cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography during maximal pharmacologic coronary vasodilation with adenosine for assessing coronary artery disease.

Abstract The diagnostic value of maximal pharmacologic coronary vasodilation with intravenously administered adenosine in conjunction with thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for detection of coronary artery disease was investigated in 101 consecutive patients who had concomitant coronary arteriography. Tomographic images were assessed visually and from computer-quantified polar maps of the thallium-201 distribution. Significant coronary artery disease, defined as >50% luminal diameter stenosis, was present in 70 patients. The sensitivity for detecting patients with coronary artery disease using quantitative analysis was 87% in the total group, 82% in patients without myocardial infarction and 96% in those with prior myocardial infarction; the specificity was 90%. The sensitivity for diagnosing coronary artery disease in patients without infarction with single-, double- and triple-vessel disease was 76%, 86% and 90%, respectively. All individual stenoses were identified in 68% of patients with double-vessel disease and in 65% of those with triple-vessel disease. The extent of the perfusion defects, as quantified by polar maps, was directly related to the extent of coronary artery disease. In conclusion, quantitative thallium-201 SPECT during adenosine infusion has high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing the presence of coronary artery disease, localizing the anatomic site of coronary stenosis and identifying the majority of affected vascular regions in patients with multivessel involvement.
Third-order electric susceptibility of nonpolar azimuthal molecular rotors mounted on a covalent polymer grid

Abstract Polyacene molecules are constrained to rotate about the principal axis associated with the diagonal component of the molecular polarizability tensor that is intermediate in size. The rotation axes are oriented vertically (‘azimuthal rotors’) and are attached to a covalent monolayer grid such as that recently reported in the literature. We calculate the value of the relevant component of the third-order electric susceptibility of the system for a variety of grid spacings and determine that the optical nonlinearity of such a system is not particularly large, at best approaching that of carbon disulfide.
Establishing How Natural Environmental Competency, Organizational Social Consciousness, and Innovativeness Relate.

This article investigates the moderating effects of organizational social consciousness on the natural environmental competency and innovativeness relationship. Organizational social consciousness reflects the organization’s awareness of its place and contribution to the larger system in which it exists and is developed through an organization’s social responsibility, ethics, culture, corporate values, and the view of its stakeholders. Through our study of key strategic decision makers from organizations located in the USA, we operationalize organizational social consciousness and demonstrate the efficacy of this construct in relation to the organizational-level constructs of environmental management competency and innovativeness. Our results reveal that organizational social consciousness positively strengthens the natural environmental competency to organizational innovativeness relationship.
Model for the motor component of dynein heavy chain based on homology to the AAA family of oligomeric ATPases.

Abstract Background: Recent iterative methods for sequence alignment have indicated that the 380 kDa motor unit of dynein belongs to the AAA class of chaperone-like ATPases . These alignments indicate that the core of the 380 kDa motor unit contains a concatenated chain of six AAA modules, of which four correspond to the ATP binding sites with P-loop signatures described previously, and two are modules in which the P loop has been lost in evolution. Results: We report predicted structures for the six AAA modules in the β heavy chain of axonemal dynein, based upon their homology to a template of structurally conserved regions derived from three AAA proteins with experimentally determined structures (pdb:1A5T, pdb:1DOO, and pdb:1NSF). The secondary structural elements of the AAA modules in dynein correspond to regions of sequence that are relatively well conserved in different dynein isoforms. The tertiary structure of each AAA module comprises a major α/β N domain from which a smaller all-α C domain protrudes at an angle, as part of the putative nucleotide binding cavity. The structures of the six modules are assembled into a ring, approximately 125 A in diameter, that resembles the structure of the dynein motor unit observed by electron microscopy. Conclusion: The predicted structures are supported by procedures that assess global, regional, and local quality, with the module containing the hydrolytic ATP binding site being supported the most strongly. The structural resemblance of the dynein motor to the hexameric assembly of AAA modules in the hsp100 family of chaperones suggests that the basic mechanism underlying the ATP-dependent translocation of dynein along a microtubule may have aspects in common with the ATP-dependent translocation of polypeptides into the interior compartment of chaperones.
Modeling languages and Condor: metacomputing for optimization

A generic framework is postulated for utilizing the computational resources provided by a metacomputer to concurrently solve a large number of optimization problems generated by a modeling language. An example of the framework using the Condor resource manager and the AMPL and GAMS modeling languages is provided. A mixed integer programming formulation of a feature selection problem from machine learning is used to test the mechanism developed. Due to this application’s computational requirements, the ability to perform optimizations in parallel is necessary in order to obtain results within a reasonable amount of time. Details about the simple and easy to use tool and implementation are presented so that other modelers with applications generating many independent mathematical programs can take advantage of it to significantly reduce solution times.
Within mode quality and intensity changes of habituated stimuli

