore, it is important to reduce the cycle time of industrial CPS applications not only for the economical benefits but also for waste minimization, energy reduction, and safer working environments. In this paper, we present a novel method to reduce the execution time of CPS applications through a holistic software/hardware method that enables automatic parallelization of standardized industrial automation languages and their execution in multi-core processors. Through a realistic CPS, we demonstrate that parallel execution reduces the cycle time of the application and increases the life-cycle through better utilization of the mechanical, electrical, and computing resources.
Atomic-resolution dynamics on the surface of amyloid-β protofibrils probed by solution NMR

When proteins associate with larger structures such as polymers, membranes or solid supports, they usually become 'invisible' to the techniques used to visualize them as free molecules in solution. Marius Clore and colleagues have now developed a new technique of solution nuclear magnetic resonance that can probe such exchange phenomena at atomic resolution. Termed dark-state exchange saturation transfer (DEST), the procedure is demonstrated here by following the aggregation of the amyloid-β monomers implicated in Alzheimer's disease. It should also be adaptable to many of the supramolecular systems encountered in biological systems and materials science. Exchange dynamics between molecules free in solution and bound to the surface of a large supramolecular structure, a polymer, a membrane or solid support are important in many phenomena in biology and materials science. Here we present a novel and generally applicable solution NMR technique, known as dark-state exchange saturation transfer (DEST), to probe such exchange phenomena with atomic resolution. This is illustrated by the exchange reaction between amyloid-β (Aβ) monomers and polydisperse, NMR-invisible (‘dark’) protofibrils, a process of significant interest because the accumulation of toxic, aggregated forms of Aβ, from small oligomers to very large assemblies, has been implicated in the aetiology of Alzheimer’s disease1,2,3,4,5,6. The 15N-DEST experiment imprints with single-residue-resolution dynamic information on the protofibril-bound species in the form of 15N transverse relaxation rates (15N-R2) and exchange kinetics between monomers and protofibrils onto the easily observed two-dimensional 1H–15N correlation spectrum of the monomer. The exchanging species on the protofibril surface comprise an ensemble of sparsely populated states where each residue is either tethered to (through other residues) or in direct contact with the surface. The first eight residues exist predominantly in a mobile tethered state, whereas the largely hydrophobic central region and part of the carboxy (C)-terminal hydrophobic region are in direct contact with the protofibril surface for a significant proportion of the time. The C-terminal residues of both Aβ40 and Aβ42 display lower affinity for the protofibril surface, indicating that they are likely to be surface exposed rather than buried as in structures of Aβ fibrils7,8,9,10, and might therefore comprise the critical nucleus for fibril formation11,12. The values, however, are significantly larger for the C-terminal residues of Aβ42 than Aβ40, which might explain the former’s higher propensity for rapid aggregation and fibril formation13,14.
Current perspective on fast reactor containment

Abstract The concept of “containment” is to provide a series of physical barriers between the radioactive products of the fission process and the public. All nuclear reactors have several such barriers and LMFBRs have more than most. These barriers are, successively: 1. fuel, which retains fission products; 2. fuel cladding, which encloses the fuel; 3. sodium coolant, which absorbs fission products released through fuel caldding; 4. primary coolant boundary, which has energy absorption and leakage control capabilities; 5. containment building, hereafter referred to as containment, which provides the final engineered barrier for control of radioactive releases; 6. exclusion distance, which provides space for natural attenuation of radioactive releases before reaching the public. These barriers, along with the design approaches and features which protect their integrity under normal and accident conditions, assure that the public is adequately protected from the potential hazards of radioactivity residing in the core. It is only in the case of hypothesized core disruptive accidents (HCDAs) that these successive barriers can be sufficiently threatened as to pose a significant threat to the public. These HCDAs involve an extremely low probability sequence of successive failures resulting in core cooling imbalances which lead to fuel overheating. Under such conditions, the fuel and cladding barriers can be lost and energy sources can be generated which threaten the primary coolant boundary and containment. This paper addresses current perspectives on containment of HCDAs with emphasis on the approach and programs in the US.
Coagulation of soot to smoke in hydrocarbon flames

