cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examining sleep’s role in memory generalization and specificity through the lens of targeted memory reactivation

Two vital memory functions — remembering specific experiences and generalizing across many experiences — are in tension with each other. In the complementary-learning-systems model, the hippocampus allows for fast learning of unique episodic memories while the cortex slowly extracts regularities from overlapping representations. Whereas episodic memories undergo consolidation over protracted time periods, many questions remain about how memory generalization evolves over time. Sleep’s role in consolidating individual memories has been convincingly demonstrated using targeted memory reactivation, a method whereby memories can be selectively strengthened through the unobtrusive presentation of learning-related stimuli during sleep. In this review, we argue that targeted memory reactivation can help advance understanding of memory transformation and the contrast between specificity and generalization.
Spatial autoregressive partially linear varying coefficient models

In this article, we consider a class of partially linear spatially varying coefficient autoregressive models for data distributed over complex domains. We propose approximating the varying coeffici...
First-Principles Modeling of Transport Mechanisms in Carbonate–Hydroxide Electrolytes

We performed ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of a molten [Li0.6K0.4]3CO3OH electrolyte containing dissolved CO2 and confirmed the presence of pyrocarbonate, bicarbonate, and water along wi...
Scope Restrictions, National Partiality, and War

Most of us believe that partiality applies in a broad range of relationships. One relationship on which there is much disagreement is co-nationality. Some writers argue that co-national partiality is not justified in certain cases, like killing in war, since killing in defense of co-nationals is intuitively impermissible in other contexts. I argue that this approach overlooks an important structural feature of partiality—namely, that its scope is sometimes restricted. In this essay, I show how some relationships that generate reasons of partiality are restricted in scope—that is, they generate reasons within particular contexts or with respect to particular goods. I then argue that co-national partiality is scope restricted. I then show how this fact helps proponents of co-national partiality overcome the aforementioned objection to its application in cases like war.
Evaluating connections between personal well-being and adoption of landscape best management practices: An audience segmentation study.

Abstract Integrated pest management and outdoor water conservation comprise key practices encouraged by nonformal educators who work with the public to address significant issues related to water quality and availability. Disconnects among diverse audiences and educational programs pose challenges in achieving the goals of these types of programs. To discern a potential nonformal educational programming strategy, we conducted audience segmentation research incorporating residential environmental landscape best management practices and compared resulting subgroups' characteristics. We explored this paradigm through the context of Extension education and used a nationally-distributed electronic survey instrument to measure well-being and landscape management perceptions and practices in the United States. We collected 2601 complete survey responses and employed cluster analysis to divide the respondents into homogenous subgroups, followed by analysis of variance and chi-square analyses to identify differences among the subgroups. The group that indicated the highest level of engagement with water conservation and IPM practices also had significantly higher well-being, demonstrating the potential to align IPM education with more commonly promoted conservation practices. Membership in the highest IPM and water conservation group was related to several socio-demographic characteristics, including age, homeownership, and homeowners’ association membership. This group was also most likely to engage with educational programs. Understanding these indicators of engagement in landscape best management practices and nonformal education, along with higher well-being, may be useful in determining target audiences and potential engagement with nonformal education programs.
Obesity in the developing world

Publisher Summary Obesity has emerged as a significant public health problem in developed as well as in developing countries and the rates are increasing rapidly worldwide, so much so that it can be labeled an “epidemic.” This chapter examines whether these claims are true for developing countries. Emphasis is placed on evidence from nationally representative surveys, and comparisons of obesity levels found in various countries are made to the United States, where obesity is perceived to be a major threat to public health. Attempts are made to document trends in obesity difficult to do because of the paucity of data, as well as to describe the “social mapping” of obesity; this is quantifying how obesity varies by socioeconomic status, which has relevance to planning, because it identifies the groups most affected within countries. Much of the information presented in the chapter is based on surveys, subsequently released to the public. After reviewing the information available about obesity rates for women, men, school children, and preschool children, policy and program implications are considered.
Improving the efficiency of electrodynamic wireless power transmission

Electrodynamic wireless power transmission delivers electrical power from a transmitter coil to a compact electromechanical receiver over a range of distances using low-amplitude, low-frequency magnetic fields. A previously reported prototype has demonstrated the feasibility of this technology, but suffered from low efficiency. In this paper, we investigate the efficiency of electrodynamic wireless power transfer using a lumped circuit model of the system. From this analysis, we show that the efficiency is constrained by the electrodynamic coupling strength. Furthermore, increasing the mechanical quality factor of the receiver can improve the overall power transfer efficiency of the system to a level where this technology becomes a viable option for power management systems.
MMOSPA-based direction-of-arrival tracking with a passive sonar array — An experimental study

