cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Texture tile visibility determination for dynamic texture loading

Three-dimensional scenes have become an important form of content deliverable through the Internet. Standard formats such as Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) make it possible to dynamically download complex scenes from a server directly to a web browser. However, limited bandwidth between servers and clients presents an obstacle to the availability of more complex scenes, since geometry and texture maps for a reasonably complex scene may take many minutes to transfer over a typical telephone modem link. This paper addresses one part of the bandwidth bottleneck, texture transmission. Current display methods transmit an entire texture to the client before it can be used for rendering. We present an alternative method which subdivides each texture into tiles, and dynamically determines on the client which tiles are visible to the user. Texture tiles are requested by the client in an order determined by the number of screen pixels affected by the texture tile, so that texture tiles which affect the greatest number of screen pixels are transmitted first. The client can render images during texture loading using tiles which have already been loaded. The tile visibility calculations take full account of occlusion and multiple texture image resolution levels, and are dynamically recalculated each time a new frame is rendered. We show how a few additions to the standard graphics hardware pipeline can add this capability without radical architecture changes, and with only moderate hardware cost. The addition of this capability makes it practical to use large textures even over relatively slow network connections.
Career patterns of executive women in finance : An optimal matching analysis

This article examines the objective and subjective facets of female finance‐executive careers. Optimal matching and qualitative analyses are used to show how the careers are shaped by workplace structures and by the early 1970s enforcement of women's employment rights. Changing opportunity structures in turn shaped respondents' perspectives. Many younger respondents were unaware that their mobility was partly due to the creative action of their female predecessors and took personal credit for their own rapid progress. Finally, it appears that as women have experienced more freedom in pursuing finance careers, their career trajectories have become more rigid.
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY IN CONTEMPORARY SH?I POLITICAL THOUGHT

Il s'agit d'une etude comparative au sujet de la conception de l'autorite chez les juristes shiites qui ont etudie dans les universites religieuses de Najaf ou de Qum. Il existe deux principales ecoles de pensee: l'ecole populiste et l'ecole statiste. Cette derniere concoit l'autorite comme une notion divine. Pour elle, seul le Souverain transcendant a la possibilite de designer des dirigeants aptes a prendre en charge la communaute. Pour l'ecole populiste, les juristes ne sont pas les seuls heritiers legitimes des imams et des prophetes et le mode de l'election est approprie pour la designation des dirigeants
Analysis of errors for uplink array of 34-m antennas for deep space applications

Although the technologies for large arrays of distributed reflector antennas with just downlink (receiving) capability have been well defined and proven for deep space applications, a similar architecture, i.e., the arraying of distributed reflector antennas for uplink (transmitting) applications has not been proven, tested, or built yet. In previous papers (Hurd, 2005) the need, feasibility, technology challenges and high-level system issues of a large array of reflector antennas with uplink capability for the future deep space network (DSN) were discussed. In particular, the primary design drivers, cost drivers, and technology challenges for uplink array phase calibration were addressed together with some preliminary test results with the 34-m antenna exciters. It is now of great interest to obtain the key requirements for the current Deep Space Network (DSN) 34-m antennas so that they can operate in an uplink array mode. The successful demonstration of the DSN 34-m antennas in uplink array mode serves as a prototype and a key milestone for the future large array development. In this paper, simulation and analysis of the current DSN 34-m antennas in an uplink array mode were discussed
Robust stability of complex systems with applications to performance attainment problems

Recently, a computationally efficient method was developed to deal with stability of a control system where the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial are polynomially dependent on the parameters of interest. In this paper, we extend this result to a family of complex polynomials which in turn solves some important performance attainment problems. This is due to the fact that a number of important performance attainment problems (phase margin, H ∞ margin, and SPR problem) can be cast as robust stability problems for complex polynomials. The results are illustrated by examples.
Chlorophyll natural fluorescence response to upwelling events in the Southern Ocean

Variability of solar-induced (natural) fluorescence and chlorophyll were measured on scales of hours to weeks in the upper layer of a cyclonic eddy located south of the Antarctic Polar Front using a free-floating drifter. The fluorescence signal was analyzed both in terms of chlorophyll concentration and as an indicator of energy distribution in the photosynthetic apparatus. Long-term trends in fluorescence parallel changes in chlorophyll concentration. Considering a significant positive correlation between fluorescence and the relative depth of the eddy upper layer we hypothesize that the observed short-term variations in natural fluorescence are a physiological response of phytoplankton to changes in the supply of limiting nutrients. This interpretation is consistent with the Southern Ocean iron limitation hypothesis.
Correlated noise in digital filters

Theoretical analysis of noise generation in finite precision digital filters (or more generally, in finite precision numerical algorithms) is usually carried out assuming that the effects of round-off or truncation associated with each numerical operation can be considered as equivalent to the corresponding injection of random, uniformly distributed, white noise signal sources. These sources are usually assumed to be uncorrelated in time and uncorrelated with each other. A detailed examination of the situation reveals that this is not the case even when the filter is driven by a random sequence which, in itself, may be correlated. When the filter is driven by a highly correlated input signal (such as a singularity function or a periodic function), or when the filter is in a limit-cycle oscillation, errors generated by finite precision arithmetic are highly correlated as is apparent from their periodic nature. Equations for absolute bounds on limit cycles have been formulated by several authors. However, these formulas are generally overly pessimistic for design purposes.
Successful application of serum shift prediction models to the design of dual targeting inhibitors of bacterial gyrase B and topoisomerase IV with improved in vivo efficacy.