Abstract The soot cloud in a luminous diffusion flame contains carbon monoxide and other unburnt gases, and both soot and gases oxidize when additional oxygen diffuses into the flame. According to the literature, the relative oxidation rates satisfy d log ⁡ [ s o o t ] d log ⁡ [ C O ] ⋝ 0 ⋅ 5 × 10 − 6 D where D is the diameter of the soot particles in centimetres. Particles with D ⋍ 1 × 10−6cm (a size often observed in flames) should burn up with the gases. In order to survive the oxidation of the gases and give smoky flames, the particles must have considerably larger diameters. Plots of log [soot] versus log [CO], as both oxidized, were made for flames containing various mole fractions of soot. Mole fraction was defined as atoms of carbon precipitated as soot per gas molecule in the soot cloud. At sufficiently large mole fractions, the oxidation rate of soot decreased relative to the oxidation rate of CO until, eventually, soot survived to give smoky flames. This was taken as evidence for coagulation to larger particles the greater the mole fraction. Increasing the pressure increased the mole fraction of soot precipitated, and also increased the coagulation of a given mole fraction. A simple calculation suggests: (1) When the log/log plots just failed to give evidence for coagulation, soot particles did not exceed 2·2 × 10−6cm diameter. (2) When the flames first became smoky, the particles could have grown as large as 6 × 10−6cm diameter.
Origins of residual stress in Mo and Ta films: The role of impurities, microstructural evolution, and phase transformations

Both the sign and magnitude of residual stress can vary with the thickness of sputter deposited films. The origins of this behavior are not well understood. In this work, we consider the correlation between the residual stress behavior and the depth dependence of impurities in thin (2.5 nm - 150 nm) sputtered Mo and Ta films. We also consider the effects of phase transformations and microstructural changes on the stress behavior. Films were deposited onto Si substrates with native oxide. The residual stress observed in the Mo films varied from highly compressive at 2.5 nm film thickness to - 0 - 10 nm thickness. Ta films also exhibited a high compressive stress, which relaxed from highly compressive to tensile between 10 nm and 50 nm film thickness. Impurities in the films may originate from the sputtering targets, the background gases, and the substrate surfaces. Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) results showed the presence of O and C contamination near the film/Si interface; these impurities contributed to the compressive stresses in the thinner films. As anticipated, both Mo and Ta films exhibited grain growth as a function of film thickness, which may have contributed to the relaxation in the compressive stress. The Mo films were entirely bcc. The Ta films showed a transformation from the amorphous phase to the β crystalline phase between 2.5 nm and 20 nm film thickness, which contributed to the relaxation in stress observed in that thickness regime.
I can do it, you can do it: a community development approach to health promotion for individuals with disabilities

The I Can Do It, You Can Do It Program (ICDI) national model, sponsored by the Division of Nutrition Research Coordination (DNRC), of the National Institutes of Health, implements a health promotion mentoring model for individuals with disabilities by leveraging the structural and human resources of community partners. The evidence-based model incorporates: (1) accessibility; (2) individual choice; (3) affordability; (4) public and nonprofit collaboration; (5) mentor support; and (6) evaluation. The university evaluated a pilot with 163 mentor-mentee pairs, to measure physical activity and healthy eating outcomes. In addition to reporting satisfaction, mentees increased physical activity levels, and decreased BMI. Mentees also increased fruit and salad intake. Mentors knowledge improved, but they also gained better communication, strategies for self-efficacy, and more comfort with supporting individuals with a disability. Through an expansion of ICDI in nine sites throughout the United States, larger-scal...
Code blue: Seizures

