cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning Echo Paths During Continuous Double-Talk Using Semi-Blind Source Separation

Echo cancelers typically employ control mechanisms to prevent adaptive filter updates during double-talk events. By contrast, this paper exploits the information contained in time-varying second order statistics of nonstationary signals to update adaptive filters and learn echo path responses during double-talk. First, a framework is presented for describing mixing and blind separation of independent groups of signals. Then several echo cancellation problems are cast in this framework, including the problem of simultaneous acoustic and line echo cancellation as encountered in speaker phones. A maximum-likelihood approach is taken to estimate both the unknown signal statistics as well as echo canceling filters. When applied to speech signals, the techniques developed in this paper typically achieved between 30 and 40 dB of echo return loss enhancement (ERLE) during continuous double-talking.
Proband race/ethnicity affects pedigree completion rate in a genetic study of ischemic stroke.

Background A recent meta-analysis suggested that racial/ethnic status is not a major determinant of willingness to participate in observational studies or treatment trials. However, little is known about the predictors of enrollment in family-based observational genetic studies. We tested the hypothesis that proband race/ethnicity is a significant predictor of enrolling a pedigree. Methods Univariable and multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to determine proband characteristics that predict DNA donation from both members of an affected sibling pair. A total of 619 adult male and female probands with first-time or recurrent ischemic stroke and a positive sibling history of stroke enrolled across 53 hospitals and clinics in the United States and Canada into the Siblings with Ischemic Stroke Study, a family-based prospective genomics study. Results In univariable analysis, probands with siblings who agreed to a blood draw for DNA analyses were more likely to be male and less likely to be nonwhite. In multivariable analysis, only race/ethnicity was significantly associated with likelihood of a proband's having a sibling who agreed to a blood draw. Conclusions Contrary to observational studies that are not family based, the willingness of family members to participate in observational genetics studies may be influenced by race/ethnicity. This result reinforces the need for improving methods for recruiting diverse populations into genetic studies of stroke.
Oxygen saturation in premature infants at risk for threshold retinopathy of prematurity.

PURPOSE We aimed to determine if oxygen saturation, desaturations, and saturation variability play a role in progression of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and need for laser treatment. METHODS This was a retrospective case-control study. We performed chart review of premature infants in a university hospital neonatal intensive care unit consecutively examined for ROP between May 2000 and December 2001. We compared birthweight, postmenstrual age, and oxygen saturation for 3 weeks before laser treatment for threshold ROP in group 1 (n=19) (average weight at treatment 2508 grams) and group 2 (n=18) before they reached 2500 grams. Outcome measures were retinopathy progression and need for treatment. RESULTS Adjusting for birthweight and postmenstrual age, known predictors of ROP progression, we found that babies requiring laser treatment (group 1) had lower average daily oxygen saturation levels in the study period, significantly on 5/20 days (25%). These babies had saturations below 95% on 18/20 days (90%). Babies not requiring laser (group 2) had saturations below 95% on 2/20 days (10%). The last day on which pretreatment saturations differed significantly was 2 days before laser. Group 1 had more desaturations below 80% (6.0±3.2) than group 2 (3.2±1.2), p=0.0002 (independent samples t tests). Saturations varied more for individual group 1 infants. CONCLUSIONS Decreased oxygen saturation as early as 3 weeks and as late as 2 days before laser, increased number of desaturations, and saturation variability were seen in babies eventually requiring laser treatment for ROP.
Hormone Specificity, Androgen Metabolism, and Social Behavior

SYNOPSIS. The ability of different sex hormones to activate social signals can provide important clues to the biochemical mechanisms underlying these signals. A pattern of hormone specificity in which testosterone (T) and estradiol (E), but not dihydrotestosterone (DHT), are effective suggests that conversion (aromatization) of T to E in the brain may be involved or required; a pattern in which T and DHT, but not E, are effective suggests that conversion of T to DHT may be involved. The hormone specificity of social signals in diverse species of vertebrates is reviewed. Aromatization seems to be of widespread behavioral significance in mammals andbirds. A role for conversion of T to DHT is suggested for some signals. Aromatization of T mayalso be important for the activation of adult female behavior in mammals and lizards, and for the early organization of behavior in mammals and birds. Patterns of hormone specificity differ both across species for a given social signal, and within a given species when different signals are compared. An attempt is made to integrate these findings by relating patterns of hormone specificity to hormone levels, steroid receptor and enzyme concentrations and distributions, signal function and dimorphism, and phylogenetic status.
The ancestral graph and gene genealogy under frequency-dependent selection.