We consider the directions-of-arrival tracking of multiple narrowband waveforms impinging on a sonar array. As the captured measurements do not provide any information about the labeling of the objects, a challenge is to resolve the directions-of-arrival coming from closely-spaced objects. In order to prevent track coalescence, we pursue the recently introduced concept of Minimum Mean OSPA (MMOSPA) estimation and propose a Gaussian particle filter that is tailored to the Optimal Sub-Pattern Assignment (OSPA) distance for sets. The main contribution of this work is to illustrate the benefits of MMOSPA estimation with a real data set from a large-aperture passive sonar array mounted in the east of Ft. Lauderdale in Florida, USA.
The Sino-Argentine ‘Squid War’ of 1986

fishery incident, this paper offers a new look at fisheries policy making. Marine natural resources within 200-mile EEZs can be deemed a symbol of national sovereignty and jurisdiction by coastal states. For distant-water fisheries states, fisheries policy making links and interacts with other realms of national policy making, ie foreign policy, naval policy, international trading policy, and marine-legal policy.
Simple equations to estimate ratios of new or export production to total production from satellite‐derived estimates of sea surface temperature and primary production

Two simple equations with sea surface temperature and total primary production as independent variables were used to estimate ratios of new or export production to total primary production (ef-ratios) in the ocean. Both equations assume that ef-ratios are negatively correlated with temperature in a linear manner and positively correlated with total primary production in a curvilinear manner characteristic of a Holling type II function. The two equations were parameterized based on different sets of field data: in one case entirely from estimates of new production based on nitrate uptake, and in the other case based on a comprehensive summary of new and export production estimates derived from a combination of techniques. Estimates of global export production based on satellite observations and use of the two equations were 9–13 Gt C per year. The form of both equations likely captures the principal effects of temperature and total production on ef-ratios, and their mathematical simplicity should facilitate their prognostic application in climate change research and studies of the ocean's carbon cycle.
Using the Common Component Architecture to design high performance scientific simulation codes

We present a design and proof-of-concept implementation of a component-based scientific simulation toolkit for hydrodynamics. We employed the Common Component Architecture, a minimalist, low-latency component model as our paradigm for developing a set of high-performance parallel components for simulating flows on structured adaptively refined meshes. Our findings demonstrate that the architecture is sufficiently flexible and simple to allow an intuitive and straightforward decomposition of a complex monolithic code into easy-to-implement components. The result is a set of stand-alone independent components from which a simulation code is assembled. Our results show that the component architecture imposes negligible overheads on single processor performance while scaling to multiple processors remains unaffected.
H- and K-Band Spectra of Brown Dwarf Candidates in the Core of the ρ Ophiuchi Molecular Cloud Complex

We present low-resolution H- and K-band spectra of 14 brown dwarf candidates located in the core of the ρ Ophiuchi molecular cloud complex. Half of the spectra exhibit broad water absorption bands characteristic of M stars, while half of the spectra are featureless. We derive spectral types and effective temperatures for the seven candidates whose spectra exhibit water absorption bands by comparing the strength of these bands with those of standard M dwarf stars. We estimate their masses by first combining the spectral types with published near-infrared photometry to estimate bolometric luminosities and then by comparing their positions in a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram with theoretical evolutionary tracks and isochrones. The masses of four of the candidates lie below the substellar limit when the errors in their effective temperatures and bolometric luminosities are considered, while the remaining three candidates have masses on the stellar-substellar border. We find our mass estimates to be consistent with those determined using near-infrared photometry alone. The derived ages of three candidates are considerably older than the previously determined age of the embedded cluster. If these objects are members of the cluster, then they may belong to an older and previously unrecognized population of the ρ Ophiuchi molecular cloud complex.
Rapid droplet mixers for digital microfluidic systems.

The mixing of analytes and reagents for a biological or chemical lab-on-a-chip is an important, yet difficult, microfluidic operation. As volumes approach the sub-nanoliter regime, the mixing of liquids is hindered by laminar flow conditions. An electrowetting-based linear-array droplet mixer has previously been reported. However, fixed geometric parameters and the presence of flow reversibility have prevented even faster droplet mixing times. In this paper, we study the effects of varying droplet aspect ratios (height ∶ diameter) on linear-array droplet mixers, and propose mixing strategies applicable for both high and low aspect ratio systems. An optimal aspect ratio for four electrode linear-array mixing was found to be 0.4, with a mixing time of 4.6 seconds. Mixing times were further reduced at this ratio to less than three seconds using a two-dimensional array mixer, which eliminates the effects of flow reversibility. For lower aspect ratio (≤0.2) systems, we present a split-and-merge mixer that takes advantage of the ability to perform droplet splitting at these ratios, resulting in a mixing time of less than two seconds.
Plug in repetitive control for industrial robotic manipulators

