cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Layout-Aware Selection of Trace Signals for Post-Silicon Debug

Post-silicon debug is widely acknowledged as a bottleneck in SoC design methodology. A major challenge during post-silicon debug is the limited observability of internal signals. Existing approaches try to select a small set of beneficial trace signals that can maximize observability. Unfortunately, these techniques do not consider design constraints such as routability of the selected signals or routing congestion. Therefore, in reality, it may not be possible to route the selected signals. We propose a layout-aware signal selection algorithm that takes into account both observability and routing congestion. Our experimental results demonstrate that our proposed approach can select routing friendly trace signals with negligible impact on observability.
Yeast Mitochondrial Division and Distribution Require the Cortical Num1 Protein

Summary Yeast mitochondrial division requires the dynamin-related Dnm1 protein. By isolating high-copy suppressors of a dominant-negative Dnm1p mutant, we uncovered an unexpected role in mitochondrial division and inheritance for Num1p, a protein previously shown to facilitate nuclear migration. num1 mutants contain an interconnected network of mitochondrial tubules, remarkably similar to cells lacking Dnm1p, and time-lapse microscopy confirms that mitochondrial fission is greatly reduced in num1Δ cells. We also find that Num1p assembles into punctate structures, which often colocalize with mitochondrial-bound Dnm1p particles. Suggesting a role for both Num1p and Dnm1p in mitochondrial inheritance, we find that num1 dnm1 double mutants accumulate mitochondria in daughter buds and that mother cells are frequently devoid of all mitochondria. Thus, our studies have revealed an additional role for Dnm1p in mitochondrial transmission through its interaction with Num1p, thereby providing a link between mitochondrial division and inheritance.
Design Factors Affecting the Flow of Water through Below-Ground Concrete Vaults

Underground concrete vaults have been and are planned to be used to store contaminated materials, such as hazardous materials and radioactive waste, over long periods of time. To protect humans from exposure to the contamination, the key to this long-term storage is immobilization achieved through designing concrete vaults with enhanced hydraulic performance. This paper evaluates concrete vault design parameters including properties of soil layers surrounding the vault, vault size, slope of the vault roof, and the amount of concrete degradation under various infiltration rates. A numerical model that estimates the flow of water through the vault is used as the computer simulation tool. Conclusions from the modeling simulations are that clay layers, including sand and loam layers forming a capillary barrier and placed adjacent to the vault concrete, were found to have a better hydraulic performance. Smaller vault sizes result in lower seepage through the vault and suggest a scale effect. Roof slope has a relatively small influence on hydraulic performance.
Reflectance spectrometry for real-time hemoglobin determination of placental vessels during endoscopic laser surgery for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome

Abstract Objective The objective of the study was to develop a noninvasive technique to determine hemoglobin (Hb) content through spectral analysis of diffusely reflected broadband visible illumination from individual blood vessels during endoscopic fetal surgery for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). Methods The reflection of an incoming xenon endoscopic light source was captured through a 630- μ m–diameter optic fiber coupled to a fixed grating spectrometer (2-nm resolution). A 450- to 700-nm wavelength range was used for analysis. Three data-capturing methods were studied: (1) fixed-image spectrum capture with fiber aimed at (but not touching) center of a vessel, (2) no-touch scanning perpendicular to the vessel and dynamic spectral capture, and (3) dynamic spectral capture and analysis of the reflectance spectra during brief vessel touch. Results Eight controls (elective laparoscopic and thoracoscopic operations in children aged 1-17 years) were enrolled. Four vessels were analyzed in each case. The brief-touch technique with intensity peak analysis yielded the most reproducible results between multiple vessels in the same patient. Spectrometry was also applied to 2 TTTS patients. The (anemic) donor and (polycythemic) recipient twin fetuses could be differentiated with good correlation between vessels (arteries and vein) of the same fetus. Conclusions It is possible to differentiate donor from recipient placental vessels by spectral analysis of the reflected light through the endoscope using a noninvasive and real-time method. This may improve the accuracy of endoscopic laser ablation of placental vessels in TTTS and may allow instant endoscopic Hb determination for laparoscopic procedures as well.
Narrative pedagogy, technology, and curriculum transformation in nursing education

More than 100 years ago, John Dewey, a major influence in American education, argued for the need to “stimulate the spirit of inquiry into actual fact” (Dewey, 2002, p. 118). The debate among politicians and educators about the structure, purpose, and goals of education and inquiry continues. Yet the world has changed, largely because of widely accessible and versatile technologies. We are unclear how Dewey's spirit of inquiry will grow, die, or reinvent itself through boundaryless tools of inquiry such as the Internet, but the technology is here and will not disappear while educators debate best methods. Twenty-first-century society demands new ways to learn and understand, and these new ways of learning require new ways of teaching (McPheeters, 2009/2010). For many students, especially the younger generations, technology intertwines with almost all daily activities, including social contact. Many educators lag behind the technological curve and express frustration at the challenge to shift their educational paradigms toward increasingly technological means of communication and interaction, or entertain “virtual realities” as legitimate educational forums. The purpose of this symposium is to examine the role of technology in transforming higher education. The goal is to seek best methods of using technology more effectively to educate learners for the 21st century. The shifts in society's focus and the characteristics of learners going into the future are also critical, and part of this discussion.
Robust stability and performance analysis of discrete-time piecewise affine systems with disturbances