Minority-advantage frequency-dependent selection has been proposed as the cause for the high level of observed polymorphism in some self/nonself-recognition systems. We present a mathematically rigorous derivation of the ancestral graph for a sample of genes that evolved according to a haploid infinite-alleles model of minority-advantage frequency-dependent selection. In the case of sufficiently weak selection, the gene genealogy can be extracted from the ancestral graph. We demonstrate that the gene genealogy under this model is identical to that obtained for a diploid model with heterozygote advantage. The case of strong selection is exemplified by a one-locus haploid self-incompatibility system; in this context, we investigate the number of alleles that can be maintained in a spatial versus a non-spatial habitat. Finally, we compare gametophytic self-incompatibility to the haploid self-incompatibility model.
Effects of energy-bin acquisition methods on noise properties in photon-counting spectral CT

Spectral CT with photon-counting detectors has the potential to improve material decomposition and contrastto- noise ratio (CNR) compared to conventional CT. This work compared the noise properties of two general energy-bin acquisition methods: (1) energy bins acquired from the same spectrum noise realization, and (2) energy bins acquired from different spectrum noise realizations. For both types of acquisitions, the detected number of counts per bin was simulated and measured on a bench-top system. The energy-bin noise standard deviation was compared for both acquisition methods. Simulations were performed to compare both methods with respect to noise in material decomposition estimates and the CNR in image-based weighted images. Both the experimental and simulation results indicated increased energy-bin noise when energy measurements were acquired from different spectrum realizations. The noise increased by a factor of 2 for the lowest energy bin, with the noise penalty decreasing with increasing bin energy. The simulation results demonstrated a factor of 1.2 to 2 increase in noise in material decomposition estimates when acquiring from different spectrum realizations. Despite the increased energy-bin noise, energy measurements from different spectrum realizations increased the CNR in image-based-weighted images by 10%, potentially due to noise correlations across bins. Overall, the investigated acquisition methods demonstrated differences in noise standard deviation, affecting material decomposition estimates and CNR.
Rigidity of minimal surfaces in S 3

Isometric deformations of compact minimal surfaces in the standard three-sphere are studied. It is shown that a given surface admits only finitely many noncongruent minimal immersions intoS 3 with the same first fundamental form.
Vaginal versus ultrasound examination of fetal occiput position during the second stage of labor.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether ultrasonography is more accurate than vaginal examination in the determination of fetal occiput position in the second stage of labor. Study design Eighty-eight patients in the second stage of labor were evaluated by vaginal examination and by combined transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound examination to determine occiput position. These predictions of position were compared with the actual delivery position at vaginal delivery after spontaneous restitution or at cesarean delivery. Different examiners performed the vaginal examinations and the ultrasound examinations. Each examiner was blinded to the determination of the other examiner. Results Vaginal examination determined fetal occiput position correctly 71.6% of the time; ultrasound examination determined fetal occiput position correctly 92.0% of the time ( P =.018). Conclusion Ultrasound examination is more accurate than vaginal examination in the diagnosis of fetal occiput position in the second stage of labor.
Optimizing ARROW Transitions By Selective Deposition of Thin Films

Selective deposition of dielectric thin films on an optofluidic sensor provides the means for low loss in hollow-core waveguides and increased solid- to hollow-core interface transmission. This method promises significant throughput improvement over previous devices.
P.2.16 Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG) study of echocardiographic outcome measures for use in clinical trials in muscular dystrophy

Cardiomyopathy is a significant clinical outcome for muscular dystrophy. Echocardiography (echo) is a versatile measure of cardiac function that is available in most muscular dystrophy centers and, therefore, has high utility for clinical care and multicenter clinical trials. Echo outcomes for treatment trials in muscular dystrophy have traditionally measured ejection fraction (EF). However, this measure can be challenging to obtain with more advanced disease due to chest wall deformities and difficulty with positioning for testing. This study was performed to pilot prospective measures of echo outcomes at 5 centers of the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG) using a central sonography protocol and 2 central readers. Forty-eight participants 8–18 years old with genetically confirmed Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Becker muscular dystrophy or limb girdle muscular dystrophy underwent electrocardiogram, echo and B-type natriuretic peptide testing. Notably, the echo quality was insufficient to read EF for 23 studies by one reader and for 5 studies by the other reader. In contrast, myocardial performance index (MPI) measured by Doppler could be read by both readers in 46 studies. Furthermore, the agreement of cardiac measures between the 2 independent readers and between one reader performing 2 different reads was greater for MPI than for EF. In 35% of studies, an abnormal MPI while EF remained normal suggested early cardiac dysfunction. This finding suggests that MPI may demonstrate increased sensitivity to detect cardiomyopathy when compared to EF. In subsequent analyses to explore echo measures of even greater sensitivity to detect cardiac dysfunction, speckle tracking was performed to measure longitudinal and circumferential strain. The results suggest that MPI and strain measures are sensitive and amenable to central reading for muscular dystrophy clinical trials.
Chemically induced conductance switching in carbon nanotube circuits

The chemical reactivity of carbon nanotubes in H2SO4 is investigated using individual, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) incorporated into electronic devices. Exploiting the device conductance as a sensitive indicator of chemical reactions, discrete oxidation and reduction events can be clearly observed. During oxidation, a SWNT opens circuits to a nanometer-scale tunnel junction with residual conduction similar to Frenkel-Poole charge emission. When electrochemically reduced, a SWNT returns to its original conductance. This redox cycle can be repeated many times, suggesting a novel chemical method of reversibly switching SWNT conductivity.
Longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and alcohol problems: The influence of comorbid delinquent behavior.

