cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting sediment toxicity using logistic regression: A concentration-addition approach

The question posed in this article is how useful the chemical concentration measurements for predicting the outcome of sediment toxicity tests are. Using matched data on sediment toxicity and sediment chemical concentrations from a number of studies, we investigated several approaches for predicting toxicity based on multiple logistic regression with concentration-addition models. Three models were found to meet criteria for acceptability. The first model uses individual chemicals selected using stepwise selection. The second uses derived variables to reflect combined metal contamination, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination, and the interaction between metals and PAHs. The third and final model is a separate species model with derived variables. Overall, these models suggest that toxicity may be correctly predicted approximately 77% of the time, although prediction is better for samples identified as nontoxic than for those known to be toxic.
Iterative linear programming solution of convex programs

An iterative linear programming algorithm for the solution of the convex programming problem is proposed. The algorithm partially solves a sequence of linear programming subproblems whose solution is shown to converge quadratically, superlinearly, or linearly to the solution of the convex program, depending on the accuracy to which the subproblems are solved. The given algorithm is related to inexact Newton methods for the nonlinear complementarity problem. Preliminary results for an implementation of the algorithm are given.
EVALUATION OF USED-SYSTEM LIFE CYCLE COSTS USING FUZZY SET THEORY

Abstract We present a model for estimating the total life of each component in a used, multi-component system through the use of fuzzy set theory and linguistic variables. The resulting component life estimates yield times at which a cost for component replacement is incurred. Through the use of a general cost model, we find the equivalent uniform annual cost (EUAC) of owning and operating the system. This cost model is shown, through an illustrative example, to be a useful tool for selecting a used system from a set of competing alternatives.
Apparent High CYP3A5 Expression Is Required for Significant Metabolism of Vincristine by Human Cryopreserved Hepatocytes

Vincristine is metabolized to one primary metabolite, M1, by cDNA-expressed CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 and by CYP3A enzymes in human liver microsomes. For both systems, CYP3A5 is predicted to mediate approximately 80% of the CYP3A metabolism for individuals with high CYP3A5 expression (at least one CYP3A5*1 allele). In the current study, the role of CYP3A5 was quantified in the metabolism of vincristine with human cryopreserved hepatocytes. The hepatocytes were genotyped for common CYP3A5 allelic variants ( CYP3A5*3 , CYP3A5*6 , and CYP3A5*7 ) to predict CYP3A5 expression. For each hepatocyte preparation, the rates of vincristine depletion and metabolite formation were quantified. Whereas human hepatocytes with predicted low CYP3A5 expression did not detectably metabolize vincristine, human hepatocytes with predicted high CYP3A5 expression metabolized vincristine to one primary metabolite, M1. In paired experiments using cryopreserved hepatocytes from the same donor, vincristine was incubated with intact cells and cell lysates supplemented with NADPH. The rates of M1 formation were 4 to 69-fold higher for the cell lysates compared with the intact cells. For one representative donor, the intact cells had a 3-fold higher K m value and a 3-fold lower V max value for M1 formation compared with the cell lysates. Thus, the rate of M1 formation in the hepatocytes may be influenced by the rate of vincristine translocation across the plasma membrane. We conclude that genetically determined CYP3A5 expression in human cryopreserved hepatocytes plays a major role in vincristine metabolism.
“I Didn't Know the Gun Was Loaded”: An Examination of Two Safety Devices That Can Reduce the Risk of Unintentional Firearm Injuries

Some handguns contain built-in safety devices intended to prevent injuries caused by erroneously believing that a handgun is loaded. A loaded chamber indicator indicates the presence of ammunition in the gun; a magazine safety prevents the gun from being fired when the ammunition magazine is removed, even if one round remains in the firing chamber. In our patent search these devices date back to the turn of the century. But on 1998 pistol models, only 11% contained a loaded chamber indicator and 14% had a magazine safety. In our random-digit-dial telephone survey of U.S. adults, 34.8% of poll respondents (incorrectly) thought that a firearm with its ammunition magazine removed could not be shot, or said that they did not know. Some of the 1100 unintentional gun deaths in the U.S. each year might be prevented if the prevalence of these and other safety devices is increased through legislation, litigation, or voluntary manufacturer action.
Innovation approach to distributed-parameter detection and estimation†

The innovation approach to detection and estimation is applied to the case of distributed-parameter (DP) systems and signal processes. The concept of the DP innovation process is studied for both gaussian and poissonian observation models, and formulae are derived for the likelihood ratio of some signal detection problems associated with these models. Then state-estimation problems are considered and solved for several classes of non-linear DP systems, with time delays or not, coupled with both observation models, as well as for Poisson driven DP systems. A set of examples is provided to indicate some areas where DP detection/estimation theory can be used.
Evaluating the Process of Online Health Information Searching: A Qualitative Approach to Exploring Consumer Perspectives