Abstract Habituation of skin conductanes response (SCR) magnitude was established by a number of presentations of a short burst of moderate intensity white noise. The 6th, 11th or 21st stimulus event was either a pure tone of unchanged loudness or another noise pulse of greatly reduced loudness. Mean SCR magnitude to the reduced intensity noise pulses was consistently smaller than that to the tones, but the difference of each of these responses from the habituation curve varied with the number of prior habituation trials. The qualitative changes in the stimulus produced a consistent increase in SCR magnitude; the greater the number of prior habituation trials, the larger the difference from the habituation curve. The reduced intensity noise stimulus reduced SCR magnitude below that of the habituation curve at the 6th trial, equalled the curve at the 11th trial, and yielded a greater response than the habituation curve at the 21st trial test position. The response to the tone was superior to that to the reduced intensity noise by a constant amount over the three habituation curve test points.
Full Electric Control of Exchange Bias

We report the creation of a multiferroic field effect device with a BiFeO(3) (BFO) (antiferromagnetic-ferroelectric) gate dielectric and a La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO(3) (LSMO) (ferromagnetic) conducting channel that exhibits direct, bipolar electrical control of exchange bias. We show that exchange bias is reversibly switched between two stable states with opposite exchange bias polarities upon ferroelectric poling of the BFO. No field cooling, temperature cycling, or additional applied magnetic or electric field beyond the initial BFO polarization is needed for this bipolar modulation effect. Based on these results and the current understanding of exchange bias, we propose a model to explain the control of exchange bias. In this model the coupled antiferromagnetic-ferroelectric order in BFO along with the modulation of interfacial exchange interactions due to ionic displacement of Fe(3+) in BFO relative to Mn(3+/4+) in LSMO cause bipolar modulation.
Scattering-theoretic method for defects in semiconductors. II. Self-consistent formulation and application to the vacancy in silicon

A self-consistent-field method for calculation of the electronic structure of localized defects in semiconductors is described. The method is based on Green's-function theory and follows the original idea of Koster and Slater and its developments by Callaway and coworkers. The Wannier functions of the original formulations are, however, replaced by a more flexible set of linear combination of atomic orbitals. This choice and an accurate evaluation of the perfect-crystal Green's function bring this method to the level of sophistication, accuracy, and rigor characteristic of state-of-the-art band-structure and surface calculations. The efficiency of the method stems largely from the fact that it exploits both the translational symmetry of the host crystal and the short range of the defect potential. Thus, all bulk properties (e.g., band gaps, bandwidths, etc.) are built in from the start via a band-structure calculation and are preserved. One then focuses on the changes produced by the defect potential, so that the interpretation of the results is straightforward and unambiguous. In this paper, we report an application of this method to an isolated vacancy in Si assuming no lattice relaxation. The unrelaxed vacancy introduces a bound state of ${T}_{2}$ symmetry at 0.7 eV above the valence-band edge and a number of resonances and antiresonances within the valence bands. A detailed analysis of these states in terms of their origin, orbital content, and of state and charge densities is presented. We find that, while many of these states are individually quite extended, they combine destructively to produce a very localized net change in the charge density. We also find that the resulting localized potential can be well approximated by a negative of an atomic silicon potential extracted from a self-consistent bulk calculation. Finally, we compare the relative merits of the three increasingly more sophisticated, but also more costly, approaches to the defect problem, namely, (1) tight-binding, (2) non-self-consistent, and (3) self-consistent calculations.
PIF-like Transposons are Common in Drosophila and Have Been Repeatedly Domesticated to Generate New Host Genes

The P instability factor or PIF superfamily of DNA transposons constitutes an important group of transposable elements (TEs) in plants, but it is still poorly characterized in metazoans. Taking advantage of the availability of draft genome sequences for twelve Drosophila species, we discovered 4 different lineages of Drosophila PIF-like transposons, named DPLT1-4. These lineages have experienced a complex evolutionary history during the Drosophila radiation, involving differential amplification and retention among species and probable events of horizontal transmission. Like previously described plant and animal PIF transposons, full-length DPLTs encode a putative transposase as well as a second predicted protein containing a Myb/SANT domain. In DPLTs, this domain is most closely related to the MADF DNA-binding domain found in several Drosophila transcription factors. In addition, we identified 7 distinct genes distributed across the Drosophila genus that encode proteins related to PIF transposases, but lack the hallmarks of transposons. Instead, these sequences show features of functional genes, such as an intact coding region evolving under purifying selection, the presence of orthologs in at least 2 Drosophila species, and the conservation of intron/exon structure across orthologs. We also provide evidence that most of these genes are transcribed and that some are developmentally regulated. Together the data indicate that these genes derived from PIF-transposons that have been "domesticated" to serve cellular functions. In one instance the recruitment of the transposase gene was accompanied by the co-recruitment of the adjacent second PIF gene, which raises the hypothesis that both proteins now function in the same pathway. The second PIF gene has retained the capacity to encode a protein with an intact MADF domain, suggesting that it may function as a transcription factor. We conclude that PIF transposons are common in the Drosophila lineage and have been a recurrent source of new genes during Drosophila evolution.
Networked Co-Curation in Virtual Museums: Digital Humanities, History, and Social Media in the Toledo's Attic Project