Objective Although numerous studies have demonstrated a positive association between depressive symptoms and alcohol problems and related disorders, it remains unclear whether this link can be explained by the joint co-occurrence of these disorders with delinquent behavior. This study examined the longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and alcohol problems from early adolescence through early adulthood, while accounting for delinquent behavior and the potential interaction effects between delinquent behavior and each of these problems.
Identification and characterization of the nuclear isoform of Drosophila melanogaster CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase.

CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT) catalyzes the conversion of phosphocholine and cytidine 5′-triphosphate (CTP) to CDP-choline for the eventual synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC). Th...
Automated quantitation of cell-mediated HIV type 1 infection of human syncytiotrophoblast cells by fluorescence in situ hybridization and laser scanning cytometry

Infection of human placental syncytiotrophoblast cells with HIV requires direct contact with infected leukocytes. In vitro investigations into mechanisms regulating placental HIV transmission and i...
Differential response of bone marrow and extramedullary adipose cells to starvation.

Nachweis, dass extramedullares Fettgewebe im Hungerzustand mobilisiert wird wahrend das Fettgewebe des Knochenmarks stationar bleibt, was die primare Funktion des vom Energiestoffwechsel unabhangigen Knochenfettgewebes unterstutzt.
Glaucoma and disability: which tasks are affected, and at what stage of disease?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize recent work from clinical and epidemiological studies that describe how, and at what stage, glaucoma affects the performance of important vision-related activities. RECENT FINDINGS: Difficulties with the extremes of lighting are the most frequent complaint in glaucoma. Individuals with bilateral glaucoma also self-report difficulty with a broad array of tasks, including reading, walking, and driving. Bilateral glaucoma is associated with driving cessation and limitation, bumping into objects, slower walking, and falls. Some, but not all, studies also demonstrate higher accident rates in glaucoma. Measurable effects on reading speed have only been observed with field damage severe enough to affect binocular central acuity. SUMMARY: Glaucoma with bilateral visual field loss is associated with increased symptoms and a measurable decline in mobility and driving. Further work is necessary to establish whether unilateral glaucoma has a significant impact on patients, to determine whether reading difficulty is common in patients with bilateral glaucoma, and to establish the effects of lighting conditions on task performance in glaucoma. Language: en
Federalism in Africa: The Nigerian Experience in Comparative Perspective

Although it is often portrayed in global terms as a dysfunctional and failed state, oil-rich Nigeria in the comparative African context has been relatively successful in overcoming and containing the syndrome of state disintegration and large-scale internal disorder that has afflicted some of the continent's other large multiethnic states, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. Nigeria's relative stability derives significantly from its unique federal structure, which has been reconfigured since the 1967–1970 civil war from an unstable union of three unwieldy ethnic regions into a more integrated, 36-unit, multiethnic federation. This federal system has helped to cross-cut major ethnic identities, foster inter-regional integration, promote inter-group equilibrium and generally cauterize potentially destabilizing centrifugal challenges to Nigeria's continuity and survival as a single political community. At the same time, however, the system's rampant political corruption has perverted inter...
Automated Gas Sampling System for Laboratory Analysis of CH4 and N2O

Analyzing the flux of CH4 and N2O from soil is labor intensive when conventional hand injection techniques are utilized in gas chromatography. An automated gas sampling system was designed and assembled from a prototype developed at the National Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, IA. The sampler was evaluated for accuracy and precision when attached to a Varian1 3700 gas chromatograph configured with flame ionization and electron capture detectors. The automated gas sampling system is easy to operate and provides acceptable results (standards ranging from 1.0–5.0 ppmv CH4 and 0.342–2.0 ppmv N2O had coefficients of variation ranging from 1.7–5.6%) while providing an economical approach for analyzing large numbers of gas samples with minimal labor and equipment cost. 1Mention of commercial products in this paper is solely to provide specific information for the reader. It does not constitute endorsement by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service or the University of Nebraska's Agricultural Research Division ov...
Surgical treatment of single brain metastasis: Factors associated with survival