Background: The Internet is a common resource that patients and consumers use to access health-related information. Multiple practical, cultural, and socioeconomic factors influence why, when, and how people utilize this tool. Improving the delivery of health-related information necessitates a thorough understanding of users’ searching-related needs, preferences, and experiences. Although a wide body of quantitative research examining search behavior exists, qualitative approaches have been under-utilized and provide unique perspectives that may prove useful in improving the delivery of health information over the Internet. Objective: We conducted this study to gain a deeper understanding of online health-searching behavior in order to inform future developments of personalizing information searching and content delivery. Methods: We completed three focus groups with adult residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, which explored perceptions of online health information searching. Participants were recruited through flyers and classifieds advertisements posted throughout the community. We audio-recorded and transcribed all focus groups, and analyzed data using standard qualitative methods. Results: Almost all participants reported using the Internet to gather health information. They described a common experience of searching, filtering, and comparing results in order to obtain information relevant to their intended search target. Information saturation and fatigue were cited as main reasons for terminating searching. This information was often used as a resource to enhance their interactions with health care providers. Conclusions: Many participants viewed the Internet as a valuable tool for finding health information in order to support their existing health care resources. Although the Internet is a preferred source of health information, challenges persist in streamlining the search process. Content providers should continue to develop new strategies and technologies aimed at accommodating diverse populations, vocabularies, and health information needs. [J Med Internet Res 2014;16(10):e224]
A content analysis of CPA firms’ correspondence following PCAOB inspections: 2004–2010

Abstract The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has conducted well over 1000 inspections of public accounting firms since 2004, the year their inspections began. The PCAOB inspections are mandated by the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 , and are designed to promote high professional audit standards and improve the audit quality of registered public accounting firms ( U.S. House, 2002 ) . Since then, a growing body of research has emerged focusing on the process, results, and decision implications of the inspections. Most of the research to date has focused on determining the impact of the inspection regimen from the perspective of regulators, clients, or markets, but there has been very little research focused on the effect of inspections on the accounting firms themselves. We evaluate the letters provided by triennial audit firms (100 or fewer issuer clients) to the PCAOB in response to their inspections. The response letters provide insight into what the firms themselves think about the value of the inspection and the results of the inspections. Our study and its findings are particularly timely in light of the PCAOB Chairman James Doty’s recent speech ( Doty, 2011 ) in which he claimed that deficiencies were concrete instances of audit failure, and sharply criticized the responses of many audit firms who received inspection deficiency reports, most of whom maintain that their deficiency finding resulted from either differences in professional judgment or inadequate documentation, or both (but not audit deficiencies). We find that a majority of firms writing response letters (1) state they support the PCAOB’s objective of improving audit quality and (2) believe the inspection process will lead to higher audit quality. However, a substantial majority of firms that had an audit engagement deficiency disagreed with the PCAOB’s evaluation, citing differences in professional judgment and/or documentation issues. Our findings do not support but run counter to the PCAOB Chairman’s criticisms and insistence that inspection deficiencies are not attributable to professional judgment differences.
On the relationship between the singularity expansion method and the mathematical theory of scattering

The so-called natural frequencies in the singularity expansion method (SEM) consist of two nonintersecting sets of wavenumber parameters: namely, a set of interior resonant frequencies which occur on the negative imaginary axis of the s plane and a set of those which reside in the left half of the s plane off the imaginary axis. It is shown that only the latter set can be interpreted as intrinsic to the scatterer. It corresponds to the set of complex poles of the scattering matrix of the problem and also to the set of complex eigenvalues of the related exterior homogeneous boundary value problem. Finally, some doubts about the eigenmode expansion method (EEM) formalism are raised, and a possible justification, based on nonself-adjoint theory, is suggested.
Numerical Simulation of an Array of Rectangular Cylinders in Cross Flow in a Microchannel Using DSMC-IP

A numerical simulation is performed to study the characteristics of the gas cross flow over an array of rectangular cylinders in a two dimensional microchannel. Since Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) suffers from the statistical noise for low Re flows which are often encountered in micro-flows, the non-isothermal Information Preservation (IP) method is employed. Pressure boundary conditions based on the characteristic theory are implemented at the inlet and outlet domain boundaries. The simulation results are presented. This study will form a base for our future particle-atomistic hybrid computations.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
(i, i + 4) Ion pairs stabilize helical peptides derived from smooth muscle caldesmon.

