cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Doppler Narrowing and Collision-Induced Zeeman Coherence in Four-Wave Light Mixing

Consider a three-dimensional four-wave light mixing geometry as schematically shown in Fig. 1. The four beams all travel in the near-forward direction. Two beams have a frequency ω1, which is offset by a fixed amount Δ = ω1 - ω3S,3P from a resonant line of the Na atom. Their wave vectors, k 1 and k 1′, respectively, lie in the vertical plane. A third beam, at frequency ω2, has a wave vector k 2 in the horizontal plane. In four-wave mixing, the generation of a new beam in the horizontal plane is observed with wave vector k 1 + k 1 ′ - k 2 and frequency 2ω1 - ω2. As the frequency ω2 is varied over an interval of about 40 cm−1 around the value of ω1, seven resonances in the intensity of the new beam, J(2ω1 - ω2), have been observed by Prior et al.1 in mixtures of Na vapor and helium. These are schematically indicated in Fig. 2. Four of these are familiar one-photon resonant enhanced four-wave mixing processes. The remaining three resonances, at ω2 = ω1, and at ω2 = ω1 ± 17 cm−1, are only observable in the presence of collisions, which can be controlled by the pressure of helium buffer gas.
Adolescents and adults with learning disabilities and ADHD : assessment and accommodation

Deshler, Foreword. Why Are Accommodations Important? Documentation for Accommodation Access. Broad and Specific Cognitive Processing. Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Assessment and Accommodation. Reading Assessment and Accommodation. Writing Assessment and Accommodation. Different Symbol Systems: Mathematics, Science, and Second Languages. Accommodations on Large-Scale Assessments.
Surface Modifications for Improved Wear Performance in Artificial Joints: A Review

Artificial joint replacement is one of the most successful treatments for arthritis. Excellent wear and corrosion resistance, together with high strength and fracture toughness, are fundamental requirements for implant materials. Wear and/or corrosion of the materials used in artificial joints may lead to implant failure. Therefore, hard and wear-resistant materials, like cobalt-chromium-molybdenum and ceramic, are currently used as bearing surfaces. However, even using such hard materials, wear and/or corrosion related failure of artificial joints remains a central concern. One primary goal in orthopedic biomaterials research is to create more wear-resistant surfaces. Different technologies have been used to create new surfaces, or to modify existing surfaces, to prevent wear. It is the intent of this overview first to provide a summary of materials currently used as bearing surfaces in artificial joints, their functions, and their contributions to device longevity. Then, we will discuss advancements in modifying those bearing surfaces to produce more wear-resistant artificial joints.
The Language of Economics

Principles of economics textbooks serve as the basis for the language of economics where terms and concepts are introduced, defined, used in analysis and sometimes added to the general vocabulary. Authors have two overriding concerns when introducing and using terms and providing clarity and consistency in these terms. They must define terms that are consistent with those used in the economics profession, and they must use the terms consistently throughout the textbook. This paper tests several terms used in principles of economics textbooks against the profession and against the standard of consistency within the textbooks. In the cases examined, consistency within the profession and consistency within a textbook were found to be wanting especially in many cases within textbooks. This finding suggests that authors should use multiple definitions in glossaries and that they and reviewers should correct or highlight potential sources of confusion in the use of technical economic terms to the first reader of economics.
Peer tutoring with the aid of the Internet

While the positive effects of peer tutoring in a face-to-face classroom are well documented, studies of computer-aided peer tutoring are less common. However, such exercises have the potential to introduce additional student-student interaction in distance, online and blended courses. Additionally, technology can provide both students and instructors with unprecedented amounts of information related to tutor competency and methods. With these ideas in mind, we have developed a web-based peer-tutoring system called Opal (Online Peer-Assisted Learning) for use in problem-based undergraduate courses. Tutoring interactions on Opal use problems as both contexts for discussion and enforcers of tutor competency-that is, each interaction is based on a single problem, and students must demonstrate competency by answering the problem correctly on a computer before they become eligible to teach it. Based on social network analysis methods and a student assessment of learning gains survey, the introduction of this method of peer tutoring has had a positive effect on student-student interaction and student learning in our course and may have broad implications for peer tutoring in courses that involve digital problem solving as a key component. Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic Traditional peer tutoring improves student motivation, learning and persistence and has a positive effect on student-student interaction., Reciprocal peer-tutoring designs, in which students tutor one another without defined tutor and tutee roles, benefit from structured designs with concrete rewards., Tutor competency is a significant issue for peer-tutoring programs, as students respond negatively when their tutors are unqualified to teach., What this paper adds Tracking and facilitating peer-tutoring interactions through the web is possible using a website we have developed., Within our system, tutoring eligibility is tied to digital problem solving (we call this approach 'gated'). The digitally gated approach maximizes tutor competency without significant instructor labor., Use of the system improved student-student interaction in our course and helped facilitate student learning, as measured by the Student Assessment of Learning Gains survey., Implications for practice and/or policy Courses involving significant amounts of digital problem solving may benefit from peer-tutoring exercises, particularly with respect to student-student interactions., Web-based interfaces for peer tutoring provide unprecedented tracking capabilities and allow instructors to structure peer tutoring exercises in new ways with minimal effort., Instructors should look to technology not just as a means for conveying content, but also as a way to connect students to one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Creating international opportunities in the classroom