Abstract Eyewitnesses frequently perceive seizures as life threatening. If an event occurs on the hospital premises, a “code blue” can be called which consumes considerable resources. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and characteristics of code blue calls for seizures and seizure mimickers. A retrospective review of a code blue log from 2001 through 2008 identified 50 seizure-like events, representing 5.3% of all codes. Twenty-eight (54%) occurred in inpatients; the other 22 (44%) events involved visitors or employees on the hospital premises. Eighty-six percent of the events were epileptic seizures. Seizure mimickers, particularly psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, were more common in the nonhospitalized group. Only five (17.9%) inpatients had a known diagnosis of epilepsy, compared with 17 (77.3%) of the nonhospitalized patients. This retrospective survey provides insights into how code blues are called on hospitalized versus nonhospitalized patients for seizure-like events.
Urinary reconstruction after kidney transplantation: Pyeloureterostomy or ureteroneocystostomy

Purpose: Ureteroneocystostomy (UCN) is the most widely used urinary reconstruction technique during kidney transplantation. Disadvantages of this technique include a high incidence of hematuria and reflux, plus the potential for obstruction resulting from distal ureteral fibrosis. Pyeloureterostomy (PU) avoids these complications but increases the technical complexity. Methods: Between January 1990 and December 2005, 1066 adults patients underwent kidney transplantations; 768 patients (72.1%) had urinary reconstruction by PU and 298 (27.9%) underwent UNC. Results: Patients in the PU group underwent simultaneous ipsilateral native nephrectomy. The operative time was longer in the PU group compared with the UNC group: 210 � 36 min versus 182 � 24 min (P < 0.001). Overall surgical complications in the PU group were comparable to those in the UNC group (9.5% versus 12.3%). The urinary complication rate was also comparable in both groups: 3.2% (25 of 768) in the PU group and 5% (15 of 298) in the UNC group. However, urinary obstruction comprised 60% of urinary complications in the UNC group, compared with 32% in the PU group (P < 0.01). We treated most urinary complications non-operatively. However, 24% of patients (six of 25) in the PU group needed operative intervention or revision for ureteral reconstruction, compared with 46.6% (seven of 15) in the UNC group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Pyeloureterostomy is a safe and effective method for urinary tract reconstruction in renal transplantation. Pyeloureterostomy should be part of every transplant surgeon’s armamentarium.
Genes that can be mutated to unmask hidden antigenic determinants in the cuticle of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Abstract Rabbit antisera directed against a mixture of proteins solubilized from the wild-type adult Caenorhabditis elegans cuticle were used to isolate mutants, induced by ethyl methanesulfonate treatment, that exhibit alterations in surface antigenicity by immunofluorescence. Genetic mapping and complementation data for four such mutations define two genes, srf-2(I) and srf-3(IV). The mutant phenotypes observed by immunofluorescence appear to result from unmasking of antigenic determinants that are normally hidden in the wild-type cuticle. In support of this hypothesis, surface radioiodination experiments indicate that components labeled on the wild-type surface are missing or less readily labeled on the surface of srf-2 and srf-3 mutants.
A precise determination of the H-H and H-F couplings in fluorobenzene

The proton and fluorine magnetic resonance spectra of fluorobenzene at several concentrations in TMS have been obtained and the compound analysed as an ABB′CC′X system. This report constitutes the first complete compilation of precise values for all of the H-H couplings and the H-F couplings in fluorobenzene. The effect of concentration on the chemical shifts and coupling constants is discussed. Also the fluorobenzene parameters are included in correlations previously made with the other monohalobenzenes.
THE ROLE OF THE ACQUISITIONS LIBRARIAN IN ELECTRONIC RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

With the ongoing shift to electronic formats for library resources, acquisitions librarians, like the rest of the profession, must adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of electronic resources by keeping up with trends and mastering new skills related to digital publishing, technology, and licensing. The author sought to know what roles librarians with primary responsibility for acquisitions have related to electronic resources and what models of staffing and workflow are used. The author developed a survey to answer questions related to the role of acquisitions librarians in electronic resources acquisitions and management. The survey addresses staffing for electronic resources management, the responsibilities of acquisitions librarians, and how their jobs have changed.
Periodic optimal control for competing parabolic Volterra-Lotka-type systems