Networked co-curation is an innovative outreach practice in archives and museums using social media with other Web 2.0 technologies in order to curate digital heritage collections. It relies on crowd-sourced curation, which results in richer discourse through globally dispersed public participation and intersubjective perspectives. The theoretical framework for networked co-curation consists of three dimensions: digital history, digital humanities, and social network theory. Historical representation, intertextuality, and remediation play a vital role in networked co-curation, forming a bridge between digital content and a transforming virtual audience. Networked co-curation present three significant concerns for archives, libraries, and museums: provenance verification, knowledge representation, and staffing. Toledo's Attic has been a co-curation initiative involving multi-type organizations and their respective audiences. It has used various types of software and platforms and is now being migrated to J...
Filter performance in target tracking using space-based observers

The objective of this research was to evaluate the performance of an extended Kalman filter (EKF) and an adaptive EKF in tracking a target vehicle using various measurement types from space-based observers. The adaptive EKF incorporates ridge-type estimation methods to improve the accuracy obtained by the standard EKF. The dynamical model developed for the target vehicle includes the effects of the spherical and non-spherical earth, launch vehicle thrust, and atmospheric drag. Possible observation types considered are azimuth and elevation angles, range, and range-rate data from up to three space-based observers. Comparative studies were made to evaluate the estimation accuracy as a function of observation type, number of observers, and observation rate for an observation time of up to 2 min after target vehicle burnout. In addition, comparisons were made with and without the use of initial orbit determination techniques. Results show that the performance of the adaptive EKF exceeds that of the EKF in a number of scenarios studied.
Inhibition of neovascularization by environmental agents.

The formation of new blood vessels, neovascularization, occurs by two unique processes: vasculogenesis, the de novo assembly of blood vessels from angioblast precursors, and angiogenesis, the formation of new capillary sprouts from pre-existing vessels. There are many potential targets by which environmental pollutants may inhibit neovascularization and thus there are many possible phenotypic outcomes. Two examples of environmental pollutants that have been demonstrated to inhibit neovascularization include 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a prototypical halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon, and constituents found in environmental tobacco smoke. Studies have shown that TCDD disrupts neoangiogenesis by inhibiting the expression of angiogenic stimuli as well as by reducing the responsiveness of endothelial cells to those stimuli. Additionally, studies have shown that constituents of environmental tobacco smoke, including pyradine and pyrazine derivatives, can potently inhibit the angiogenic process of branching as well as the vasculogenic process involved in capillary plexus formation. Further, the inhibition of neovascularization by either TCDD or environmental tobacco smoke constituents is associated with reduced endothelial cell proliferation and altered expression of extracellular matrix proteins. Future research that identifies the specific angiogenic signaling pathways that are disrupted by these pollutants will improve our ability to assess their risk to human health. Finally, it is likely that many other environmental pollutants impact neovascularization; however, very few have been studied in sufficient detail. Thus, additional research also is needed to identify those environmental agents that mediate their toxicity by disrupting neovascularization.
Protein biosynthesis in aging mouse tissues.

Abstract The relationship of protein synthesis and degradation to the aging process is unclear, for there are a number of conflicting reports. Our previous findings indicated that marked decreases occur in the levels of specific enzyme activities in the senescent mosquito and mouse and also in protein biosynthesis in the mosquito. For these reasons our objective was to compare the biosynthetic capacity and steady-state concentration of proteins in subcellular fractions from liver and heart of mature and old C57BL/6J mice. The initial rates and time course of uptake, incorporation and distribution of radioactivity in subcellular fractions were determined after injecting 3 H-leucine or 14 C-leucine alone or in combination with 3 H-delta-amino-laevulinic acid (DALA), a specific precursor of heme. Other determinations included the sizes of the free leucine pool and the distribution of subcellular marker enzymes. A number of age differences were found in liver but not in heart of old compared to mature mice. First, the uptake and incorporation of radioleucine was 17–28% greater in old mice. No significant lags were observed in either age group indicating that overall transport was rapid and unaffected in the old mouse. Also the free leucine pool size was the same. Second, changes in protein synthetic rates were found only in the microsomal fraction. The 38% decrease using DALA suggests an impaired synthesis of heme proteins which may affect drug metabolizing capacity in old age, while the 22% increase using leucine may reflect a greater serum albumin synthesis in the old animals. Third, a 36% lower protein content was found in the mitochondrial fraction of old mice along with a higher level in the soluble fraction. also a decrease in liver glucose-6-phosphatase was found in old mice confirming results of others.
Activity-independent intracellular signaling contributes to rate variability among neurons in the globus pallidus.