Introduction: To address the need for students to develop a professional/practice vision with a global perspective, faculty at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy designed a course to introduce students to pharmacy practice in a variety of countries. The aim of this paper is to share with other pharmacy educators how to structure a course that teaches students how to develop a global perspective on healthcare, how to articulate that perspective, and how to begin to practice with a global conscience. Course Description: The International Pharmacy Practice and Leadership Directed Studies course engaged students in self- discovery and reflection through a combination of structured and unstructured experiences taking place in various learning environments, including interactions with pharmacists from a variety of countries through online Skype discussions. Evaluation: Students reported a variety of realizations in weekly journal entries and in a final presentation about their professional/practice vision. Future plans: The course will evolve to include presentations by more international healthcare practitioners in addition to pharmacists, including nurses, physicians, and administrators.
On-chip eddy current sensor for proximity sensing and crack detection

Abstract In this paper, we present a new integrated eddy current sensor for proximity sensing and for the detection of microcracks on the surface of metals. The device consists of two stacked planar coils fabricated onto a glass substrate and encapsulated on one side by a Ni/Fe permalloy magnetic core. Fabrication of the device is achieved by a UV–LIGA thick photoresist lithography process, which involves the lithographic patterning of 15–25 μm thick molds using AZ-4000 series photoresist. The introduction of the permalloy core coupled with the thick conductor lines produces a high inductance, low resistance device capable of generating large magnetic fields at low driving currents. The device has been tested in the frequency range of 10–500 kHz and has been shown to work as both a proximity sensor and crack detector at input powers of 30 mW or less. When used as a proximity sensor, the unamplified output voltage on the sensing coil changes by as much as 75 mV with an aluminum target placed at a distance of 400 μm from the coil. The device has also shown the capability of clearly detecting cracks with depths of as little as 8 mil (200 μm) in both aluminum and titanium. Results show an extremely linear relation between crack depth and output signal voltage with an unamplified signal strength of several millivolts.
Fixed-point roundoff error analysis of the RLS algorithm with time-varying channels

The authors derive the steady-state mean square prediction error expression for the fixed-point RLS (recursive least squares) algorithm for the case of time-varying channel estimation, which is modeled as a first-order Markov tapped delay line. It is shown that the random variable driving the time-varying system taps affects the prediction error in the same way as does the roundoff error term due to weight update. It causes the error to grow linearly with time when the forgetting factor, lambda , is chosen as 1. For lambda >
Emergent School Leadership: Creating the Space for Emerging Leadership through Appreciative Inquiry

Much has been written on the importance of increasing leadership capacity in schools and managed systems for leadership development; however, little focus has been given to creating conditions to facilitate the emergence of leadership. This research study examines associations of strength-based reflexive processes to the emergence of educational leadership. Specifically, through qualitative analysis, the author explores the emergence of school leadership during an appreciative inquiry initiative in a large, urban school district and identifies the features of appreciative inquiry that were conducive to such emergence. In addition, the author notes that the initiative also provided participants with many of the elements considered vital to leading a healthy learning community: a greater understanding of the big picture, opportunities for professional reflection and sense making, a safe and affirming learning community, time to dialogue with others in the system regarding their core values and commitments, a collaborative work culture, space for networking, and the freedom to take action. Keywords: Emergent Leadership, Appreciative Inquiry, School Improvement
On small sample properties of the generalized signed rank and generalized sign tests

The generalized signed rank (GSR) and generalized sign (GS) tests were recently proposed for matched pair studies with censored observations (Woolson and Lechenbruch, 1980). The results provided in that paper were asymptotic, and no indicatin of small sample behavior was given. In this paper we report on simulation studied of these statistics for a variety of distributions. We find that the GSR is more powerful than the GS, and that censoring does not affect power greatly. In the original paper, we assumed each member of the pair has the same censoring time. We consider a variant of this in which each member of the pair has a censoring time chosen from a uniform distribution, and the minimum of these times is selected as the censoring time for the pair. It is found that the power of the test is slightly reduced because the number of doubly censored pairs is increased.
Factors predicting unmet health services needs among incarcerated substance users.

