cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of combinations of image degradations in a discrimination task.

This paper explores the ways in which combinations of image degradations affect discrimination. Nine experiments are described that examine the discriminability of visual images that are degraded with three types of information reducing transformations: random punctate visual interference, low-pass spatial frequency filtering, and local area (i.e., block) averaging. The results of these experiments characterize a powerful visual ability to discriminate highly degraded stimuli unless that ability is severely challenged by relatively high levels of random visual interference. Discriminative commutativity of the orders in which the other two degradations are imposed is demonstrated. That is, the order in which the degradations are applied does not affect the final discriminative outcome. This result is in contrast to predictions from relevant mathematics and direct examination of the images produced by both orders of degradation. The commutativity is attributed to the particularly strong effect of the low-pass spatial frequency filtering degradation on the discrimination process. This study also demonstrates that combinations of degradations in a discrimination task always result in a reduction in performance, and never in the improvement that has been reported for recognition. This difference is attributed to the fact that form discrimination is mediated mainly by local features and high-frequency spatial components, whereas recognition is mediated mainly by global features and low-frequency spatial components.
Ultrastructural studies of microtubules and microtubule organizing centers of the vertebrate olfactory neuron

The olfactory neuron is specialized along its length into highly determined morphological regions. These regions include the dendritic cilia, dendritic vesicle, dendritic shaft proper, perikaryon, axon, zone of transition where the axon widens as it approaches its termination, and the axon terminal. Except for the zone of transition and the terminal, characteristic populations of microtubules occur in these compartments. In the olfactory vesicle, three discrete microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) nucleate microtubules: the basal body, the lateral foot associated with the body, and dense masses of nearby material. Little is known about MTOCs elsewhere in the neuron, although the polarity of the axonal microtubules indicate that they originate at or near the perikaryon. An attempt is made to summarize what is known of the origin, structure, distribution, and function of microtubules in vertebrate olfactory neurons, which are useful model systems in which to study microtubules. Information about olfactory neuron microtubules may be applicable to neurons in general (e.g., the discovery that axons contain microtubules of uniform polarity was first made in the olfactory neuron) or to microtubules in other eukaryotic cells.
Acceleration of decision tree searching for IP traffic classification

Traffic classification remains a hot research problem, especially when facing new traffic trends and new hardware architectures. We propose a classification tree search method called explicit range search, motivated by the characteristics of machine learning based classification approaches. Our method differs from previously known algorithms such as HiCut and HyperCut in how to cut the ranges within a dimension and how to search within the ranges. By storing explicit marks and performing hardware supported parallel comparison, the explicit range search can reduce the worst-case number of memory accesses from 26 to 5 on a number of realistic rule sets generated from a well-known machine learning algorithm (C4.5). We also describe in this paper the proposed design based on FPGA devices.
Catecholamine release during and after cross clamping of descending thoracic aorta.

During graft replacement of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysms, aortic cross clamping without the use of bypass or shunts is accompanied by underperfusion of distal vascular beds. This study, comprising 10 patients, was based on the hypothesis that ischemia of the lower spinal cord and adrenal glands might precipitate release of catecholamines. Arterial blood samples, obtained before (control), during, and after arterial cross clamping, were analyzed for epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE). The E/NE ratio was used as an index of ischemic sympathoadrenal activation. During cross clamping, mean E and E/NE increased by a factor of 4.5 (P = 0.03) and 2.4 (P = 0.001), respectively. The greatest increases were observed in the 5 min postclamp sample: relative to control, mean E increased 22-fold (P = 0.011), NE 3-fold (P = 0.009), and E/NE 8.4-fold (P = 0.013). During the immediate postclamp period, mean E/NE fell exponentially with an average “half-life” of 12.05 ± 5.83 min (SD). A second-order polynomial related (P = 0.004) log E/NE in first postclamp sample to the ratio between clamp time and mean proximal arterial pressure during clamping (T/AP). Left-ventricular-minute-workfunction correlations: (1) positive with log E during clamping (P = 0.043); and (2) none with log E (P = 0.563) or log (E + NE) (P = 0.641) 5 min post-clamp; (3) positive with log (E + NE) 30 min postclamp (P = 0.016). It is concluded that (1) distal ischemia caused by cross clamping the descending thoracic aorta without bypass or shunts, results in distal regional sympathoadrenal activation, independent of known central reflex mechanisms; (2) this activation leads to marked increases of E/NE and is, in part, dependent upon T/AP during clamping; (3) the activation is probably transitory; (4) by indirect evidence, cardiodepressant factor(s) may transiently be present following declamping; (5) by its magnitude, sympathoadrenal activation is likely to provide compensation for deleterious factors that may affect cardiovascular functions during cross clamping and after declamping; alternatively, it might contribute to postoperative hypertension and cardiac complications such as myocardial ischemia and arrhythmias.
The variation of the number of hydrogen bonds per water molecule in the vicinity of a hydrophobic surface and its effect on hydrophobic interactions

