cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monitoring Crack Propagation in Reinforced Concrete Shear Walls by Acoustic Emission

AbstractIn the last two decades, several efforts have been made to monitor the cracking behavior in RC structures. A technique that shows promise is acoustic emission (AE). This paper presents the results of an experimental study aimed at monitoring fracture processes in a large-scale RC shear wall using one of the most important AE parameters, that is, the b-value. The specimen was subjected to a displacement controlled reversed cyclic loading. A Gaussian filter is proposed to improve the interpretation of b-value data obtained during the test. In addition, a cluster analysis based on the k-means is presented to automatically classify the signal into tensile and shear cluster. Finally, a new algorithm called Sifted b-value (Sb) analysis is introduced to monitor the evolution of each crack mode. The proposed approach is capable to identify the initial yielding and eventually provide an early warning for the planning and implementation of remedial action to the structure at a point at which it is less expe...
Pipeline embolization device: lessons learned after 1000 aneurysms.

Pipeline Embolization Device: Lessons learned after 1000 aneurysmsLeonardo B.C. Brasiliense, M.D. Ricardo A. Hanel, M.D., Ph.D.PII: S1878-8750(14)00593-2DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2014.06.047Reference: WNEU 2440To appear in: World NeurosurgeryPlease cite this article as: Brasiliense LBC, Hanel RA, Pipeline Embolization Device: Lessons learnedafter 1000 aneurysms, World Neurosurgery (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2014.06.047.This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service toour customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergocopyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Pleasenote that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and alllegal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Parental images as a guide to leadership sensemaking: an attachment perspective on implicit leadership theories

Abstract The self is a critical interpretive structure that guides leadership sensemaking [The Leadership Quarterly, 6 (1995) 265]. Yet relatively little is known about how early childhood experiences may impact implicit leadership theories and how these experiences may shape expectations about the self in relation to leadership figures as well as willingness to learn and adapt one's behavior consistent with different leadership models. Accordingly, a theoretical model based on attachment theory is developed to examine these issues.
Percutaneous management of benign adrenal cysts: A treatment option in selected cases

ABSTRACT We present a case of benign adrenal cyst managed conservatively with percutaneous aspiration and sclerosis.
Real-time magnetic resonance-guided placement of retrievable inferior vena cava filters: comparison with fluoroscopic guidance with use of in vitro and animal models.

PURPOSE To compare the precision of magnetic resonance (MR)–guided versus fluoroscopy-guided placement of retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters with use of real-time MR imaging strategies optimized for each device in an in vitro model and in an animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three different retrievable IVC filters were used in this study, including the Recovery, Gunther Tulip, and OptEase devices. Experiments were performed on a 1.5T-MR system with prerelease interactive MR software. For each device, high-resolution real-time MR imaging was optimized with use of steady-state free precession and fast low-angle shot sequences with radial and cartesian trajectories and varying flip angles (10°–70°) and a frame rate of 2 per second. A custom-built IVC phantom was filled with dilute gadolinium contrast agent at a concentration of 0.05 mmol/L simulating a blood T1 of 8 msec and T2 of 6 msec. Signal intensities were measured in regions of interest at the filter, the IVC lumen, and the background. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were calculated. The sequence suited best for each device was chosen for in vitro filter placement in a custom-made IVC phantom. Each device was deployed five times each under MR and fluoroscopic guidance with use of identical techniques. Accuracy was measured as absolute deviation of the filter tip in millimeters from a target landing zone. Differences were assessed statistically with use of the paired t test. Each device was also placed in vivo in a swine model under MR guidance. RESULTS All three IVC filters could be clearly identified and positioned under fluoroscopic and MR imaging control. A cartesian true fast imaging sequence with steady-state precession with a flip angle of 30° or 50° resulted in optimal SNR and CNR for all three filters. The Tulip filter created more susceptibility artifacts than the other two. Filter placement accuracy was similar with MR and fluoroscopy whether comparing devices individually ( P = NS) or as a group ( P = NS). The mean absolute differences between MR and fluoroscopy were 0.088 mm for the OptEase filter, 0.41 mm for the Bard Recovery filter, and 0.34 mm for the Gunther Tulip filter. CONCLUSIONS MR-guided placement of retrievable IVC filters is feasible and as accurate as fluoroscopy-guided placement in an in vitro model. With optimized sequences, real-time MR has the potential to develop as a reasonable alternative to fluoroscopy.
Effect of formoterol, a long‐lasting beta 2‐adrenoceptor agonist, against methacholine‐induced bronchoconstriction.