A series of dual targeting inhibitors of bacterial gyrase B and topoisomerase IV were identified and optimized to mid-to-low nanomolar potency against a variety of bacteria. However, in spite of seemingly adequate exposure achieved upon IV administration, the in vivo efficacy of the early lead compounds was limited by high levels of binding to serum proteins. To overcome this limitation, targeted serum shift prediction models were generated for each subclass of interest and were applied to the design of prospective analogs. As a result, numerous compounds with comparable antibacterial potency and reduced protein binding were generated. These efforts culminated in the synthesis of compound 10, a potent inhibitor with low serum shift that demonstrated greatly improved in vivo efficacy in two distinct rat infection models.
Polymorphic Structures of Alzheimer's β-Amyloid Globulomers

BACKGROUND Misfolding and self-assembly of Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides into amyloid fibrils is pathologically linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Polymorphic Aβ structures derived from monomers to intermediate oligomers, protofilaments, and mature fibrils have been often observed in solution. Some aggregates are on-pathway species to amyloid fibrils, while the others are off-pathway species that do not evolve into amyloid fibrils. Both on-pathway and off-pathway species could be biologically relevant species. But, the lack of atomic-level structural information for these Aβ species leads to the difficulty in the understanding of their biological roles in amyloid toxicity and amyloid formation. METHODS AND FINDINGS Here, we model a series of molecular structures of Aβ globulomers assembled by monomer and dimer building blocks using our peptide-packing program and explicit-solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Structural and energetic analysis shows that although Aβ globulomers could adopt different energetically favorable but structurally heterogeneous conformations in a rugged energy landscape, they are still preferentially organized by dynamic dimeric subunits with a hydrophobic core formed by the C-terminal residues independence of initial peptide packing and organization. Such structural organizations offer high structural stability by maximizing peptide-peptide association and optimizing peptide-water solvation. Moreover, curved surface, compact size, and less populated β-structure in Aβ globulomers make them difficult to convert into other high-order Aβ aggregates and fibrils with dominant β-structure, suggesting that they are likely to be off-pathway species to amyloid fibrils. These Aβ globulomers are compatible with experimental data in overall size, subunit organization, and molecular weight from AFM images and H/D amide exchange NMR. CONCLUSIONS Our computationally modeled Aβ globulomers provide useful insights into structure, dynamics, and polymorphic nature of Aβ globulomers which are completely different from Aβ fibrils, suggesting that these globulomers are likely off-pathway species and explaining the independence of the aggregation kinetics between Aβ globulomers and fibrils.
Finite source modelling of magmatic unrest in Socorro, New Mexico, and Long Valley, California

SUMMARY We investigate surface deformation associated with currently active crustal magma bodies in Socorro, New Mexico, and Long Valley, California, USA. We invert available geodetic data from these locations to constrain the overall geometry and dynamics of the inferred deformation sources at depth. Our best-fitting model for the Socorro magma body is a sill with a depth of 19 km, an effective diameter of 70 km and a rate of increase in the excess magma pressure of 0.6 kPa yr x1 . We show that the corresponding volumetric inflation rate is y6r10 x3 km 3 yr x1 , which is considerably less than previously suggested. The measured inflation rate of the Socorro magma body may result from a steady influx of magma from a deep source, or a volume increase associated with melting of the magma chamber roof (i.e. crustal anatexis). In the latter case, the most recent major injection of mantle-derived melts into the middle crust beneath Socorro may have occurred within the last several tens to several hundreds of years. The Synthetic Interferometric Aperture Radar (InSAR) data collected in the area of the Long Valley caldera, CA, between June 1996 and July 1998 reveal an intracaldera uplift with a maximum amplitude of y11 cm and a volume of 3.5r10 x2 km 3 . Modelling of the InSAR data suggests that the observed deformation might be due to either a sill-like magma body at a depth of y12 km or a pluton-like magma body at a depth of y8 km beneath the resurgent dome. Assuming that the caldera fill deforms as an isotropic linear elastic solid, a joint inversion of the InSAR data and two-colour laser geodimeter data (which provide independent constraints on horizontal displacements at the surface) suggests that the inferred magma chamber is a steeply dipping prolate spheroid with a depth of 7‐9 km and an aspect ratio in excess of 2:1. Our results highlight the need for large radar look angles and multiple look directions in future InSAR missions.
ESD protection networks for 3D integrated circuits

The inter-die signal interfaces in a 3D-IC are vulnerable to over-voltage stress induced by Charged Device Model ESD. The magnitude of the stress is highly sensitive to the design of the ground distribution network on both the die and package level. It is also affected by the type of package being used. Small voltage clamping devices may be placed at inter-die receivers to mitigate the risk of gate dielectric breakdown. New ESD rule checking tools are needed for 3D-IC design automation.
Analog techniques II

The four papers in the session cover progress in the state of the art of analog circuits in data conversion and frequency generation.
The Notch target E(spl)mδ is a muscle-specific gene involved in methylmercury toxicity in motor neuron development.