Abstract A water molecule in the vicinity of a hydrophobic surface forms fewer and energetically altered hydrogen bonds compared to a bulk molecule because the hydrophobic surface restricts the space available for other water molecules necessary for its hydrogen bonding. In this vicinity, the number of hydrogen bonds per water molecule depends on its distance to the surface and its orientation. We review recent advances in analytic models of water hydrogen bonding and of its role in hydrophobic hydration and hydrophobic interactions with the emphasis on the models providing the number of hydrogen bonds per liquid water molecule as a function of its distance to a hydrophobic surface. The first such model [Luzar A, Svetina S, Zeks B. J Chem Phys. 1985;82:5146-54] was based on two reference quantities: energy of a hydrogen bond and ratio of number of broken and formed bonds, both in the vicinity of the surface. In the recent, probabilistic hydrogen bond model [Djikaev YS, Ruckenstein E. J Chem Phys. 2010; 133: doi:10.1063/1.3499318 .] the number of hydrogen bonds per bulk water molecule serves as a single reference to obtain an analytic expression for this dependence (the number of hydrogen bonds per water molecule vs its distance to a hydrophobic surface). This function can be used to develop analytic models for the role of hydrogen bonding in the hydration of hydrophobic particles and their solvent-mediated interaction and to examine the temperature effects on these phenomena.
Cat reticular neurons projecting to the region of the medial vestibular nucleus.

Abstract A point just beneath the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) was electrically stimulated. An extracellular search was made for antidromically-excited neurons throughout the medial 1.5 mm of the pontomedullary reticular formation (PMRF). Neurons were found bilaterally in nuc. reticularis gigantocellularis (NRG) rostral to P 11.5 and bilaterally in nuc. reticularis pontis caudalis (NRPC). None were found in nuc. reticularis pontis oralis (NRPO). Neurons could follow three shocks at >500 pulses/sec and had typical latencies of 1 msec and typical (straight-line) conduction velocities of only 5 m/sec. Possible participation in eye, head and body movements is discussed.
Perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with a painless, pupillary-involving third cranial nerve palsy: case report and literature review.

Perimesencephalic non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage PNSH) is a spontaneous form of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) ith an etiology and natural history distinct from that caused by ruptured cerebral aneurysm. Radiographically, PNSH is characerized by a pattern of extravasated blood on non-contrast head omputed tomography (CT) where the center of hemorrhage is ocated anterior to the midbrain, with or without extension into he basal Sylvian fissures and proximal interhemispheric fissure 1]. Clinically, PNSH presents with signs and symptoms similar o SAH—including sudden-onset headache, nausea, vomiting—but ess severe in magnitude and duration. Vascular imaging in these atients fails to demonstrate a cerebral aneurysm or other source or the SAH. Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus, vasospasm, rebleedng, and focal neurological deficits including cranial nerve palsies ave all been reported in this patient population, but are decidedly
Identification of SIN pathway targets reveals mechanisms of crosstalk between NDR kinase pathways

Summary The septum initiation network (SIN) regulates multiple functions during late mitosis to ensure successful completion of cytokinesis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe . One mechanism by which the SIN promotes cytokinesis is by inhibiting a competing polarity pathway called the MOR [1], which is required for initiation of polarized growth following completion of cytokinesis [2]. Mutual antagonism between the two NDR kinase pathways, SIN and MOR, is required to coordinate cytoskeletal rearrangements during the mitosis-interphase transition. To determine how the SIN regulates the MOR pathway, we developed a proteomics approach that allowed us to identify multiple substrates of the SIN effector kinase Sid2, including the MOR pathway components Nak1 kinase and an associated protein, Sog2. We show that Sid2 phosphorylation of Nak1 causes removal of Nak1 from the spindle pole bodies, which may both relieve Nak1 inhibition of the SIN and block MOR signaling by preventing interaction of Nak1 with the scaffold protein Mor2. Because the SIN and MOR are conserved in mammalian cells (Hippo and Ndr1/2 pathways, respectively), this work may provide important insight into how the activities of these essential pathways are coordinated.
Inhibition of male sex behavior by androgen receptor blockade in preoptic area or hypothalamus, but not amygdala or septum

Inhibition of masculine copulatory behavior was previously demonstrated following systemic injections of hydroxyflutamide (OHF). In the present study, we examined the localization of the effects of this androgen receptor blocker by direct intracranial implantation of OHF into the medial preoptic area (MPOA), ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus (VMN), medial amygdala (AME), and lateral septum (SEPT). Animals were implanted intracranially with crystalline OHF or cholesterol, and at the same time received two 10-mm testosterone-filled Silastic capsules SC. Tests for restoration of copulatory behavior were initiated 3 days later, and conducted twice weekly for 2 weeks. Implants of OHF into the MPOA were effective in preventing restoration of male sexual behavior. However, the most effective site was the VMN. Implants of OHF into the AME were only partially effective in stimulating male sexual behavior, whereas implants into the SEPT had no effect. The OHF was discontinued and 1 week later males were retested for sexual behavior. The majority of these animals ejaculated, indicating, that the effects of OHF are reversible. The result of this study demonstrate that the functional integrity of androgen receptors in some, but not all, androgen-concentrating brain loci is necessary for the expression of the complete pattern of male sexual behavior. These data lend support to the view that androgen receptor populations in specific brain loci differentially express proteins involved in mediating the masculine copulatory response.
Identification of sport fish consumption patterns in families of recreational anglers through factor analysis.