1. The effects of a new long-acting inhaled beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist aerosol formoterol (12 micrograms), on FEV1, and on methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction, were compared with those of terbutaline (250 micrograms) and placebo in 12 midly asthmatic subjects. 2. PC20, the concentration of methacholine needed to cause a 20% fall in baseline FEV1, was determined 2 and 5 h after formoterol, terbutaline and placebo on separate days. Baseline PC20 was determined on a different day. 3. Compared with terbutaline and placebo, formoterol hastened recovery from methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction, and significantly increased mean PC20 (by 2.2- and 2.9-fold at 2 and 5 h respectively). 4. Thus, formoterol has a protective effect against methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction which lasts for at least 5 h.
Concentrations and loads of suspended sediment-associated pesticides in the San Joaquin River, California and tributaries during storm events.

Abstract Current-use pesticides associated with suspended sediments were measured in the San Joaquin River, California and its tributaries during two storm events in 2008. Nineteen pesticides were detected: eight herbicides, nine insecticides, one fungicide and one insecticide synergist. Concentrations for the herbicides (0.1 to 3000 ng/g; median of 6.1 ng/g) were generally greater than those for the insecticides (0.2 to 51 ng/g; median of 1.5 ng/g). Concentrations in the tributaries were usually greater than in the mainstem San Joaquin River and the west side tributaries were higher than the east side tributaries. Estimated instantaneous loads ranged from 1.3 to 320 g/day for herbicides and 0.03 to 53 g/day for insecticides. The greatest instantaneous loads came from the Merced River on the east side. Instantaneous loads were greater for the first storm of 2008 than the second storm in the tributaries while the instantaneous loads within the San Joaquin River were greater during the second storm. Pesticide detections generally reflected pesticide application, but other factors such as physical–chemical properties and timing of application were also important to pesticide loads.
Modulation of cholinergic transmission enhances excitability of hippocampal pyramidal neurons and ameliorates learning impairments in aging animals.

Four cholinesterase inhibitors have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Here we review our experiences with two cholinesterase inhibitors (metrifonate and galanthamine) and a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist (CI-1017) in behavioral pharmacological and brain slice experiments in aging and young rabbits. Aging rabbits are impaired in their ability to acquire the hippocampus-dependent trace eyeblink conditioning task, as compared to young controls. A large proportion of aging animals cannot reach behavioral criterion in this task. Those that do learn, do so more slowly. In addition, the post-burst afterhyperpolarization and spike frequency accommodation is increased in hippocampal pyramidal neurons from aging animals, i.e., cellular excitability is reduced as compared to those from young animals. Metrifonate, galanthamine, and CI-1017 reduced the learning deficits observed in aging rabbits so that they learned almost as quickly as young controls. These cholinergic compounds also enhanced the postsynaptic excitability of hippocampal pyramidal neurons in vitro. Therefore, we propose that the amelioration of learning impairment with the cholinergic compounds may in part be due to the enhanced excitability of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. The potential relevance of our studies to further understanding the cellular and behavioral changes that occur with normal aging and Alzheimer's Disease is discussed.
Dissolution of Suppositories III: Effect of Insoluble Polyvinylpyrrolidone on Acetaminophen Release

AbstractPreviously reported studies from this laboratory have demonstrated the usefulness of a new apparatus for suppository dissolution study. Acetaminophen suppositories gave slow release and it was posited that addition of a disintegrating agent commonly used in tablet manufacture would increase this release rate. To test the hypothesis, four PEG blends were used as bases as in the previous studies. Each contained 320 mg acetaminophen and 1%, 5%, or 10% of insoluble polyvinylpyrrolidone (Polyplasdone XLR). One thousand milliliters of phosphate buffer, pH 8.0 to approximate rectal pH was employed as the dissolution media and maintained at 37.5°. A constant agitation rate of 2 5 and 50 rpm was used. Acetaminophen was assayed spectrophotometrically at 243 nm. Comparative dissolution profiles at the various agitation rates and with the concentrations of polyvinylpyrrolidone were developed. Addition of insoluble polyvinylpyrrolidone increased the dissolution rate constant and dissolution half-times at the t...
Rise of Chinese Multinational Firms

Since 2003, China has been one of the most significant sources of outward foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world. How did this happen? What are the features of Chinese outward direct investment (ODI)? Are they different from developed-country FDI? Why do Chinese firms go multinational? What competitive advantages do Chinese firms have in going multinational? The Chinese ODI boom is a result of China's rapid economic growth and its "going-global" strategy. Chinese multinational firms are similar to those in developed countries in many respects, but differ largely in ownership structure. Their competitive advantages are derived mainly from China's institutional organization and efficient management in the production process. Four motivations of Chinese ODI are: to maintain and expand international markets, to secure a supply of key resources, to obtain firm assets from advanced economies, and to seek overseas opportunities with an international vision.
Isolation and Partial Characterization of a Keratinocyte Proliferative Factor Produced by Streptococcus pyogenes (Strain NY-5)