The implementation of plug-in repetitive control on the direct drive axis of a prototype GMF A500 robot is considered. Plug-in repetitive control was developed and implemented using an IBM AT. A multirate sampling algorithm was designed to reduce the memory requirements of repetitive control. A microcontroller board based on the Intel 8096 was designed so that plug-in repetitive control could be applied from a small unit embedded within the KAREL controller. In each application, experimental results show that the tracking error is smoothly absorbed in a few cycles. >
The balanced sorting network

This paper introduces a new sorting network, called the balanced sorting network, that sorts n items in O([lgn]2) time using (n/2)(lgn)2 comparators. Although these bounds are comparable to many existing sorting networks, the balanced sorting network possess some distinct advantages. In particular, its structure is highly regular consisting of a sequence of identicalbalanced merging networks. We prove that lg n identical merging networks are both necessary and sufficient to sort n items. We also present an explicit implementation of our network on the shuffle exchange interconnection model in which the direction of the comparitors are all identical and fixed.
Absorbable synthetic mesh (polyglactin 910) for the formation of a pelvic “lid” after radical pelvic resection

Abstract Isolation of the abdominal contents from the denuded, potentially infected pelvis after radical pelvic surgery has been advocated. Of the many materials evaluated, omentum is usually chosen. In six patients in whom omentum was unsuitable, we have substituted polyglactin 910 (Vicryl, Ethicon, Sommerville, New Jersey) mesh to form a pelvic “lid”. In these patients, omentum was either densely adherent in the upper abdomen because of prior surgery or was removed as part of surgical treatment for recurrent cancer. Vicryl mesh formed a “lid” across the true pelvis. No gastrointestinal complications occurred in these patients. Four patients developed pelvic infections that resolved after surgical drainage and antibiotic therapy. No patients developed peritonitis above the pelvis. No chronic infections have been found in more than 12 to 48 months of follow-up. In this preliminary experience, Vicryl mesh appears to be useful for the formation of a pelvic “lid” after exenterative pelvic surgery when the omentum is unavailable.
The Tao of Internet costs

Using data from The 1997 National Survey of US Public Libraries and the Internet, listserv postings, and the author’s own research and consulting experiences, explores the current financing of US public library Internet connectivity and services. Asserts that analyzing the costs of Internet services in libraries is different from any previous services offered by libraries. Begins to establish a concise vocabulary and framework for understanding Internet costs in libraries.
Alignment sensor with integrated analog signal processing

Automatic alignment is a computationally intensive task that slows some manufacturing processes which require it. In order to improve alignment speed we have designed a sensor that combines the imaging operation with the computation of the alignment error. The sensor is specially designed to work with the surveyor's mark in a two step operation. Coarse alignment is performed by operating as a four quadrant sensor and fine positioning is achieved using edge detection. Photodiodes are used for imaging and integrated amplifiers convert the photocurrents into an alignment error signal which is independent of illumination level. A version of this sensor has been fabricated and preliminary tests show that it functions as expected.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Management of descending aortic dissection

Abstract Background . Experience with 100 consecutive patients with acute dissection of the descending aorta seen at the Yale Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease over a 10-year period is reported. Methods . Clinical records from the Yale Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease from 1988 to 1998 were analyzed. This computerized data base included information regarding patients' demographics, history, presenting symptomatology, diagnostic imaging, early hospital course, treatment strategy, and long term follow up (office visits, echocardiography, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and home phone calls). Results . The average size of the aorta at the time of dissection was 5.05 cm. Nine patients died (six of complications directly related to the thoracic aorta). Sixty of the 91 surviving patients had a benign course, and 31 had a course complicated by rupture (8), vascular occlusion (17), early expansion or extension (12), and continued pain (4); multiple complications were seen in some patients. Forty-two patients came to operation (22 early and 20 late): 32 direct aortic replacements, 6 fenestration procedures, and 4 thromboexclusions. There were six postoperative deaths and six paraplegias. Clinical experience with the alternative procedures of fenestration and thromboexclusion found both procedures safe and effective for selected categories of patients. Review of the literature indicated that direct aortic replacement in the setting of acute descending aortic dissection continues to carry a very high mortality (28%–65%) and paraplegia rate (30%–35%), leaving room for consideration of alternative procedures. Conclusions . We recommend a "complication-specific" approach to acute descending aortic dissection: medical management with "antiimpulse therapy" for uncomplicated acute descending dissections and surgical intervention for complicated dissections. Surgical therapy varies for the specific complication: for rupture, direct aortic replacement is recommended; for vascular occlusion, fenestration; and for acute expansion or impending rupture, direct aortic replacement, with thromboexclusion as an option. Chronic descending aortic dissection is treated according to general guidelines for descending aortic aneurysms, with operation for symptoms or enlargement > 6.5 cm.
Hangman corroles: efficient synthesis and oxygen reaction chemistry.