This paper reports on the identification of sport fish consumption patterns in angler families through the factor analysis technique. New York State recreational anglers and their spouses or partners were surveyed in 1991 about their consumption of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie sport fish. Respondents were surveyed again in 1997 to report the number of sport fish consumed by their children aged 5-10 years. Parental report revealed that 60% of children had consumed at least one sport fish meal over their lifetime. Anglers', partners', and children's variables were entered into three separate factor analysis models to assess consumption patterns. Factors for anglers and partners accounted for 65 and 59% of variance in consumption scores, respectively. Factors dealing with trout and salmon consumption accounted for the most variance. Children's factors accounted for 82% of variance in consumption scores, showing separation in relation to type of fish, body of water, and age at consumption. Children's factors were then used as dependent measures of separate multiple regression runs in which parental factors were entered stepwise as predictors. Significant associations between parental and children's factors were noted, suggesting that sport fish consumption patterns in parents are predictive of similar consumption patterns in children. Results suggest that sport fish consumption advisories do not fully prevent consumption of contaminated sport fish during childhood. Therefore, risk communicators may need to modify the current strategy of informing anglers and their families about sport fish consumption recommendations.
Ecology of Armillaria spp. in Mixed-Hardwood Forests of California.

ABSTRACT Incidence of Armillaria root disease and the population structure of associated Armillaria spp. was studied in California mixed-hardwood forests. Four 3,000-m2 plots, consisting of Quercus kelloggii, Q. agrifolia, Lithocarpus densiflorus, Arbutus menziesii, Umbellularia californica, and Pseudotsuga menziesii, were intensively sampled. Root collars were examined for mycelial fans, decayed wood, and rhizomorphs. From 404 trees (333 living, 71 dead), Armillaria mellea and A. gallica were recovered and identified from 148 isolates. The most abundant tree species in each plot was the tree species most frequently infected by A. mellea or A. gallica. The majority of A. mellea isolates were recovered from mycelial fans on living trees. Recent mortality due to A. mellea was found only in one plot. A. gallica was mainly identified from epiphytic rhizomorphs. Only one to three somatic incompatibility groups (SIGs) for each species were found in each plot. Estimated sizes of SIGs varied from the extent of a ...
Postshock dysfunction induced by simulated one- and two capacitor defibrillator waveforms

Both symmetrical, two-capacitor (2-C), and asymmetrical, one-capacitor(l-C), biphasic waveforms enhance defibrillation efficacy compared to monophasic waveforms having the same total duration. However, the 1-C waveform is superior to the 2-C waveform. This study in isolated cells shows that the 1-C type waveform reduces postshock dysfunction while the 2-C waveform does not. Reduction of postshock dysfunction, which can lead to conduction block and refibrillation, may be one mechanism for greater 1-C defibrillation efficacy.
Internalization of p53(14-29) peptide amphiphiles and subsequent endosomal disruption results in SJSA-1 cell death.

In vivo peptide inhibition of tumor suppressor p53 binding to the protein MDM2 is hampered by inefficient delivery of the peptide. Our approach to couple a hydrophobic lipid-like tail on the inhibi...
Charge-imaging field-effect transistor

Charge-imaging field-effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated from a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure containing a near-surface two-dimensional electron gas. These FETs have quantum point contact geometries to minimize the size of the channel and to improve the spatial resolution. The charge noise at T=4.2 K has a 1/f behavior and reaches values ≪1e/Hz1/2 at 30 kHz. The spatial resolution of the FET was measured at liquid He temperatures using a scanned probe microscope with a charged tip. The charge sensitivity of the FET is confined to a disk with full width at half maximum 340 nm. These FETs are suitable for integration onto a GaAs/AlGaAs scanned probe microscopy cantilever.
Clinical Evaluation of a Sutureless Cardiac Pacing Lead: Chronic Threshold Changes and Lead Durability

Abstract Chronic threshold changes and durability of the Medtronic 6917 sutureless cardiac pacing lead were evaluated in 100 consecutive patients. A bipolar pacing system was established in each patient. Lead failure occurred in 4 patients; all failures resulted from exit block or loss of adequate contact between electrode and myocardium. Electrode fracture or loss of lead insulation was not observed. Fifty patients had replacement of the pulse generator 27.4 ± 1.8 months after implantation. Long-term stimulation threshold voltage was about 2.5 times greater and current was about 3.5 times greater than values obtained at initial implantation, yet they continued to permit safe and effective cardiac pacing.
Expression of Mitochondrial Genes in the Germinating Conidia of Neurospora crassa