Cell-free culture filtrates of Streptococcus pyogenes (strain NY-5), S. viridans or a group C streptococcus were precipitated with ethanol and the precipitates were resolubilized in buffer. Upon injection into rabbit skin, only S. pyogenes (NY-5) caused marked erythema and a significant increase in the mitotic index at 24 hr, while all 3 strains of streptococci caused accumulation of heterophilic leukocytes in the dermis. The mitogen of S. pyogenes (NY-5) appeared in culture supernatants during early log-phase growth and persisted of culture. At appropriate dilutions, the streptococcal proliferative factor caused a dose-dependent increase in the mitotic index. The factor was found to be thermolabile, dialysable and sensitive to trypsin or pronase. Increased mitoses were observed at 2 time periods following injection were thought to be due to cells in G 2 that were stimulated to enter mitosis. Later, 18-20 hr after injection, there was a peak of 3 H-thymidine incorporation into basal cells which was followed at 24-27 hr by a pronounced increase in mitoses. These results could not simply be due to inflammatory responses in the dermis, since filtrates containing the proliferative factor also caused increased uptake of 3 H-thymidine into isolated, cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The possibility that this factor might play a pathogenic role in the exanthem of scarlet fever or in the initiation of guttate psoriasis following streptococcal infection will quire further study.
Using hardware vulnerability factors to enhance AVF analysis

Fault tolerance is now a primary design constraint for all major microprocessors. One step in determining a processor's compliance to its failure rate target is measuring the Architectural Vulnerability Factor (AVF) of each on-chip structure. The AVF of a hardware structure is the probability that a fault in the structure will affect the output of a program. While AVF generates meaningful insight into system behavior, it cannot quantify the vulnerability of an individual system component (hardware, user program, etc.), limiting the amount of insight that can be generated. To address this, prior work has introduced the Program Vulnerability Factor (PVF) to quantify the vulnerability of software. In this paper, we introduce and analyze the Hardware Vulnerability Factor (HVF) to quantify the vulnerability of hardware. HVF has three concrete benefits which we examine in this paper. First, HVF analysis can provide insight to hardware designers beyond that gained from AVF analysis alone. Second, separating AVF analysis into HVF and PVF steps can accelerate the AVF measurement process. Finally, HVF measurement enables runtime AVF estimation that combines compile-time PVF estimates with runtime HVF measurements. A key benefit of this technique is that it allows software developers to influence the runtime AVF estimates. We demonstrate that this technique can estimate AVF at runtime with an average absolute error of less than 3%.
Is there a role for anandamide in cardiovascular regulation? Insights from studies of endocannabinoid metabolism.

in this issue of American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology , Pacher et al. ([16][1]) characterized the cardiovascular effects of anandamide (AEA) in mice deficient in fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), an enzyme responsible for metabolizing AEA. There was no difference in
Ribosomal vaccines. II. Specificity of the immune response to ribosomal ribonucleic acid and protein isolated from Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract Ribosomal proteins isolated from Salmonella typhimurium were effective in inducing immunity in mice. This immunity was specific since animals immunized with ribosomal proteins from S. typhimurium were not protected against challenge with S. cholerae-suis or S. enteritidis. Immunity was evident as early as 5 days after immunization. Ribosomal ribonucleic acid (RNA) failed to provide any effective immunity in mice. Polyinosinic acid: polycytidylic acid (poly I: C) induced a rapid, short-lived immunity to all three Salmonella species. In contrast, ribosomal RNA failed to elicit any rapid nonspecific response to infection.
Simulation of the Stokes vector in inhomogeneous precipitation

[1] The large absorption and scattering cross sections of liquid and frozen hydrometeors, respectively, introduce appreciable signatures to measured polarized brightness temperatures, degrading the retrieval of other geophysical parameters such as near-surface ocean winds. In particular, the retrieval of wind direction requires precise knowledge of polarization. This study investigates the fully polarized atmospheric contribution of precipitation and compares these effects with the current sensitivities of passive wind vector retrieval algorithms. A realistic microphysical cloud model supplies atmospheric parameters, including hydrometeor water contents, which are input into a vector radiative transfer model. Scattering is handled using a reverse Monte Carlo method. Radiances are simulated for three frequencies of interest to microwave polarimetry, 10.7, 18.7, and 37.0 GHz, for the four elements of the Stokes vector. The simulations show that the dichroic nature of precipitating media has a significant impact on passive wind vector retrievals.
Perceptual weightings and optimal pulse positioning in multipulse LPC speech coding

In multipulse LPC speech coding, there are a number of important issues which need to be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to report some of our work related to two of these issues. The first pertains to how one measures the quality of the synthetic speech for a given set of multipulse parameters. In this paper, we present a general set of frequency domain weighting functions which may incorporate various spectral characterizations of the speech. The second issue relates to how one determines the optimal set of pulse positions for a given set of of LPC filter coefficients. Current methods involve a sequential procedure, which is suboptimal compared with simultaneous positioning of pulses throughout an entire analysis frame. We therefore discuss an algorithm for simultaneous pulse positioning based on Pisarenko's harmonic decomposition.
Market Incorporation, Agricultural Change, and Sustainability Among the Machiguenga Indians of the Peruvian Amazon