Synchrony among neurons is seen throughout the mammalian CNS, in particular within networks of GABAergic neurons. The globus pallidus (GP) consists of GABAergic neurons that project to neurons throughout the basal ganglia in addition to each other via local axon collaterals. The GP does not display synchronous rhythms and there are no clear correlations between neurons in healthy mammals. In contrast, strong correlations among GP neurons emerge in Parkinson’s disease patients and MPTP treated primates. Why GP neurons show no correlations in healthy animals is not known. GP neurons are autonomous pacemakers and are thought to discharge at a constant frequency. Theoretical work shows that the degree of synchrony in interconnected networks depends on the amount of heterogeneity in firing rate. We have observed in cell-attached recordings of GP neurons, in slices, that their firing rates are not stationary, but instead visit a range of rates over a period of one hour in a non-stereotypical fashion. The fluctuations in rate are stable for periods of minutes, can vary as much as 30 Hz, and appear to be unaffected by blocking synaptic inputs. HCN channels are a critical component of the GP neuron’s pacemaking mechanism, and their availability is positively correlated with the firing rate of GP neurons. Paired recordings revealed that these fluctuations in rate were neuron-independent. We hypothesized that these slow non-stereotypical fluctuations in firing rate could be attributed to regulation of HCN channels by cAMP. cAMP alters HCN availability by shifting the channel’s activation curve to depolarized potentials. Consistent with this, up-regulation of cAMP levels by bath application of 50 μM Forskolin increased the firing rate of GP neurons from 12.7 ± 1.3 to 20.5 ± 1.5 Hz. After the Forskolin induced increase in firing rate stabilized, there was a marked decrease in the amount of variability in interspike intervals (ISIs) observed over a one hour period of recording in the cell-attached configuration. In control conditions the average coefficient of variation of ISIs (CV), measured over one hour, was 0.43 ± 0.22 and was 0.09 ± 0.02 after exposure to Forskolin. Thus, fluctuations in cAMP can create heterogeneity in firing rate among GP neurons by altering the availability of the voltage-gated ion channels necessary to drive pacemaking. By this mechanism, activity independent intracellular signaling could potentially contribute to the absence of synchrony in the GP.
Limiting spectral resolution in speech for listeners with sensorineural hearing loss.

Consonant recognition was measured as a function of the degree of spectral resolution of the speech stimulus in normally hearing listeners and listeners with moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Pr...
MIG21 API: multimedia interactive groups API

In this poster we present the MIG21 API's main functionalities and two example applications.
Producing Provincial Space: Crown Forests, the State and Territorial Control in British Columbia

Abstract This paper presents three ways in which Crown forest administration in British Columbia at the turn of the 20th century helped to facilitate effective provincial control of territory. First, officials discursively constructed timbered spaces as a shared trust for British Columbia's citizens. Secondly, they produced useful geographical knowledge and a spatial architecture that would facilitate on-going surveillance. Finally, officials constructed resource spaces of sustained production, monitored and controlled by trained experts. Thus, Crown forest administration solidified provincial claims to vast swaths of territory. The analysis highlights the importance of considering the on-going geographies of land and resource management as a fundamental part of processes of dispossession and reterritorialisation.
Mitral valve replacement with homograft and Maze III procedure.

Abstract Background . Mitral valve disease is often accompanied by atrial fibrillation, which may compromise the patient even after the valvular lesion has been repaired. Methods . Three patients with rheumatic type mitral valve disease and chronic atrial fibrillation were treated by mitral valve replacement with cryopreserved mitral valve homograft and Maze III procedure, as a method to relieve both the valvular pathology and the rhythm disorder. The patients' clinical courses have been followed for up to 1 year after operation. Results . All patients survived operation, and all have normal sinus rhythm. None are taking cardiac medications. Conclusions . Long-term treatment with warfarin should not be required, and other cardiac medicines may be eliminated following mitral valve replacement with homograft combined with Maze III procedure.
Biomolecular motors: the F1-ATPase paradigm.