Abstract Methylmercury (MeHg) is a ubiquitous environmental toxin that has a selective and potent impact on the nervous system, particularly during neural development yet, the mechanisms for its apparent neurodevelopmental specificity are unknown. The Notch receptor pathway has been implicated as a MeHg target in several studies. Notch signaling mediates cell–cell signals in a number of developmental contexts including neurogenesis and myogenesis, where it fundamentally acts to repress differentiation. Previous work in our lab has shown that MeHg causes preferential upregulation of a canonical Notch response gene, E(spl)mδ, in Drosophila embryos. In parallel, MeHg is seen to disrupt outgrowth of embryonic intersegmental motor nerves (ISN), which can be mimicked by expression of activated Notch in embryonic neurons. However, overexpression of E(spl)mδ in developing neurons fails to elicit motor neuron outgrowth defects, pointing to a non-autonomous role for E(spl)mδ in motor axon development. In this study we investigate a role for E(spl)mδ in conveying the toxicity of MeHg in the embryo. We find that endogenous expression of the E(spl)mδ gene localizes to developing somatic muscles in embryos. Notably, E(spl)mδ expression is seen in several muscles that are known synaptic targets for both the ISN and the segmental motor nerve (SN). We also demonstrate that the SN, similar to the ISN, exhibits disrupted axon outgrowth in response to MeHg. E(spl)mδ can induce a SN motor neuron phenotype, similar to MeHg treatment; but, only when E(spl)mδ expression is targeted to developing muscles. E(spl)mδ overexpression in developing muscles also results in aberrant muscle morphology, which is not apparent with expression of the closely related E(spl)mγ in developing muscles. Our data point to a role for the Notch target E(spl)mδ in mediating MeHg toxicity in embryonic development by disrupting the coordinated targeting of motor neurons to their muscle targets.
Examining Differences between Light and Heavier Smoking Vocational Students: A Pilot Study.

Objective: To examine differences between light and heavier smoking vocational/technical students in tobacco use, related behaviors, and cessation.Design: Cross-sectional.Setting and Methods: Two hundred and four smokers attending two vocational/technical colleges in east Texas, USA, completed an anonymous survey during a regularly scheduled class in Fall, 2004 or Spring, 2005.Results: Heavier smokers (39.7 per cent of the sample) were more likely than light smokers to be European American, to be dependent on cigarettes, to use cigarettes in a variety of situations, to use medication to quit smoking, and to be less likely to report a desire to quit on their own. The two groups did not differ on gender or the use of cigars and chewing tobacco.Conclusion: Given the disproportionately high rates of tobacco use among vocational/technical students, results from this study indicate that salient anti-tobacco programs that can be implemented at the vocational school and that target light and heavier smoking stude...
Rural Courts: An Illinois Study

This study involved the review of685felony casesfor two calendar years in three rural Illinois counties in an attempt to fill an important research need in the study of the operation of rural courts. Variables studied included nature of offenses in formal felony cases, method of adjudication, extent of guilty pleas and plea agreements, and nature of defendant representation.Most formal felony cases involved property offenses, most cases reaching arraignment were disposed of by guilty pleas involving plea agreements, and a high proportion of defendants were indigent and utilized county public defenders. In these aspects, these rural courts operated in ways similar to their more urban counterparts. However, the reasons for these characteristics (most especially the extent ofplea negotiation) may derivefrom the rural andfamiliar nature of the courts studied in addition to other possibilities.
Plasma density effects on atomic reaction rates

Plasma modeling and diagnostics commonly involve solution of rate equations for the population densities of impurity ions in their excited and charge states. Construction of the rate equations requires a complete set of atomic transition rates for all the charge and excited states involved. However, the rates are themselves affected by the host plasma ions and electrons. The ionic and electronic effects in a two-component plasma are intimately interconnected, especially when the rate equations are simplified for computational purpose in the determination of ionization balance. We formulate a coherent approach to the problem of the plasma density effect, and apply it to carbon impurities in a hydrogen plasma. Both the plasma field distortion of atomic states and the corresponding rates by the plasma ions and stochastic plasma collisional transitions caused by the plasma electrons are included. The latter effect is estimated by constructing an effective collisional transition operator, and the electron-ion recombination processes are explicitly evaluated. It is shown that, these two effects of the ionic field distortions and electronic collisions tend to cancel each other, resulting in many cases in reducing the overall effect of the plasma density on the ionization.
Flexible fiberoptic and rigid telescopes for intranasal photography.