By marshaling empirical data from five Machiguenga communities studied over 20 years, this paper disputes two common assumptions about the behavior of indigenous peoples in the face of increasing commercialization. First, many Amazonian researchers suggest that the social and ecological deterioration confronting native populations results from externally-imposed political, legal and market structures that compel local groups to pursue short-term, unstable economic strategies. Second, these structural explanations are combined with the increasing recognition that indigenous peoples possess a substantial agroecological knowledge to suggest that, if indigenous people receive control of adequate land and resources, they will implement their traditional knowledge in conservative resource management practices. In contrast to these assumptions, this analysis shows that the Machiguenga are not compelled by external forces (such as land tenure, migration policies or economic trends), but instead are active enthusiastic participants seeking to engage the market in order to acquire western goods. Further, despite highly adaptive traditional subsistence patterns and a vast agroecological knowledge, households and communities facing increasing degrees of market integration are progressively altering their traditional cropping strategies, planting practices, labor allocation and land use patterns toward a greater emphasis on commodity crop production and domesticated animal breeding. This increasing concentration on income generating activities subverts the environmentally-friendly nature of traditional productive practices and creates a socially, economically, and ecologically unsustainable system.
Field strength above 1 GHz: Measurement procedures for standard antennas

To calibrate antennas for state-of-the-art field-strength measurements above 1 GHz, standard antennas are needed that have gain values known to within ±0.1 dB. Since this requirements exceeds the verified accuracy of calculated gain values, these standards must be established by making absolute gain measurements. The discussion primarily concerns absolute gain measurements for horn antennas by the two-antenna method. However, much of the discussion is pertinent to high-accuracy field-strength measurements in general. The two-antenna method is considered to be essentially an insertions-loss measurement (with many additional problems and sources of error), and this concept is used to derive a working formula that is suitable for high-accuracy gain measurements. The two most intractable problems-- insufficient antenna separation and multipath interference--are discussed in detail. Some important experimental details are included that have previously been overlooked or inadequately discussed, and it is concluded that previous error estimates of less than ±0.1 dB for horn-gain measurements have been somewhat optimistic. To facilitate the design and evaluation of high-accuracy gain measurements, some simple terms, concepts, and formulas are provided that are useful in analyzing multipath interference.
ASA: an adaptive space allocation algorithm for cache management in multi-level cache hierarchy

Multi-level cache hierarchies are widely used in high-performance storage systems to improve I/O performance. However, traditional cache management algorithms are not suited well for such cache organizations. Recently proposed exclusive caching works well with single or multiple-client, low-correlated workloads, but suffers serious performance degradation with multiple-client, high-correlated workloads. In this paper, we propose a new cache space management algorithm, Adaptive Space Allocation (ASA)7 which implements both exclusive and inclusive caching and manages storage caches by providing optimal inclusive cache space adaptively according to the characteristic of input workloads. Ours results show that ASA increases the cumulative cache hit ratios dramatically for both high and low-correlated workloads.
The Tanaka Memorial (1927): authentic or spurious?

Few documents in recent history have provoked such controversy as the so-called ‘Tanaka Memorial’. ‘Document’ is perhaps a misnomer, for the original (assuming that there was one) has never been seen by anyone willing to admit its existence. The memorial is said to be a 13,000-word secret petition presented by Prime Minister Baron Tanaka Giichi to Emperor Hirohito on 25 July 1927 outlining a program of economic penetration into Manchuria, China, and Mongolia that would prepare for Japan's subjection of Asia and Europe. Exposed by the Chinese in 1929, the document gained global notoriety during the 1930s. Over vehement Japanese objections and disclaimers, it was translated and circulated in Europe and the United States. Grandiose designs expressed in a language that might have aroused incredulity or mirth in calmer times sounded uncomfortably authentic in the context of Japanese behavior in East Asia and the Pacific between 1931 and 1945.
Seasonal conductivity and embolism in the roots and stems of two clonal ring-porous trees, Sassafras albidum (Lauraceae) and Rhus typhina (Anacardiaceae).