The germinating asexual spores (conidia) of Neurospora crassa were employed to study steps in the accumulation of transcripts of groups of mitochondrial genes, including those for peptide subunits of cytochrome c oxidase (CO), ATPase (ATP), and apocytochrome b (COB). Physically clustered groups of genes were expressed as cohorts: transcripts of the ATP8-ATP6-mtATP9-CO2 genes were almost undetectable in the dormant spores, and they accumulated rapidly as a group immediately after spore activation. Transcripts of COB and the adjacent CO1 were abundant in the dormant spores, and the dormant and germinating spores contained size forms of the COB transcripts that were not evident in vegetative cells. Polyribosomes were prepared from mitochondrial lysates, and the polyribosomal RNA was probed to identify the mRNAs of specific genes; in several instances polycistronic mRNAs were present in the polyribosomes as were the smaller end-products of the inferred transcript processing pathways. The expression of the physically dispersed genes for subunit peptides of cytochrome c oxidase appears to be regulated to the level of translation; these transcripts are accumulated in the total mitochondrial RNA with sharply different kinetics, but they appeared in the polyribosomes uniformly, their appearance correlating with the uniform synthesis of the subunit peptides. Transcripts for a previously reported non-functional mitochondrial gene, homologous to the functional nuclear gene for ATPase subunit 9, were found in the germinating spores, but were not detected in vegetative cells. These mtATP9 transcripts were also present in the polyribosomes and were apparently translated into a protein in vivo whose synthesis was insensitive to cycloheximide and detectable with an anti-ATP9 subunit antibody. Transcripts for two nuclear genes for mitochondrially localized proteins, ATP9 and CO5, were accumulated in unison and especially rapidly during spore germination.
How Baffin Island Eskimo Have Learned to Use Alcohol

Eskimo in Frobisher Bay, a new Baffin Island town, became legally entitled to drink alcoholic beverages in 1960. They embraced the opportunity with alacrity, one result being many arrests for drunkenness. To curb drinking, a law in 1962 limited alcohol sales. Public drunkenness has since declined and older Eskimo have begun to learn a drinking pattern resembling that of their Eurocanadian neighbors. Eskimo drinking shows few signs of being deficiency motivated. Men drink for the pleasure it gives them and consumption correlates with economic and social status, being one of the marks of a full-fledged townsman. Regular drinkers furnish only a small part of the trouble with which police must cope.
Regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 trafficking and angiogenesis by Golgi localized t-SNARE syntaxin 6

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) plays a key role in physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis. Plasma membrane (PM) levels of VEGFR2 are regulated by endocytosis and secretory transport through the Golgi apparatus. To date, the mechanism whereby the VEGFR2 traffics through the Golgi apparatus remains incompletely characterized. We show in human endothelial cells that binding of VEGF to the cell surface localized VEGFR2 stimulates exit of intracellular VEGFR2 from the Golgi apparatus. Brefeldin A treatment reduced the level of surface VEGFR2, confirming that VEGFR2 traffics through the Golgi apparatus en route to the PM. Mechanistically, we show that inhibition of syntaxin 6, a Golgi-localized target membrane-soluble N-ethylmaleimide attachment protein receptor (t-SNARE) protein, interferes with VEGFR2 trafficking to the PM and facilitates lysosomal degradation of the VEGFR2. In cell culture, inhibition of syntaxin 6 also reduced VEGF-induced cell proliferation, cell migration, and vascular tube formation. Furthermore, in a mouse ear model of angiogenesis, an inhibitory form of syntaxin 6 reduced VEGF-induced neovascularization and permeability. Our data demonstrate the importance of syntaxin 6 in the maintenance of cellular VEGFR2 levels, and suggest that the inhibitory form of syntaxin 6 has good potential as an antiangiogenic agent.
Stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase by relaxin

Abstract Relaxin, a protein hormone of pregnancy, stimulated ornithine decarboxylase activity (EC 4.1.1.17) in two of its target tissues. Both the mouse public symphysis and uterus respond to a single injection of relaxin; within 2–4 hours after hormonal treatment of the mice, ornithine decarboxylase activity was observed to increase 2–8 fold over control levels. This increase in enzymatic activity may represent one step in the mechanism by which relaxin exerts its effects.
Electronic structure of quasicrystalline surfaces: Effects of surface preparation and bulk structure