The construction of a new class of compounds—the hangman corroles—is provided efficiently by the modification of macrocyclic forming reactions from bilanes. Hangman cobalt corroles are furnished in good yields from a one-pot condensation of dipyrromethane with the aldehyde of a xanthene spacer followed by metal insertion using microwave irradiation. In high oxidation states, X-band EPR spectra and DFT calculations of cobalt corrole axially ligated by chloride are consistent with the description of a Co(III) center residing in the one-electron oxidized corrole macrocycle. These high oxidation states are likely accessed in the activation of O−O bonds. Along these lines, we show that the proton-donating group of the hangman platform works in concert with the redox properties of the corrole to enhance the catalytic activity of O−O bond activation. The hangman corroles show enhanced activity for the selective reduction of oxygen to water as compared to their unmodified counterparts. The oxygen adduct, prior to...
Utero-ovarian anastomosis: histopathologic correlation after uterine artery embolization with or without ovarian artery embolization.

Purpose To study utero-ovarian anastomosis at angiography and its histologic effect on patients who were treated with uterine artery embolization (UAE) with or without ovarian artery embolization (OAE) for symptomatic uterine leiomyomata. Materials and methods Four hundred patients (mean age, 43.6 years ± 6.34) underwent UAE at the authors' institution from June 1998 to May 2005. Eight of the 400 patients underwent hysterectomy with removal of at least one adnexae after UAE. Five patients received tris-acryl gelatin microspheres and three received polyvinyl alcohol particles. Two patients also underwent OAE with gelatin sponges. Specimens from 16 fallopian tubes and 12 ovaries were reviewed. Histologic slides were prepared and reviewed by two pathologists who were blinded to the angiographic findings. The presence of utero-ovarian anastomoses at angiography, the histologic features of adnexa, the presence of particles in the adnexa, and the size and location of the particles were studied. Results Utero-ovarian anastomosis was present at angiography in three of the eight patients (38%) and five of the 16 adnexa (31%). Particles were present within the fallopian tube or ovary in all patients who demonstrated utero-ovarian anastomoses at angiography. When utero-ovarian anastomoses were identified bilaterally, particles were found in both adnexae. In cases with particles in the adnexa, the adnexal tissues were histologically viable without evidence of ischemic changes or infarction. Particles were not present in the ovary of patients without utero-ovarian anastomosis at angiography. Conclusion The angiographic finding of a utero-ovarian anastomosis during UAE appears to correlate with particle embolization in the fallopian tube or ovary. Histologically normal fallopian tubes and ovaries can be expected after UAE with microsphere particles with and without OAE with gelatin sponges.
Abstract B51: Neuregulin induces telomerase expression in response to oxidative stress

Telomerase is an enzyme that can extend the ends of chromosomes and is aberrantly expressed in 90% of all cancers. Recent findings suggest that telomerase has cellular functions independent of its catalytic ability to elongate the telomere. Telomerase expression has been implicated in aiding cellular response to double strand breaks in DNA, to mitochondria dysfunction, inhibition of apoptosis, and the promotion of cell proliferation. The protein component of telomerase, TERT, can specifically enhance cell viability in response to the hypoxic microenvironment of a tumor. Telomerase expression is upregulated by the kinase Akt, which is induced by the neuregulin/ErbB signaling pathway. Neuregulin is a glycoprotein that is necessary for smooth muscle and neuronal development. Neuregulin activates the ErbB tyrosine kinase family, which promotes cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Recently, neuregulin has been shown to be upregulated in response to severe hypoxia, and may reduce the inflammation response to oxidative stress. The mechanism of neuregulin expression protection is unclear, though microarray data shows that neuregulin expression decreases the expression of several pro-inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesize that neuregulin can regulate the expression of telomerase during severe oxidative stress, and that telomerase expression promotes cell survival during hypoxia. We examined telomerase expression in differentiated rat neuroblastoma cell and observed a significant increase in telomerase expression in response to the addition of physiological levels of neuregulin. Surprisingly, treatment with the oxidizing agent diidopropyl flourosphophate (DFP) had no effect on telomerase expression in these cells. The neuregulin-mediated telomerase expression did confer a mild survival benefit in this cell line. These results could strengthen the link between neurodegeneration and cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B51.
Evolution, Medicine, and the Darwin Family