In this paper, we study the optimal harvesting control problem governed by a time-periodic competing parabolic Volterra-Lotka system. We show the existence of an optimal control, and we also find some conditions which enable the characterization of the optimal control in terms of a large parabolic optimality system. We further construct monotone sequences closing in to all appropriate solutions of the periodic optimality system.
Comparison of Standard Radiological Risk Models and Using RESRAD to Derive Generic Risk‐Based Area Factors for Final Status Surveys

The RESidual RADioactivity (RESRAD) computer code has been used for years to calculate carcinogenic risk and radiological dose from exposure to radionuclides. The basic ingestion, inhalation, and direct gamma intake equations used by RESRAD, Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS), and the Soil Screening Guidance for Radionuclides (SSG) are similar and can produce similar results, but there are some notable differences. Of particular interest is the fact that RESRAD incorporates sophisticated environmental transport models. Associated environmental parameters allow risk assessors to consider, among other variables, the size (i.e., surface area) of the contaminated zone, a variable not typically addressed quantitatively under the RAGS/SSG paradigm. Considering the similarities between basic RESRAD, RAGS, and SSG intake equations and given the broad acceptance of RESRAD, it stands to reason that RESRAD-derived area factors may be used to supplement RAGS/SSG human health risk calculations. This would allow risk assessors to retrofit existing results or otherwise modify standard RAGS/SSG equations for use in site closeout planning under the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM), given a key component of the MARSSIM method is the consideration of small areas of elevated activity or "hot spots" through the use of area factors.
The flow cytometric analysis of cytokines using multi-analyte fluorescence microarray technology.

Abstract Cytokines, which are small peptides that act as hormones of the immune system, affect cells throughout the body in a variety of different ways. These cellular signaling molecules often have synergistic or opposing effects on various cell types and often different cytokines have overlapping activities. There is great advantage, therefore, to be able to assess a pattern of cytokine responses in certain inflammatory, autoimmune, transplant or immunodeficiency states. This is one of the major advantages of the new particle-based flow cytometric assays, which have become available. We have employed such assays to analyze up to 10 different cytokines in cultured supernatants of stimulated mononuclear cells and in as little as 75 μL of serum from patients with a variety of different disorders. In developing these assays and validating them for use in our esoteric reference laboratory (ARUP Laboratories), we have found that a variety of heterophile antibodies can lead to both false positive and false negative results. This review will describe the development of our multi-analyte cytokine assays and document the interference derived from heterophile antibodies. Lastly, we will point out various procedures that we have utilized to include internal controls directly in the assays, which allow one to routinely detect these interfering antibodies, as well as methods we have developed to circumvent the interference posed by these antibodies.
A general method for the solution of inverse heat conduction problems with partially unknown system geometries

Abstract An auxiliary problem is introduced in the solution of inverse heat conduction problems with geometries not fully specified. Resolving the position of the unknown boundary subject to a Dirichlet condition leads to the solution of a nonlinear algebraic equation. Imposing Neumann or Robin conditions at the unknown boundary requires the solution of a first-order nonlinear, ordinary differential equation. The method yields accurate results for exact data, while measurement errors render the Neumann problem insoluble. The Dirichlet and Robin problems are still solvable, and for these problems, the errors in the investigated boundaries increase with their depth, a nature of the problem being investigated.
Finite range integral equations with band-limited displacement kernels†

The inversion of various kinds of finite-range Fredholm integral equations with band-limited displacement kernels is effected in terms of prolate spheroidal wave-functions.
Should we build "obese" or "lean" anaerobic digesters?