We elucidate the nature of the surface electronic properties of quasicrystalline Al-Pd-Mn. We do this by using photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopies, and by making a variety of comparisons -- across types of bulk samples, and across methods of surface preparation. The main conclusions are these: (i) The narrow Mn 2p{sub 3/2} core-level line observed in the icosahedral phase is a fingerprint of a suppression in the density of states (a pseudogap) at the Fermi level and is not unique to the quasicrystalline phase. It is also independent of the symmetry of the quasicrystalline surface. The Auger line shape is also affected and may be used as a fingerprint of a pseudogap. (ii) A similarly narrow Fe 2p{sub 3/2} core-level line characterizes the icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal, consistent with the expectation that the electronic structure is of general importance in the stabilization of icosahedral phases. (iii) In icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn, the pseudogap of the bulk is not retained up to the surface immediately after fracture, but can be restored by annealing, or by sputter annealing to sufficiently high temperatures. Assuming that the pseudogap reflects an electronic stabilization of the atomic structure, these results suggest that the heat-treated surfaces are more stable thanmore » the surface obtained by fracturing at room temperature.« less
Stress and knowledge of suicidal others as factors in suicidal behavior of high school adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to explore adolescent beliefs concerning the causes of adolescent suicide and to examine the influence that suicidal others have on adolescents' behavior. The researcher asked the following questions: Do students reporting suicidal behavior and those reporting no suicidal behavior give different causes for suicide? Do males and females give different causes for suicide ? Does knowing someone who attempted or committed suicide affect an adolescent's suicidal behavior? The population sample was 473 eleventh- and twelfth-grade students from a suburban public school district near a large metropolitan area in the northeastern United States who completed self-report measures including an open-ended question measuring suicidal causality and a background questionnaire. Data were analyzed using cross-tabulations to compare suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents. Specific tests included the Fisher's Exact Test (two-tailed) and chi-square. The findings showed that, of the high school stud...
Duodenogastric Reflux of Intestinal Infusions in Rats is Volume Dependent

Abstract Experiments employing infusions of nutrients into the gastrointestinal tract commonly deliver large volumes of solutions without evaluating the possibility that reflux of the infusate to more orad sites may occur. To assess this possibility for one conventional paradigm, rats with gastric fistulas and intestinal catheters were infused intraduodenally (4·0 to 5·0 cm distal to pylorus) in association with a meal. Infusions of 0·0 ml to 15·0 ml of 3% glucose and a dye marker or 0·9% saline containing a dye marker were delivered at 1 ml/min, and stomach contents were assayed for the infusates. All three probes were detected in stomach contents. The glucose marker proved the most sensitive of the three and indicated that duodenogastric reflux occurred in a dose-dependent manner with infusions >2·5 ml.
Conflicts of interest in research: looking out for number one means keeping the primary interest front and center

Conflicts of interest represent circumstances in which professional judgments or actions regarding a primary interest, such as the responsibilities of a medical researcher, may be at risk of being unduly influenced by a secondary interest, such as financial gain or career advancement. The secondary interest may be financial or non-financial, and the resultant bias may be conscious or unconscious. The presence of conflicts of interest poses a problem for professional, patient, and public trust in research and the research enterprise. Effective means of identifying and managing conflicts are an important element in successfully achieving the goals of research. These strategies typically focus on the investigator and rely upon disclosure, which has substantial limitations. Additional management strategies include process-oriented steps and outcomes-oriented strategies. More attention to identifying and managing non-financial conflicts is needed. Future empirical research will be important for defining which conflicts need to be better addressed and how to achieve this goal.
Engineered Protein Connectivity to Actin Mimics PDZ-dependent Recycling of G Protein-coupled Receptors but Not Its Regulation by Hrs

Many G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) recycle after agonist-induced endocytosis by a sequence-dependent mechanism, which is distinct from default membrane flow and remains poorly understood. Efficient recycling of the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) requires a C-terminal PDZ (PSD-95/Discs Large/ZO-1) protein-binding determinant (PDZbd), an intact actin cytoskeleton, and is regulated by the endosomal protein Hrs (hepatocyte growth factor-regulated substrate). The PDZbd is thought to link receptors to actin through a series of protein interaction modules present in NHERF/EBP50 (Na+/H+ exchanger 3 regulatory factor/ezrin-binding phosphoprotein of 50 kDa) family and ERM (ezrin/radixin/moesin) family proteins. It is not known, however, if such actin connectivity is sufficient to recapitulate the natural features of sequence-dependent recycling. We addressed this question using a receptor fusion approach based on the sufficiency of the PDZbd to promote recycling when fused to a distinct GPCR, the δ-opioid receptor, which normally recycles inefficiently in HEK293 cells. Modular domains mediating actin connectivity promoted receptor recycling with similarly high efficiency as the PDZbd itself, and recycling promoted by all of the domains was actin-dependent. Regulation of receptor recycling by Hrs, however, was conferred only by the PDZbd and not by downstream interaction modules. These results suggest that actin connectivity is sufficient to mimic the core recycling activity of a GPCR-linked PDZbd but not its cellular regulation.
Perspective on “Ab initio calculation of force constants and equilibrium geometries in polyatomic molecules. I. Theory”

This article provides an outline of the title paper by Peter Pulay and discusses some of the methodology that grew from it, and the impact that it has had on the development of computational chemistry.
Balanced LQG Compensator for Flexible Structures