Abstract The realization that many essential functions of living cells are performed by nanoscale motors consisting of protein complexes has given rise to an intense effort to understand their mechanisms. Considerable progress has been made in the past two years by a combination of biophysical techniques and theoretical analysis. Single-molecule studies have played a spectacular role for a variety of motors including kinesin, myosin, and polymerases. The understanding of F 1 -ATPase, the smallest biomolecular rotary motor, has made particular progress by the interplay of experimental and theoretical studies; the latter have provided information not available from experiment.
From Formation to Ecosystem: Tansley's Response to Clements' Climax

Arthur G. Tansley never accepted Frederic E. Clements’ view that succession is a developmental process whose final stage, the climax formation, is determined primarily by regional climate and that all other types of vegetation are some kind of successional stage or arrested successional stage. Tansley was convinced that in a given region a variety of environmental factors could produce different kinds of climax formations. At the heart of their dispute was Clements’ organicist view of succession, i.e., the formation was a complex organism with an ontogeny and phylogeny. As early as 1905, Tansley offered an alternative to Clements’ complex organism, the quasi-organism, but Clements in private and public rejected this compromise. Tansley and other plant ecologists continued to criticize Clements’ theories for the next 20 years, but with no impact on Clements. John Phillips, a South African plant ecologist who was a follower of Clements, published a series of papers in 1934 and 1935 defending Clementsian ecology. These papers were triggered by the publication of a letter by another ecologist working in Africa who claimed that there was a strong correlation between soils and various kinds of climax vegetation, which was contrary to what was predicted by Phillips and Clements. In 1935, Tansley published an attack on Phillips and Clements and their developmental theory of succession. In it, he proposed the concept of the ecosystem as a way to get around Clements’ monoclimax theory by making the physical environment (e.g., soil chemistry, soil texture, soil moisture) as important a factor as climate, plants and other organisms in determining the composition and characteristics of ecological entities, i.e., ecosystems. Tansley’s ecosystem concept quickly replaced Clements’ monoclimax theory as a dominant paradigm in ecology.
Proximal goal-setting and self-regulatory processes

Despite much theoretical discussion, relatively little research has examined the motivational effects of proximal goal-setting, and existing findings are inconsistent. This experiment examines the effects of proximal subgoals on perceived self-efficacy, self-evaluative reactions to performance, and task persistence. Subjects performed a complex problem-solving task under conditions involving either no subgoal, an attainable subgoal, or an unattainable subgoal. The self-regulatory processes were assessed prior to and during performance. Setting a subgoal boosted initial perceived self-efficacy. Attaining the proximal goal increased self-efficacy perceptions, self-satisfaction with performance, and subsequent task persistence. Changes in perceived self-efficacy mediated the effects of subgoal attainment on behavior.
A comparison of the environments of day care centers and group day care homes for 3 year olds

Abstract Caregiver-child interaction and social participation were compared in community-based day care centers and group day care homes for three year olds. Use of group day care homes made it possible to control for group size and adult-child ratio. Day care homes were found to be more structured in terms of curriculum, and more flexible in terms of overall schedule and social-emotional climate. Adult child interaction was of higher quality during structured periods in day care homes. Social participation was of higher quality in day care homes. The adult-child interaction in both types of day care was impersonal and neutral in affective tone.
Reinforcement learning with classifier systems

Consideration is given to the learning classifier system (LCS) as an approach to reinforcement learning problems. An LCS is a type of adaptive expert system that uses a knowledge base of production rules in a low-level syntax that can be manipulated by a genetic algorithm (GA). GAs are a class of computerized search procedures that are based on the mechanics of natural genetics. An important feature of the LCS paradigm is the possible adaptive formation of default hierarchies (layered sets of default and exception rules). An examination is made of the problem of default hierarchy formation under the conventional bid competition method of LCS conflict resolution and the necessity auction and a separate priority factor are suggested as modifications to this method. Simulations show the utility of this method. >
Blooms of σ0 in the TOPEX Radar Altimeter Data

Abstract Data from satellite altimeters are often degraded by the occurrence of unrealistically high radar return cross sections, which indicate a breakdown of the rough surface scattering model used to interpret these measurements in terms of satellite to sea surface height ranges. The TOPEX altimetric data are examined and nearly 200 000 such events during the 7-yr period, 1993–99, inclusive, are identified. The primary purpose of this paper is to make a comprehensive description of where and when these events occur, which is important because many of the communities that make use of the TOPEX data are generally unaware of this phenomenon. It is shown that these events affect almost 6% of the over-ocean TOPEX data, but only approximately 60% of these events are rejected by the recommended TOPEX data flagging. A global description of these events is made, showing that the events are associated with regions of climatologically weak winds (e.g., the summer hemispheres and the western Pacific warm pool regi...
Adaptive collision checking for continuous robot motions within motion constraints