Abstract The central region of smooth muscle caldesmon contains 10 repeats of a 13-amino-acid residue motif that is rich in charged side chains. This region has been predicted to have a strong α-helical propensity, and the helical structure was thought to be stabilized by the interactions between oppositely charged side chains of residues at positions i and i + 4 (Wang, C.-L. A., Chalovich, J. M., Graceffa, P., Lu, R. C., Mabuchi, K., and Stafford, W. F., J. Biol. Chem. 266, 13958–13963, 1991). Two synthetic peptides corresponding to these repeats, each containing 25 and 60 amino acid residues, indeed assume an α-helical conformation that is stable over a wide range of salt concentration and pH, and exhibit a typical helix–coil transition upon heating. Most significantly, when the amino acid sequence of the 25-mer is randomized without losing the i -to- i + 4 ion pairs, the peptide maintains a helical content comparable to that of the wild-type peptide, whereas another peptide variant with a sequence rearranged to eliminate all i -to-( i + 4) ion pairs has much less helicity, suggesting that specific interactions between residues with ( i,i + 4) spacings are important determinants for the maintenance of secondary structure in this region of caldesmon.
Differing Standards for the NIH Stem Cell Registry and FDA Approval Render Most Federally Funded hESC Lines Unsuitable for Clinical Use

The URLs for data presented herein are as follows:21 CFR Part 1271 Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products Subpart C – Donor Eligibility http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?cfrpart=1271&showfr=1&subpartnode=21:8.0.1.5.55.3NIH Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research. http://stemcells.nih.gov/policy/pages/2009guidelines.aspx.NIH Stem Cell Registry. http://grants.nih.gov/stem_cells/registry/current.htm.Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology: Evaluation before IVF. http://www.sart.org/SART_Patient_Evaluation/
The effect of volatile fatty acids on plasma glucose concentration

Abstract 1. 1. Butyrate causes a marked increase in plasma glucose in lambs and a remission of hypoglycemic convulsions. 2. 2. Propriate causes a similar remission but a considerably smaller plasma glucose increase. 3. 3. Neither of these compounds materially affects plasma glucose levels in other species. 4. 4. Acetate and β-hydroxybutyrate had no effect on plasma glucose concentration in any species. 5. 5. Lamb liver perfusion results were variable as regards a direct action of butyrate on liver glycogen.
Self-folding cavitands: structural characterization of the induced-fit model.

Deletion of structural elements in cavitand receptors is used to evaluate the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of binding in these hosts. The use of a bulky guest showcases the importance of host–guest shape adaptations in the molecular recognition process.
Three-dimensional surface representation of DNA replication sites using finite-element-based deformable models

Surface reconstruction and representation is an important aspect of Biomedical Image Analysis. With respect to the shape and organization of DNA within a cell nucleus, the development of improved technology for visualizing genome organization and function as it exists within a cell nucleus has led to increasing interest in understanding the genome and its expression in three dimensions. In this context, it is necessary to be able to visualize the cell nucleus within which the DNA replication occurs. Here we discuss the implementation of a 3D surface reconstruction system for shape analysis of nuclei in mammalian cells obtained through laser confocal microscopy. Finite elements based deformable models are used for the surface reconstruction. The deformable models developed are based on thin shell element formulation. An initial global shape is assigned, and deformation forces based on distance and elasticity constraints are used to fit the final shape. The deformations energy functionals are the spline deformation energy functionals. These models are applied to images of a mammalian cell nucleus to extract shape information. Based on the segmented shape, volume and surface area are computed for the nucleus. Relevance of this method in shape analysis of biomedical images is examined. The biological data for the experiments were obtained from Dr. Ronald Berezeney from the Biomedical Imaging Group.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On the Role of Sloping Terrain in the Forcing of the Great Plains Low-Level Jet

Abstract The summertime Great Plains low-level jet (LLJ) has been the subject of numerous investigations during the past several decades. Characteristics of the LLJ include nighttime development of a pronounced wind maximum of typically 15–20 m s−1 at levels 300–800 m above the surface and a clockwise rotation of the wind maximum during the course of the night. Maximum frequency of occurrence of the LLJ is found in the southern Great Plains. Theories proposed to explain the diurnal wind maximum of the Great Plains LLJ include inertial oscillation of the ageostrophic wind, the diurnal oscillation of the horizontal pressure field associated with heating and cooling of the sloping terrain, and the western boundary current interpretations. A simple equation system and output from the 12-km horizontal resolution Weather Research and Forecasting Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NAM) for July 2008 are used to provide evidence as to the importance of the Great Plains topography in driving the LLJ. Summertime heati...
Significance of Homologous Donor Blood to the Toxic Reaction in Dogs Undergoing Extracorporeal Hemodialysis