The results of surgical excision of solitary intracerebral metastases followed by whole-brain radiation therapy between 1972 and 1978 in a series of 78 patients were analyzed. The overall median survival of the series was 6 months with a 1-year survival rate of 29%. Statistical analyses of the data revealed that patients who presented with a cerebral metastasis 1 year or more after diagnosis of the primary cancer had a significantly longer survival than those in whom the metastasis was detected within 1 year (P less than .04). Patients with mild or no neurological deficits at time of craniotomy had a longer median survival and a 1-year survival of 44% (P less than .01). The presence of metastases at one or two other sites did not significantly affect overall survival except in those patients in whom the brain metastasis was detected more than 1 year after diagnosis of the primary tumor. Factors found to affect survival in this study may be useful in predicting survival of future patients similarly treated.
Stable expression of immunoglobulin gene V(D)J recombinase activity by gene transfer into 3T3 fibroblasts

Using retroviral recombination substrates, we investigated the developmental stage of expression of V(D)J recombinase activity and the activation of recombinase activity in nonlymphoid cells. V(D)J recombinase activity was detected only in pre-B cells, but a DNA transfer protocol successfully activated V(D)J recombination in an NIH 3T3 cell line. The V(D)J recombinase activity was transferred in a second round of transfection and was then stably expressed in fibroblasts at a level comparable to that of a recombinationally active pre-B cell. It is likely that expression of a single, lymphoid-specific gene in a fibroblast is sufficient to confer V(D)J recombinase activity on that cell.
A DNA-assisted binding assay for weak protein-protein interactions.

Abstracts We describe a new method used for quantitating weak interactions between proteins in which the weak interaction is “assisted” by a known DNA–DNA interaction. Oligonucleotides, which are conjugated to proteins of interest, contain short complementary DNA sequences that provide additional binding energy for protein–protein interactions. A stretch of unpaired bases links the protein to the hybridizing DNA sequence to allow formation of both protein–protein and DNA–DNA interactions with minimal structural interference. We validated the DNA-assisted binding method using heterodimerizing coiled-coil proteins. The method was then used to measure the predicted weak interaction between two domains of the Escherichia coli l -arabinose operon regulatory protein AraC. The interaction between domains has the expected magnitude ( K d = 0.37 mM) in the absence of arabinose. Upon addition of arabinose, we detected a weaker and unexpected interaction, which may necessitate modification of the proposed mechanism of AraC. The DNA-assisted binding method may also prove useful in the study of other weak protein–protein interactions.
Three-dimensional structure of the murine muscle-tendon junction.

At the muscle-tendon junction of skeletal muscle fibers the structural interface between muscle cell and connective tissue is amplified by tapering, by indentation, and by surface folding. The precise form taken by the surface folds has been unknown due to a lack of studies on the three-dimensional geometry of the muscle-tendon junction. Analysis of this region by scanning electron microscopy, using conventional preparative techniques, is uninformative because the muscle surface is covered by connective tissue. Removal of the connective tissue from individual murine muscle fibers by incubation of fixed fibers in hot HCI, followed in some instances by treatment with collagenase, permits SEM analysis of the uncovered fiber ends. The muscle fiber end is characterized by surface specializations in the form of anastamotic cylindrical folds. Transmission electron micrographs of cross sections and of serial longitudinal sections of muscle fiber ends confirm that the SEM observations are correct.
A fish specific expression vector containing the interferon regulatory factor 1A (IRF1A) promoter for genetic immunization of fish

DNA plasmid vectors were constructed with inducible rainbow trout promoters to take the place of the cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter in DNA vaccines for fish. DNA fragments containing the promoter regions upstream of the rainbow trout Mx1 and interferon regulatory factor 1A (IRF1A) genes were obtained and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Vectors containing the G gene of IHNV linked to the trout promoters were found to be very effective as vaccines in rainbow trout. In addition, we demonstrated that the IRF1A promoter is transcriptionally active in mouse cells NIH-3T3 suggesting that this fish promoter might be used for mammalian DNA vaccine development as well.
Separation of Mechanisms Initiating Cell Division and Cell Expansion in Lettuce Seed Germination

After imbibition of water by seeds under favorable circumstances, the growth by which the embryo becomes a young seedling occurs by both expansion of cells originally present in the dormant embryo and rnitotic divisions resulting in an increase in cell number (15). Germination of lettuce seed has been of special interest to plant physiologists because it can be stimulated by gibberellins, kinetin, or light (8). The sequence of the onset of cell division and elongation in germinating lettuce seed has been studied by Evenari et al (4), who found that the beginnings of mitotic activity and of cell elongation seemed to coincide in time. No mitotic activity was found in seeds prevented from germinating by withholding favorable light treatments. Their data suggested that, "The start of mitoses, the beginning of cell elongation and the protrusion of the rootlet are correlated events during germination" (4). Cell division and expansion do not begin simultaneously during germination of many other kinds of seeds. Cellular expansion precedes mitosis by many hours during germination of corn (14) or barley (2), and by several days in the broad bean (16). On the other hand, mitotic activity occurs several days before germination in pine seeds (5). Similarly, the number of cells per embryonic axis of after-ripening cherry seeds increased weeks before there was a detectable increase in axis length, which suggests that mitosis also precedes cell expansion in cherry seeds (11). Because division and expansion do not begin simultaneously during germination of many species of seeds, it is possible that lettuce might behave similarly under selected conditions. We therefore attempted to separate in time the inception of cell division from that of expansion during lettuce seed germination. The results show not only that the beginning of mitotic activity can be made either to precede or to follow cell expansion, but also that mitotic activity can be completely separated from germination. These results are of general importance in understanding the mechanisms of germination for all types of seeds.
Mapping politics: how context counts in electoral geography