For discrete-time piecewise affine systems, exponential stability and quadratic performance are analyzed in the presence of disturbances. Our approach is based on constructing a sequence of finite-state symbolic models for the piecewise affine system and analyzing the robust stability and performance of any of these symbolic models using linear matrix inequalities. The presented analysis is scalable; that is, the stability region or performance bound obtained by analyzing a symbolic model in the sequence is enlarged or improved, respectively, by analyzing the next symbolic model within the same sequence. Moreover, if the sequence turns out to be finite, then the last symbolic model in the sequence yields exact analysis of robust stability and performance.
Organization of spontaneous behaviors of sleeping neonates.

Summary.-The time intervals between spdntaneous behaviors of 209 infants were tallied. The frequency distributions of time intervals between spontaneous behaviors showed that behaviors were usually spaced closely in time. However, none of the spontaneous behaviors occurred with a set interval between successive behaviors. All spontaneous behaviors conformed to a single pattern of temporal organization, regardless of the particular behaviors displayed, the infant's sex, or sleep state. The pattern approximated a systematic alternation of periods of increasing and decreasing time intervals between successive behaviors. These data conflict with Wolff's theory of neural discharge but support Wolff's hypothesis about substitution. Prior work concerning the temporal organization of spontaneous behaviors in neonates has focused on the intervals between successive spontaneous behaviors. Ashton ( 1971) reported that the intervals between spontaneous startles during deep sleep were randomly distributed. His data conflict with Wolff's ( 1966) findings which indicate that spontaneous behaviors occur rhythmically, at fixed intervals over time. Wolff also noted that other spontaneous behaviors such as rhythmical mouthings, erections, and smiles appeared to be rhythmic and to occur in inverse proportion to startles. Wolff called these behaviors "startle substitutes." Wolff explained his findings through a hydraulic neural discharge theory. Wolff argued that startles and "startle substitutes" are produced by discharge of the same accumulating neural energy, with a fixed interval between behaviors resulting because neural energy builds up rhythmically over time. Wolff also hypothesized that such energy is freely displaceable along any discharge channel. This "substitutability" hypothesis is based on the fact that startles occur most often in deep sleep when other spontaneous behaviors are rare. Wolff's data are suggestive but not definitive. An inverse relationship between the incidence of two behaviots does not necessarily mean that the behaviors are functionally equivalent. The present study was conducted to provide more extensive evidence on
Adiponectin as an anti-inflammatory factor

Obesity is characterized by low-grade systemic inflammation. Adiponectin is an adipose tissue-derived hormone, which is downregulated in obesity. Adiponectin displays protective actions on the development of various obesity-linked diseases. Several clinical studies demonstrate the inverse relationship between plasma adiponectin levels and several inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein. Adiponectin attenuates inflammatory responses to multiple stimuli by modulating signaling pathways in a variety of cell types. The anti-inflammatory properties of adiponectin may be a major component of its beneficial effects on cardiovascular and metabolic disorders including atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. In this review, we focus on the role of adiponectin in regulation of inflammatory response and discuss its potential as an anti-inflammatory marker.
Thrombolytic reversal of acute human cerebral ischemic injury shown by diffusion/perfusion magnetic resonance imaging

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging provides an early marker of acute cerebral ischemic injury. Thrombolytic reversal of diffusion abnormalities has not previously been demonstrated in humans. Serial diffusion and perfusion imaging studies were acquired in patients experiencing acute hemispheric cerebral ischemia treated with intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy within 6 hours of symptom onset. Seven patients met inclusion criteria of prethrombolysis and postthrombolysis magnetic resonance studies, presence of large artery anterior circulation occlusion at angiography, and achievement of vessel recanalization. Mean diffusion-weighted imaging lesion volume at baseline was 23 cm3 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 8-38 cm3) and decreased to 10 cm3 (95% CI, 3-17 cm3) 2.5 to 9.5 hours after thrombolysis. Mean apparent diffusion coefficient lesion volume decreased from 9 cm3 (95% CI, 2-16 cm3) at baseline to 1 cm3 (95% CI, 0.4-2 cm3) early after thrombolysis. A secondary increase in diffusion volumes was seen in 3 of 6 patients at day 7. In all 4 patients in whom perfusion imaging was obtained before and after treatment, complete resolution of the perfusion deficit was shown. Diffusion magnetic resonance signatures of early tissue ischemic injury can be reversed in humans by prompt thrombolytic vessel recanalization. The ischemic penumbra includes not only the region of diffusion/perfusion mismatch, but also portions of the region of initial diffusion abnormality.
Carbon recovery rates following different wildfire risk mitigation treatments