Application of hemodialysis to dogs has been complicated by an acute reaction consisting of hypotension, bradycardia and respiratory depression followed by instability and a mortality rate of about 30 per cent. This reaction appears to be a response to homologous blood used to fill the dialyzers. Sensitization occurs in survivors, and accentuated reactions with marked hemolysis are noted on subsequent challenge. Cross matching the donor and recipient bloods has not permitted an adequate determination of compatibility under the conditions of hemodialysis. Satisfactory hemodialysis may be accomplished in dogs by using autogenous blood or blood substitutes to fill the dialyzers.
Broken wire analysis of transmission line systems

Abstract A general procedure is presented for computing the dynamic response of electric transmission line systems when one or more wires suddenly break. A computer program for performing a time history analysis for the nonlinear system has been developed. The program will compute the wire tensions, the arm loads and the ground line moments at the base of the support structures. A comparison is made between the computed results and the experimental results for a small scale laboratory model. Analysis of a full scale transmission line system shows that the impact factor as high as 4.5 can be expected due to the dynamic effects.
Religious Conflicts Experienced by Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals

Abstract A qualitative and quantitative study of 66 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) respondents examined perceived conflicts between religion and sexual orientation. Nearly two-thirds reported having experienced such conflicts. Sources of conflict included denominational teachings, scriptural passages, and congregational prejudice. Reactions included shame, depression, and suicidal ideation. Resolutions included identifying as spiritual rather than religious, reinterpreting religious teachings, changing affiliations, remaining religious but not attending, and abandoning religion altogether. Respondents listed resources that helped them achieve positive resolutions. The experience of conflict was associated with greater difficulty in coming out and with greater diversity in age at coming out, suggesting that religious conflicts can affect LGB identity formation. Implications for practice with religious LGB clients are discussed.
Dorsal-Ventral Differences in Xcad-3 Expression in Response to FGF-Mediated Induction in Xenopus

Abstract We have identified a dorsal-ventral difference in the specification of mesoderm in vivo by examining the effect of the dominant-negative FGF receptor on a new member of the Xenopus caudal gene family, Xcad-3 . Xcad-3 is expressed throughout the marginal zone during the gastrula stages and serves as a useful marker for events occurring within the mesoderm. Disruption of the FGF signaling pathway by the dominant-negative FGF receptor, disrupts the Xcad-3 expression pattern, eliminating expression preferentially from the dorsal regions of the embryo. We also find that the expression of the Xenopus brachyury homolog, Xbra, is more readily eliminated from the dorsal than the ventral region of the embryo by the dominant-negative FGF receptor, indicating that the observed dorsal-ventral differences are not unique to Xcad-3. These results demonstrate the importance of regional effects on FGF-mediated induction in vivo and suggest that FGF-dependent expression of mesodermal genes depends upon the localization of other factors which establish dorsal-ventral differences within the embryo.
Specific configurations of fibronectin‐containing particles correlate with pathways taken by neural crest cells at two axial levels

Although neural crest (NC) cells can potentially enter a number of intertissue spaces, they select a particular pathway that varies depending on the axial level. In the cranial region, NC cells enter the dorsal-lateral pathway (i.e., immediately subjacent to the ectoderm) and avoid the ventral pathway (i.e., pathway between the mesoderm and neural tube and within the mesodermal cell population), whereas in the trunk region, the majority of the NC cells enter the ventral pathway (i.e., between the somite and neural tube) and not the dorsal-lateral pathway. Our working hypothesis is that one determining factor in directing NC cell migration is the composition and/or intermolecular associations of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in these pathways. Histochemical staining, immunostaining, and lectin-binding studies on cryofixed and conventionally fixed tissue were conducted to initially characterize the ECM found in potential NC cell pathways prior to and during initial NC cell migration at two different axial levels. We found that, regardless of the axial level, the pathways into which NC cells eventually enter possessed a characteristic ECM arrangement. This arrangement included: 1) the presence of multicomponent, glycoprotein-containing spherical particles (0.1-0.5 micron in diameter); and 2) a low-sulfated ECM content. Although all particles contained fibronectin, only those in specific regions were able to bind to a monoclonal antibody directed to the cell-binding domain of fibronectin, suggesting that the conformation of fibronectin may be important in the expression of any in situ function of the molecule.
A low cost approximation for a controlled load service in a bridged/switched LAN environment

This paper reports the design and the implementation results of a Controlled Load service in a bridged/switched Local Area Network (LAN). In contrast to other approaches, the service was built based on traffic aggregation and simple two level Static Priority scheduling within LAN switches. All complex control functions such as the per-flow packet classification, policing and traffic reshaping are only performed within end-nodes (hosts or routers) of the LAN. Admission Control is used to restrict the access to the new service. Measurement results received in a bridged test network exhibit low average end-to-end delay characteristics and no packet loss despite: 1) the simplicity of the traffic control implemented in our LAN switches, 2) a worst-case network load, and 3) the use of long range dependent data sources within the experiments.
Sodium-hydrogen exchange inhibition preserves ventricular function after ventricular fibrillation in the intact swine heart.