Abstract Electoral geography, indeed political geography in general, has been largely concerned with mapping distributions which are then ‘explained’ by non-spatial factors. To the extent that spatial context itself has counted, it has been largely in terms of locality or neighborhood effects which are presumed to work against ‘larger’ or ‘wider’ social processes. This paper takes issue with conventional mapping and locality-effect accounts of context on the ground that each involves a radical ontological separation of space and society that cannot be sustained. A concept of context-as-place is elaborated which abandons the identification of context with a single (local) geographical scale and provides a way of bridging the gap between abstract sociological and concrete geographical analysis. The potential of the concept is explored in a series of analyses of Italian electoral geography over the period 1947–1994.
Extending HTTP models to Web 2.0 applications: the case of online social networks

Nowadays, Web 2.0 technologies are a core component of the internet. In fact, they are of key importance for many modern services, which demand a high degree of 'social' connectivity. In this perspective, online social networks OSNs are a paradigmatic example of this new-wave of applications, allowing to share user-generated contents, also with a high degree of interactivity. Moreover, OSNs are an appealing development platform since they can reach a vast user base. At the same time, many of their features have been progressively ported to cloud environments as to produce interactive and collaborative services. However, Web 2.0 and OSNs introduce new usage patterns reflecting specific behaviours within the resulting HTTP traffic. As a consequence, classical HTTP models could fail to properly capture the essence of the new features. The contribution of this paper is to propose an extension to standard HTTP behavioural models, by explicitly considering new elements characterising OSN applications. To this aim, it introduces a new layer of modelling defined as 'looping'. To prove the correctness of the proposed approach, a traffic analysis of a very popular OSN is presented.
The Electric Quadrupole Moments of Ga 69 and Ga 71 An Atomic Beam Study of the Hyperfine Structures of the P 1 2 2 and P 3 2 2 States of Ga 69 and Ga 71

An investigation of the hyperfine structures of the ground $^{2}P_{\frac{1}{2}}$ state, and the metastable $^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ state of the two isotopes 69 and 71 of gallium has been made with the zero-moment method of atomic beams. Six zero-moment peaks, three for each isotope, of the metastable state and two, one for each isotope, of the ground state have been observed. It has been found that the h.f.s. energy levels for the higher state can be described by an equation of the form $E=\frac{\mathrm{aC}}{2}+bC(C+1)$, where "$a$" and "$b$" are the interval rule and quadrupole interaction constants, respectively. ${{\mathrm{Ga}}^{69}: \frac{b}{a}=0.0136\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0004,{\mathrm{Ga}}^{71}: \frac{b}{a}=0.0068\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0004}{b=(8.69\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.43)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1},b=(5.51\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.39)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}}{a=(6.39\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.12)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1},a=(8.11\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.11)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}.}$ From these the h.f.s. separations are ${\mathrm{Ga}}^{69}: \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}=(0.0362\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0007) {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}; {\mathrm{Ga}}^{71}: \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}=(0.0474\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0007) {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and the quadrupole moments are ${Q}^{69}=0.20\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}24} {\mathrm{cm}}^{2}; {Q}^{71}=0.13\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}24} {\mathrm{cm}}^{2}.$ The nuclear spins are verified to be $\frac{3}{2}$. From the zero-moment peaks of the normal state we obtain $\frac{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{71}}{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{69}}=\frac{{\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}}_{71}}{{\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}}_{69}}=1.270\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.006$ and these separations are ${\mathrm{Ga}}^{69}: \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}=(0.0897\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0011) {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}; {\mathrm{Ga}}^{71}: \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}=(0.1139\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0019) {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and from these the nuclear moments are ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{69}=2.11; {\ensuremath{\mu}}_{71}=2.69.$
High density W-UO2 by activated sintering

Abstract Activated sintering of Ni-doped W powders in hydrogen is well established and was confirmed at temperatures as low as 1100°C. The presence of considerable UO2, however, causes the Ni additive to lose much of its effect. The relative merits of Ni and/or TiO2 additives as activators in W-50 vol.% UO2 mixtures were investigated with regard to particle size and sintering cycle. At a temperature of 1700°C some of these W-50 vol.% UO2 compositions could be sintered to near theoretical density in 1 to 4 h. The effect of hydrogen and vacuum atmospheres on the sintered density of these materials was compared with similar effects observed for W and Re powders.
In vivo magnetic enrichment and multiplex photoacoustic detection of circulating tumour cells