Negative health consequences of illicit drug use, such as cardiovascular complications and infectious diseases, increase the likelihood of the need for health care. However, evidence suggests that, with the exception of emergency services, drug users generally are medically underserved. Furthermore, the effect of illicit drug use on health care utilization is becoming an especially important issue for the criminal justice system, because an increasing proportion of inmates in correctional institutions have a history of drug use. This 1998–1999 study of 661 incarcerated men in the Kentucky prison system focused on predictors of unmet physical, behavioral, and overall health care needs among chronic substance users. Analyses revealed that White incarcerated drug users were more likely to report unmet physical and overall health care needs than non-Whites and those with high school education or above were more likely to report unmet physical, behavioral, and overall health care needs. In addition, more episo...
Is ERA ready for routine clinical use

Yes, ERA is now ready for routine clinical use. The slow vertex potential (N100-P180) can be recognized quite reliably in waking children who are not too active. Only rarely does a very unfavorable background EEG with frequent epileptiform episodes make ERA almost impossible. For overactive or uncooperative children sedation with drugs (such as secobarbital) is satisfactory, although it is then necessary to monitor the on-going EEG and wait for deep sleep. Threshold determinations in sleep are less precise than in the waking state but they are adequate for clinical purposes. A practical compromise in the best use of good testing time, either waking or sleeping, must be made between the number of frequencies tested and the certainty and precision of each determination. ERA is a difficult and expensive method, but it is by far the best one available for very young or uncooperative children and for adults suspected of pseudohypoacusis. It should be available in every major audiological center, but a single installation can serve a large population. The improvement of practical clinical ERA procedure is an important objective and it should not be confused with research on the properties of cortical evoked potentials or explorations of other possible neurological applications of the average response method. Development of computer methods may make pattern recognition more automatic in the future. At present ERA is largely an art, but the art can be learned by experience.
Radiation heat transfer in a laboratory-scale, pulverized coal-fired reactor

Abstract This article reports local gas and particle temperature and radiant and total heat flux measurements made in a 0.8-m-diameter cylindrical down-fired laboratory-scale factor fired at approximately 0.1 MWt with a high-volatile bituminous coal pulverized to a mass mean diameter of 55 μm. Spatially resolved gas temperatures were measured using a triply shielded suction pyrometer and particle cloud temperatures with a specially designed two-color pyrometer. Hemispherical wall radiant heat fluxes were measured using an ellipsoidal radiometer and total (convective plus radiative) heat fluxes with a plug-type heat flux meter. The particle and gas temperature profiles exhibit a strong spatial dependence due to reactor fluid dynamics. Additionally, the difference between the gas and particle temperatures varies significantly with location relative to the burner inlet streams and recirculation zones. Maximum radiant fluxes of 110 kW/m2 were observed, with differences between radiative and total heat flux being less than 10% at all axial locations. Maximum heat fluxes occur downstream from the location of the maximum gas and particle temperatures and exhibit a generally decreasing trend as distance from the flame increases. Predictions of the radiation heat transfer in the reactor were carried out using the discrete ordinates method. Both spectral and gray radiative transfer calculations were performed. Predicted radiant fluxes agree well with the experimental data. The sensitivity of the model predictions to the uncertainties in the input data is explored.
On Spectrum Probing in Cognitive Radio Networks: Does Randomization Matter?

In cognitive radio networks, dynamic spectrum access is achieved by allowing secondary users (SUs) to probe the spectrum and utilize available channels opportunistically. Spectrum probing mechanisms should be efficient and fast to avoid harmful interference with primary users (PUs). Periodic probing has been commonly adopted as a default spectrum probing mechanism. In this paper, we attempt to study different spectrum probing mechanisms and evaluate a performance metric called the probing delay, i.e., how quickly a probing mechanism can detect a channel change. We find that randomization in the probing strategy does affect the probing delay. Specifically, in the independent sensing scenario, periodic probing indeed achieves the smallest probing delay. In the cooperative sensing scenario, however, randomization can drastically reduce the probing delay.
Life on venus

Abstract A fundamental question in exobiology remains the degree to which habitats on Venus, past and present, were, or are suitable for life. This has relevance for assessing the exobiological potential of extrasolar Venus-like greenhouse planets. In this paper the parameters of the Venusian surface and atmosphere are considered and the biochemical adaptations required to survive them are explored in the light of new information on microbial adaptations to extreme environments. Neither the pressure (9.5 MPa) nor the high carbon dioxide concentrations (97%) represent a critical constraint to the evolution of life on the surface or in the atmosphere. The most significant constraints to life on the surface are the lack of liquid water and the temperature (464°C). In the lower and middle cloud layers of Venus, temperatures drop and water availability increases, generating a more biologically favorable environment. However, acidity and the problem of osmoregulation in hygroscopic sulfuric acid clouds become extreme and probably life-limiting. If it is assumed that these constraints can be overcome, considerations on the survival of acidophilic sulfate-reducing chemoautotrophs suspended as aerosols in such an environment show that Venus does come close to possessing a habitable niche. Conditions on the surface and in the atmosphere may have been greatly ameliorated on early Venus and may also be ameliorated on extrasolar planets with early Venus-like characteristics where temperatures are less extreme and liquid water is available.
An instant solution of the 2 × n bottleneck transportation problem