Sequestered forest carbon can provide a climate change mitigation benefit, but in dry temperate forests, wildfire poses a reversal risk to carbon offset projects. Reducing wildfire risk requires a reduction in and redistribution of carbon stocks, the benefit of which is only realized when wildfire occurs. To estimate the time needed to recover carbon removed and emitted during treatment, we compared the 7-year post-treatment carbon stocks for mechanical thinning and prescribed fire fuels reduction treatments in Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest and modeled annual carbon accumulation rates. Within our 7-year re-sample period, the burn only and understory thin treatments sequestered more carbon than had been removed or emitted during treatment. The understory thin and burn, overstory thin, and overstory thin and burn continued to have net negative carbon stocks when emissions associated with treatment were subtracted from 7-year carbon stock gains. However, the size of the carbon deficit in the understory thin and burn 7 years post-treatment and the live tree growth rates suggest that the remaining trees may sequester treatment emissions within several more years of growth. Overstory tree thinning treatments resulted in a large carbon deficit and removed many of the largest trees that accumulate the most carbon annually, thereby increasing carbon stock recovery time. Our results indicate that while there is an initial carbon stock reduction associated with fuels treatments, treated forests can quickly recover carbon stocks if treatments do not remove large, fire-resistant overstory trees.
Close encounters: why unstructured, polymeric domains can increase rates of specific macromolecular association

The rate constants for macromolecular association reactions depend on the macromolecules involved and the solution conditions. The largest rate constants are for encounter-limited reactions, where association takes place whenever the associating macromolecules collide. Macromolecules that associate through specific binding sites often have much smaller rate constants. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the rate of association for complementary nucleic acid strands can be made encounter limited by attaching weakly associating, relatively unstructured polymeric domains to the nucleic acids involved. These results have led to a model suggesting that similar domains provide a general means of increasing rates of association for specific macromolecular binding partners, both in vivo and in vitro.
Dopamine receptors in rat frontal cortex: Pharmacological properties in vivo and in vitro

Abstract The acute in vivo administration of several neuroleptic drugs drastically increased the content of dopamine metabolites in the caudate nucleus and frontal cortex of rats. In homogenates of the above brain regions, the same neuroleptics were potent antagonists of stereospecific 3H-spiroperidol binding, with minor differences in regional potency. Apomorphine was a significantly more potent inhibitor of 3H-spiroperidol binding in the caudate nucleus. Serotonin was more potent than dopamine in the frontal cortex and the reverse was true in the caudate nucleus. In both regions dopamine was 200–300 times more potent in displacing 3H-apomorphine binding than was serotonin.
The effect of cholinergic agonists on coronary flow rate and oxygen consumption in isolated perfused rat heart

The metabolic and circulatory consequences of activation of the muscarinic receptor(s) were investigated by local administration of acetylcholine and its three analogues (bethanechol, carbachol and methacholine) into beating and KCl-arrested perfused rat hearts. Acetylcholine and the three other choline esters caused vasoconstriction in both types of preparations and this vasoconstriction was accompanied by a decrease in oxygen consumption. In most cases the dose-response curves were biphasic and changes in coronary flow paralleled those in oxygen consumption. Both phenomena were abolished by administration of atropine and either removal of calcium or infusion of verapamil but were unaffected by addition of the adrenergic alpha-blocker, prazosin, and the adrenergic beta-blocker, propranolol. Infusions of low concentrations of the cholinergic agonists were accompanied by increases in the myocardial phosphorylation state ratio [( ATP]free/[ADP]free[Pi]) which correlated with the simultaneous decreases in oxygen consumption and coronary flow. It is suggested that muscarinic receptors responsible for vasoconstriction in perfused rat heart are located not only on coronary vessels but also on the cardiac muscle cells. Activation of the former receptors induces vasoconstriction by direct action on the vascular smooth muscle while activation of the latter receptors induces vasoconstriction indirectly by decreasing cardiac work and increasing the myocardial [ATP]free/[ADP]free[Pi] ratio. The results also show that stimulation of muscarinic receptor(s) and the consequent metabolic and vasoregulatory responses are coupled to calcium movements.
Peptide-based nucleic acid surrogates incorporating ser[CH2B]-gly subunits

Abstract The synthesis of building blocks corresponding to four natural nucleobases (A, C, G, & T) is presented and it is demonstrated that such units may be linked together using standard peptide coupling techniques without racemization of β-elimination.
Role of the gp120 inner domain β-sandwich in the interaction between the human immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoprotein subunits