Seasonal xylem (wood) conductivity and embolism (air blockage) patterns were monitored in roots vs. stems of two clonal ringporous tree species, Sassafras albidum and Rhus typhina, throughout 1996 and 1997. Stems of both species were 100% embolized in the early spring and became conductive by late June following leaf expansion and maturation of new earlywood vessels. Dyes indicated the stem conduction was restricted almost exclusively to the current year’s growth ring. Stems became totally embolized again by early October, before the first freezing temperatures. In contrast, woody roots of both species maintained low embolism values, many conductive growth rings, and high conductivity values regardless of the season. No positive root pressures were detected in either species. The mean frost depth (204 6 11 mm) was deeper than all sampled roots of Rhus and 47% of sampled roots of Sassafras. The roots that had been in frozen soil either avoided embolism altogether or they were able to reverse embolism by a mechanism other than positive root pressures.
Estimating the power dissipation range in switched-capacitor circuits

This paper examines some issues involved in the estimation of the power dissipation in switched-capacitor circuits. It is shown on examples that, in general, the power dissipation depends upon the order in which the switches connected to the same clock phase are closed. As this order cannot be predicted with certainty, it is problematic to try to estimate the power dissipated by a switched-capacitor circuit in terms of a single number. A more realistic estimate of the power dissipation is to give a range of possible values. It is shown that upper and lower bounds on the power dissipation can be computed by solving a single-source shortest path problem on a directed graph. Numerical results reveal that in some cases the switching order can have a dramatic effect on the circuit's power dissipation.
Neurobiological Foundations for the Theory of Harmony in Western Tonal Music

Basic principles of the theory of harmony reflect physiological and anatomical properties of the auditory nervous system and related cognitive systems. This hypothesis is motivated by observations from several different disciplines, including ethnomusicology, developmental psychology, and animal behavior. Over the past several years, we and our colleagues have been investigating the vertical dimension of harmony from the perspective of neurobiology using physiological, psychoacoustic, and neurological methods. Properties of the auditory system that govern harmony perception include (1) the capacity of peripheral auditory neurons to encode temporal regularities in acoustic fine structure and (2) the differential tuning of many neurons throughout the auditory system to a narrow range of frequencies in the audible spectrum. Biologically determined limits on these properties constrain the range of notes used in music throughout the world and the way notes are combined to form intervals and chords in popular Western music. When a harmonic interval is played, neurons throughout the auditory system that are sensitive to one or more frequencies (partials) contained in the interval respond by firing action potentials. For consonant intervals, the fine timing of auditory nerve fiber responses contains strong representations of harmonically related pitches implied by the interval (e.g., Rameau's fundamental bass) in addition to the pitches of notes actually present in the interval. Moreover, all or most of the partials can be resolved by finely tuned neurons throughout the auditory system. By contrast, dissonant intervals evoke auditory nerve fiber activity that does not contain strong representations of constituent notes or related bass notes. Furthermore, many partials are too close together to be resolved. Consequently, they interfere with one another, cause coarse fluctuations in the firing of peripheral and central auditory neurons, and give rise to perception of roughness and dissonance. The effects of auditory cortex lesions on the perception of consonance, pitch, and roughness, combined with a critical reappraisal of published psychoacoustic data on the relationship between consonance and roughness, lead us to conclude that consonance is first and foremost a function of the pitch relationships among notes. Harmony in the vertical dimension is a positive phenomenon, not just a negative phenomenon that depends on the absence of roughness--a view currently held by many psychologists, musicologists, and physiologists.
The psychobiology of premenstrual dysphoria: The role of prolactin

Abstract (1) The evidence for a role of prolactin in the premenstrual syndrome is discussed in this review. (2) The timing of the onset and offset of both physical and psychological dysphoric symptoms corresponds with the luteal elevation and menstrual decrease of serum prolactin levels. (3) Women with premenstrual symptoms have been shown to have high prolactin levels throughout the menstrual cycle and especially in the premenstruum. (4) Suppression of prolactin secretion with bromocriptine is reported to be effective in preventing both physical and psychological premenstrual symptoms. (5) The mode of action of bromocriptine requires further study to exclude possible direct central nervous system effects of the drug, independent of its prolactin-suppressing action. (6) Indirect evidence for a role of prolactin in the premenstrual syndrome comes from (a) the actions of prolactin in causing renal retention of water, sodium and potassium; (b) the interactions of prolactin with lithium (which is reported to relieve premenstrual symptoms in some patients); some of the other reported treatments also may suppress prolactin secretion or antagonize its peripheral effects. (7) Prolactin may interact with the ovarian hormones to cause specific types of dysphoric symptoms. High prolactin levels associated with low estrogen levels may cause depressive symptoms. High prolactin levels associated with low progesterone levels may cause symptoms of anxiety or irritable hostility. (8) Interactions of prolactin with the ovarian hormones may also help to account for some related clinical states—mid-cycle mood elevations, elation in late pregnancy, postpartum depression and dysphoric menopausal symptoms.
Selective and independent activation of four motor fascicles using a four contact nerve-cuff electrode