Description de la technique de photographie de l'interieur du nez pour la documentation de l'etat pre et postoperatoire
β-Cell Adaptation to Insulin Resistance INCREASED PYRUVATE CARBOXYLASE AND MALATE-PYRUVATE SHUTTLE ACTIVITY IN ISLETS OF NONDIABETIC ZUCKER FATTY RATS

The beta-cell biochemical mechanisms that account for the compensatory hyperfunction with insulin resistance (so-called beta-cell adaptation) are unknown. We investigated glucose metabolism in isolated islets from 10-12-week-old Zucker fatty (ZF) and Zucker lean (ZL) rats (results expressed per mg/islet of protein). ZF rats were obese, hyperlipidemic, and normoglycemic. They had a 3.8-fold increased beta-cell mass along with 3-10-fold increases in insulin secretion to various stimuli during pancreas perfusion despite insulin content per milligram of beta-cells being only one-third that of ZL rats. Islet glucose metabolism (utilization and oxidation) was 1.5-2-fold increased in the ZF islets despite pyruvate dehydrogenase activity being 30% lowered compared with the ZL islets. The reason was increased flux through pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and the malate-pyruvate and citrate-pyruvate shuttles based on the following observations (% ZL islets): increased V(max) of PC (160%), malate dehydrogenase (170%), and malic enzyme (275%); elevated concentrations of oxaloacetate (150%), malate (250%), citrate (140%), and pyruvate (250%); and 2-fold increased release of malate from isolated mitochondria. Inhibition of PC by 5 mm phenylacetic acid markedly lowered glucose-induced insulin secretion in ZF and ZL islets. Thus, our results suggest that PC and the pyruvate shuttles are increased in ZF islets, and this accounts for glucose mitochondrial metabolism being increased when pyruvate dehydrogenase activity is reduced. As the anaplerosis pathways are implicated in glucose-induced insulin secretion and the synthesis of glucose-derived lipid and amino acids, our results highlight the potential importance of PC and the anaplerosis pathways in the enhanced insulin secretion and beta-cell growth that characterize beta-cell adaptation to insulin resistance.
A tight threshold for metric Ramsey phenomena

In this paper, we examine the metric Ramsey problem for the normed spaces lp: given some 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, α ≥ 1 and an integer n, we ask for the largest m such that every n-point metric space contains an m-point subspace which embeds into lp with distortion at most α. Bartal, Linial, Mendel and Naor show in [3] that in the case of 1 ≤ p ≤ 2, the dependence of m on α undergoes a phase transition at α = 2. The case of p > 2 was left as an open problem. We show that the phase transition occurs around α = 2 for all p ≥ 1. The basis of our result is a proof that there exist {1, 2} metrics which require distortion arbitrarily close to 2 for embedding into lp. In order to show this, we develop new tools for analyzing embeddings of random metrics into lp.
Short-term changes in bird communities in response to silvicultural prescriptions

Abstract Bird communities were surveyed on the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky, using point-counts in May and June of 1993, 1994, and 1995. Sixteen stands were surveyed among four silvicultural prescriptions, including no-harvest, two-age high-leave harvest (i.e. 7 m2 residual basal area ha−1), two-age low-leave harvest (i.e. 3.5 m2 residual basal area ha−1) and clearcut harvest. Data were collected for 1 year preharvest (1993) and 2 years post-harvest (1994 and 1995). Pre-harvest surveys revealed no differences in abundance, richness or diversity of bird communities among stands. After harvest, all indices were higher for bird communities in harvested stands than in no-harvest stands, with no difference among clearcut or two-age stands. Two forest interior species and one interior edge species were negatively affected by timber harvest in some stands, whereas Hooded warblers (Wilsonia citrina) were detected most frequently in low-leave and high-leave harvested stands. Three shrub-scrub species were positively affected by timber harvest. The Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) was the most commonly detected species in all harvested stands after harvest. These data indicate that a shift to two-age harvest prescriptions on the Daniel Boone National Forest will not alleviate the negative short-term responses associated with fragmentation on forest interior species, and will continue to enhance conditions for species preferring early successional habitat.
Molecular abnormalities of the desmosomal protein desmoplakin in human disease.