The inner domain of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) gp120 glycoprotein has been proposed to mediate the noncovalent interaction with the gp41 transmembrane envelope glycoprotein. We used mutagenesis to investigate the functional importance of a conserved beta-sandwich located within the gp120 inner domain. Changes in aliphatic residues lining a hydrophobic groove on the surface of the beta-sandwich decreased the association of the gp120 and gp41 glycoproteins. Other changes in the base of the hydrophobic groove resulted in envelope glycoproteins that were structurally intact and able to bind receptors, but were inefficient in mediating either syncytium formation or virus entry. These results support a model in which the beta-sandwich in the gp120 inner domain contributes to gp120-gp41 contacts, thereby maintaining the integrity of the envelope glycoprotein complex and allowing adjustments in the gp120-gp41 interaction required for membrane fusion.
Perceived Socio-Economic Impacts of Festivals and Events Among Organizers

ABSTRACT Festivals and special events serve as important attractors for destinations and provide unique experiences for visitors. These events also have the capability of providing both tangible and intangible benefits for communities. Most of the studies dealing with festivals and events have focused on either understanding attendees' behavior or delineating the economic impacts of visitation upon communities in which such events are held. However, little research has been done to examine how different festival organizers perceive the socio-economic importance of such events from visitors' perceptions. Thus, the purposes of this study are (1) to delineate the organizers' perception of socio-economic impacts of the festival and event tourism, and (2) to compare these results with those of attendees from literature. The findings of the study revealed that organizers' perceived economic impacts had four domains: Community Cohesiveness, Economic Benefits, Social Costs and Social Incentives. The organizers al...
CS familiarization and conditioned suppression in weanling and adult albino rats

Twenty-three 30- and 90-day-old rats either were given 60 nondifferentially reinforced presentations of the to-be-conditional stimulus prior to fear conditioning or remained undisturbed. Following pretraining Ss experienced a series of three CS-US pairings. Subsequently, when Ss were tested for suppression of an ongoing licking response to the CS, 23-day-old Ss displayed less suppression to the CS than did adults. In addition, Ss exposed to the CS prior to conditioning demonstrated less suppression in its presence than did nonexposed Ss. It was suggested that weanlings do not demonstrate the decremental acquisition of a CER characteristic of the “latent inhibition” phenomenon seen in older rats.
Preliminary studies of video images of smoke dispersion in the near wake of a model building

Abstract A summary of analyses of video images of smoke in a wind tunnel study of dispersion in the near wake of a model building is presented. The analyses provide information on both the instantaneous and time-average patterns of dispersion. Since the images represent vertically-integrated or crosswind-integrated smoke concentration, only the primary spatial and temporal scales of pollutant dispersion can be examined. Special graphic displays of the results are presented to assist in the data interpretation. The video image format is shown to have great potential as an easily quantifiable electronic medium for studying the dispersion of smoke.
Discrete optimal control on lie groups and applications to robotic vehicles

This paper is concerned with optimal trajectory generation for robotic multi-body systems. The focus is on discrete optimal control methods which operate intrinsically in the state space system manifold and do not require coordinate charts or projections. This is accomplished by defining both the dynamics and the optimal control solution as sequences of vector fields mapping to curves on the Lie group through retraction maps, and defining variations and differentiation with respect to such vector fields. As a result, standard trajectory optimization methods can be easily extended to the Lie group setting without loss of efficiency. The methods are illustrated with three numerical examples: a quadrotor, an aerial vehicle with manipulators, and a simple nonholonomic system.
Heme oxygenase-1 promotes migration and β-epithelial Na+ channel expression in cytotrophoblasts and ischemic placentas

Preeclampsia is thought to arise from inadequate cytotrophoblast migration and invasion of the maternal spiral arteries, resulting in placental ischemia and hypertension. Evidence suggests that alt...
EHD Analysis With Distributed Structural Inertia

An elastohydrodynamic lubrication model is presented for the coupled problem of a hydrodynamic lubricating fluid in an elastic structure that includes distributed structural inertia. The problem is formulated and the governing equations solved with the finite element method for an illustrative journal bearing subject to dynamic loading. Inertia effects are demonstrated through comparisons with an existing quasi-static model. While it is true that structural inertia can be neglected without significant loss of accuracy for many journal bearing applications, the new model presented does capture effects of distributed structural inertia where such effects are important and exhibits improvements over existing methods with respect to numerical stability.
Natural ligands for CD33-related Siglecs?

Finding natural ligands involved in protein–protein interactions is relatively easy, and false-positives are rare. In contrast, the natural ligands for glycan-binding proteins (GBPs) can be quite elusive, and artifacts are common. For example, it took almost 10 years from the detection of P-selectin's glycan binding properties (Moore et al. 1991) to reach the definitive conclusion that a certain specific posttranslationally modified form of the polypeptide PSGL-1 was the functionally relevant natural ligand for this GBP (Epperson et al. 2000). There are many reasons for such difficulties, including the fact that glycan binding is often of relatively low affinity and relies on multivalency to achieve adequate avidity, as well as the complexities of local rebinding effects such as the recently described “jump and bind” mechanisms for lectin–mucin interactions (Dam and Brewer 2008). Meanwhile, investigators continue to incorrectly state that “PSGL-1 is the ligand for P-selectin,” without realizing that while the PSGL-1 polypeptide backbone is expressed in many cell types (Laszik et al. 1996), it is only the correctly sialylated, fucosylated, and tyrosine-sulfated form found in certain cells that can function as a P-selectin ligand. In this regard, an excellent prior suggestion is to define the ligand as the glycan(s) bound by the GBP, the protein or lipid to which the glycan(s) are bound as the “carrier,” and the composite of the glycan and the carrier as the “counter–receptor” (Crocker and Feizi 1996) (see Notes).
Phospholipide metabolism in various tissues of cholesterol-fed rabbits.