Any one of the four motor nerves in the cat sciatic nerve could be activated selectively and independently, from threshold to saturation, using a self-sizing spiral cuff electrode containing four radially placed monopolar contacts. These studies were carried out in nine adult cats with acute implants. Of the 36 possible fascicles, 23 fascicles could be activated selectively with current stimuli applied to a single contact and ten of the remaining fascicles could be activated selectively with current stimuli applied to two contacts, "field steering." In three experiments, time constraints precluded attempting selective activation through "field steering" techniques. In eight of the ten cases where "field steering" was used, a positive and a negative current source (anodic steering) were required to achieve the desired fascicle and in the remaining two cases, two negative current sources (cathodic steering) were required. The relative distance from the electrode contacts to each fascicle was well correlated to the order in which each fascicle was activated. In seven experiments, carried out in two animals, selective activation was verified by collision block techniques. The results of these experiments support the hypothesis that selective and independent activation of any of four motor fascicles in the cat sciatic nerve is possible using a four contact self-sizing spiral cuff electrode. Furthermore, in a more general case, these results support the concept of a "tunable" electrode that is capable of "steering" the excitation from an undesirable location to a preferred location.
Canonical Time Warping for Alignment of Human Behavior

Alignment of time series is an important problem to solve in many scientific disciplines. In particular, temporal alignment of two or more subjects performing similar activities is a challenging problem due to the large temporal scale difference between human actions as well as the inter/intra subject variability. In this paper we present canonical time warping (CTW), an extension of canonical correlation analysis (CCA) for spatio-temporal alignment of human motion between two subjects. CTW extends previous work on CCA in two ways: (i) it combines CCA with dynamic time warping (DTW), and (ii) it extends CCA by allowing local spatial deformations. We show CTW's effectiveness in three experiments: alignment of synthetic data, alignment of motion capture data of two subjects performing similar actions, and alignment of similar facial expressions made by two people. Our results demonstrate that CTW provides both visually and qualitatively better alignment than state-of-the-art techniques based on DTW.
More than just a pretty face: conversational protocols and the affordances of embodiment

Prior research into embodied interface agents has found that users like them and find them engaging. However, results on the effectiveness of these interfaces for task completion have been mixed. In this paper, we argue that embodiment can serve an even stronger function if system designers use actual human conversational protocols in the design of the interface. Communicative behaviors such as salutations and farewells, conversational turn-taking with interruptions, and describing objects using hand gestures are examples of protocols that all native speakers of a language already know how to perform and can thus be leveraged in an intelligent interface. We discuss how these protocols are integrated into Rea, an embodied, multi-modal interface agent who acts as a real-estate salesperson, and we show why embodiment is required for their successful implementation.
Some effects of eutectic liquid under reducing conditions in the alumina-tin dioxide-tin composite system

Tin dioxide (SnO{sub 2}, cassiterite) is one of the few simple oxides that do not react with alumina below a eutectic at 1,620 C in air. Consequently it has been of interest for weak interfacial coatings on alumina for ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs). However, at low oxygen potentials in the Al-Sn-O ternary system an oxidic eutectic liquid containing dissolved tin appears at 1,045 C and readily attacks the alumina; this bears some resemblance to liquid phenomena encountered in the Ag-HTSC (high-temperature superconductor) systems.
Mucolipidosis III β-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase A. Purification and properties

Mucolipidosis III acid hydrolases possess an altered carbohydrate recognition marker needed for their lysosomal localization. As a result of this alteration, a portion of these enzymes is secreted from the cell to the extracellular spaces. The structural changes that may have occurred to one of these secreted enzymes, β-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase A (EC 3.2.1.52) were investigated. Normal and mucolipidosis III urinary β-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase A were purified to apparent homogeneity by using affinity [Sepharose-2-acetamido-N-(e-aminocaproyl)-2-deoxy-β- d-glucopyranosylamine] and ion-exchange (DEAE- and CM-cellulose) chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-slab-gel electrophoresis showed that both enzymes had similar subunit patterns consisting of apparent mol.wts. of 68000, 60000–58000, 55000 and 29000. Differences, however, were noted in the relative proportions of the protein bands where the normal urinary β-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase A contained predominantly the smaller subunits, whereas the mucolipidosis III enzyme had a predominance of the larger subunits. The binding of mucolipidosis III β-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase A to Ricinus communis lectin and concanavalin A with and without endo-β-N-acetyl-d-glucosaminidase H treatment indicated that the mutation leads to a modification of a portion of the normally occurring high-mannose-type oligosaccharide units to the complex-type. This was further supported by carbohydrate compositional analysis, which revealed a mannose/galactose ratio of 2.1 for the mucolipidosis III β-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase A compared with a ratio of 3.5 for the normal enzyme. Our results indicate that as a result of their inability to be properly localized to the lysosome the majority of the mucolipidosis III lysosomal hydrolase high-mannose oligosaccharide units are further processed to the complex-type before secretion of predominantly higher-molecular-weight subunits from the cell.
High Throughput Screening for Stabilizers of Vaccine Antigens