Summary Desmoplakin is the principal plaque protein of desmosomes, specialized adhesion junctions found in various tissues including skin, heart and meninges. It is an entirely intracellular protein and in keratinocytes desmoplakin binds to other structural components of desmosomes such as cadherins and armadillo proteins, as well as to keratin filaments. Clues to the biological significance of desmoplakin have recently emerged from a number of naturally occurring human desmoplakin gene mutations. Both autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive disorders have been reported. The spectrum of clinical features includes varying degrees of keratoderma, blisters, nail dystrophy, woolly hair and, in some cases, cardiomyopathy. This review provides an update on genotype–phenotype correlation for human desmoplakin mutations as well as an overview of desmoplakin abnormalities in other conditions, including autoimmune blistering diseases, epithelial malignancies and blood vessel morphogenesis.
Spatial scale and land use fragmentation in monitoring water processes in the Colombian Andes

Abstract Land use spatial heterogeneity limits the applications of point and coarse spatial resolution remote sensing data in the regional representation of environmental processes. In the Colombian central cordillera little research has been conducted at the watershed level to assess the spatial heterogeneity of the landscape and the effects of land use in the spatio-temporal variations of water related processes. This paper evaluates the spatial heterogeneity of a 940 ha site in the Colombian Andes, discussing the feasibility of using point and coarse spatial resolution remote sensing data in producing regional representations of hydrological processes in this landscape. The spatial heterogeneity of vegetation cover and agriculture systems of an agriculture watershed in the mid-range of the central cordillera (1000–2000 m.a.s.l) is analyzed. Descriptive statistics and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare landscape fragmentation within and among three spatial units, 0.5, 1, and 3 km 2 , equivalents to pixel sizes commonly present in environmental satellite data. The GIS-Remote Sensing analysis showed a heterogeneous landscape rich in agriculture systems with small parcels of monocrops interwoven with six other agriculture systems including different degrees of intercropping and crop association. The results found an average fragment size of 9 ha, equivalent to a 300 m pixel with up to 10% fragments smaller than 0.5 ha (70 m pixel). No one of the seven land uses identified cover more than 50% of any of the three spatial areas under investigation. The results suggest that coarse spatial resolution remote sensing data or single site point data may be unsuitable for water studies for this landscape because different combinations of vegetation cover, agriculture systems, and topography are expected to produce different outcomes of hydrological process. In this case, single site point data or coarse spatial resolution remote sensing data are expected to oversimplify the local environment and produce limited assessments of regional water processes in this landscape.
Diffusion Mechanisms in Nanocrystalline and Nanolaminated Au-Cu

Thermal anneal treatments are used to identify the temperature range of the two dominant diffusion mechanisms – bulk and grain boundary. To assess the transition between mechanisms, the low temperature range for bulk diffusion is established utilizing the decay of static concentration waves in composition-modulated nanolaminates. These multilayered structures are synthesized using vapor deposition methods as thermal evaporation and magnetron sputtering. However, at low temperature the kinetics of grain-boundary diffusion are much faster than bulk diffusion. The synthesis of Au-Cu alloys (0-20 wt.% Cu) with grain sizes as small as 5 nm is accomplished using pulsed electro-deposition. Since the nanocrystalline grain structure is thermally unstable, these structures are ideal for measuring the kinetics of grain boundary diffusion as measured by coarsening of grain size with low temperature anneal treatments. A transition in the dominant mechanism for grain growth from grain boundary to bulk diffusion is found with an increase in temperature. The activation energy for bulk diffusion is found to be 1.8 eV·atom-1 whereas that for grain growth at low temperatures is only 0.2 eV·atom-1. The temperature for transitioning from the dominant mechanism of grain boundary to bulk diffusion is found to be 57% of the alloy melt temperature and is dependent on composition.
The rat arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase gene promoter. cAMP activation via a cAMP-responsive element-CCAAT complex.

A 10-100-fold rhythm in the activity of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT; EC 2.3.1.87) controls the rhythm in melatonin synthesis in the pineal gland. In some mammals, including the rat, the high nocturnal level of AA-NAT activity is preceded by an ∼100-fold increase in AA-NAT mRNA. The increase in AA-NAT mRNA is generated by norepinephrine acting through a cAMP mechanism. Indirect evidence has suggested that cAMP enhances AA-NAT gene expression by stimulating phosphorylation of a DNA-binding protein (cAMP-responsive element (CRE)-binding protein) bound to a CRE. The nature of the sites involved in cAMP activation was investigated in this report by analyzing the AA-NAT promoter. An ∼3700-base pair fragment of the 5′-flanking region of the rat AA-NAT gene was isolated, and the major transcription start points were mapped. The results of deletion analysis and site-directed mutagenesis indicate that cAMP activation requires a CRE·CCAAT complex consisting of a near-perfect CRE and an inverted CCAAT box located within two helical turns.
Study 1-2: An Exploration of Selected Relationships Among the Enactive, Iconic, and Symbolic Modes of Representation.