Abstract Background: We tested the hypothesis that sodium-hydrogen exchange inhibition attenuates ventricular dysfunction after ischemia-reperfusion injury in the intact porcine heart. Methods: Twelve pigs (weight, 30-45 kg) were evenly divided into 2 groups. Baseline ventricular function studies were based on echocardiography, conductance, aortic flow, and left ventricular pressure. Animals were given vehicle (control) or benzamide-N-(aminoiminomethl)-4-(4-[2-furanylcarbonyl]-1-piperazinyl)-3-(methylsulfonyl)methanesulfonate (BIIB 513; 3 mg/kg administered intravenously). Ten minutes later, hearts were subjected to 75 seconds of ventricular fibrillation. After reperfusion for 40 minutes, function studies were repeated. Hearts were arrested and excised. Postmortem data included passive pressure-volume curves and myocardial water content. Results: Preload recruitable stroke work was significantly decreased from baseline after ischemia and reperfusion in the control group (27.7 ± 2.5 vs 48.0 ± 5.6 mm Hg [± SEM], P = .001) but not in the BIIB 513 group (43.0 ± 5.8 vs 45.5 ± 4.1 mm Hg, P = not significant). In vivo diastolic and postmortem passive left ventricular compliance were reduced after ischemia and reperfusion for control animals but remained unchanged for animals receiving BIIB 513. Time required to recover baseline blood pressure after ventricular fibrillation was significantly longer for control animals (159 ± 15 vs 88 ± 14 seconds [± SEM], P = .008). Myocardial water content (78.97% ± 0.94% vs 77.86% ± 0.46% [± SEM]) and normalized left ventricular mass (137.24 ± 6.17 vs 128.41 ± 1.96 g [± SEM]) were insignificantly increased in control animals. Conclusions: Sodium-hydrogen exchange inhibition attenuates ventricular dysfunction after 75 seconds of ventricular fibrillation and 40 minutes of reperfusion. This family of agents might prove useful in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction undergoing ventricular fibrillation for implantable cardioverter defibrillator testing.
The Importance of Classification Differences and Spatial Resolution of Land Cover Data in the Uncertainty in Model Results over Boreal Ecosystems

Abstract One of the governing scientific objectives of the Boreal Ecosystem–Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) is the development of methods for applying process models over large spatial scales using remote sensing and other integrative modeling techniques. This paper presents the first step in a modeling strategy that focuses on scaling a point model up to the BOREAS regional scale. The objective of this paper is to compare the effect of differences in spatial resolution of land cover data to land–atmosphere model results relative to the effect of differences in land cover sensors and classification schemes. The analysis suggests that the uncertainty in model results arises mainly from the uncertainty in the land cover classification and that the lack of spatial resolution has a lower effect. Overall, an uncertainty of approximately 15% in modeled energy and water balance fluxes and states has to be assigned because of the uncertainty in land cover classification.
On file sharing over a wireless social network

We consider the problem of broadcasting a large file over a wireless network (e.g., students in a campus). If each user who wants the file must download it from the carrier's WAN, dissemination time scales linearly. Two often-occurring facts suggest we can do better: (a) the demand for the file often spreads via a social network (e.g., Facebook); and (b) the devices predominantly used are GPS enabled, and equipped with a peer-to-peer (ad hoc) transmission mode. The premise of this paper is that (a) and (b) are often the case. Starting from here, we consider this coupled-network problem (demand on the social network; bandwidth on the wireless network) and taking advantage of the fact that the two networks have different topologies, we propose a file dissemination algorithm. In our scheme, users query their social network to find geographically nearby friends that have the desired file, and utilize the underlying ad hoc network to route the data via multi-hop transmissions. We show that for many popular models for social networks, the file dissemination time scales sublinearly with the number of users.
Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior Problems, Peer Affiliations, and Bullying Involvement across the Transition to Middle School.

Continuity and change in children’s involvement in bullying was examined across the transition to middle school in relation to externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in fifth grade and peer affiliations in fifth and sixth grades. The sample consisted of 533 students (223 boys, 310 girls) with 72% European American, 25% African American, and 3% Other. Although externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in fifth grade were related to bullying involvement in sixth grade, the prediction of stability and desistance in bullying and victimization status was enhanced by information about students’ peer group trajectories. Furthermore, peer group trajectories uniquely explained the emergence of bullying and victimization in middle school.
An application-specific protocol architecture for wireless microsensor networks