The formulation and stabilization of vaccines remains one of the most problematic steps in their development [1, 2]. Once an antigen has been identified, its conversion into an efficacious, safe, convenient, and stable dosage form that can be effectively delivered to a target population is often beset with numerous difficulties. Not the least of these is the many different types of vaccine antigens, each with its own individual chemical identity, the presence of associated multiple physical characteristics and degradation pathways as well as accompanying delivery problems. Types of vaccine antigens in rough order of their complexity include peptides, peptide conjugates, natural and recombinant proteins, DNA-based systems, carbohydrate and carbohydrate-conjugates, virus-like particles, live-attenuated and inactivated viruses and bacteria among others. Thus biological macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, and lipids all may play roles as key components in vaccines and require appropriate attention. Furthermore, many vaccine formulations include an adjuvant which itself can be quite complex in nature (e.g., aluminum salts and oil-in-water emulsions) as well as in terms of adjuvant interactions with antigens and other solution components.
A State-Oriented Stakeholder Approach: Understanding the Ethics of Microfinance in Emerging Economies

The integrity of microfinance is in question. Unethical practices have led many to question its value. Yet, research and countless narratives suggest positive, though modest, effects. I argue that a false dichotomy of support or opposition for microfinance has emerged; a tendency that ignores the microfinance variation. Instead, this article asks: what is the role of the state in influencing stakeholder salience and how does this process affect the ethics of microfinance? This article develops a new approach—a state-oriented stakeholder approach (SOSA)—by weaving together political economy and stakeholder theory literatures. This approach shows how the state, a unique stakeholder, uses regulation to augment or abate other stakeholders’ salience. It helps explain variation in stakeholder salience and informs a typology of microfinance developed here—state-supported, bottom of the pyramid, and hybrid. Drawing from original fieldwork, this typology provides a more nuanced framework to understand how the state influences microfinance institutions’ practices by affecting stakeholder salience.
Beyond Infrastructure: Broadband for Development in Remote and Indigenous Regions

Recent telecommunications stimulus projects in the U.S. and Canada were intended to increase availability of broadband through funding infrastructure investments, largely in rural and remote regions. However, true access involves more than availability; it also includes affordability and adoption. This paper presents a framework for analyzing broadband adoption that takes into consideration geographical, economic and cultural environments in indigenous communities. It includes an overview of potential social and economic impacts of broadband in remote areas, using examples from the Alaska study and the Canadian North. It then reports on results of an evaluation of Internet use and potential adoption of broadband in remote indigenous communities of southwest Alaska. Finally, the paper provides a comparative analysis of U.S. and Canadian policies intended to achieve affordable access to broadband for rural users and sustainable business models for rural broadband providers.
The Effect of Weather on Agricultural Output: A Look at Methodology

This article discusses methodological problems involved in attempting to measure the impact of weather on crop yields. The weather index approach is advanced as a more appropriate analytical technique than multiple regression analysis. Attempts to analyze the role of improvements in technology have been greatly hampered by the year‐to‐year fluctuations in yields due to weather. Several techniques have been used to assess the impact of weather on agricultural output. The multiple regression approach, most suited to studies at the micro‐level of crop yield‐weather relationships, has been used on an aggregate level as well. The difficulties involved in specifying appropriate variables and functional relationships as well as problems of aggregation limit its usefulness at this level.
Surgical Management of the Clinically Negative and Locally Advanced Inguinal Region in Patients with Squamous Penile Cancer

The presence and extent of metastasis to the inguinal region are the most important prognostic factors for survival among patients with squamous penile cancer. These findings affect the prognosis of the disease more than tumor grade, gross appearance, and morphologic or microscopic patterns of the primary tumor. Unlike many other genitourinary tumors, which mandate systemic therapeutic strategies once metastasis has occurred, lymphadenectomy alone can be curative and should be performed. The biology of squamous penile cancer is such that it exhibits a prolonged locoregional phase before distant dissemination, providing a rationale for the therapeutic value of lymphadenectomy. However, owing to the morbidity of traditional lymphadenectomy, especially among those patients with a clinically negative groin, contemporary controversial issues include (1) the selection of patients for lymphadenectomy vs. careful observation, (2) the types of procedures to correctly stage the inguinal region with low morbidity, and (3) multimodal strategies to improve survival among patients with bulky inguinal metastases. In this chapter, we will focus on the surgical evaluation and management of the inguinal region among penile cancer patients with either no palpable adenopathy or those with suspected or proven advanced regional metastases.
The effects of ancymidol concentrations and application methods on cultivars of Mid-Century Hybrid lily

SummaryAncymidol more effectively controlled plant height of Mid-Century Hybrid lily cvs when applied as a preplant bulb-dip or as an aspirated bulb-dip than as a foliar spray or soil drench. Concentrations of ancymidol as low as 10 mg l−1 reduced plant height, and were more effective when applied as a 12-h bulb-dip or 1-h aspirated bulb-dip. At 25 mg l−1 ancymidol bulb-dipping time could be reduced to 1 min while aspirating, and good height reduction could be achieved without delays in emergence, time of flowering or decrease in the number of flowers per pot.
THE ROLE OF DEME SIZE, REPRODUCTIVE PATTERNS, AND DISPERSAL IN THE DYNAMICS OF t-LETHAL HAPLOTYPES.