SummaryRabbits maintained for 5 months on an atherogenic diet showed a marked increase in the incorporation of radioactive phosphate into the phospholipides of aorta, plasma, and the whole liver. In contrast the feeding of cholesterol and fat did not appear to have an appreciable effect on phospholipide synthesis in lung, small intestine, kidney, and muscle. The livers of the cholesterol-fed animals showed a marked increase in tissue mass over and above that caused by fatty infiltration; other organs except aorta did not exhibit significant changes in weight. A possible relationship between fatty infiltration and phospholipide turnover is discussed.
The barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) dehydrin multigene family: sequences, allele types, chromosome assignments, and expression characteristics of 11 Dhn genes of cv Dicktoo

Dehydrins (LEA D11 proteins) have been identified in both higher and lower plants, and are associated with tolerance to, or response to the onset of, low temperature or dehydration. Several studies have suggested that specific alleles of Dhn genes may contribute to a number of phenotypic traits, including the emergence of seedlings in cool or saline soils and the frost tolerance of more-mature plants. However, an incomplete collection of the Dhn multigene family in any system and nucleic acid cross-hybridization between Dhn gene-family members have limited the precision of these studies. We attempted to overcome these impediments by determining the nucleotide sequences of the entire Dhn multigene family in barley and by developing gene-specific probes. We identified 11 unique Dicktoo Dhn genes. Seven appear to be alleles of Dhn genes identified previously in other barley cultivars. Another, Dhn9, appears to be orthologous to a Triticum durum Dhn gene. A statistical analysis of the total collection of genomic clones brings the estimated size of the barley Dhn gene family to 13. Allelic differences in the protein-coding regions appear to result principally from duplications of entire Φ-segments or single amino-acid substitutions, suggesting that polypeptide structural constraints have been a strong force in the evolution of Dhn alleles. Chromosome mapping by PCR with wheat-barley addition lines established the presence of Dhn genes in four barley chromosomes (3H, 4H, 5H, 6H). RT-PCR demonstrated that the Dhn genes are differentially regulated under dehydration, low temperature and ABA treatment, consistent with putative regulatory elements located upstream of the respective Dhn coding regions. This whole-genome, gene-specific study unifies what previously seemed to be disparate-mapping, expression, and genetic-variation data for Dhn genes in the Triticeae and other plant systems.
An approach to core–shell nanostructured materials with high colloidal and chemical stability: synthesis, characterization and mechanistic evaluation

Silver–polypyrrole (PPy) core–shell nanoparticles have been fabricated by a facile one-step “green” synthesis using silver nitrate as an oxidant and soluble starch as an environmentally benign stabilizer and co-reducing agent. The morphology and optical properties of the particles were significantly affected by the reaction temperature, soluble starch concentration, and ratio of pyrrole monomer to AgNO3 oxidant. The core–shell nanoparticles exhibited outstanding dispersive properties in deionized water due to residual starch, as compared with PPy nanoparticles in which starch was absent. The mechanism of core–shell nanoparticle formation was elucidated through TEM imaging vs. reaction time. The colloidal and chemical stability of the nanoparticles was demonstrated in a variety of solvents, including acids, bases, and ionic and organic solvents, through monitoring the localized surface plasmon resonance of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, the catalytic properties of these silver–PPy core–shell nanoparticles were also demonstrated.
Mechanobiology of tumor invasion: engineering meets oncology

The physical sciences and engineering have introduced novel perspectives into the study of cancer through model systems, tools, and metrics that enable integration of basic science observations with clinical data. These methods have contributed to the identification of several overarching mechanisms that drive processes during cancer progression including tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. During tumor cell invasion – the first clinically observable step of metastasis – cells demonstrate diverse and evolving physical phenotypes that cannot typically be defined by any single molecular mechanism, and mechanobiology has been used to study the physical cell behaviors that comprise the “invasive phenotype”. In this review, we discuss the continually evolving pathological characterization and in vitro mechanobiological characterization of tumor invasion, with emphasis on emerging physical biology and mechanobiology strategies that have contributed to a more robust mechanistic understanding of tumor cell invasion. These physical approaches may ultimately help to better predict and identify tumor metastasis.
PATERNITY AND HORMONE LEVELS AFTER UNILATERAL CRYPTORCHIDISM: ASSOCIATION WITH PRETREATMENT TESTICULAR LOCATION