The spread of cancer cells between organs, a process known as metastasis, is the cause of most cancer deaths. Detecting circulating tumour cells -- a common marker for the development of metastasis -- is difficult because ex vivo methods are not sensitive enough owing to limited blood sample volume and in vivo diagnosis is time-consuming as large volumes of blood must be analysed. Here, we show a way to magnetically capture circulating tumour cells in the bloodstream of mice followed by rapid photoacoustic detection. Magnetic nanoparticles, which were functionalized to target a receptor commonly found in breast cancer cells, bound and captured circulating tumour cells under a magnet. To improve detection sensitivity and specificity, gold-plated carbon nanotubes conjugated with folic acid were used as a second contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging. By integrating in vivo multiplex targeting, magnetic enrichment, signal amplification and multicolour recognition, our approach allows circulating tumour cells to be concentrated from a large volume of blood in the vessels of tumour-bearing mice, and this could have potential for the early diagnosis of cancer and the prevention of metastasis in humans.
Between heaven and Earth: the exploration of Titan.

The atmosphere of Titan represents a bridge between the early solar nebula and atmospheres like ours. The low abundances of primordial noble gases in Titan’s atmosphere relative to N2 suggest that the icy planetesimals that formed the satellite must have originated at temperatures higher than 75–100 K. Under these conditions, N2 would also be very poorly trapped and thus Titan’s nitrogen, like ours, must have arrived as nitrogen compounds, of which ammonia was likely the major component. This temperature constraint also argues against the trapping of methane. Production of this gas on the satellite after formation appears reasonable based on terrestrial examples of serpentinization, disproportionation and reduction of carbon. These processes require rocks, water, suitable catalysts and the variety of primordial carbon compounds that were plausibly trapped in Titan’s ices. Application of this same general scenario to Ganymede, Callisto, KBOs and conditions on the very early Earth seems promising.
FRESHWATER SPECIES OF ACHNANTHES BORY FROM HAWAII

We surveyed subaerial habitats on the four main islands of Hawaii, USA for freshwater algae to examine patterns of distribution and to search for endemic species. Habitats sampled included cliff faces that ranged in moisture content from very dry to periodically moist from groundwater fog and rain. In this report we focus on the species richness, distribution and morphology of the diatom genus Achnanthes sensu stricto. We document the distribution and morphology of Achnanthes inflata and describe five new species in this genus.
Mechanics of Biomacromolecular Networks Containing Folded Domains

The force-extension behavior of single modular biomacromolecules is known to exhibit a characteristic repeating pattern of a nonlinear rise in force with imposed displacement to a peak, followed by a significant force drop upon reaching the peak. This "saw-tooth" pattern is a result of stretch-induced unfolding of modules along the molecular chain and is speculated to play a governing role in the function of biological materials and structures. In this paper, constitutive models for the large strain deformation of networks of modular macromolecules are developed building directly from statistical mechanics based models of the single molecule force-extension behavior. The proposed two-dimensional network model has applicability to biological membrane skeletons and the three-dimensional network model emulates cytoskeletal networks, natural fibers, and soft biological tissues. Simulations of the uniaxial and multiaxial stress-strain behavior of these networks illustrate the macroscopic membrane and solid stretching conditions which activate unfolding in these microstructures. The models simultaneously track the evolution in underlying microstructural features with different macroscopic stretching conditions, including the evolution in molecular orientation and the forces acting on the constituent molecular chains and junctions. The effect of network pretension on the stress-strain behavior and the macroscopic stress and strain conditions which trigger unfolding are presented. The implications of the predicted stress-strain behaviors on a variety of biological materials are discussed.
Mitotic bookmarking by transcription factors

Mitosis is accompanied by dramatic changes in chromatin organization and nuclear architecture. Transcription halts globally and most sequence-specific transcription factors and co-factors are ejected from mitotic chromatin. How then does the cell maintain its transcriptional identity throughout the cell division cycle? It has become clear that not all traces of active transcription and gene repression are erased within mitotic chromatin. Many histone modifications are stable or only partially diminished throughout mitosis. In addition, some sequence-specific DNA binding factors have emerged that remain bound to select sites within mitotic chromatin, raising the possibility that they function to transmit regulatory information through the transcriptionally silent mitotic phase, a concept that has been termed “mitotic bookmarking.” Here we review recent approaches to studying potential bookmarking factors with regards to their mitotic partitioning, and summarize emerging ideas concerning the in vivo functions of mitotically bound nuclear factors.
Roux-en-Y divided gastric bypass results in the same weight loss as duodenal switch for morbid obesity