This paper presents an adaptive algorithm for checking collisions over any continuous robot motion set when tasks or constraints are given. As robots have begun to operate in human environments, which are unstructured and dynamically changing, the need for on-line robot planning and control strategies has increased. In implementing an on-line system, a fast and reliable collision checking method for continuous paths is a critical element. However, since external objects move unexpectedly, collision checking along the continuous path of a robot's motion suffers from increased uncertainty. Furthermore, computing the desired motion path or trajectory of a complex robotic task is very complex and slow. Therefore, we have developed a new collision checking strategy that can be applied to many types of motions that satisfy many given constraints. Our algorithm defines the applicable robot motions in a constraint-based manner, which is suitable for the multiple-task motion of a complex robot. This method can check the collision for the entire motion by finding the worst case with a small amount of computation, so that we can use the method for on-line applications. Moreover, our algorithm has a feature of adaptive resolution, which provides advantages in dynamically changing environments. The proposed method has been tested on high d.o.f. robots and the experimental results show that the method is suitable for on-line applications of multiple-tasks.
Comparison of induction motor drives for electric vehicle applications: Dynamic performance and parameter sensitivity analyses

Indirect field oriented control (IFOC) and direct torque control (DTC) have been widely commercialized in induction motor drives, with each being favored by its supporters. In this paper, the dynamic performance of these drives for an electric vehicle application is examined, and sensitivities to parameter variations affecting this dynamic performance are explored. Key performance measures include torque and speed transients. To achieve decoupling between the drive and the switching scheme, both drives are simulated in MATLAB/Simulink for different switching schemes. These schemes include space-vector pulse-width modulation (SVPWM), and hysteretic control for IFOC and DTC. DTC is also simulated with a switching table. Experimental results for some of these schemes are also presented. Results show that control performance is influenced by the switching scheme. It is shown that when IFOC and DTC are used with SVPWM, the torque response of IFOC is superior. These characteristics are verified by simulations. The work opens further discussion for the feasibility of applying IFOC in electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.
Robust Clustering of Acoustic Emission Signals Using Neural Networks and Signal Subspace Projections

Acoustic emission-based techniques are being used for the nondestructive inspection of mechanical systems. For reliable automatic fault monitoring related to the generation and propagation of cracks, it is important to identify the transient crack-related signals in the presence of strong time-varying noise and other interference. A prominent difficulty is the inability to differentiate events due to crack growth from noise of various origins. This work presents a novel algorithm for automatic clustering and separation of acoustic emission (AE) events based on multiple features extracted from the experimental data. The algorithm consists of two steps. In the first step, the noise is separated from the events of interest and subsequently removed using a combination of covariance analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and differential time delay estimates. The second step processes the remaining data using a self-organizing map (SOM) neural network, which outputs the noise and AE signals into separate neurons. To improve the efficiency of classification, the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) is applied to retain the time-frequency features of the remaining events, reducing the dimension of the data. The algorithm is verified with two sets of data, and a correct classification ratio over 95% is achieved.
Wireless multichannel biopotential recording using an integrated FM telemetry circuit

This paper presents a four-channel telemetric microsystem featuring on-chip alternating current amplification, direct current baseline stabilization, clock generation, time-division multiplexing, and wireless frequency-modulation transmission of microvolt- and millivolt-range input biopotentials in the very high frequency band of 94-98 MHz over a distance of /spl sim/0.5 m. It consists of a 4.84-mm/sup 2/ integrated circuit, fabricated using a 1.5-/spl mu/m double-poly double-metal n-well standard complementary metal-oxide semiconductor process, interfaced with only three off-chip components on a custom-designed printed-circuit board that measures 1.7/spl times/1.2/spl times/0.16 cm/sup 3/, and weighs 1.1 g including two miniature 1.5-V batteries. We characterize the microsystem performance, operating in a truly wireless fashion in single-channel and multichannel operation modes, via extensive benchtop and in vitro tests in saline utilizing two different micromachined neural recording microelectrodes, while dissipating /spl sim/2.2 mW from a 3-V power supply. Moreover, we demonstrate successful wireless in vivo recording of spontaneous neural activity at 96.2 MHz from the auditory cortex of an awake marmoset monkey at several transmission distances ranging from 10 to 50 cm with signal-to-noise ratios in the range of 8.4-9.5 dB.
Highly directive dielectric resonator antennas operating at higher order degenerate band edge modes