The t-lethal haplotypes (t) found in house mouse (Mus musculus) populations are re- cessive lethals favored by gametic selection whereby male heterozygotes exhibit a non-Mendelian transmission ratio of about 95% t. The expected equilibrium frequency is 0.38 5; however, empirical values are lower, averaging close to 0.13. We examined the hypothesis that interdemic selection is the cause of the low empirical values by using a deme-structured simulation model that included overlapping generations, a realistic breeding system, differential deme productivity, and a large total population. We found that under some conditions interdemic selection could lower t frequency below 0.13 in the face of immigration rates up to 5%. Low frequencies were correlated with effective deme size (ne), regardless of whether ne was changed through changing deme size (n) or through changing the proportion of breeding adults. Earlier workers showed how the first two phases of interdemic selection (random genetic differentiation and mass selection) interacted to reduce the haplotype frequency, but here we show the importance of the third phase (differential productivity of demes) once demes are linked by dispersal. The effect of this phase is not due to the (negative) covariation between deme productivity and haplotype frequency, but occurs when differential deme productivity generates a difference in t frequency between the population of juveniles recruited into their natal deme and the population of juvenile dispersers. This difference was maximized when the average productivity of demes was low, either because few adult females bred at any one time and/or because fecundity was low. Contrary to an earlier prediction, male-biased dispersal also reduced haplotype frequency, and this probably stems from the relative excess of wild-type genotypes among dispersers compared to the deme residents. Another unexpected finding was that the randomly generated excess of heterozygotes (FIS < 0) found in small demes favored t haplotypes; however, the effect was only seen when the more powerful influence of the third phase of interdemic selection was removed. Simulations of neutral polymorphisms showed that a deme structure giving FST ' 0.6 is inconsistent with a haplotype frequency below 0.13. Based on current empirical estimates of FST (about 0.2), we concluded that immigration rates in the field are too high for interdemic selection alone to cause the observed deficit of lethal haplotypes. One factor that could combine with population structure effects is the observation that the transmission ratio is lowered to around 0.6 in litters produced from postpartum estrus (PPE). Incorporating this factor, we showed that interdemic selection could be effective in lowering the frequency of t below 0.13 when FST was above 0.43 even when migration rates were up to 10%. These results suggest that if empirical haplotype and FST estimates are accurate, then additional factors such as a lowered fitness of heterozygotes may be involved.
Torsional stability of the femur after harvest of the medial femoral condyle corticocancellous flap

Background Increasingly large segments of medial femoral condyle (MFC) corticocancellous flaps have been harvested for transfer. Biomechanical evaluations demonstrated no osseous stability impairment under axial loading regardless of flap size harvested. The purpose of this study was to determine the donor site's response to torsional forces. Methods Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanning was performed on 16 pairs of cadaver legs followed by removal of all soft tissues, except knee capsule and ligaments. Specimens were randomly assigned to three groups with bone harvest defects measuring 3, 5, or 7 cm in length and a control group with no osseous resection. Torsional load was applied until fracture or ligamentous failure. Results Bone failure rates were 12.5, 12.5, 28.6, and 55.6% for control, 3, 5, and 7 cm groups, respectively. Bone failure rate increased with increasing harvest size; the 7 cm group demonstrated a significantly higher rate compared with the other groups combined (55.6 vs. 17.4%; p = 0.03). Failure torque was 45.5, 29.35, 27.4, and 30.83 Nm for the control, 3, 5, and 7 cm groups, respectively (p = 0.11). Harvest of any size segment resulted in a significant decrease in failure torque (p = 0.01). Bone mineral density (BMD) and Z-scores were no different among groups (p = 0.79 and 0.59, respectively). A direct relationship was identified between force required for failure and BMD (p = 0.02) and Z-scores (p = 0.05) but not for failure location and BMD (p = 0.09) or Z-scores (p = 0.94). Conclusion MFC corticocancellous flap harvest of any size decreases donor site failure torque. Flap harvests > 7 cm demonstrate a higher frequency of iatrogenic fracture and therefore warrant caution with torsional loading of the knee postoperatively. Routine preoperative DEXA scans may not be warranted.
Studies on Antibacterial Action of Sulfonamide Drugs. III. Correlation of Drug Activity with Binding to Plasma Proteins

SummaryThe protein-binding power of 7 commonly employed sulfonamide drugs has been measured by dialysis experiments. A quantitative correlation has been demonstrated between the protein-binding tendency and the bacteriostatic activity of the 7 drugs. Alteration of the p-amino structure of the compounds failed to affect significantly the protein-binding power although it destroyed the antibacterial properties. The data presented here and in another publication by one of us support the recently advanced hypothesis that the anionic species of the sulfonamide molecule is the active component involved in the mechanism of bacteriostasis.