1.0 If a subject demonstrates mastery of (I, S) and (S, I) objectives from the same cluster, where at least one of these objectives was acquired as a result of explicit instruction, he will master an (1, I) objective from the same cluster without explicit instruction. 2.0 If a student demonstrates mastery of (I, S) and (S, I) objectives from the same cluster, where at least one of these objectives was acquired as a result of explicit instruction, he will master an (S, S) objective from the same cluster without explicit instruction. 3.0 The order in which a subject acquires (I, S) and (S, I) objectives from a particular cluster will not significantly affect the implicit mastery of an (I, I) or (S, S) objective from the same cluster. 4.0 If a student acquires an (S, I) or (I, S) objective with explicit instruction, he will master both (I, I) and (S, S) objectives without explicit instruction. 5.0 If a subject demonstrates mastery of (E, S) and (I, S) objectives from the same cluster, where at least one of these objectives was acquired as a result of explicit instruction, he will master an (E, I) objective from the same cluster without explicit instruction. 6.0 If a subject demonstrates mastery of (E, S) and (I, S) objectives from the same cluster where at least one of these objectives was acquired as a result of explicit instruction, he will master an (I, E) objective from the same cluster without explicit instruction. 7.0 The order in which a student acquires (I, S) and (E, S) objectives from a particular cluster will not significantly affect the implicit mastery of an (E, I) or (I, E) objective from the same cluster. 8.0 If a student acquires an (I, S) or (E, S) objective with explicit instruction and masters a corresponding (E, S) or (I, S) objective from the same cluster without explicit instruction, he will master both (E, I) and (I, E) objectives.
The lateral mixing of fluidised solids through meshed and unmeshed apertures

Rates at which solids mix laterally through meshed and unmeshed openings in vertical partitions subdividing a fluidised bed are reported. The effects on mixing of the superficial gas velocity, particle size, and total and fractional free aperture areas are assessed, and bed expansion data reported. The flux rate of material through the apertures was found to be directly proportional to the difference between the superficial and the minimum fluidising velocities, and inversely proportional to a power function of the mean particle diameter. Reducing the free area available for passage of material across the bed decreased the circulation flux rate: increasing the total aperture area had the same effect. These influences on mixing are explained, and the mixing rates and bed expansion data correlated against relevant experimental variables.
The anti-apoptotic effects of nordihydroguaiaretic acid : Inhibition of cPLA2 activation during TNF-induced apoptosis arises from inhibition of calcium signaling

Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) is a plant lignan produced by Larrea tridentata, the creosote bush of the American southwest. In this report we examine the mechanism underlying the ability of NDGA to inhibit TNF-induced apoptosis. Our results show that NDGA blocks many key indicators of apoptosis. Caspase cleavage, mitochondrial inactivation, externalization of phosphatidyl serine, and (51)Cr-release were all blocked by low micromolar concentrations of NDGA. NDGA also inhibited the cPLA(2)-dependent release of (3)H-arachidonic acid. We investigated this activity and found that NDGA prevented the rise in intracellular calcium necessary for the apoptotic activation of cPLA(2). On the other hand, NDGA did not interfere with the TNF-induced phosphorylation of cPLA(2), indicating that NDGA does not block all TNF-dependent signaling. Finally, we asked whether the anti-apoptotic effect of NDGA could be attributed to its anti-oxidant activity. Comparison with the effects of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) did not completely support this hypothesis. While BHA strongly inhibited caspase activation and partially blocked the release of (51)Cr, it was unable to significantly block the calcium response or the release of (3)H-arachidonic acid associated with TNF-induced apoptosis. The anti-oxidant activity of NDGA may, therefore, explain some but not all of its anti-apoptotic activity.
The Potential Impact of Comparative Effectiveness Research on U.S. Health Care Expenditures

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) has the potential to slow health care spending growth by focusing resources on health interventions that provide the most value. In this article, we discuss issues surrounding CER and its implementation and apply these methods to a salient clinical example: treatment of prostate cancer. Physicians have several options for treating patients recently diagnosed with localized disease, including removal of the prostate (radical prostatectomy), treatment with radioactive seeds (brachytherapy), radiation therapy (IMRT), or—if none of these are pursued—active surveillance. Using a commercial health insurance claims database and after adjustment for comorbid conditions, we estimate that the additional cost of treatment with radical prostatectomy is $7,300, while other alternatives are more expensive—$19,000 for brachytherapy and $46,900 for IMRT. However, a review of the clinical literature uncovers no evidence that justifies the use of these more expensive approaches. These results imply that if patient management strategies were shifted to those supported by CER-based criteria, an estimated $1.7 to $3.0 billion (2009 present value) could be saved each year.
Adult polycystic disease of kidneys: A potential cause of false-positive67Ga images

A 56-year-old man with adult polycystic disease of the kidneys complicated by renal failure, hypertension, and bacteremia underwent bilateral nephrectomy because the enlarged kidneys compromised his gastrointestinal function and respiratory capacity. A scan using99mTc-methylene diphosphonate demonstrated nonfunctioning kidneys, bilaterally. An unusual radioactivity pattern in the bowel in67Ga scintigraphy was due to extreme renal enlargement and should be kept in mind to avoid misinterpretation.
Acceptance of Helmet Use Among National Collegiate Athletic Association Pole-Vaulting Coaches