Purpose: We determined differences in paternity and levels of the hormones inhibin B, follicle- stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone and free testosterone based on the preoperative location of the undescended testis in men with previous unilateral cryptorchidism.Materials and Methods: Testicular location was determined by a review of the medical records and paternity or attempted paternity using a detailed questionnaire administered to 320 men with previous unilateral cryptorchidism. In 103 cases we performed semen analysis and measured the levels of the hormones inhibin B, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone and free testosterone. Paternity, sperm count and hormonal parameters were compared with cryptorchid testicular location using analysis of variance and chi-square analysis. Logistic regression was done to analyze pretreatment testicular location as a risk factor for infertility.Results: Paternity, duration of attempted conception in men who achieved pater...
Strategic planning optimization for natural gas to liquid transportation fuel (GTL) systems

Abstract A strategic planning optimization model is proposed for a network of natural gas to liquids (GTL) systems, and it is solved using a rolling horizon strategy. The model formulation determines the strategic and tactical decisions of the GTL supply chain over a long time horizon. The decisions to build new GTL refineries may be made over the span of 30 years and their operations cover the span of 60 years. Multiple capacities of GTL refineries (i.e., 1, 5, 10, 50, and 200 thousand barrels per day) that produce gasoline, diesel, and kerosene commensurate to the United States demand ratio may exist in the network. The parameter inputs include the locations, availabilities, and prices of natural gas in the United States discretized by county, the delivery locations of fuel products, and the transportation costs of every input and output of the refinery, defined for each time period. Formulated as a large-scale mixed-integer linear optimization (MILP) model, the problem is solved using a rolling horizon strategy for tractability. Case studies on the state of Pennsylvania are presented for different planning schemes and their impact on the economic performance of the GTL network is discussed.
Internet‐based business opportunities: buyers beware of scams

The online consumer market is growing geometrically. Although online shopping offers convenience and saves time, it has its serious drawbacks as well. The Internet is a fabulous tool for shoppers and investors, as well as a fabulous tool for scam artists. This article gives an overview of some of the deceptive business opportunities in the virtual mall and provides tips for safeguarding against them.
Multiplicative or t1 Noise in NMR Spectroscopy

The signal in a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment is highly sensitive to fluctuations of the environment of the sample. If, for example, the static magnetic field B 0, the amplitude and phase of radio frequency (rf) pulses, or the resonant frequency of the detection circuit are not perfectly stable and reproducible, the magnetic moment of the spins is altered and becomes a noisy quantity itself. This kind of noise depends on the presence of a signal, to which it is usually proportional. Since all the spins at a particular location in a sample experience the same environment at any given time, such multiplicative noise primarily affects the reproducibility of an experiment. It is mainly of importance in the indirect dimensions of a multidimensional experiment, when intense lines are suppressed with a phase cycle, or for difference spectroscopy techniques. Equivalently, experiments which are known to be problematic with regard to their reproducibility, like flow experiments or experiments with a mobile target, tend to be affected more strongly by multiplicative noise. In this article it is demonstrated how multiplicative noise can be identified and characterized using very simple, repetitive experiments. An error estimation approach is developed to give an intuitive, yet quantitative understanding of its properties. The consequences for multidimensional NMR experiments are outlined, implications for data analysis are shown, and strategies for the optimization of experiments are summarized.
cooking inside: kinship and gender in Bangangté idioms of marriage and procreation

In this article I analyze the ways in which Bangangte ideas about marriage and procreation reveal the gendered experience of kinship. In Bangangte kinship ideology, notions of procreative cooking are central to representing the sometimes conflicting demands of double descent. Kitchens, cooking, and commensality are simultaneously the basis of marriage—enclosing the wife within the husband's patrilineage—and the maintenance of matrilineal ties. Culinary imagery provides an alternative emphasis to a dominant agnatic ideology in Bangangte discourse on social belonging. [procreation, kinship ideology, gender, cooking, sociospatial categories, metaphor, Cameroon]
Theoretical Advances in Quantum Electrodynamics

The history of quantum electrodynamics (QED) has been one of unblemished triumph. Given the apparent inevitability of its success, why should we continue studying QED?
Fetal aortic valve stenosis and the evolution of hypoplastic left heart syndrome: patient selection for fetal intervention

Background— Fetal aortic valvuloplasty may prevent progression of aortic stenosis (AS) to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Predicting which fetuses with AS will develop HLHS is essential to optimize patient selection for fetal intervention. The aim of this study was to define echocardiographic features associated with progression of midgestation fetal AS to HLHS. Methods and Results— Fetal echocardiograms were reviewed from 43 fetuses diagnosed with AS and normal left ventricular (LV) length at ≤30 weeks’ gestation. Of 23 live-born patients with available follow-up data, 17 had HLHS and 6 had a biventricular circulation. At the time of diagnosis, LV length, mitral valve, aortic valve, and ascending aortic diameter Z-scores did not differ between fetuses that ultimately developed HLHS and those that maintained a biventricular circulation postnatally. However, all of the fetuses that progressed to HLHS had retrograde flow in the transverse aortic arch (TAA), 88% had left-to-right flow across the fora...
Der Einsatz des Programmsystems FMS zur Integration des Rechnungswesens in einer CIM-Architektur