The common scientific roots of evolution and medicine are deep, as these fields of science developed in parallel from the Enlightenment in the late 1700s to the modern genomics era. The influence of the medical sciences on the discovery of evolution in the 1700s and 1800s is typified by how the medical family of Charles Darwin, including his grandfather Dr. Erasmus Darwin and father Dr. Robert Waring Darwin, directly and indirectly guided Charles’ scientific development and eventual discovery of natural selection. In particular, in the 1700s, Erasmus Darwin was a prolific writer, legendary doctor, and published extensive descriptions of both the process of adaptation and common descent among all of life (including humans). The influence began with Charles’ years in medical school at Edinburgh and is recorded in Charles Darwin’s own letters and notebooks. Despite scientific overlap, evolution and medicine have remained distant from each other, in part because of the same religious and political reasons that many oppose the view of a world changing via evolution. But evolution also has been limited in its influence on the biomedical sciences because of abuses and misunderstanding. The three issues discussed here are (1) typological application of medical “constitutions,” (2) teleological thinking in how adaptations evolve, and (3) the misapplication of evolution during the eugenics period up to the 1940s. The modern-day surge of interest and synthesis between evolutionary biology and the biomedical sciences, medical practice, and public health can build on a long legacy that spans more than two centuries. The large role played by the Darwin family of doctors can bring this history to life, can be used to illustrate potential pitfalls as the synthesis moves forward, and may be of interest to students both as undergraduates and in medical schools.
Excimer formation of fluoradene. Evidence for aggregation in alcohols

Abstract The absorption of fluorescence spectra of fluoradene in several solvents have been measured. In addition to the expected fluorescence band, a broad structureless band at 440 nm is observed in hexane which increases in intensity with increasing fluoradene concentration. In alcoholic solutions and in polycrystalline solid, only the broad, red-shifted band is observed. This broad band is attributed to excimer emission. It is shown that in alcoholic solutions that rate of excimer formation via diffusion is unacceptably large and it is suggested that fluoradene is aggregated in these solvents.
Unveiling what the iron curtain hid: an introduction

About two and a half years ago, we sent out an ambitious (and, some might opine, ingenuously optimistic) call for papers. Envisioned as the first step toward the realisation of the collection you n...
Cryogenic processing of thin metal films

Cryogenic processing has been proven to be efficient in increasing Schottky contact barrier height, and significantly reducing device reverse leakage current. Metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors are widely used in optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC) receivers because of their compatibility with the preamplifier for their planar integration scheme, the minimum number of processing steps, high performance, and low cost. InGaAs/InP is usually chosen for the long wavelength application. However, there is always a potential problem of high dark current in an InGaAs/InP MSM photodetector due to the lower barrier height for such a material. In a recent study on Ag/InGaAs/InP contacts fabricated by a low temperature (LT) processing the Schottky barrier height was found to be as high as 0.64 eV. This value is more than double that of the same contact obtained by room temperature (RT) processing. Therefore, it is believed that the LT processing could greatly enhance the performance of a MSM photodetector. In this work, the effect of LT processing on the properties of thin metal films was investigated. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and in-situ resistivity measurements were conducted.
Psychosexual correlates of persistent postsurgical pain in patients with vulvodynia.

Objective To examine long-term reports of pain and psychologic correlates of pain in women after vestibulectomy.
Iterations of a non-linear transformation for enhancement of digital images

Abstract A novel non-linear transformation for sharpening digitized gray-level images is defined. The transformation replaces the gray level value at a point by either the minimum or the maximum of gray levels in its neighborhood, the choice depending on which one is closer in value to the original gray level. It is shown that after a finite number of iterations, the image stabilizes to one in which every point is either a local maximum or else a local minimum. The ability of several iterations of the transformation to restore white-black crispness in a fuzzy image is shown both analytically and by example.
Cathodoluminescence study of GaN doped with Tb

Abstract We report the observation of the visible cathodoluminescence (CL) of GaN doped with Tb 3+ ions incorporated by implantation. The sharp characteristic emission lines corresponding to Tb 3+ transitions are resolved in the spectral range from 350 to 750 nm, and observed over the temperature range of 7–330 K. The luminescence shows transitions which originate in the 5 D 3 and 5 D 4 levels and terminate in the 7 F manifolds. The depth resolved CL spectra analysis give the luminescence surface dead layer thickness of ∼20 nm. The yellow band starts to grow at 5 keV (corresponding to electron penetration depth ∼219 nm). The time resolved spectra, and rise and decay kinetics are discussed. The decay times for 5 D 3 → 7 F 5 (423.4 nm) and 5 D 4 → 7 F 5 (551.6 nm) transitions at 7 K are ∼0.7 and ∼1.8 ms, with little change with temperature.
Anxiety sensitivity and history of panic as predictors of response to hyperventilation.