Background: The 2 weight loss procedures most commonly performed in the United States are Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) and lateral gastrectomy with duodenal switch (BPD/DS). RYGB is a restrictive procedure, whereas BPD/DS relies on mild restriction of intake as well as malabsorption. Many physicians believe that weight loss is greater after BPD/DS than after RYGBP. However, these procedures have not been compared using groups of patients operated on by the same surgeons at the same institution. Methods: We compared weight loss (expressed as percent of excess body weight [%EBW]) after 1 and 2 years in patients who underwent open RYGB or BPD/DS at our institution. Results: Average length of stay was longer in BPD/DS patients than in those undergoing RYGBP (8.7 vs. 5.9 days, P 0.05). Anastomotic leaks were higher after BPD/DS (6% vs. 3%), but the difference did not achieve statistical significance. Mortality did not differ between the 2 groups (0.8% vs. 0.9%). In the group of patients followed-up for 1 to 2 years, age and distribution of men and women did not differ. Those patients undergoing BPD/DS had higher body mass index (59 vs. 55, P0.05). Weight loss expressed as %EBW was similar between the 2 groups: 54% versus 53% at 1 year and 67% versus 64% at 2 years. Conclusions: Our data suggested that weight loss expressed as %EBW is similar between patients undergoing RYGBP and those undergoing BPD/DS. However, BPD/DS was associated with a longer hospital stay. © 2004 Excerpta Medica, Inc. All rights reserved.
Fundamental Properties of Aerosols Produced in Helium by a Direct Injection Nebulizer

Fundamental properties of aerosol produced in helium by a direct injection nebulizer (DIN) are determined on a whole-field and spatially resolved basis by using optical patternation and phase-Doppler particle analysis, respectively. The spray structure realized with argon requires a helium gas flow rate higher than the rate for argon. The helium-generated aerosol generally exhibits larger droplet sizes and volume flux, lower mean droplet velocities, and lower droplet number densities than aerosols produced with argon. These findings collectively suggest that helium plasmas should be cooled by the aerosol to a greater extent than argon plasmas.
PPARγ in bone homeostasis

The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ is a crucial cellular and metabolic switch that regulates many physiologic and disease processes. Emerging evidence reveals that PPARγ is also a key modulator of skeletal remodeling. Long-term use of rosiglitazone, a synthetic PPARγ agonist and a drug to treat insulin resistance, increases fracture rates among patients with diabetes. Recent studies have revealed that PPARγ activation not only suppresses osteoblastogenesis, but also activates osteoclastogenesis, thereby decreasing bone formation while sustaining or increasing bone resorption. The pro-osteoclastogenic effect of rosiglitazone is mediated by a transcriptional network comprised of PPARγ, PPAR-gamma coactivator 1β and estrogen-related receptor α, which promotes both osteoclast differentiation and mitochondrial activation. Therefore, PPARγ plays dual roles in bone homeostasis by regulating both mesenchymal and hematopoietic lineages.
Leibniz on the Metaphysics of Color

Drawing on remarks scattered through his writings, I argue that Leibniz has a highly distinctive and interesting theory of color. The central feature of the theory is the way in which it combines a nuanced subjectivism about color with a reductive approach of a sort usually associated with objectivist theories of color. After reconstructing Leibniz's theory and calling attention to some of its most notable attractions, I turn to the apparent incompatibility of its subjective and reductive components. I argue that this apparent tension vanishes in light of his rejection of a widely accepted doctrine concerning the nature of bodies and their geometrical qualities.
Separating reflections and lighting using independent components analysis

The image of an object can vary dramatically depending on lighting, specularities/reflections and shadows. It is often advantageous to separate these incidental variations from the intrinsic aspects of an image. This paper describes how the statistical tool of independent components analysis can be used to separate some of these incidental components. We describe the details of this method and show its efficacy with examples of separating reflections off glass, and separating the relative contributions of individual light sources.
Superhydrophobic polymer surface via solvent-induced crystallization

We report on a rapid, single-step method to produce large-area superhydrophobic surfaces via acetone-induced phase transformation of polycarbonate. Crystallization of the polymer leads to the formation of a hierarchical structure composed of microporous spherulites covered with nano-fibrils, and resulted in superhydrophobic wetting behavior. A systematic study of the dependence of surface morphology on the acetone treatment time was conducted to optimize the treatment time and to elucidate the structure formation mechanism. The resulting surfaces exhibit high contact angles, low contact angle hysteresis, and complete dewetting during droplet impact. Theoretical analysis of the wetting and anti-wetting pressures shows that the nano-scale morphology is critical for achieving droplet impact resistance. This simple phase transformation approach could be more broadly applied to other solvent-polymer systems for fabricating large-area hierarchical surface textures.
Introducing Psychology Majors to Clinical Bias Through the Adjective Generation Technique.