In recent years, there is a growing interest in compact high-gain antennas with a single feed for civil/tactical wireless communication systems. Electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) structures with embedded antennas/feeds present an attractive solution due to their high directivity and feeding ease. EBGs have been used to obtain highly directive radiation in two forms: (a) as a substrate utilizing defect resonances (Brown et al., 1993) (b) as a host medium near the band edge frequencies (Bulu et al., 2003). The first group requires comparatively large physical sizes for practical applications (e.g. thicknesses of larger than lambdao/2). For the latter, one must be careful to operate at the Fabry-Perot (F-P) transmission peak closest to the band edge. The degenerate band edge (DBE) resonances (see Fig. 1c) are of this type, but also have the unique property of exhibiting narrower F-P peaks in the vicinity of the band edge leading to better directional selectivity (Figotin and Vitebskiy, 2006). Consequently, DBE crystals can achieve required levels of high directivity using fewer number of unit cells, resulting in low profile structures.
Jerusalem Lectures on Black Holes and Quantum Information

In these lectures I give an introduction to the quantum physics of black holes, including recent developments based on quantum information theory such as the rewall paradox and its various cousins. I also give an introduction to holography and the AdS/CFT correspondence, focusing on those aspects which are relevant for the black hole information problem.
Response of germanium-doped fiber Bragg gratings in radiation environments

Fiber Bragg gratings were examined in situ while exposed to gamma-ray and proton environments that emulated or exceeded nominal low earth orbit radiation doses. Radiation and temperature induced changes to the reflected Bragg grating amplitude and spectral characteristics were observed in fiber gratings not formed under hydrogen loading. THe irradiations were performed in situ, while the ambient temperature near the Bragg grating was allowed to vary. Shifts in the reflected spectra from the Bragg gratings were observed and attributed to ionization and thermal effects. During irradiation, the spectral shifts were observed to move to longer wavelengths, saturate at low dose and to decrease exponentially following the cessation of radiation.
Mercury in Migrating Shorebirds in the Illinois River Valley

Abstract. Hepatic mercury concentrations of Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidns melanotos) and Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) collected from the central Illinois River Valley, Illinois, during early fall migration in 2007 were examined. Mean and median mercury concentrations were significantly greater in the livers of Pectoral Sandpipers (0.30 and 0.28 µg/g wet weight, respectively) than in Killdeer (0.07 and 0.06 µg/g wet weight, respectively). Differences in foraging ecology between these species likely account for the observed differences in tissue mercury concentrations. In general, mercury concentrations were low in these species relative to other shorebirds and can serve as baseline for future monitoring.
A TEST OF THE TWO-TIER CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE: THE CASE OF JAPANESE KEIRETSU

We examine the effect of corporate governance structure on the relation between ownership structure and financial leverage among Japanese firms. Under normal conditions, we find no significant relation between ownership variables and financial leverage. When firms signal financial difficulties, however, keiretsu financial institution equity owners intervene to moderate the use of debt. This evidence reveals the existence of a keiretsu two-tier corporate governance system. In the first stage, the unique corporate cross-shareholding allows mutual monitoring under normal circumstances. In the second stage, when firms get into financial trouble, keiretsu financial institutions assume control by reducing debt levels. The results highlight differences between keiretsu and independent corporate governance structures.
A novel eight amino acid insertion contributes to the hemagglutinin cleavability and the virulence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H7N3) virus in mice

In 2012, an avian influenza A H7N3 (A/Mexico/InDRE7218/2012; Mx/7218) virus was responsible for two confirmed cases of human infection and led to the death or culling of more than 22 million chickens in Jalisco, Mexico. Interestingly, this virus acquired an 8-amino acid (aa)-insertion (..PENPK-DRKSRHRR-TR/GLF) near the hemagglutinin (HA) cleavage site by nonhomologous recombination with host rRNA. It remains unclear which specific residues at the cleavage site contribute to the virulence of H7N3 viruses in mammals. Using loss-of-function approaches, we generated a series of cleavage site mutant viruses by reverse genetics and characterized the viruses in vitro and in vivo. We found that the 8-aa insertion and the arginine at position P4 of the Mx/7218 HA cleavage site are essential for intracellular HA cleavage in 293T cells, but have no effect on the pH of membrane fusion. However, we identified a role for the histidine residue at P5 position in viral fusion pH. In mice, the 8-aa insertion is required for Mx/7218 virus virulence; however, the basic residues upstream of the P4 position are dispensable for virulence. Overall, our study provides the first line of evidence that the insertion in the Mx/7218 virus HA cleavage site confers its intracellular cleavability, and consequently contributes to enhanced virulence in mice.
Biodegradable photo-crosslinked alginate nanofibre scaffolds with tuneable physical properties, cell adhesivity and growth factor release.