In 2002, two high school athletes and one college athlete died as a result of head injuries sustained while pole-vaulting. In order to determine the opinions and practices of collegiate coaches on a variety of issues concerning polevaulters, including the use of helmets, an anonymous, web-based survey concerning pole-vaulting was sent to a stratified random sample of 50% of Division I, II, and III NCAA track and field coaches. Information collected from coaches included demographic data, coaching experience, coaching techniques, pole-vaulting equipment, and injury/safety information. One hundred and thirty-one (56%) completed surveys were returned from the estimated 233 schools with active pole-vaulting programs. None of the respondent coaches required vaulters to wear helmets during practice, although 59% (95% CI = 50% to 69%) would do so if helmets were designed specifically for pole-vaulting. Results from this survey of NCAA coaches suggest a general acceptance of the idea of helmet use, especially if ...
Transforming growth factor type alpha in normal human adult saliva

Abstract For the first time, transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) has been detected in the saliva of healthy adults. In saliva, the concentrations of TGF-α and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) to be 1–6 μg/1 saliva and 0.5–2 μg/1 saliva, respectively. The salivary TGF-α was partially purified about 1200-fold by an ethanol extraction, Bio-Gel P-30 molecular sieve chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). At least three forms of TGF-α, with molecular weights of 6 kDa or less, were detected with molecular sieve gel filtration chromatography. A major chromatography peak, which constituted 20–30% of the extract, was a 5.6 kDa human TGF-α (hTGF-α) molecule by using RIA, radioreceptor assay (RRA), and mitogenic activity assay techniques. Reverse-phase HPLC purification further confirmed the identity of TGF-α. Our findings suggest, in contrast to what was earlier assumed, that TGF-α is present in normal adult saliva and we hypothesize that it may play a significant role in mediating proliferation and other functions of epithelial cells in the alimentary system.
Lyophilization to improve drug delivery for chitosan-calcium phosphate bone scaffold construct: A preliminary investigation

Lyophilization was evaluated in chitosan-calcium phosphate microspheres and scaffolds to improve drug delivery of growth factors and antibiotics for orthopedic applications. The dual delivery of an antibiotic and a growth factor from a composite scaffold would be beneficial for treatment of complex fracture sites, such as comminuted fractures and segmental bone defects. The aim of this investigation was to increase the loading capacity of the composite by taking advantage of the increased porosity, due to lyophilization, and to produce an extended elution profile using a secondary chitosan-bead coating. The physiochemical properties of the composite were investigated, and loading and elution studies were performed with alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and amikacin. Lyophilization was found to increase the surface area of scaffolds by over 400% and the porosity of scaffolds by 50%. Using ALP as a model protein, the loading capacity was increased by lyophilization from 4.3 +/- 2.5 to 24.6 +/- 3.6 microg ALP/mg microspheres, and the elution profile was extended by a supplemental chitosan coating. The loading capacity of BMP-2 for composite microspheres was increased from 74.4 +/- 3.7 to 102.1 +/- 8.0 microg BMP-2/g microspheres with lyophilization compared with nonlyophilized microspheres. The elution profiles of BMP-2 and the antibiotic amikacin were not extended with the supplemental coating. Additional investigations are planned to improve these elution characteristics for growth factors and antibiotics.
Modelling daily thermal cycles in the Trajan column

Abstract The propagation of the thermal wave caused by solar radiation in the first 20 cm from the surface of the Trajan Column has been analysed. There is good agreement between the model and the experimental data taken on the surface. This would lead to the simulation of the propagation of the thermal wave in the internal layers. An analysis of the sides of the column most subjected to physical stress has been made.
Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of furosemide in man: A review

The pharmacokinetics of furosemide and the attempt to correlate biological fluid measurements with diuretic response have been the subject of a large number of studies since the original reports of HajdU, Rupp, and coworkers in the mid-1960s. This article attempts to critically review these studies under seven different sections: furosemide pharmacokinetics in normal volunteers, furosemide pharmacokinetics in patients with decreased renal function, furosemide pharmacokinetics in patients with congestive heart failure, furosemide metabolism and assay methods, furosemide bioavailability, dose-response relationships, and the role of inhibitors and mediators on furosemide effects. The literature is reviewed through August 1978.
An investigation of possible causes for the reduction of fan noise in flight

An experimental investigation of the impact on fan tone-noise generation of several engine inflow distortions found in conventional static testing has been made. Inflow distortions examined included the ground vortex, atmospheric turbulence, and test-stand structure interference. This work was undertaken to help explain results from noise measurements made on modern turbofan engines which show lower fan tone levels in flight at the blade-passing frequency than are predicted from static measurements. The results indicate that the ground vortex can greatly increase noise at the blade-passing frequency. A special inlet was designed to examine the effects of atmospheric turbulence. Use of this inlet reduced the variability of the sound-pressure level at the blade-passing frequency, and the results were similar to those found in flight.
Magnetophonon oscillations in the magnetoresistance of epitaxial n-GaAs☆

Abstract The longitudinal and transverse magnetoresistance of epitaxial n-GaAs of mobility 2.8 × 10 4 and 7.8 × × 10 4 cm 2 /V-sec (77°K) exhibit oscillations due to the scattering of electrons on optical and acoustic phonons. These oscillations are investigated in magnetic fields up to 170 kG and in the temperature range 80°K to 200°K.
Computer simulation through an error-statistical lens