Abstract In this study, we examined the effects of anxiety sensitivity on the response to hyperventilation in college students with and without a history of spontaneous panic attacks. Reiss et al.'s (Behav. Res. Ther.24, 1–8, 1986) Anxiety Sensitivity Index and Norton et al.'s (Behav. Ther.17, 239–252, 1986) Panic Attack Questionnaire were used to select Ss. Following five min of voluntary hyperventilation, high anxiety sensitivity Ss reported more anxiety and more hyperventilation sensations than did low anxiety sensitivity Ss. A history of panic was only associated with enhanced responding to hyperventilation in Ss with high anxiety sensitivity; low anxiety sensitivity Ss who had experience with panic were no more responsive than low anxiety sensitivity Ss who had never had a panic attack. These findings suggest that high anxiety sensitivity may be a crucial determinant of panic attacks provoked by biological challenges (e.g. hyperventilation, sodium lactate infusion).
Satellite shadows on Jupiter as probes of its upper atmosphere

Abstract The photometric profiles of the shadows cast on Jupiter by its large satellites are determined to some extent by the physical properties of the Jovian upper atmosphere. Profiles of Io's shadow are constructed on the assumption of exponentially decreasing mean free path and different path lengths. Variations from the incident intensity distribution occur, which may be useful in the atmospheric analysis.
Human immunodeficiency virus and renal transplantation.

CASE PRESENTATION A 48-year-old African-American man with chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection since 1987 was referred to our center for renal transplant evaluation. HIV-associated nephropathy had been diagnosed 8 years earlier by renal biopsy. Hemodialysis had been initiated 3 years earlier. Past medical history was significant for hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Before transplantation, total cholesterol was 178mg per 100ml, low-density lipoprotein was 40mg per 100ml, and high-density lipoprotein was 67mg per 100ml without lipid-lowering therapy. The patient reported no history of earlier opportunistic infection (OI), malignancy, or co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). He had been treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) since 1990. After numerous treatment failures, virologic suppression was finally achieved with a combination of lamivudine, abacavir, efavirenz, and lopinavir/ritonavir.
Strategies and Applications for Incorporating Physical and Chemical Signal Gradients in Tissue Engineering

From embryonic development to wound repair, concentration gradients of bioactive signaling molecules guide tissue formation and regeneration. Moreover, gradients in cellular and extracellular architecture as well as in mechanical properties are readily apparent in native tissues. Perhaps tissue engineers can take a cue from nature in attempting to regenerate tissues by incorporating gradients into engineering design strategies. Indeed, gradient-based approaches are an emerging trend in tissue engineering, standing in contrast to traditional approaches of homogeneous delivery of cells and/or growth factors using isotropic scaffolds. Gradients in tissue engineering lie at the intersection of three major paradigms in the field—biomimetic, interfacial, and functional tissue engineering—by combining physical (via biomaterial design) and chemical (with growth/differentiation factors and cell adhesion molecules) signal delivery to achieve a continuous transition in both structure and function. This review consolidates several key methodologies to generate gradients, some of which have never been employed in a tissue engineering application, and discusses strategies for incorporating these methods into tissue engineering and implant design. A key finding of this review was that two-dimensional physicochemical gradient substrates, which serve as excellent high-throughput screening tools for optimizing desired biomaterial properties, can be enhanced in the future by transitioning from two dimensions to three dimensions, which would enable studies of cell–protein–biomaterial interactions in a more native tissue–like environment. In addition, biomimetic tissue regeneration via combined delivery of graded physical and chemical signals appears to be a promising strategy for the regeneration of heterogeneous tissues and tissue interfaces. In the future, in vivo applications will shed more light on the performance of gradient-based mechanical integrity and signal delivery strategies compared to traditional tissue engineering approaches.
The βα-encoders for A/D conversion

The β-encoder, introduced as an alternative to binary encoding in A/D conversion, creates a quantization scheme robust with respect to quantizer imperfections by the use of a β-expansion, where 1 < β < 2. In this paper we introduce a more general encoder called the βα-encoder, that can offer more flexibility in design and robustness without any significant drawback on the exponential rate of convergence of the obtained expansion. Although an extra multiplication is introduced, it needs not be very accurate. Mathematically, the βα-encoder gives rise to a dynamical system that is both very interesting and challenging.
Active eTextbooks for CS: what should they be? (abstract only)

What should the textbook of tomorrow look like in a world of ubiquitous access to computing? Hypertextbooks have proved difficult to create and been fundamentally passive experiences. Commercial eBooks are merely books printed on an electronic screen instead of paper. New technologies such as HTML5 make it feasible to develop interactive applications that integrate with web services to provide a rich, pedagogically effective learning environment compatible with a range of computing platforms. We seek to generate discussion by participants to describe what they hope to see in online textbooks in the near future, and what resources and support would be required for them to adopt such a thing into their own courses.
USING ORGANOCHLORINE POLLUTANTS TO DISCRIMINATE MARINE MAMMAL POPULATIONS: A REVIEW AND CRITIQUE OF THE METHODS1