The analysis of open-loop balanced flexible structures has been extended for closed-loop structures. LQG compensator gains (i.e., the gains of a controller and of an estimator) are obtained from the solutions of the controller Riccati equation (CARE) and the estimator Riccati equation (FARE). For the balanced compensator the solutions of CARE and FARE are equal and diagonal. Thus, a balanced LQG compensator puts the same effort into control and estimation of the system. An approximate balanced LQG compensator for flexible structures is determined in this paper. Its properties allow one to obtain a reduced-order compensator, which preserves the stability and performance of the full-order compensator. The performance of an LQG compensator depends on the weights of the quadratic performance index and on the variance of the estimator noise. The relationships between weights/variances and characteristic values of the system as well as between weights/variances and plant/estimator pole location are derived in this paper. Thus the weights can be determined in advance to meet the requirements of a closed-loop system.
Natural killer activity is present in rat lung lavage and inhibited by lidocaine.

AbstractNatural killer (NK) cells play an important role in defense against tumors and certain infected cells. Although NK activity is present in cells recovered from lung parenchyma, its demonstration in cells retrieved from normal bronchoalveolar lavage (lung lavage) has been difficult. In this study, we report that NK cells are present and active in normal rat lung lavage. Purified effector cells retrieved from lung lavage and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were compared for NK activity. NK activity was tested in a four hour 51-chromium release assay against radiolabeled Yac-1 target cells and expressed as lytic units (LU). There was no difference in NK activity between the blood and lung (80 ± 10 LU vs. 62±15 LU). Since lidocaine is used in lung lavage for topical anaesthesia in humans and to increase the cell yield in animals, we also sought to determine if it could affect NK activity. We found that lidocaine inhibited NK activity in a dose dependent manner when it was instilled into the airways ...
Cryogenic physico-chemical precipitations: iron, silica, calcium carbonate.

In Quaternary and present-day alluvial deposits, secondary mineral accumulations are common. Previous theoretical and experimental studies have shown the occurrence of frost-related iron and calcium carbonate precipitations. Microscopic and ultramicroscopic observations of alluvial materials from Quaternary cold periods allow the recognition of diagnostic features of cryogenic calcite crystallizations. Some iron and silica concentrations also suggest frost control, although further laboratory experiments are needed to obtain a satisfactory understanding of the mechanisms concerning these precipitations. Nevertheless, it can be suggested that the migration of minerals under frost action is probably more important than previously taken into account. Dans les depǒts alluviaux actuels et quaternaires, les accumulations secondaires de mineraux soat chose courante. Des travaux theoriques et experimentaux avaient deja montre la possibilite de precipitations de fer et de carbonate de calcium dues au gel. Des observations microscopiques et ultramicroscopiques sur des materiaux alluviaux de periodes froides quaternaires ont permis de reconnaǐtre des formes de cristallisation de la calcite typiquement cryogeniques. Certaines concentrations de fer et de silice suggerent aussi une origine liee au gel, mais seuls des travaux experimentaux pourraient apporter une connaissance satisfaisante des mecanismes en jeu. On peut cependant suggerer que la migration de mineraux sous l'effet du gel a probablement plus d'importance que les auteurs des articles anterieurs ne semblent le croire.
Application of System Dynamics Modeling for the Assessment of Training Performance Effectiveness

System Dynamics Modeling (SDM) is a mathematical technique to understand the behavior of complex systems over time. SDM has been widely used and applied in modeling complex systems such as human performance and social network analysis. This paper highlights key features of the system dynamics approach for human performance modeling and training optimization. Using three of the Big Five factors which include Conscientiousness, Extroversion, and Openness, modeling results show how these factors interact and influence training performance. This research sum arizes the development of a system dynamics model for use in evaluating training performance, acquired personality traits and overall system effects on training proficiency.
Effects of interaction between adjacent free surface planar jets on local heat transfer from the impingement surface

Abstract Experiments have been conducted to obtain single-phase, local convection heat transfer coefficient distributions along a constant heat flux surface experiencing impingement by two, planar, freesurface jets of water. Nozzle widths and nozzle-to-heater separation distances were fixed at 5.1 and 89.7 mm, respectively, while two nozzle-to-nozzle pitches (81 and 51 mm) were considered. The ratio of impingement velocities for the two nozzles, V∗ , was varied from 0.47 to 1.0. Interacting wall jets created by the impinging jets yielded a strong upwelling of spent flow (an interaction fountain), beneath which convection coefficients were comparable to those associated with the jet impingement regions. With decreasing V∗ , impingement heat transfer coefficients beneath the weaker jet were reduced by the effects of crossflow imposed by the stronger jet.
Effects of four nematode species on fitness costs of pink bollworm resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac

ABSTRACT Evolution of resistance by pests can reduce the efficacy of transgenic crops that produce insecticidal toxins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt). In conjunction with refuges of non-Bt host plants, fitness costs can delay the evolution of resistance. Furthermore, fitness costs often vary with ecological conditions, suggesting that agricultural landscapes can be manipulated to magnify fitness costs and thereby prolong the efficacy of Bt crops. In the current study, we tested the effects of four species of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) on the magnitude and dominance of fitness costs of resistance to Bt toxin CrylAc in pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). For more than a decade, field populations of pink bollworm in the United States have remained susceptible to Bt cotton Gossypium hirsutum L. producing CrylAc; however, we used laboratory strains that had a mixture of susceptible and resistant individ...
Viscous flows in a muddy seabed induced by a solitary wave

Liu & Chan (J. Fluid Mech. vol. 579, 2007, p. 467, hereinafter referred to as LC) derived analytical solutions for the interactions between shallow water waves and a viscous fluid seabed. In this paper we present a set of new experimental data on the solitary-wave-induced flows in a viscous muddy seabed so as to validate LC's theory and the approximations employed. In the experiments a clear silicone fluid was used as the viscous mud and particle image velocimetry was employed to measure the velocity field inside the viscous mud. The shear stress along the bottom of the mud bed and the displacement of the water-mud interface were also deduced from data. Experimental results showed excellent agreement with the theoretical solutions. Additional analyses were performed to show that the ratio of the muddy seabed thickness to the corresponding bottom boundary-layer thickness, d, plays an important role in characterizing mud flow regimes. When d ≤ 1, the vertical profile of the horizontal velocity in the mud bed can be parameterized as a parabola. On the other hand, when d » 1, the velocity profile appears as a plug flow above a thin viscous layer. When d ∼O (1), the flow patterns are more complex than the other two regimes and flow reversal can occur inside the viscous mud bed.
ACM HotMobile 2013 poster: detecting fake check-ins in location-based social networks through honeypot venues

The proliferation of location-based social networks (LBSNs) has offered many conveniences to their participants, such as place recommendation, tracking of friends, monetary rewards from venues visited and a cheap way of advertisement for local businesses. However, users can misuse the offered features and the major threat for the service providers is that of fake check-ins. Users can easily manipulate the localization module of the underlying application and declare their presence in a counterfeit location. The incentives for these behaviors can be both earning monetary rewards as well as virtual rewards. Therefore, while fake check-ins driven from the former motive can cause monetary losses, those aiming in virtual rewards are also harmful. In particular, they can significantly degrade the services offered from the LBSN providers or third parties that make use of these data. In this paper, we propose and analyze a honeypot venue-based solution to tag users who are generating fake spatial information.
Multiple-model Bayesian approach to volumetric imaging of cardiac current sources

Noninvasive cardiac electrophysiological imaging aims to mathematically reconstruct the spatio-temporal dynamics of cardiac current sources from body-surface electrocardiography data. This ill-posed problem is often regularized by imposing a certain constraining model on the solution. However, it enforces the source distribution to follow a pre-assumed spatial structure that does not always match the spatio-temporal changes of current sources. We propose a Bayesian approach for 3D current source estimation that consists of a continuous combination of multiple models, each reflecting a specific spatial property for current sources. Multiple models are incorporated into our Bayesian approach as an Lp-norm prior for current sources, where p is an unknown hyperparameter with prior probabilistic distribution defined over the range between 1 and 2. The current source estimation is then obtained as an optimally weighted combination of solutions across all models, the weight being determined from posterior distribution of p inferred from electrocardiography data. The performance of our proposed approach is assessed in a set of synthetic and real-data experiments on human heart-torso models. While the use of fixed models such as L1- and L2-norm only properly recovers sources with specific spatial structures, our method delivers consistent performance in reconstructing sources with different extents and structures.
Conditioning factors in drug abuse: can they explain compulsion?:

There is a good deal of clinical evidence suggesting that compulsion to resume drug taking is an important part of the addiction syndrome. The symptoms comprising motivation to resume drug use, namely craving and compulsion, have been studied experimentally in human subjects. While much work remains to be done, there is evidence showing that these symptoms are influenced by learning. The research has been guided by animal studies demonstrating that drug effects can be conditioned. Much attention has been directed toward demonstrating the existence of drug conditioning in human addicts and exploring the neurological structures that may underlie such learned responses. We do not yet know the relative importance of learning in the overall phenomenon of relapse, and treatments based on conditioning principles are still under investigation.
Theoretical Studies of Hydrogen and Water Adsorption on Actinide Oxide Surfaces

The adsorption of H2O on UO2 and PuO2 surfaces is studied using density functional theoretical approaches. Periodic slab models are employed to represent the oxide surface in which five layers of the oxide are explicitly treated. For both oxides the dihydroxyl form corresponding to dissociated H2O is more stable than the molecularly adsorbed H2O on the (111) and (110) surfaces. Adsorption of H2 on PuO2 and Pu2O3 is also investigated where stable forms corresponding to dissociated H atoms are found.
Functional outcomes of posttraumatic lower limb salvage: A pilot study of anterolateral thigh perforator flaps versus muscle flaps