(1982). Introducing Psychology Majors to Clinical Bias Through the Adjective Generation Technique. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 238-239.
INACTIVATION OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES BIOFILMS BY ELECTROLYZED OXIDIZING WATER

This study investigates the resistance of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms on stainless steel surfaces to electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water. A direct agar overlay method was used to estimate the attached bacteria on stainless steel coupons after an EO water treatment. A scraping method was also used to quantify the adherent cell populations after the EO water treatment. The stainless steel surface allowed 10 to 15% of the surface area to be covered by Listeria biofilm when the inoculated stainless steel coupon was incubated in 10% tryptic soy broth (TSB) at 23C for 48 h. When the stainless steel coupons containing adherent cells were treated with EO water (56 mg/L of residual chlorine) for 10, 30, 60, 180, and 300 s, adherent cell populations (10.3 log 10 CFU/coupon) were reduced with increasing treatment time. Although the direct agar overlay methods do not quantify survival of single bacteria, only one to five cell clumps per coupon survived after 300 s of the EO water treatment. Using the scraping method, the adherent cell population on the stainless steel coupons was reduced by about 9 log cycles after 300 s of EO water treatment.
Voltage clamp simulation.

The voltage clamp experiment on the squid giant axon is successful because of the special characteristics of the preparation: cylindrical shape, large diameter, and so on. The method is much more difficult to apply to small cells and to networks of cells because voltage gradients and unwanted stray impedances are not readily eliminated. Simulation of the voltage clamp experiment is proposed as a method for determining when these factors and the characteristics of the clamp electronics affect the experimental results, for evaluating experimental techniques for improving the quality of the clamp, and as a possible method of learning something about the membrane when no experimental improvement is feasible. The numerical methods for including one spatial variable in the analysis are reviewed briefly. Several examples of voltage clamp simulations are discussed: double sucrose gap clamp of axons, clamp of the giant synapse, single sucrose gap clamp of cardiac muscle bundles, point clamp of the end of a fiber bundle, and the steady-state three-microelectrode clamp of a cable with nonlinear membrane. The results indicate that the quality of a clamp cannot be evaluated from the voltage and current records as commonly measured.—Kootsey, J. M. Voltage clamp simulation. Federation Proc. 34: 1343–1349, 1975.
Digital background calibration of redundant split-flash ADC in 45nm CMOS

This paper presents a redundant flash ADC using a “Split-ADC” calibration structure and lookup-table-based correction. ADC input capacitance is minimized through use of small, power efficient comparators; redundancy is used to tolerate the resulting large offset voltages. Correction of errors and estimation of calibration parameters are performed in the background in the digital domain. This 5.8 ENOB flash ADC is designed for a sampling rate of 1Gs/s in 45nm SOI CMOS.
Oligospecificity of the Cellular Adhesion Receptor MAC-1 Encompasses an Inducible Recognition Specificity for Fibrinogen

Mitogenesis, cellular aggregation, and motility follow upon the interaction of fibrinogen with certain defined cell surface receptors. In addition to circulating platelets and vascular endothelium, monocytes express what appears to be a receptor for fibrinogen. Evidence is presented here that the leukocyte adhesion receptor Mac-1 can be specifically induced to bind fibrinogen with characteristics immunochemically and functionally distinct from the established Arg-Gly-Asp-directed fibrinogen receptors. The competence of Mac-1 as a fibrinogen receptor is a general property of cells of monocyte and myeloid lineage acquired after maturational changes of some regions of the alpha subunit of Mac-1 during the process of cell differentiation. This ligand recognition specificity of Mac-1 is lacking for the resting cell. Rather, induction of fibrinogen binding capacity of Mac-1 is due to a cellular response to selected agonists characterized by inducing rapid transients of cytosolic Ca2+. Although different in activation pathways and recognition specificity, Mac-1 exhibits an oligospecific ligand versatility characteristic of other homologous Arg-Gly-Asp-directed adhesion receptors.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging–Based Characterization of Brain Neurodevelopment in Primates

Primate neuroimaging provides a critical opportunity for understanding neurodevelopment. Yet the lack of a normative description has limited the direct comparison with changes in humans. This paper presents for the ﬁrst time a cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study characterizing primate brain neurodevelopment between 1 and 6 years of age on 25 healthy undisturbed rhesus monkeys (14 male, 11 female). A comprehensive analysis including region-of-interest, voxel-wise, and ﬁber tract–based approach demonstrated signiﬁcant changes of DTI properties over time. Changes in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) exhibited a heterogeneous pattern across different regions as well as along ﬁber tracts. Most of these patterns are similar to those from human studies yet a few followed unique patterns. Overall, we observed substantial increase in FA and AD and a decrease in RD for white matter (WM) along with similar yet smaller changes in gray matter (GM). We further observed an overall posterior-to-anterior trend in DTI property changes over time and strong correlations between WM and GM development. These DTI trends provide crucial insights into underlying age-related biological maturation, including myelination, axonal density changes, ﬁber tract reorganization, and synaptic pruning processes.