Networking together hundreds or thousands of cheap microsensor nodes allows users to accurately monitor a remote environment by intelligently combining the data from the individual nodes. These networks require robust wireless communication protocols that are energy efficient and provide low latency. We develop and analyze low-energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (LEACH), a protocol architecture for microsensor networks that combines the ideas of energy-efficient cluster-based routing and media access together with application-specific data aggregation to achieve good performance in terms of system lifetime, latency, and application-perceived quality. LEACH includes a new, distributed cluster formation technique that enables self-organization of large numbers of nodes, algorithms for adapting clusters and rotating cluster head positions to evenly distribute the energy load among all the nodes, and techniques to enable distributed signal processing to save communication resources. Our results show that LEACH can improve system lifetime by an order of magnitude compared with general-purpose multihop approaches.
Dynamic NBTI management using a 45nm multi-degradation sensor

We propose a low power unified oxide and NBTI degradation sensor designed in 45nm process node. The cell power consumption is 105 lower than a previously proposed sensor. The unified nature enables efficient reliability monitoring with reduced sensor deployment effort and area overhead. Using the sensor Dynamic NBTI Management (DNM) has been implemented for the first time. DNM trades the excess ‘reliability-margin’ present in the design, due to better than worst case operating conditions, with performance. For the typical case shown in this paper, DNM allows for an average boost of 90mV in accelerated supply voltage while bringing down the excess NBTI margin of 22.5mV to 8mV where the total budget for NBTI was 66mV.
Granulation of sol-gel-derived nanostructured alumina

A sol-gel granulation process was developed to prepare porous nanostructured {gamma}-alumina granules as supports for catalysts and adsorbents. The process, which starts with an aqueous sol of gelatinous boehmite, involves droplet formation, gelation in paraffin oil, conditioning in ammonia solution, and drying and calcination in air under controlled conditions. The {gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} granules prepared are 1--3 mm-dia. spherical particles with large surface area (380 m{sup 2}/g) and pore volume (0.5 cm{sup 3}/g), uniform pore-size distribution (20--60 {angstrom}), and controllable average pore size (35 {angstrom}). These sol-gel-derived granules have excellent mechanical properties with crush strength (>100 N per granule) and attrition resistance (<0.01 wt.%/h), much better than the commercial alumina and zeolite granules. Supported CuO sorbents were prepared on these granules for SO{sub 2} removal applications. The alumina-supported CuO sorbents contain higher loading of well-dispersed CuO and better sulfation properties than similar sorbents reported in the literature.
Functional Analysis of Sugar Chains Using a Genome-Wide RNAi System in Drosophila

Drosophila melanogaster was first used for genetic studies by Thomas Hunt Morgan in 1908. Drosophila has since become one of the most important model organisms for developmental biology studies in addition to those of classical and molecular genetics. Recently, effective analysis of glycan functions in vivo has been achieved using Drosophila. Flies with mutations of some glycosyltransferases display distinctive phenotypes, and these mutant flies have been invaluable in clarifying the role of glycosylation in Wg/Wnt, Hh, FGF, and Notch signaling in vivo. These data emphasize the crucial importance of protein glycosylation for many biological processes and indicate that glycobiology will provide a new focus of investigation for many aspects of Biology and Medicine.
Role of Flexibility and Polarity as Determinants of the Hydration of Internal Cavities and Pockets in Proteins

Molecular dynamics simulations of Staphylococcal nuclease and of 10 variants with internal polar or ionizable groups were performed to investigate systematically the molecular determinants of hydration of internal cavities and pockets in proteins. In contrast to apolar cavities in rigid carbon structures, such as nanotubes or buckeyballs, internal cavities in proteins that are large enough to house a few water molecules will most likely be dehydrated unless they contain a source of polarity. The water content in the protein interior can be modulated by the flexibility of protein elements that interact with water, which can impart positional disorder to water molecules, or bias the pattern of internal hydration that is stabilized. This might explain differences in the patterns of hydration observed in crystal structures obtained at cryogenic and room temperature conditions. The ability of molecular dynamics simulations to determine the most likely sites of water binding in internal pockets and cavities depends on its efficiency in sampling the hydration of internal sites and alternative protein and water conformations. This can be enhanced significantly by performing multiple molecular dynamics simulations as well as simulations started from different initial hydration states.
Imaging heterogeneity and transport of degraded Nafion membranes

Accelerated aging experiments of Nafion® 212 (N212) membranes were carried out with Fenton's reagent under a series of degradation durations. Morphological changes and appearance of surface defects on degraded membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) mapping was performed to investigate heterogeneity in chemical composition “on” and “off” surface defects. In addition, scanning ion conductance microscopy-scanning electrochemical microscopy (SICM-SECM) was used to map the heterogeneous permeability of degraded membranes to a cationic redox probe.
Increasing channel capacity on MIMO system employing adaptive pattern/polarization reconfigurable antenna