Conventional anaerobic digesters (ADs) treating dairy manure are fed with raw or fermented manure rich in volatile fatty acids (VFAs). In contrast, pre-fermented AD (PF-AD) is fed with the more recalcitrant, fiber-rich fraction of manure that has been pre-fermented and depleted of VFAs. Thus, the substrate of PF-AD may be likened to a lean diet rich in fibers while the pre-fermentation stage fermenter is fed a relatively rich diet containing labile organic substances. Previous results have shown that conventional and pre-fermented ADs fed with raw or pre-fermented manure, respectively, produced comparable methane yields. The primary objective of this study was to characterize, using next-generation DNA sequencing, the bacterial communities in various bioreactors (pre-fermentation stage fermenter; various operational arrangements PF-AD; conventional single-stage AD; and a full scale AD) and compare the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratios in these different systems. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes constituted the two most abundant phyla in all AD samples analyzed, as well as most of the samples analyzed in the fermenters and manure samples. Higher relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, ranging from 26% to 51% of bacteria, tended to be associated with PF-AD samples, while the highest relative abundance of Firmicutes occurred in the fermenter (maximum of 76% of bacteria) and manure (maximum of 66% of bacteria) samples. On average, primary stage fermenters exhibited microbiological traits linked to obesity: higher F/B ratios and a ‘diet’ that is less fibrous and more labile compared to that fed to PF-AD. On the other hand, microbial characteristics associated with leanness (lower F/B ratios combined with fibrous substrate) were associated with PF-AD. We propose that bacterial communities in AD shift depending on the quality of substrate, which ultimately results in maintaining VFA yields in PF-AD, similar to the role of bacterial communities and a high fiber diet in lean mice.
Monitoring Interfaces for Faults

We consider the problem of a module interacting with an external interface (environment) where the interaction is expected to satisfy some system specification @F. While we have the full implementation details of the module, we are only given a partial external specification for the interface. The interface specification being partial (incomplete) means that the interface displays only a strict subset of the behaviors allowed by the interface specification. Based on the assumption that interface specifications are typically incomplete, we address the question of whether we can tighten the interface specification into a strategy, consistent with the given partial specification, that will guarantee that all possible interactions resulting from possible behaviors of the module will satisfy the system specification @F. We refer to such a tighter specification as @F-guaranteeing specification. Rather than verifying whether the interface, which is often an off-the-shelf component, satisfies the tighter specification, the paper proposes a construction of a run-time monitor which continuously checks the existence of a @F-guaranteeing interface. We view the module and the external interface as players in a 2-player game. The interface has a winning strategy if it can guarantee that no matter what the module does, the overall specification @F is met. The problem of incomplete specifications is resolved by allowing the interface to follow any strategy consistent with the interface specification. Our approach essentially combines traditional run-time monitoring and static analysis. This allows going beyond the focus of traditional run-time monitoring tools - error detection in the execution trace, towards the focus of the static analysis - bug detection in the programs.
Communicating in a socially-aware network: Impact of relationship types

Communication networks are linked to and influenced by human interactions. Socially-aware systems should integrate these complex relationship patterns in the network design. This paper studies the impact of friendship and antagonistic relationships between individuals on optimal network propagation policies. We develop a network propagation model for signed networks, and determine the optimal policies to influence a target node with an opinion while minimizing the total number of persons against it. We also provide extensions to this problem to elaborate on the impact of network parameters, such as minimum-delay propagation, while limiting the number of persons influenced against the idea before reaching the target. We provide numerical evaluations in a synthetic setup as well as the Epinions online social dataset. We demonstrate that propagation schemes with social and influence-centric constraints should take into account the relationship types in network design.
Building Use and Safety: An Overview with Emphasis on Current Research Applications to Codes and Standards

This is, in part, a preview of the program for the International Conference on Building Use and Safety Technology to be held November 7-9, 1984 in Washington, D.C. Background information is also provided on current developments in the major U.S. model codes and safety standards organizations where there are discussions on applications of research, with a human factors orientation, especially in relation to circulation safety and egress concepts. Relative to what was the case only a few years ago such discussions are now fairly intensive. They are leading to revisions which can be regarded as revolutionary. New research agendas, opportunities and sponsoring arrangements are being considered in the same contexts. Language: en
Assessment of random-noise contamination in digital images via testing on wavelet coefficients