Um im heutigen komplexen und sich schnell andernden Wirtschaftsgeschehen bestehen zu konnen, ist es von entscheidender Bedeutung fur jedes Unternehmen, Finanzinformationen aktuell umfassend und genau zugeschnitten fur jede Ebene des Managements zur Verfugung zu haben.
Clan Governance and State Stability: The Relationship between Female Subordination and Political Order

We propose that the relative influence of clans is an important explanatory factor producing significant variation in state stability and security across societies. We explore the micro-level processes that link clan predominance with dysfunctional syndromes of state behavior. Clans typically privilege agnatic descent from the patriline and are characterized by extreme subordination of women effected through marriage practices. Particular types of marriage practices give rise to particular types of political orders and may be fiercely guarded for just this reason. We construct and validate a Clan Governance Index to investigate which variables related to women's subordination to the patriline in marriage are useful to include in such an index. We then show that clan governance is a useful predictor of indicators of state stability and security, and we probe the value added by its inclusion with other conventional explanatory variables often linked to state stability and security. “I against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my cousins, my brothers, and I against the world” (Bedouin saying) “At the heart of tribes, to varying levels, is a severe patriarchy” (Jacobson 2013 , 58).
Multiple congenital anomalies associated with weekly low‐dose methotrexate treatment of the mother

This report describes an infant with multiple congenital anomalies born to a 20-year-old mother with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis who had been taking weekly low-dose methotrexate (MTX) during the first trimester of pregnancy. The abnormalities found were consistent with those associated with maternal ingestion of MTX at dosage levels used to induce abortions, i.e., the group of abnormalities referred to as the "aminopterin syndrome." Although weekly low-dose MTX has been associated with spontaneous abortions, this is, to our knowledge, the first case report describing multiple congenital abnormalities consistent with MTX embryopathy secondary to weekly low-dose MTX treatment.
Evaluating Correctional Programs Models of Criminal Recidivism and an Illustration of Their Use

In this article, we develop a model of the length of time until recidivism, and estimate it on a sample of releasees from the North Carolina prison system. Evidence of the model's predictive accura...
Dual busy tone multiple access (DBTMA): a new medium access control for packet radio networks

In packet radio networks, the hidden terminal problem and the exposed terminal problem can severely reduce the utilization of a medium access control (MAC) protocols. To avoid these problems, request-to-send/clear-to-send (RTS/CTS)-based schemes were proposed. However, as shown in this paper, utilization of these schemes is still degraded, especially in the cases in which the propagation and the transmission delays are long. We propose a new MAC protocol, termed dual busy tone multiple access (DBTMA), and we evaluate its performance. In DBTMA, two busy tones are used to separate the use of the forward and the reverse communication directions. the simulations show that the network utilization of DBTMA is about twice as that of RTS/CTS-based schemes. We also discuss the effect of nodal mobility on the network utilization in packet radio networks, concluding that it is negligible under normal operational conditions.
GART: A genetic algorithm based real-time system scheduler

Hard real-time systems require that all jobs are assigned a deadline and the system is deemed to be correct only if all jobs complete execution at or before their deadlines. Such strict timing requirements add to the complexity of the scheduling problem. This complexity is exacerbated when the system is executed on a multiprocessor platform. Even so, scheduling overheads must be kept to a minimum in order for the runtime behavior to be predictable. Thus, real-time scheduling algorithms have the dual requirement of satisfying complex requirements while using fairly simple and straightforward logic. One way an algorithm may achieve this goal is to reduce the overhead due to preemption and migration by rearranging the schedule so as to increase the duration between preemptions. Unfortunately, determining how best to rearrange the jobs is an NP-Complete problem. Hence, we need to use heuristics when scheduling such systems. This leads us to ask a couple of questions. First, what is the best heuristic? Second, is the same heuristic best for all real-time systems? This paper uses a Genetic Algorithm to help us answer these questions. Our genetic algorithm based real-time system scheduler (GART) is based on the DP-Wrap scheduling algorithm. The genetic algorithm searches through a variety of candidate heuristics to determine the best heuristic for a given task set. Experimental results demonstrate that this approach is able to efficiently identify the best heuristic for all the systems we consider. Moreover, we find that the “best” heuristic does, in fact, depend of various system parameters.
Tumor dormancy: potential therapeutic target in tumor recurrence and metastasis prevention