After showing how Deborah Mayo's error-statistical philosophy of science might be applied to address important questions about the evidential sta- tus of computer simulation results, I argue that an error-statistical perspective offers an interesting new way of thinking about computer simulation models and has the potential to significantly improve the practice of simulation model evaluation. Though intended primarily as a contribution to the epistemology of simulation, the analysis also serves to fill in details of Mayo's epistemology of experiment.
Predicting the quality of life in the United States

A principal components analysis performed by David M. Smith on 47 U.S. state level indicators of social well-being yielded several components. The first two of these are socio-economic well-being and social pathology. Structural hypotheses are offered to explain state differences in these components. The structural variables condensed by a principal components analysis of state political, economic and social structure measures are differentiation, flexibility-rigidity, and progressive industrialization. These, along with several population measures, determine a substantial part of the variance in the two measures of social well-being.
Value of electrophysiologic testing in patients with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia

Abstract This study was undertaken to determine the value of electrophysiologic testing in 61 patients with non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) (3 or more beats) on ambulatory monitoring and no history of sustained ventricular arrhythmia. The study group consisted of 38 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), 9 with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and 14 with a normal heart. Nonsustained VT (at least 3 but not more than 15 beats) was induced in 46%, sustained VT (more than 15 beats) in 15% and no VT in 39%. Sustained VT was induced more frequently in the presence of left ventricular dysfunction (p = 0.005) but was not related to the presence of CAD. Over a mean follow-up of 26 months, 10 patients died from cardiac causes (4 suddenly), including 1 patient with inducible sustained VT, 2 with nonsustained VT and 7 with no inducible VT. Inducibility was not related to survival, either as a single variable or when combined with CAD, left ventricular dysfunction or recent myocardial infarction. Left ventricular function alone was a good predictor of outcome. Of 46 patients with an ejection fraction of 35 % more or in New York Heart Association functional class I or 11, 3 (7%) died from cardiac causes, compared with 7 of 13 patients (54%) with an ejection fraction of less than 35% or in functional class III or IV (p = 0.0001). Thus, in patients with nonsustained VT, the incidence of sustained VT during electrophysiologic testing is low and is related to the degree of left ventricular dysfunction. The probability of sudden death is low (7% at 2 years) and is not influenced by VT inducibility even in the presence of abnormal myocardium. Poor left ventricular function is an important risk variable for those who do not survive.
Semiconductor effective charges from tight-binding theory

We calculate the transverse effective charges of zinc-blende compound semiconductors using Harrison's tight-binding model to describe the electronic structure. Our results, which are essentially exact within the model, are found to be in much better agreement with experiment than previous perturbation-theory estimates. Efforts to improve the results by using more sophisticated variants of the tight-binding model were actually less successful. The results underline the importance of including quantities that are sensitive to the electronic wave functions, such as the effective charges, in the fitting of tight-binding models. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Three-Wave Coupling in a Transitional Hypersonic Boundary Layer

The digitized, two-point, hot-film probe measurements made in a transitioning Mach 8 boundary layer are analyzed. A digital signal processing technique that allows the local spectral dynamics to be characterized is applied. This technique is based on a nonlinear system that contains both linear and quadratically nonlinear system elements. The linear and nonlinear transfer functions and the local coherency are estimated from the uncalibrated hot-film measurements. The results show that for the probe spacing and test conditions that are examined, linear growth dominates the local interaction, and thus the three-wave coupling that is due to high frequency difference interactions, is a small perturbation. The use of this technique is, however, a first step towards quantitatively measuring the local nonlinear spectral dynamics of a transitioning hypersonic boundary layer.
On achievable accuracy for pose tracking

This paper presents Cramer-Rao bound-like inequalities for pose tracking, which is defined as the problem of recovering the robot displacement given two successive readings of a relative sensor. Computing the exact Fisher Information Matrix (FIM) for pose tracking is hard, because the state comprises the map, which is infinite-dimensional and unknown. This paper shows that the FIM for pose tracking can be bounded by a function of the FIM for localization on a known map, thereby reducing the analysis to a finite-dimensional problem. The resulting bounds are independent of the map prior and representation. The results are valid for any relative sensor; the experimental verification is done for the particular case of pose tracking using range-finders (scan matching).
Near-field emission of lead-sulfide-selenide homojunction lasers

Measurements of the near-field intensity distributions of three lead-sulfide-selenide diode lasers operating near 4.8 μm have been made as a function of injection current. Localized emission in the near field exhibits peaked structure of full width from 5 to 10 μm for operation above threshold. From the dependence of the emission profiles on injection current estimates of 25 cm-1and 0.09 cm/A are made for the distributed loss and gain coefficients for one of the lasers. Optical confinement perpendicular to the p-n junction can be explained in terms of the homojunction properties.