Background:Functional outcomes of lower extremity reconstruction compared with amputation have been evaluated. However, there are little comparative data among the different reconstructive options. With the recent increase in perforator flaps, we compared the functional outcomes of muscle and perfor
Exploring successful community pharmacist-physician collaborative working relationships using mixed methods

Abstract Background Collaborative working relationships (CWRs) between community pharmacists and physicians may foster the provision of medication therapy management services, disease state management, and other patient care activities; however, pharmacists have expressed difficulty in developing such relationships. Additional work is needed to understand the specific pharmacist-physician exchanges that effectively contribute to the development of CWR. Data from successful pairs of community pharmacists and physicians may provide further insights into these exchange variables and expand research on models of professional collaboration. Objective To describe the professional exchanges that occurred between community pharmacists and physicians engaged in successful CWRs, using a published conceptual model and tool for quantifying the extent of collaboration. Methods A national pool of experts in community pharmacy practice identified community pharmacists engaged in CWRs with physicians. Five pairs of community pharmacists and physician colleagues participated in individual semistructured interviews, and 4 of these pairs completed the Pharmacist-Physician Collaborative Index (PPCI). Main outcome measures include quantitative (ie, scores on the PPCI) and qualitative information about professional exchanges within 3 domains found previously to influence relationship development: relationship initiation, trustworthiness, and role specification. Results On the PPCI, participants scored similarly on trustworthiness; however, physicians scored higher on relationship initiation and role specification. The qualitative interviews revealed that when initiating relationships, it was important for many pharmacists to establish open communication through face-to-face visits with physicians. Furthermore, physicians were able to recognize in these pharmacists a commitment for improved patient care. Trustworthiness was established by pharmacists making consistent contributions to care that improved patient outcomes over time. Open discussions regarding professional roles and an acknowledgment of professional norms (ie, physicians as decision makers) were essential. Conclusions The findings support and extend the literature on pharmacist-physician CWRs by examining the exchange domains of relationship initiation, trustworthiness, and role specification qualitatively and quantitatively among pairs of practitioners. Relationships appeared to develop in a manner consistent with a published model for CWRs, including the pharmacist as relationship initiator, the importance of communication during early stages of the relationship, and an emphasis on high-quality pharmacist contributions.
SpotWeb: detecting framework hotspots via mining open source repositories on the web

The essentials of modern software development (such as low cost and high efficiency) demand software developers to make intensive reuse of existing open source frameworks or libraries (generally referred as frameworks) available on the web. However, developers often face challenges in reusing these frameworks due to several factors such as the complexity and lack of proper documentation. In this paper, we propose a code-search-engine-based approach that tries to detect hotspots in a given framework by mining code examples gathered from open source repositories available on the web; these hotspots are the APIs that are frequently reused.Hotspots can serve as starting points for developers in understanding and reusing the given framework. We developed a tool, called SpotWeb, for frameworks or libraries written in Java and conducted two case studies with two open source frameworks JUnit and Log4j. We also show that the detected hotspots of Log4j and JUnit are consistent with their respective documentations.
Mechanical Degradation of MgO by Water Vapor

The effect of exposure to the laboratory atmosphere on the fracture stress and Young's modulus of poly crystalline magnesium oxide was studied. The observed degradation of mechanical properties was attributed to chemical attack by atmospheric water vapor. The rate and extent of degradation depended on the amount and nature of porosity in the specimens.
Equivalence of Eguchi-Hanson metric to two-center Gibbons-Hawking metric

Abstract Coordinate transformations which transform the two center Gibbons-Hawking metric into the Eguchi-Hanson metric are explicitly given.
Prison Islam in the age of sacred terror.

Research indicates that Islam is the fastest growing religion among prisoners in Western nations. In the United States, roughly 240,000 inmates have converted to the faith since the 9/11 attacks. According to federal law enforcement, Saudi-backed Wahhabi clerics have targeted these prisoners for terrorist recruitment. The present research examines this claim from several different perspectives. First, it reviews the literature on prisoner conversions to Islam and concludes that there are opposing viewpoints on the matter. One side of the debate takes an alarmist stance, arguing that prisons have become incubators for Islamic terrorism; the other side asserts that Islam plays a vital role in prisoner rehabilitation. Second, results of a two-year study of prisoner radicalization and terrorist recruitment in US prisons are reported. The motives for prisoner conversions to Islam are discussed along with the effects of conversion on inmate behaviour; the role played by gangs and charismatic leaders in radicalizing prisoners; and the social processes by which inmates move from radicalization to operational terrorism. Third, two case studies are presented. One involves a terrorist plot waged by a gang of Sunni prisoners at California's New Folsom Prison; the other looks at the inmate-led Islamic Studies Program at Old Folsom Prison, which has adopted a de-radicalization agenda. It is argued that inmate self-help programmes may do more than the state to prevent radicalization and terrorist recruitment behind bars.