ALEX AGUILAR* A-008, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92038 ABSTRACT Organochlorine pollutants are potentially useful for identifying discrete pop- ulations of marine mammals that overlap in geographic distribution. However, many factors unrelated to geographical distribution may affect the chemical burden of individual animals or of entire population components even within a homogeneously distributed population. These factors include, among others, nutritional state, sex, age, trophic level, distance of habitat from mainland and pollution source, excretion, metabolism, and tissue composition. Sample storage and analytical methodology may also be an important source of variation. These, and any other factors, must be identified and their effect ascertained before attempting any comparison between populations. This paper critically examines the nature and magnitude of the effects of these factors on organochlorine tissue loads in marine mammals. Pollutant concentrations can be strongly biased if carefully designed sampling regimes are not followed, but they are affected only moderately by sample treatment after collection. Conversely, ratios between concentrations of compounds, such as the DDE/tDDT or the tDDT/PCB ratios, seem less dependent on sampling regime but more affected by storage, analytical procedures and ecological variations such as distance from pollutant source or trophic level. Taking these effects into account, advice is provided about sampling and strategies for selection of variables that will improve the reliability of the comparisons between populations. Key words: marine mammals, cetaceans, pinnipeds, pollutants, organochlorines, techniques, population discreteness, distribution, stock identity. 1 Made while at the Southwest Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Ia Jolla, California 92038, USA. 2 Present address: Department of Zoology (Vertebrates), Faculty of Biology, University of Bar- celona, Barcelona 0807 1, Spain. 242
Damping of polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga, bulk, PLD, and sputtered thin film

Polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga in bulk, pulsed laser deposition (PLD) thin film, and radio frequency (RF) sputtered thin film are studied. A thin film of direct current (DC) magnetron sputter deposited NiTi was also used in the study. A polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga bulk sample was measured to have a tan δ = 0.4925 and a maximum elastic modulus E = 7.3 GPa. Material characterization studies were performed on polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga thin films deposited by PLD onto single crystal (100) Si and (100) MgO substrates at substrate temperatures ranging from 550°C to 650°C. Damping measurements on RF sputter deposition of 1 μm Ni-Mn-Ga and 10 μm of NiTi both on copper substrates were performed in cantilever beam ring down tests. Results show 1 μm RF sputter deposited Ni-Mn-Ga thin film on a 54 μm copper substrate improves damping properties.
Assessing expert system applications: A case study

The use of expert systems (ES) technology may lead a firm to major strategic advantages. However, in order to reap these advantages, a firm has to select projects which are appropriate and cost-effective for ES technology. This paper illustrates a method, based on the value chain concept, through which a firm may systematically assess potential ES applications. The application of this method in a real estate brokerage business is presented. A complete ES prototype is then described.
Stochastic properties of a cumulative damage threshold crossing model

In this paper we describe a model for survival functions. Under this model a system is subject to shocks governed by a Poisson process. Each shock to the system causes a random damage that grows in time. Damages accumulate additively and the system fails if the total damage exceeds a certain capacity or threshold. Various properties of this model are obtained. Sufficient conditions are derived for the failure rate (FR) order and the stochastic order to hold between the random lifetimes of two systems whose failures can be described by our proposed model.
Short-Term Seasonal Changes in Composition and Abundance of Fish in Sagehen Creek, California

Abstract Direct underwater observation was used to quantify numbers and locations of eight species of fish in 100-m sections along a 1,200-m reach of Sagehen Creek, California, at biweekly intervals between 5 July and 22 September 1983. Most of the eight species exhibited significant short-term changes in abundance and reached peak abundance at different times. Total fish abundance was highest in mid-July; the Margalefindex ofdiversity was highest in mid-August. Lahontan redside Richardsonius egregius, Tahoe sucker Catostomus tahoensis, and mountain sucker C. platyrhynchus appeared to migrate from a downstream reservoir into the stream during the spawning season. In addition, fish were not distributed evenly in the study reach. All species tended to prefer pool habitat and pools were not uniformly distributed. Relative fish composition determined at long-term permanent sections by electrofishing was not significantly associated with most underwater counts made at different times or stations. This study il...
Mother‐child play interaction in neglecting and non‐neglecting mothers

Neglecting and non‐neglecting mothers and their oneto three‐year‐old children were observed during unstructured play interaction in the family home. Neglecting mothers were less positive in their responsiveness to their children than non‐neglecting mothers. They were also less competent in the developmental appropriateness of their play interactions. Connections between mother‐child interactions and secure attachment in infancy are drawn. Implications for designing interventions with neglecting mothers are discussed.
Topography of phosphate residues in Sendai virus proteins.