This paper provides an instant method to solve the 2 x n bottleneck transportation problem. It also compares the optimal solution structure of the bottleneck and the classical transportation models.
Metastability in a temperature-dependent model system for predator-prey mite outbreak interactions on fruit trees

The nonlinear behavior of a particular Kolmogorov-type exploitation differential equation system assembled by May (1973,Stability and Complexity in Model Ecosystems, Princeton University Press) from predator and prey components developed by Leslie (1948,Biometrica 35, 213–245) and Holling (1973,Mem. Entomol. Soc. Can. 45, 1–60), respectively, is re-examined by means of the numerical bifurcation code AUTO 86 with model parameters chosen appropriately for a temperature dependent mite interaction on fruit trees. The most significant result of this analysis is that, in addition to the temperature ranges over which the single community equilibrium point of the system iseither globally stableor gives rise to a globally stable limit cycle, there can also exist a range wherein multiple stable states occur. These stable states consist of a focus (spiral point) and a limit cycle, separated from each other in the phase plane by an unstable limit cycle. The ecological implications of such metastability, hysteresis and threshold behavior for the occurrence of outbreaks, the persistence of oscillations, the resiliency of the system and the biological control of mite populations are discussed. It is further suggested that a model of this sort which possesses a single community equilibrium point may be more useful for representing outbreak phenomena, especially in the presence of oscillations, than the non-Kolmogorov predator-prey systems possessing three community equilibrium points, two of which are stable and the other a saddle point, traditionally employed for this purpose.
Carnivorous Cats, Vegetarian Dogs, and the Resolution of the Vegetarian's Dilemma

ABSTRACTThe present research sought to further clarify the vegetarian's dilemma, the conflict that pits feeding one's pet an animal-based diet that may be perceived as best promoting their well-being with concerns over animal welfare and environmental degradation threatened by such diets. It specifically examined whether non-meat eaters would distinguish between pet dogs and cats in the percentage of their diet derived from animal products, guilt experienced from such diets, and perceived appropriateness of non-vegetarian diets. Survey responses from 290 vegans and vegetarians indicated that participants fed their pet dogs a diet significantly more vegetarian than they fed their pet cats, and reported experiencing less guilt feeding their cats a diet derived highly from animals than in feeding their dogs such a diet. This lack of guilt largely arose from greater endorsement that vegetarian diets were more inappropriate for cats than dogs. For dogs, then, the vegetarian's dilemma was resolved primarily thr...
A novel design approach for an independently tunable dual-band EBG AMC surface

This work investigates a novel design approach for creating an independently tunable dual-band electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) surface for a use as an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC). The EBG geometry consists of two reactively loaded concentric square loops. The outer loop is used to tune for the first resonance, while the inner loop is used to tune the second resonance. The resonance frequency of each loop is independent of the other and can be tuned down in frequency with capacitors and up in frequency with inductors.
A remark on the equilibrium set of pureexchange economies

We present a unified mathematical framework within which, among others, pure exchange economies with a finite set of agents, as well as those with a continuum of traders may be studied simultaneously. We prove that the reasoning presented by Balasko (1975) on the equilibrium set for finite economies generalizes very naturally to our setting. His results may therefore be recovered as a special case of those presented in this note.
Detecting Wires in Cluttered Urban Scenes Using a Gaussian Model

A novel wire detection algorithm for use by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in low altitude urban reconnaissance is presented. This is of interest to urban search and rescue and military reconnaissance operations. Detection of wires plays an important role, because thin wires are hard to discern by tele-operators and automated systems. Our algorithm is based on identification of linear patterns in images. Most existing methods that search for linear patterns use a simple model of a line, which does not take into account the line surroundings. We propose the use of a robust Gaussian model to approximate the intensity profile of a line and its surroundings which allows effective discrimination of wires from other visually similar linear patterns. The algorithm is able to cope with highly cluttered urban backgrounds, moderate rain, and mist. Experimental results show a 17.7% detection improvement over the baseline.
Comments on "Minimizing power dissipation in a disk file actuator" by E.S. Cooper

The seek control problem that arises in the abovementioned work (see ibid., vol.24, p.2081-91, 1988) is formulated as an optimal control problem with constraints relating directly to specified design limits on input magnitude and power dissipation. The resulting control is optimal for a given peak-to-average power ratio. Power-optimal control and time-optimal control are special cases of this type of control. >
The Synthetic Dual-Doppler Analysis Technique