Nanofibrous scaffolds are of interest in tissue engineering due to their high surface area to volume ratio, interconnected pores, and architectural similarity to the native extracellular matrix. Our laboratory recently developed a biodegradable, photo-crosslinkable alginate biopolymer. Here, we show the capacity of the material to be electrospun into a nanofibrous matrix, and the ability to enhance cell adhesion and proliferation on these matrices by covalent modification with cell adhesion peptides. Additionally, the potential of covalently incorporating heparin into the hydrogels during the photopolymerisation process to sustain the release of a heparin binding growth factor via affinity interactions was demonstrated. Electrospun photocrosslinkable alginate nanofibrous scaffolds endowed with cell adhesion ligands and controlled delivery of growth factors may allow for improved regulation of cell behaviour for regenerative medicine.
Fault plane solutions and relocations of recent earthquakes in Middleton Place Summerville Seismic Zone near Charleston, South Carolina

The Middleton Place Summerville Seismic Zone (MPSSZ), located about 20 km northwest of Charleston is the most active seismic zone in South Carolina. Between 1980 and 1991, 58 events with Md 0.8 to 3.3 were recorded in MPSSZ. They lie in a diffuse area of 11 km by 14 km of which over two-thirds are located in a narrow 5 km by 6-km zone. The hypocentral depths range from 2 to 11 km with over 90% deeper than 4 km. Single fault plane solutions were obtained for 35 events. Based on the focal mechanisms the earthquakes were grouped into five subsets. The mean P -axis of all fault plane solutions is oriented N63°E, in general agreement with the direction of SHmax obtained from in situ stress measurements. Of the 35 events, 18 are associated with reverse faulting on NW - SE striking and SW dipping fault planes. These events were inferred to be associated with the Ashley River fault zone, which is not a planar feature, but is composed of short segments of varying strikes (N20°W to N70°W) and dips (40° to 70°SW). Eleven events were associated with strike-slip motion on NNE - SSW striking vertical faults and with thrust faulting on N - S oriented faults dipping to the west, respectively. These two sets are identified as being parts of the Woodstock fault zone. The concentrated zone of seismicity included events associated with both the ARF and WF zones suggesting that it is at the intersection of these two fault zones.
A Sturdy Trap for Sampling Emergent Odonata

Some problems associated with measuring emergence of Odonata are discussed. The authors described a trap made of window screening on a frame of welded-wire fencing which proved satisfactory for their work. This or a similar design may prove useful for analyzing the emergence of other insects.
Standards of perimetry

Skilled manual kinetic and static threshold perimetry is assumed to be the standard of practice. However, Trobe suggested that the actual standard in clinical practice may fall considerably short of this ideal [3]. We polled the ophthalmologists in the state of Kentucky. With some effort, we obtained replies from all 137 practicing ophthalmologists. This complete sample eliminates upward bias. Data was obtained on, among other things, age of the physicians, practice type, number of patients seen, type of perimeters utilized, types of visual fields obtained, and number of visual fields done. Eighty-eight percent of examinations were performed by technical staff. Automated fields were most commonly performed (34%). 41% of automated perimeters test supra-threshold only. Only 10 of 67 practitioners using the Goldmann used Armaly-Drance techniques and only one practitioner out of 137 utilized manual static threshold perimetry.
Corrlation research of bisphenol A and permature thelarche in infant girls aged 6 months to 2 years old

Objective To investigate the association between bisphenol A(BPA)and permature thelarche in infant girls aged 6months to 2years old. Methods The blood samples were collected from 40 infants aged 6months to 2years old with PT and 32 normal femal infants.The concentration of BPA in serum was determine by using HPLC-MS-MS.The concentration of sex hormones follicule-stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),estradiol(E2),prolactin(PRL)in serum were detected by chemiluminescence method at the same time.The difference between the two groups and the correlation between BPA and sex hormones were analysed. Results The relevance ratio and concentration of BPA in PT group were higher than those of the control group(P0.01).The concentrations of FSH,PRL in the two groups had no statistically significant differences(P0.05).The concentrations of E2 in PT group was higher than that of the control group(P0.05).The concentrations of LH of PT group was higher than that of the control group(P0.01).There were no correlation between the concentrations of BPA and FSH,PRL(P0.05).There were correlations between the concentrations of BPA and LH,E2(P0.01). Conclusions 6months~2years old infant girls are under the existence of BPA exposure.BPA exposure is likely one of the causes of PT for 6months~2years old infant girls.BPA exposure maybe affect the secretions of LH and E2.
GENERATION OF ELEMENTARY CONFIGURATIONS

This chapter discusses the practical schemes for generating the basic elementary combinatorial configurations. Most of these algorithms are given explicitly as generation procedures, that is, the procedures designed to produce one configuration after another until all admissible configurations have been formed. However, it is frequently not the generated configurations themselves, but the structure of the generating program that is of primary importance, as programs to generate points of an object-space form the basis of many combinatorial algorithms. Thus, various procedures for accomplishing the same generation are useful, one scheme rather than another being more adaptable to a particular application. Nevertheless, the controlling factor in the practicality of most generation programs is still the number of configurations being generated.