In past decades, cancer patient survival has been improved with earlier detection and advancements in therapy. However, many patients who exhibit no clinical symptoms after frontline therapy subsequently suffer, often many years later, aggressive tumor recurrence. Cancer recurrence represents a critical clinical challenge in effectively treating malignancies and for patients’ quality of life. Tumor cell dormancy may help to explain treatment resistance and recurrence or metastatic reactivation. Understanding the dormant stage of tumor cells may help in discovering ways to maintain the dormant state or permanently eliminate dormant residual disseminated tumor cells. Over the past decade, numerous studies indicate that various mechanisms of tumor dormancy exist, including cellular dormancy (quiescence), angiogenic dormancy, and immunologic dormancy. In this short review, we summarize recent experimental and clinical evidence for these three mechanisms and other possible tumor microenvironment mechanisms that may influence tumor dormancy.
Adrenergic control mechanisms of blood flow in a vascularized canine tibial allograft

A vascularized canine tibial allograft was used to study the alpha-adrenoreceptor subtypes of the microcirculation of bone. Bone transplantation was performed on six dogs, and the bone blood flow was estimated with the use of serial injections of radiolabeled 15 microns microspheres. After microvascular anastomosis, the mean cortical blood flow in the allografted tibia was 3.6 +/- 2.1 ml/100 g/min. Alpha 1-adrenoreceptor blockade, with prazosin, caused an increase in normalized blood flow in five allografts and a slight decrease in one allograft. The mean increase was 32 +/- 48%, but this was not statistically significant (p < 0.2). The addition of an alpha 2-adrenoreceptor blockade, with rauwolszin, resulted in a significant increase (132 +/- 88%) in normalized blood flow in all allografts (p < 0.02). This ex vivo experiment confirms that both alpha 1 and alpha 2 adrenergic mechanisms play a role in controlling bone blood flow in centrally denervated allografts.
FM backscatter sounding as a means for monitoring propagation conditions during short-wave broadcasts

Employment of megawatt power levels in shortwave broadcasting, the declining sunspot cycle, and the growing number of broadcasters competing for spectrum space make it increasingly desirable for transmitter personnel to know when unusually low MUF's prevent a given broadcast from reaching its destination. Affected transmitters can be either shut off, thus saving running costs, or retuned to propagating frequencies. Backscatter sounding is known to be a satisfactory means for determining propagation conditions along the transmission path, but owing to the practical problems of integrating such sounding into broadcasting operations, has not been appreciably used as yet. It is shown that application of the FM ranging principle to backscatter sounding is feasible, permitting the broadcasting carrier itself to be used for sounding purposes without disturbance to transmitter operating conditions or appreciable annoyance to the distant listener. It is necessary that an associated receiving site within the ground-wave range of a given transmitting plant be available. Useful sounding measurements can be made with the aid of equipment normally found in any receiving station. In fact, an operator can gauge skip distance by estimating the pitch of an audible tone. On balance, this technique appears to have significant practical advantages in comparison with the pulse or modulation-correlation alternatives.
The safety of overnight hospitalization for transurethral prostatectomy : A prospective study of 200 patients

ABSTRACTPurpose: Our goal was to determine the appropriateness, safety and cost-effectiveness of catheter removal and hospital discharge 1 day after transurethral prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: A prospective study of 200 patients who underwent transurethral prostatectomy during a 23-month period was done. On the morning of postoperative day 1 catheters were removed from 156 patients (78%) who had normal vital signs, adequate urine output, absence of clots and acceptable character of the catheter effluent.Results: Among the 156 patients whose catheters were removed 4 of 5 went home on postoperative day 1. Two of these patients were rehospitalized within 30 days, as were 2 others whose catheters were removed later. Overall length of patient stay was 1.6 days.Conclusions: Overnight hospitalization after transurethral prostatectomy is an appropriate, safe and cost-effective pathway of patient care that is readily applicable to any urology practice.
Central Peeling Failure Behavior of Polymer Cement Mortar Retrofitting of Reinforced Concrete Beams

Polymer cement mortar (PCM) retrofitting is one of the largely used strengthening methods for repairing fatigue deteriorated highway bridge slabs in Japan. In this method, reinforcing bars are arranged underneath the lower surface of the slab and polymer cement mortar is sprayed onto them. Debonding of the PCM overlay is one of the major causes leading to failure of the repaired slabs. This paper mainly discusses this failure mechanism, its initiation, and suggests a method for quantitative analysis of the failure behavior. The stress transfer mechanism was measured using the strain distribution in the strengthening bars and a relationship for the bonding strength was obtained. Hence the relationship for the peeling load was obtained.
PQL: a purely-declarative java extension for parallel programming

The popularization of parallelism is arguably the most fundamental computing challenge for years to come. We present an approach where parallel programming takes place in a restricted (sub-Turing-complete), logic-based declarative language, embedded in Java. Our logic-based language, PQL, can express the parallel elements of a computing task, while regular Java code captures sequential elements. This approach offers a key property: the purely declarative nature of our language allows for aggressive optimization, in much the same way that relational queries are optimized by a database engine. At the same time, declarative queries can operate on plain Java data, extending patterns such as map-reduce to arbitrary levels of nesting and composition complexity.We have implemented PQL as extension to a Java compiler and showcase its expressiveness as well as its scalability compared to competitive techniques for similar tasks (Java + relational queries, in-memory Hadoop, etc.).