Full-reference image quality assessment methods seek to measure visual similarity between two images (in practice, one original and the other its altered version). It has been established that traditional methods, such as Mean Square Error and Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio poorly mimic the human visual system and much of the recent research in image quality assessment has been directed toward developing image similarity measures that are more consistent with assessments from human observers. Some extensively tested popular methods in this regard are Visual Image Fidelity (VIF), Structure Similarity Index (SSIM) and its variants Multi-scale Structure Similarity Index (MS-SSIM) and Information Content Weighted Multi-scale Structure Similarity Index (IW-SSIM). However, experiments show that these methods may produce drastically different similarity indices for different images contaminated with the same source of random noise. In this article, we propose a new full-reference image quality assessment method, namely, Wavelet-based Non-parametric Structure Similarity Index (WNPSSIM), specifically designed to detect visual similarity between images contaminated with all sorts of random noises. WNPSSIM is based on a rank test of the hypothesis of identical images conducted on the wavelet domain. Our experimental comparisons demonstrate that WNPSSIM provides similar ranking as MS-SSIM, IW-SSIM and VIF for images contaminated with different random noises in general though the methodology is very different. In addition, WNPSSIM corrects the aforementioned shortcoming of assigning sharply different similarity indices for different images contaminated with the same source of random noise. AMS 2000 subject classifications: Primary 68U10, 97K80, 62H35; secondary 62G10.
Effects of blocking GABA degradation on corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression in selected brain regions.

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. The actions of GABA on the GABAA receptor suppress the initiation and propagation of seizures (1). Therefore drugs activating GABAA receptors or elevating GABA levels in the synaptic cleft by blocking the breakdown of this neurotransmitter or its reuptake have anticonvulsant properties (2). For example, the GABA transaminase blocker, γ-vinyl-GABA (VGB; vigabatrin), has been efficacious for seizures in adults as well as in infants and children (3,4). VGB also has been particularly useful for seizures that are age specific to the developmental period, such as infantile spasms (5,6). Indeed, the response to VGB treatment, which results in a dose-dependent elevation of brain GABA (7), is often significantly superior to the response to agents that activate GABA receptors directly (5). Therefore it is unclear whether the mechanism by which VGB controls developmental seizures involves solely GABA elevation and the consequent augmented inhibition in neuronal circuits, or other mechanisms related to enhanced brain GABA levels such as age-specific inhibition of production or secretion of excitatory neurotransmitters or neuromodulators. A candidate proconvulsant mechanism in the developing brain is enhancement of glutamate-mediated excitation by the peptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). CRH has been shown essentially to “amplify” the excitatory input of glutamate to the hippocampal circuit, leading to epileptiform output (8). In addition, picomolar amounts of CRH have been shown to induce prolonged limbic seizures involving amygdala and hippocampus (9,10). These proconvulsant effects of CRH are largely age specific to the developmental period (11). In the developing and mature brain, CRH functions as a neuromodulator in limbic circuits involved in mediating the response to stress, as well as in learning and memory functions (12,14). The peptide is highly expressed in brain regions associated with developmental seizures, such as hippocampus and amygdala (15,16). In addition, in vitro and recent in vivo studies suggested that CRH synthesis and secretion may be influenced by neurotransmitters such as GABA (17,18). This study used an immature animal model to determine whether the anticonvulsant effects of VGB may be mediated also by reduced expression of the convulsant molecule CRH.
Real-time polarization measurement with FPGA processing