Abstract Synthetic dual-Doppler (SDD) is a single-Doppler analysis technique that combines measurements from two different times, provided the viewing angle changes significantly. In this study, the viability of the SDD technique is investigated through comparisons with dual-Doppler analyses. Three case studies are used for the comparisons: a mature gust front, a supercell thunderstorm, and a developing squall line. An attempt to internally establish the efficacy of SDD analyses is made by examining the temporal correlation of the single-Doppler reflectivity fields and by comparing wind fields derived from similar synthetic analyses. Results indicate that the SDD technique may be practical for the estimation of mean velocity fields of certain quasi-steady phenomena. The similarity of the SDD and conventional dual-Doppler results were found to be sensitive to the time between the two volume scans used in the SDD analyses, the angle subtended by the event, and the radii of influence of the Cressman weightin...
Tuning the DARHT Long-Pulse Linear Induction Accelerator

Flash radiography of large hydrodynamic experiments driven by high explosives is a well-known diagnostic technique in use at many laboratories. The Dual-Axis Radiography for Hydrodynamic Testing (DARHT) facility at Los Alamos produces flash radiographs of large hydrodynamic experiments. Two linear induction accelerators (LIAs) make the bremsstrahlung radiographic source spots for orthogonal views of each test. The 2-kA, 20-MeV Axis-I LIA creates a single 60-ns radiography pulse. The 1.7-kA, 16.5-MeV Axis-II LIA creates up to four radiography pulses by kicking them out of a longer pulse that has a 1.6- μs flat top. The DARHT LIAs use solenoidal focusing for transport of the beam through the accelerators. The long-pulse Axis-II LIA has 74 accelerating cells, and uses 91 solenoids and 80 pairs of dipoles for focusing, transporting, and steering the beam. The setting of the currents of these 251 magnets is called tuning the accelerator. Tuning is done in two stages. First, the solenoidal focusing magnets are set to values designed to provide a beam with minimal envelope oscillations, and little or no instability growth. Then, steering dipoles are adjusted to minimize the low-frequency motion of the beam centroid and center it at the LIA exit. The design of the focusing tune is computationally intensive. Focusing tune design methods, simulations, and validation are the main topics of this article.
Lesions of dopamine neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex: Effects on self-administration of amphetamine and dopamine synthesis in the brain of the rat

Abstract It has been suggested that dopamine (DA)-containing neurons within the medial prefrontal cortex subserve a role in the positive reinforcing effects of psychomotor stimulants. Injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into this region, which destroyed a major portion of the DA innervation, but maintained the integrity of noradrenergic and serotonergic neurons, failed to alter either the acquisition or maintenance of the intravenous self-administration of d -amphetamine in rats. Compared to vehicle-injected controls (sham lesions), the animals treated with 6-OHDA acquired the drug-abuse behaviour and maintained comparable, stable rates of self-injection. The lesions increased concentrations of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillie acid (HVA) in the nucleus accumbens septi but not in the striatum. The increased synthesis of DA in the nucleus accumbens septi [demonstrated by increased accumulation of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)] was abolished by the intravenous administration of d -amphetamine, in patterns mimicking those of animals trained in self-administration.
Predictors of Response to Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy among Children with Significant Esophageal Eosinophilia

Objectives To determine predictors of histological response to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy among children with significant esophageal eosinophilia (SEE), defined as ≥15 eosinophils per high powered field (eos/hpf) on esophageal mucosal biopsy (EMB). Study design Response to PPI therapy among children with SEE treated with PPI who underwent repeat EMB was studied retrospectively. Response was defined as Results Of 326 patients (ages 1 through 18 years) diagnosed with SEE over a 7-year period, 43 (mean age, 8.5 years; 67% males) met inclusion criteria. After PPI therapy, 17 patients (40%) were responders. There were no significant differences in demographics, presenting symptoms, endoscopic, or histological findings between responders and nonresponders. Among patients with 15 to 20 eos/hpf on EMB, 50% were responders; among patients with >20 eos/hpf on EMB, 29% were responders. Seven of 17 (41%) patients with abnormal pH monitoring and 5 of 11 (45%) patients with normal monitoring were responders. Conclusions Forty percent of patients with SEE demonstrated histological response to PPI therapy. None of the clinical characteristics evaluated predicted response, and response was not dependent on results of pH study. The role of PPI therapy in treating SEE warrants further prospective investigation.
Spatial-anatomical mapping of NoGo-P3 in the offspring of alcoholics: Evidence of cognitive and neural disinhibition as a risk for alcoholism.

Objective The concept of disinhibition as a behavioral and biological trait has been considered to be involved in the etiology of alcoholism and its co-existing disorders. The magnitude and functional mapping of event-related potential P3(00) components were analyzed, in order to examine the possible response inhibition deficits in the offspring of alcoholics.
Eccentric and concentric muscle performance in patients with spastic paresis secondary to motor neuron disease. A preliminary report.