This paper presents a pattern/polarization reconfigurable single turn square spiral microstrip antenna that is designed to operate in the 5 GHz indoor band and tested with Intel-developed CMOS MIMO transceivers. Experimental results show that different environments between transmitter and receiver antenna MIMO system require different antenna configurations to achieve lower correlation between paths and increase the throughput.
Output regulator problem of time-invariant discrete-time descriptor systems

Linear time-invariant discrete-time systems of the form Exk +1 = Axk + Buk , yk = Cxt are considered where E and A are square matrices and E may be singular. The investigations are restricted to systems for which there exist non-singular matrices Π and Θ such that ΠEΘ = diag {lr , 0} and ΠAΘ= equation pending where F 2 has full row rank. Such systems are termed 'regular’ by Luenberger (1977), and can be decomposed into two equations of the respective forms ζ k +1= Ψ1ζ k + Ψ2η k and +Δ2uk= 0 where ζ k , η k and xk are related by the equation xk = equation pending thus the descriptor system might be reduced to a state-space system whose state vector is ζ k A reasonable choice for C is C= Γ[I, 0] Θ -1where Γ is some m x r matrix of full row rank, which yields yk = Γζ k . The problem is this: given an initial descriptor vector xo, find, without reducing the descriptor system to a state-space system, a sequence of control vectors u o, u 1,..,uN -1 Hy, that will yield yN = 0 for some N. A necessary and sufficie...
Image database retrieval utilizing affinity relationships

Recent research effort in Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) focuses on bridging the gap between low-level features and high-level semantic contents of images as this gap has become the bottleneck of CBIR. In this paper, an effective image database retrieval framework using a new mechanism called the Markov Model Mediator (MMM) is presented to meet this demand by taking into consideration not only the low-level image features, but also the high-level concepts learned from the history of user's access pattern and access frequencies on the images in the database. Also, the proposed framework is efficient in two aspects: 1) Overhead for real-time training is avoided in the image retrieval process because the high-level concepts of images are captured in the off-line training process. 2) Before the exact similarity matching process, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is applied to reduce the image search space. A training subsystem for this framework is implemented and integrated into our system. The experimental results demonstrate that the MMM mechanism can effectively assist in retrieving more accurate results from image databases.
Postnatal transient renal insufficiency in the feto-fetal transfusion syndrome.

Twinning and higher-order multiple-gestation pregnancies have become relatively frequent in the current era of assisted reproductive techniques. Vascular interconnections are present in nearly all monochorionic twin placentae, yet hemodynamically significant arteriovenous anastomoses resulting in the feto-fetal transfusion syndrome occur in only 5%–18% of these. When arteriovenous connections through a shared placental cotyledon are present, variable amounts of blood may be transfused from one fetus to the other, and feto-fetal transfusion syndrome may result. While reports of renal failure due to a small non-functioning kidney in the donor infant pre- or postnatally have been published, recoverable renal insufficiency has not been previously delineated in feto-fetal transfusion syndrome. This article describes a case of postnatal transient renal insufficiency in a donor infant from a pair of monozygotic twins.
Sparse Graph Codes for Side Information and Binning

The pioneering work of Shannon provides fundamental bounds on the rate limitations of communicating information reliably over noisy channels (the channel coding problem), as well as the compressibility of data subject to distortion constraints (the lossy source coding problem). However, Shannon's theory is nonconstructive in that it only establishes the existence of coding schemes that can achieve the fundamental bounds but provides neither concrete codes nor computationally efficient algorithms. In the case of channel coding, the past two decades have witnessed dramatic advances in practical constructions and algorithms, including the invention of turbo codes and the surge of interest in low-density parity check (LDPC) codes. Both these classes of codes are based on sparse graphs and yield excellent error-correction performance when decoded using computationally efficient methods such as the message-passing sum-product algorithm. Moreover, their performance limits are well characterized, at least in the asymptotic limit of large block lengths, via the density evolution method.
A requirements language for autonomous decentralized systems development

A framework for developing autonomous decentralized systems (ADSs) using a frame-and-rule oriented requirements language (FRORL), is presented. FRORL is a logic-based requirements specification language and serves multiple roles for specifying users' requirements, for representing development knowledge, and for knowledge communications among decentralized autonomous agents. Using the machinery of Horn-clause logic, various properties of an autonomous decentralized system specified in FRORL can be analyzed. The specifications represented in FRORL can also be transformed into various kinds of logic-based or procedural programming languages. Through a FRORL development methodology, the design and implementation of autonomous decentralized systems can be easily achieved. >
A Simple Sample Packing Accessory for Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Spectrometry