Existing polarization imaging cameras typically use a set of sequential measurements and involve some physical motion of optical elements or changes in a liquid crystal element. In this paper, we present a spatially parallel polarization measurement approach that is designed to give measurements in real time. The idea is to use a group of 2×2 detectors where each detector responds to a different polarization. The signals from the detectors are sent to a digital processing unit where polarization parameters of interest are calculated in real-time. A laboratory prototype is presented that uses a quad-cell photodiode detector array with different polarizing elements placed over each detector. The signals from the detector elements are sent through amplifiers to A/D converters and then into a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This high-performance processing unit calculates various parameters such as degree of polarization and partial polarization. As the processing unit is fast, real-time operation is possible. Arrays of 2×2 groups will ultimately be required for image sensing.
Evidence for the Identity of Natriferin, the Frog Water-Balance Principle and Arginine Vasotocin

Maetz, Morel, and Lahlouh1 recently reported that pituitary extracts from amphibians and teleosts contain a principle which promotes the active transport of sodium by the isolated skin of the frog Rana esculenta. This factor cannot be oxytocin or a vasopressin since it has approximately ten times more activity on sodium transport than do mammalian extracts of similar oxytocic activity. Maetz et al. named this principle ‘natriferin’.
A New Mechanism for Ozonolysis of Unsaturated Organics on Solids: Phosphocholines on NaCl as A Model for Sea Salt particles

The ozonolysis of an approximately one monolayer film of 1-oleoyl-2-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (OPPC) on NaCl was followed in real time using diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform spectrometry (DRIFTS) at 23 degrees C. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry and Auger electron spectroscopy were used to confirm the identification of the products. Ozone concentrations ranged from 1.7 x 10(12) to 7.0 x 10(13) molecules cm(-3) (70 ppb to 2.8 ppm). Upon exposure to O3, there was a loss of C[double bond, length as m-dash]C accompanied by the formation of a strong band at approximately 1110 cm(-1) due to the formation of a stable secondary ozonide (1,2,4-trioxolane, SOZ). The yield of the SOZ was smaller when the reaction was carried out in the presence of water vapor at concentrations corresponding to relative humidities between 2 and 25%. The dependencies of the rate of SOZ formation on the concentrations of ozone and water vapor are consistent with the initial formation of a primary ozonide (1,2,3-trioxolane, POZ) that can react with O3 or H2O in competition with its thermal decomposition to a Criegee intermediate and aldehyde. Estimates were obtained for the rate constants for the POZ thermal decomposition and for its reactions with O3 and H2O, as well as for the initial reaction of O3 with OPPC. The SOZ decomposed upon photolysis in the actinic region generating aldehydes, carboxylic acids and anhydrides. These studies show that the primary ozonide has a sufficiently long lifetime when formed on a solid substrate that direct reactions with O3 and H2O can compete with its thermal decomposition. In dry polluted atmospheres, ozone-alkene reactions may lead in part to the formation of stable secondary ozonides whose chemistry, photochemistry and toxicity should be taken into account in models of such regions.
Localization of a breathing crack using nonlinear subharmonic response signals

The experimental validation of a structural health monitoring system based on the peculiar nonlinear dynamic response of cracked structures is proposed in this letter. The higher order harmonic response signal is a technique which allows detecting the location of a breathing crack taking advantage of the nonlinear dynamic response proper of a cracked structure. The experimental results show that information carried by the nonlinear harmonics allow detecting the structural damage without requiring a baseline signal of the healthy structure.
Ultraviolet irradiation of suspensions of micro-organisms: possible errors involved in the estimation of average fluence per cell.

— Experiments on cell survival in concentrated suspensions of Escherichia coli B/r show that application of the well known “Morowitz correction” (H. J. Morowitz, (1950) Science111, 229–230) can lead to large errors in estimation of the average fluence per cell if light scattering is not taken into account. The magnitude of the effect is illustrated for this organism, but it is pointed out that experimenters should determine the correction for each organism and set of experimental conditions used.
An error-correcting data link between small and large computers

The need for a data-link connecting small data-acquisition computers to a central computer with great analysis power arose in a particular context at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory in Berkeley. Both the type of high-energy physics experiments being performed and the operation of the available large computer, a CDC 6600, posed unusual design problems.