Abstract This study investigated the potential value of eccentric (ECC) and concentric (CONC) isokinetic testing for quantifying motor deficit in patients with spastic paresis secondary to motor neuron disease. We hypothesized that, at a moderately fast (120° s −1 ) angular velocity, spastic patients would demonstrate different ECC-CONC torque relationships from healthy controls or patients with non-spastic neuromuscular disorders. Eleven patients with motor neuron disease having clinical evidence of spasticity, and 11 disease-control patients (with non-spastic disorders, e.g. lower motor neuron disease or myopathy) underwent isokinetic testing. One healthy subject was matched to each of the 22 patients. The average torque generated during maximal voluntary ECC and CONC knee flexion (KF) and extension (KE) was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer (Kin-Com). Reliability was established (all ICC≥0.97) for patient torque measurements. Relative strength (% of control subject torque) in spastic patients was significantly higher for ECC than for CONC actions in both KF and KE; conversely, in non-spastic disease-control patients relative strength was not affected by the type of muscle action. The ECC/CONC average torque ratios for KE and KF at 120° s −1 were significantly greater in spastic patients than controls, but did not differ from controls in non-spastic patients. In spastic patients the ECC-CONC imbalances were related to ambulatory dysfunction. In four spastic patients followed with serial testing, the disproportion between ECC and CONC voluntary capacity persisted over time. Isokinetic measurements of ECC and CONC muscle performance can provide reliable and meaningful measurements of muscle performance in patients with upper motor neuron deficits secondary to motor neuron disease, and may be a useful addition in therapeutic trials to isometric testing.
Collision-induced Dissociation of Polyprotonated Oligonucleotides Produced by Electrospray Ionization

The efficient production of polyprotonated oligonucleotides, studied at n 5' direction; and (3) chain cleavage concomitant with base loss giving furan-type ions indicative of sequence in the 5'-->3' direction, analogous to reactions of polyanionic oligonucleotides. Thymine residues undergo very little protonation, resulting in characteristic absence of phosphodiester cleavage on the 3' side of T sites, producing mass-ladder gaps representing dinucleotides.
The Anxiety of Influence: The John Barth/David Foster Wallace Connection

A common misconception among critics is that a young David Foster Wallace fell under the influence of John Barth and other postmodernist writers, only to wrest himself free of this sinister authority as he matured as a writer, steering his own fiction away from its sway and becoming one of postmodern fiction's strongest detractors in the process. But a close reading of Wallace's early novella “Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way” reveals that Wallace's literary relationship with Barth is better understood as agonistic rather than antagonistic, an example of what Harold Bloom iconically describes as “the anxiety of influence.” “Westward” should be read as not only a misprision of “Lost in the Funhouse,” Barth's predecessor text, but as a self-aware misprision, a knowing enactment of the anxiety of influence, as well as a fulfillment of the putatively unrealized possibilities of Barth's fiction and postmodern fiction in general.
Treatment Options for Low Back Pain in Athletes

Context: Low back pain is one of the most common medical presentations in the general population. It is a common source of pain in athletes, leading to significant time missed and disability. The general categories of treatment for low back pain are medications and therapies.Evidence acquisition: Relevant studies were identified through a literature search of MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database from 1990 to 2010. A manual review of reference lists of identified sources was also performed.Results: It is not clear whether athletes experience low back pain more often than the general public. Because of a aucity of trials with athlete-specific populations, recommendations on treatments must be made from reviews of treatments for the general population. Several large systemic reviews and Cochrane reviews have compiled evidence on different modalities for low back pain. Superficial heat, spinal manipulation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and skeletal muscle relaxants have the strongest evidence of b...
Biosynthesis of very long chain fatty acids in microsomes from epidermal cells of Allium porrum L

The elongation system present in leek epidermal cells functions to synthesize very long chain fatty acids which, in turn, are the precursors to alkanes. The elongation system is microsomal, employs only saturated acyl components of the endogenous lipid pool as acceptors, utilizes malonyl-CoA as the C2 donor, has an absolute requirement for ATP, and is markedly inhibited by acetyl-ACP. Only saturated acyl-CoAs are readily elongated to very long chain fatty acids by malonyl-CoA in the absence of ATP. ACP is not required by the microsomal system.
Interaction of apical and basal membrane ion channels underlies electroreception in ampullary epithelia of skates

The exquisite sensitivity of elasmobranch fishes to electric fields is thought to reside in electroreceptive organs called ampullae of Lorenzini. We measured the stimulus-response behavior of ampullary organs excised from skates. Under open-circuit conditions, the ampullary organ showed three distinct response states: spontaneous repetitive spikes, evoked spikes, and small, damped oscillatory responses. Under short-circuit conditions, the amplitude range for a linear current response to a sinusoidal (0.5 Hz) voltage clamp of an organ (assessed by spectral analysis of the harmonics generated) was 7–200 microV rms. Changes in the spike firing rate of the afferent nerve innervating the organ were evident for voltage clamps of the ampullary epithelium of 3 microV and the spike rate saturated for clamp steps exceeding 100 microV. Thus, the linear response range of the ampullary epithelium exceeded the range in spike firing rate of the afferent nerve. The steady-state transorgan electrical properties under voltage clamp conditions were obtained by analysis of complex admittance determinations in the frequency range 0.05–20 Hz for perturbations (
Ampliude based compressive sensing for UWB noise radar signal

