cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of static pressure on the disappearance rate of specific echocardiographic contrast agents.

Contrast echocardiography has been applied to identify cardiac structures, shunts, and perfusion territories. Most recently, quantification of flow has been proposed based on disappearance of contrast intensity. This requires that contrast agents are stable and produce a predictable effect. To assess the possible effect of pressure on their stability, the rates of backscatter decay of four echocardiography contrast agents (Albunex, Levovist, agitated Angiovist, and agitated saline solution) exposed to constant pressures (0, 50,100,150, and 200 mm Hg) were quantitated. Contrast was recorded by echocardiography and measured to construct time-intensity curves. The peak decay rate for each agent at each pressure was determined. For all four agents, contrast intensity (I) decreased over time and could be described by the sigmoid function: {ie}. Peak decay rate was significantly affected by pressure ( p p
Chronic pain: An addiction

Chronic pain is distinguished from persistent pain and it is proposed that chronic pain involves addiction to the endogenous opioid system. Even when the organic lesions responsible for pain are removed, chronic pain can be maintained as an internal state preventing the withdrawal or abstinence syndrome associated with endorphins and enkephalins.
Advanced substrate thinning process for GaAs-based devices

We developed an optimized substrate removal process for GaAs-based opto-electronic devices by establishing a reliable two-step process. In this process, the substrate is first thinned by mechanical lapping and then followed by selective high density plasma etching. The adopted inductively coupled plasma etching, having an optimized boron trichloride (BCl3)/sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)/argon composition, shows a nearly infinite etching selectivity for the GaAs substrate over the aluminum gallium arsenide (AlxGa1-xAs) etch-stop layer. The surface of the die is perfectly smooth and mirror-like after processing. In addition to its simplicity, the process is also highly reproducible and shows no damage to the underlying detector material.
Effects of irradiance on nutrient uptake, growth and cold hardiness of Viburnum opulus L. 'Nanum'.

Abstract Viburnum opulus L. ‘Nanum’ was grown under 100, 70, 53 and 37% of available sun. Heavy shade and full sun decreased foliar N content, while P and K contents were constant at all light levels. Plants receiving 70 and 53% of available sunlight grew significantly larger than plants in full sunlight or heavy shade. Heavy shade also decreased cold hardiness in late winter.
An objective approach for classifying precipitation patterns to study climatic effects on tree growth.

Abstract This study applied the simple, quantitative method of statistical cluster analysis to the task of objectively classifying precipitation patterns over northern California into paternally homogeneous regions. The statistical clustering results were then combined with geographical information to generate regional precipitation indices and study the relationship between precipitation levels and tree growth over specific areas. Generating regional indices replaces the often-used practice of associating growth rates with precipitation data from a single, ‘remote’ weather station, a station located outside the tree growth plot. Use of regional precipitation information generated in this manner can significantly improve the accuracy of growth predictions.
Experimental evidence for Plotkin model of shock unsteadiness in separated flow

Experimental evidence is presented in support of a model of separation shock unsteadiness developed by Plotkin [AIAA J. 13, 1036 (1975)]. Under this model, the position of the separation shock follows linearly damped Brownian motion. The model describes the manner in which relatively broad-band perturbations in the incoming flow lead to relatively low-frequency motion of the separation shock. Close agreement was found between the predictions of the model and the autospectra and autocorrelations of wall pressure fluctuations and shock position fluctuations for several blunt fin flows at Mach 3 and Mach 5. Given the similarity of the power spectra of wall-pressure fluctuations for a variety of separated, supersonic flows, this description may have broad applicability.
Fatal Pneumocystis pneumonia in a child treated for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

A 4-year-old female with nephrotic syndrome secondary to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) was treated with pulse methylprednisolone and chlorambucil therapy. She subsequently developed fatalPneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). This is the first report of a pediatric patient whose treatment for FSGS resulted in PCP raising the issue of PCP prophylaxis for these patients.
Similarities in Protozoan and Flatworm Habituation Behaviour