It has long been recognized that the reflectance spectrum of a powdered sample is greatly influenced by sample packing, since the pressure applied to the sample affects the scattering coefficient. Yeboah et al. and Christy et al. have demonstrated the effect of packing on diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectra and have emphasized the necessity of using the same packing procedure for all samples and references. Both the duration and the amount of pressure applied are critical. Most measurements of band intensity by DRIFT spectroscopy have simply involved measurements of peak heights, but Murthy and Leyden have also demonstrated that reproducible packing of the sample improves the precision of band area ratio measurements. More recently, the importance of packing density was shown by Chalmers and Mackenzie, who demonstrated that different sized particles loaded at their natural packing densities yield very different DRIFT spectra. When the same particles are all packed at a constant packing density, however, the spectra become significantly more similar. Despite the proven importance of reproducible packing, many researchers simply pour samples into diffuse reflectance cups and level the tops with a razor blade or similar instrument, to avoid an elaborate sample preparation procedure.
Quantum Well and Quantum Dot Based Detector Arrays for Infrared Imaging

A mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) 1024times1024 pixel quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) focal plane array has been demonstrated with excellent imagery. MWIR focal plane has given noise equivalent differential temperature (NETD) of 19 mK at 95 K operating temperature with f/2.5 optics at 300 K background and LWIR focal plane has given NEDT of 13 mK at 70 K operating temperature with same optical and background conditions as MWIR array. Both of these focal plane arrays have shown background limited performance (BLIP) at 90 K and 70 K operating temperatures with the same optics and background conditions. In this paper, we will discuss their performance in quantum efficiency, NETD, uniformity, and operability
An implementation and analysis of a concurrent built-in self-test technique

The authors propose a built-in concurrent self-test (BICST) technique for testing combinational logic circuits concurrently with their normal operation. They also introduce a concept of sharing the test hardware between identical circuits to reduce the overall area overhead. They implemented this technique in the design of an ALU (arithmetic logic unit) with online test capability in CMOS technology. The additional hardware used for a 12-bit ALU was 19% of the total chip area, and it did not impose any timing overhead on the operation of the ALU. The overhead decreases with an increase in the size of the ALU. The authors define some measures for evaluating the performance of the BICST technique and discuss methods for their computation and include both simulation and analytical results. In addition to detecting permanent faults, the BICST technique can also be used for detecting intermittent and transient faults. The authors propose some methods for detecting intermittent faults and for computing the transient fault coverage. >
A Theoretical Study of Mountain Barrier Jets over Sloping Valleys

Abstract A shallow-water model is developed to examine the dynamics of mountain-barrier jets over a mesoscale sloping valley between two mountain ridges. In this model, the cold air trapped in the valley is represented by a shallow-water layer that is coupled with the upper-layer flow through a free-slip interface. The pressure gradient exerted from the upper layer plus the pressure gradient generated by the sloping cold layer itself drive the cold air down the valley forming a jet against the surface friction. In the cross-valley direction, the jet-induced Coriolis force is balanced by the pressure gradient force. For a given cross-valley terrain profile, the solution is controlled by eight dimensional environmental parameters. In the nondimensional space, the solution is controlled only by three parameters: the Froude number modified by the ratio between the valley width and the Rossby radius of deformation, the surface drag coefficient normalized by the ratio between the valley depth and the inertial r...
Heterogeneity of the midbrain dopamine system: Implications for Parkinson disease

The midbrain dopaminergic (DA) system is composed primarily of neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc, area A10) and ventral tegmental area (VTA, area A9). These include at least 5 neuron subpopulations with distinct patterns of gene expression, electrophysiologic properties, projections to the striatum and cerebral cortex, and response to environmental stimuli. They are involved in several key brain functions, including action selection, motor performance, motivation and reward-based learning, working memory, and cognition. Midbrain DA neurons are activated by alerting signals involved in rapid detection of potentially relevant sensory cues. Most increase their activity in response to reward stimuli and are inhibited by aversive stimuli, thereby coding motivational value for learning reward-oriented behavior. Others are activated by aversive stimuli and code motivational salience of the stimulus. These different types of midbrain DA neurons are anatomically segregated and have specific afferent and efferent connections supporting specific aspects of behavior. Neurons encoding motivational value are located in the VTA and medial SNc and project primarily to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex and support Pavlovian learning of actions leading to successful outcomes. Neurons encoding motivational salience are located in the dorsolateral SNc and project to the dorsomedial striatum (primarily the caudate) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and modulate goal-oriented behavior. Neurons in the ventral tier of the SNc project to the dorsolateral striatum (putamen) and regulate habit formation and automatic motor behavior. Several features of ventral tier SNc neurons render them susceptible to oxidative stress and the subsequent neurodegeneration underlying Parkinson disease (PD). Involvement of other SNc and VTA neurons may contribute to nonmotor aspects of PD, such as depression, cognitive dysfunction, and impulse dyscontrol, in response to DA agonists. All these topics have been extensively discussed in several reviews.1–18