Compressive sensing (CS) is an emerging field based on the revelation that a small collection of linear projections of a sparse signal contains enough information for stable, sub-Nyquist signal acquisition. Ultra-wideband (UWB) noise radar is one of the novel techniques which is widely used in various applications such as emergency rescues and military operations. One challenging problem in UWB noise radar operation is that a huge amount of data will be received which requires tremendous storage space. Compressive sensing could easily handle his problem since it captures all the information we need from far fewer samples. In his paper, we propose a novel amplitude based compressive sensing algorithm to compress data without any knowledge in advance. Simulation results indicate that only 1/5 of original measurements are sufficient to recover original data, which also achieves a higher compression ratio than the conventional compressive sensing.
Multinucleate cell angiohistiocytoma: an acquired vascular anomaly to be distinguished from Kaposi's sarcoma.

SUMMARY Multinucleate cell atigiohistiocytoma is a newly described benign vascular condition that usually arises on the extremities of women over the age of 40 as discrete grouped violaceous erythematous papules, often mimicking Kaposi's sarcoma. Of 10 patients, nine were women aged between 37–66 (average 51.5) years at the onset of their condition. The legs, and in particular the calves and thighs, were the commonest sites to be involved. However, in three patients the papules were confined to the back of the hands, and the male patient had lesions across the front of the chest. Bilateral lesions occurred in four patients. Histologically, the salient features were proliferation of capillaries and small venules at the level of the subpapillary plexus and the mid dermis, in association with prominent connective tissue cells and larger angulated multinucleate cells. Detailed histochemical and immunocytochemical studies have not elucidated the histogenesis of the multinucleate cells that seem to be a characteristic feature of this condition.
5α-Dihydro-11-deoxycorticosterone: Effect on blood pressure in the rat☆

Abstract The bioactivity of 5α-reduced sex steroids such as 5α-dihydrotestosterone has increased interest in an analagous role for 5α-reduced mineralocorticoids in hypertensive syndromes. In view of its relatively high mineralocorticoid receptor affinity despite relatively low electrolyte-altering effects, 5α-dihydro-11-deoxycorticosterone, or 5αDHDOC (2) was compared to 11-deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) for blood pressure-altering ability by continuous subcutaneous infusion into uninephrectomized saline-drinking Sprague-Dawley male rats, at doses selected on the basis of relative mineralocorticoid receptor affinity. After three weeks of treatment, DOCA significantly raised blood pressure, body weight, heart and kidney weight, and produced a discernible increase in fluid intake; 5αDHDOC failed to affect any of these parameters commonly influenced by mineralocorticoids. We conclude that 1) the ability of 5αDHDOC to affect blood pressure was not predicted by its relatively high affinity for the mineralocorticoid receptor, and 2) these data do not support a role for 5αDHDOC in mineralocorticoid hypertension, although differences in protein binding and clearance could affect its blood pressure-altering activity.
Identification and genetic manipulation of human and mouse oesophageal stem cells

Objective Human oesophageal stem cell research is hampered by the lack of an optimal assay system to study self-renewal and differentiation. We aimed to identify and characterise human and mouse oesophageal stem/progenitor cells by establishing 3-dimensional organotypic sphere culture systems for both species. Design Primary oesophageal epithelial cells were freshly isolated and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-sorted from human and mouse oesophagus and 3-dimensional organotypic sphere culture systems were developed. The self-renewing potential and differentiation status of novel subpopulations were assessed by sphere-forming ability, cell cycle analysis, immunostaining, qPCR and RNA-Seq. Results Primary human and mouse oesophageal epithelial cells clonally formed esophagospheres consisting of stratified squamous epithelium. Sphere-forming cells could self-renew and form esophagospheres for over 43 passages in vitro and generated stratified squamous epithelium when transplanted under the kidney capsule of immunodeficient mice. Sphere-forming cells were 10–15-fold enriched among human CD49f hi CD24 low cells and murine CD49f + CD24 low CD71 low cells compared with the most differentiated cells. Genetic elimination of p63 in mouse and human oesophageal cells dramatically decreased esophagosphere formation and basal gene expression while increasing suprabasal gene expression. Conclusions We developed clonogenic and organotypic culture systems for the quantitative analyses of human and mouse oesophageal stem/progenitor cells and identified novel cell surface marker combinations that enrich for these cells. Using this system, we demonstrate that elimination of p63 inhibits self-renewal of human oesophageal stem/progenitor cells. We anticipate that these esophagosphere culture systems will facilitate studies of oesophageal stem cell biology and may prove useful for ex vivo expansion of human oesophageal stem cells.
An intelligent hybrid behavior coordination system for an autonomous mobile robot