Abstract Phosphorylation is a common post-translational modification of Sendai virus proteins, occurring in all species except L. Phosphate residues in the envelope proteins FIN, F, and M were completely removed by the action of bacterial alkaline phosphatase on virions disrupted with nonionic detergent, whereas intact virions were entirely resistant to the enzyme. These results suggest that phosphate residues are located in domains of the native envelope proteins that lie within the virion. The phosphate residues in nucleocapsid proteins P and NP were also removed efficiently when intact nucleocapsids were treated with the phosphatase. Indeed, most of the phosphates in P and NP were located in the limited external domains that were cleaved from these protein species by controlled proteolysis. Phosphorylation of these domains may, therefore, regulate nucleocapsid functions and/or mediate electrostatic interactions with the nascent virus envelope during virion assembly.
Tapered-rib adiabatic-following fiber coupler

We present the design and experimental verification of a Tapered-Rib Adiabatic-Following Fiber Coupler (TRAFFiC). This device is a monolithically integratable structure fabricated in AlGaAs designed to increase the coupling efficiency of conventional optical fibers to tightly confined semiconductor waveguide devices. Thls approach offers the possibility of significantly reducing fiber butt coupling losses from the typical values of 7 to 10 dB to values of 0.5 to 3 dB. This long-standing packaging problem is one of the major impediments to the widespread acceptance of semiconductor-based optoelectronics. Moreover, the design can be implemented with minimal increase in fabrication complexity since it uses only epitaxial growth, lithography and etching.
Engineering model of MOS transistors for the 60-300 K temperature range

We present the first engineering model of short-channel MOS transistors that is applicable to cryogenic CMOS. The new model incorporates the nonuniversal dependence of the effective channel mobility on the effective vertical field which is ignored in the room temperature device models. The proposed model is verified by comparison with experimental device characteristics obtained over a wide range of temperatures and channel lengths.
Object recognition based on reflectance and geometry

In the past, recognition systems have relied solely on geometric properties of objects. This paper discusses the simultaneous use of geometric as well as reflectance properties for object recognition. Neighboring points on a smoothly curved surface have similar surface orientations and illumination conditions. Hence, their brightness values can be used to compute the ratio of their reflectance coefficients. Based on this observation, we develop an algorithm that estimates a reflectance ratio for each region in an image with respect to its background. The algorithm is computationally efficient as it computes ratios for all image regions in just two raster scans. The region reflectance ratio represents a physical property of a region that is invariant to the illumination conditions. The reflectance ratio invariant is used to recognize three-dimensional objects from a single brightness image. Object models are automatically acquired and represented using a hash table. Recognition and pose estimation algorithms are presented that use the reflectance ratios of scene regions as well as their geometric properties to index the hash table. The result is a hypothesis for the existence of an object in the image. This hypothesis is verified using the ratios and locations of other regions in the scene. The proposed approach to recognition is very effective for objects with printed characters and pictures. We conclude with experimental results on the invariance of reflectance ratios and their application to object recognition.
Integrity of the 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor in bone, lung, and other cancers

Differentiation and proliferation can be regulated in diverse cell types by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. These effects derive from modulation of gene expression mediated by the interaction of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 with the vitamin D receptor (VDR). The VDR is one of the nuclear hormone receptors. Because these transcription factors play a key role in growth control, some nuclear hormone receptors, such as the retinoic acid receptor α, can be disrupted in cancer. With these alterations in mind, we looked for alterations of the VDR gene in a variety of cancers, including 68 osteosarcomas, 23 other sarcomas, 34 non–small cell lung cancers, and 44 cell lines representing many tumor types. Gross integrity of the VDR gene was examined on Southern blots probed with the coding region of the VDR cDNA. The presence of point mutations targeting VDR exons 2–7 was assessed by polymerase chain reaction–single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and direct DNA sequencing. Two alterations were detected; direct DNA sequencing of these samples revealed one silent mutation in codon 79 and a base change in intron 3. These results suggest that mutations and rearrangement of the VDR do not play a role in the cancers studied. Mol. Carcinog. 19:254–257, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ultralow-Dielectric-Constant foams by crystallisation from supercritical solution: Application to advanced electronic packaging

Accurate moulding of polymer foams of density 0.02–0.3 g cm−3 has been achieved by crystallising polyethylene and ethylene/methlacrylate copolymers from dry supercritical solutions. Adherent thick films can be sealed to electronic substrates and are proposed as insulating layers for interconnections on multichip modules and other high-speed electronic devices. The dielectric constant achieved for films of several-mil thickness is between 1.05 and 1.3 and can be tailored along with the physical properties of the film by adjusting the density and composition of the copolymer. Planarisation or complex patterning is possible by detailing the mould.