In this paper, development of a low-cost PID controller with an intelligent behavior coordination system for an autonomous mobile robot is described that is equipped with IR sensors, ultrasonic sensors, regulator, and RC filters on the robot platform based on HCS12 microcontroller and embedded systems. A novel hybrid PID controller and behavior coordination system is developed for wall-following navigation and obstacle avoidance of an autonomous mobile robot. Adaptive control used in this robot is a hybrid PID algorithm associated with template and behavior coordination models. Software development contains motor control, behavior coordination intelligent system and sensor fusion. In addition, the module-based programming technique is adopted to improve the efficiency of integrating the hybrid PID and template as well as behavior coordination model algorithms. The hybrid model is developed to synthesize PID control algorithms, template and behavior coordination technique for wall-following navigation with obstacle avoidance systems. The motor control, obstacle avoidance, and wall-following navigation algorithms are developed to propel and steer the autonomous mobile robot. Experiments validate how this PID controller and behavior coordination system directs an autonomous mobile robot to perform wall-following navigation with obstacle avoidance. Hardware configuration and module-based technique are described in this paper. Experimental results demonstrate that the robot is successfully capable of being guided by the hybrid PID controller and behavior coordination system for wall-following navigation with obstacle avoidance.
The liking-similarity effect: Perceptions of similarity as a function of liking

In these two studies, we examined whether the inferences people make about likable and dislikable targets align with the predictions of balance theory. We hypothesized that people exhibit a liking-similarity effect by perceiving greater similarity with a likable person than a dislikable person. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated the likability of a target person and then assessed participants' perceptions of similarity to that target person. In both studies, people rated likable others as more similar to themselves than dislikable others across a variety of domains (e.g., attitudes, personality characteristics, behaviors). In Study 2, individual differences in self-concept clarity, self-esteem, and preference for consistency moderated the liking-similarity effect.
Kinetics of the formation of metal binder gradient in WC–Co by carbon diffusion induced liquid migration

Cemented tungsten carbide (WC–Co) with a cobalt content gradient from the surface to the bulk of a sintered piece is an example of a functionally graded material, the mechanical properties of which are optimized by the unique gradient microstructure, giving rise to superior combinations of wear resistance vs. fracture toughness. A process for creating such cobalt gradients in WC–Co was developed recently based on heat treatments of fully sintered WC–Co materials in carburizing atmospheres. A study of the kinetics of the process is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms of the process in order to achieve desired or designed gradients. In this paper, a series of carburizing experiments were conducted to examine the effects of key process parameters including temperature, composition of the atmosphere, and time on the overall kinetics of the process. A kinetic model was established to predict the thickness of the gradient as a function of these process variables, enabling the design of functionally graded WC–Co through controlling atmosphere and time.
A subset of clones in the chick telencephalon arranged in rostrocaudal arrays.

Abstract Background Different areas of the vertebrate central nervous system appear to follow different rules during development for determining the position of sibling cells. For example, in the chick hindbrain, clones are frequently confined to a single functional unit that derives from a single rhombomere. In contrast, clones in the mammalian cerebral cortex often cross functional boundaries because of the extensive migration of sibling cells in orthogonal directions. We have investigated whether the pattern of clonal distribution in the chick telencephalon is similar to that of the hindbrain or to the more functionally analogous mammalian cerebral cortex. Progenitor cells in the chick telencephalon were marked using a retroviral library encoding alkaline phosphatase and over 10 5 distinct molecular tags. Patterns of dispersion were detected using alkaline phosphatase histochemistry, followed by the recovery and sequencing of the molecular tag. We also analyzed the phenotypes of cells that occurred within the clones. Results A subset of progenitors gave rise to clones that were found in rostrocaudal arrays resembling tubes. Arrays were restricted in the mediolateral and dorsoventral planes but could span up to 4 mm in the rostrocaudal direction. They were found throughout the telencephalon and a single clone often spanned more than one telencephalic nucleus. Rostrocaudal clones comprised 60% of clones containing five or more cells and contained many different types of neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, or various combinations of these cell types. Conclusions Telencephalic progenitors are multipotent, producing progeny that become distinct cell types. Clonally related cells can migrate rostrocaudally within domains that are restrained in the mediolateral and dorsoventral directions. A subset of rostrocaudal clones resemble those seen in the mammalian cerebral cortex, with respect to the crossing of functional boundaries, but all rostrocaudal clones differ from the cerebral cortical clones in the pattern of spread of sibling cells, with the rostrocaudal clones being more constrained in the mediolateral and dorsoventral directions. A role for lineage in the patterning of the chick forebrain is supported by these observations. In addition, these data suggest a role for cues within the telencephalic marginal zone that serve to guide clones in their rostrocaudal migration.