ONE problem in the study of habituation in protozoa is that similar results, given the same experimental manipulations, may not be obtained in metazoa. I shall compare habituation behaviour in the protozoan Spirostomum with that in the micrometazoan Rhabdocoel flatworm Stenostomum; it remains to be shown whether there is a correspondence between protozoa and metazoa both in behaviour and in their underlying chemical processes. Both these organisms contract in response to mechanical and touch stimuli: when subjected to repeated stimulation, they habituate1. Furthermore, the more intense the stimulus, the longer it takes for habituation to occur1.
Bioassay of different formulations of aspirin by means of human EEG

Several commercial formulations of aspirin were compared for potency and duration of action. Quantitative human EEG was employed as the bioassay. The effects of aspirin as determined by this technique are highly reproducible and dose-related, resembling qualitatively the effects of common “antianxiety” drugs. The results show that differences in formulation lead to differences in pharmacological effect.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE STANDING CROP OF FORAMINIFERA IN SUBLITTORAL AND PSAMMOLITTORAL COMMUNITIES OF A LONG ISLAND SALT MARSH.

Representative samples from the epiphytic and psammolittoral communities were made during the summer of 1968 in North Sea Harbor, Southampton, Long Island, USA. In the epiphytic communities, the foraminifera were very patchy; 2.6% of the total samples accounted for 56.4% of the total foraminifera collected. The standing crop and species composition of the foraminifera changed throughout the summer. Two seasonal peaks were observed in the epiphytes. In early summer Protelphidium tisburyensis was the dominant form. In late July and August Elphidium incertum was dominant. Taken as a whole over the entire summer, the following species comprised the epiphytic foraminiferan community: Elphidium incertum (46.63%); Protelphidium tisburyensis (25.64%); Ammotium salsum (9.88%); Elphidium clavatum (6.74%); E. translucens (3.47%); Ammonia beccarii (2.83%); Ammobaculites dilatatus (2.08%); Trochammina inflata (1.8%); Elphidium advenum (< 1%); E. galvestonense (< 1%); E. gunteri (< 1%); Quinqueloculina lata (< 1%); Q. seminulum (< 1%) and Trochammina macrescens (< 1%). Although fewer species were found, many more foraminifera live in the benthos than in the epiphytic community. Taken as a whole, over the entire summer, the following species comprised the foraminifera in the psammolittoral community: Trochammina inflata (49.6%); Elphidium incertum (31.8%); Ammotium salsum (10.9%); Quinqueloculina seminulum (4.2%); Elphidium sp. (1.5); Protelphidium tisburyensis (0.9%); Ammonia beccarii (0.7%); Elphidium clavatum (< 0.1%); and E. translucens (< 0.1%). Three species, Ammotium salsum, Elphidium incertum and Trochammina inflata bloomed successively in the psammolittoral community. The distribution of the latter two species was correlated with the vertical and horizontal changes of grain size; Elphidium incertum distribution clustered around a median grain size of 0.1 mm, whereas Trochammina inflata clustered around a median grain size of 0.46 mm. The sediments were sampled both at high and low tide. No evidence was obtained to suggest migration of foraminifera through the sediments as a function of tidal cycle. Horizontal distribution of the foraminifera in the marsh was correlated with the flow patterns of very small rivulets in the study area. With respect to many species of foraminifera, the overlying epiphytic communities are not continuous with the psammolittoral communities below them in the water column. Protelphidium tisburyensis was an early summer dominant epiphyte, but was rare in the psammolittoral communities. Trochammina inflata, on the other hand, was dominant in the coarser, deeper sediments and was rare in the epiphytic community. Elphidium incertum is presumably a generalist species. It formed half the foraminiferan population throughout the water column. Ammotium salsum was also abundant in both communities.
Rare-Earth-Iron Exchange Interaction in the Garnets. II. Exchange Potential for Ytterbium

To determine the magnitude of the anisotropy of the ytterbium-iron (Yb-Fe) exchange interaction we have evaluated the exchange splittings of the lowest $^{2}F_{\frac{5}{2}}$ and $^{2}F_{\frac{7}{2}}$ doublets of ytterbium (${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$) in ytterbium iron garnet (YbIG). By using the wave functions of ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ in yttrium gallium garnet (those for YbIG are not known) we are able to express these splittings in terms of ten parameters which characterize the anisotropy of the exchange interaction. As there are only six experimental splittings it is necessary to reduce the number of unknowns by assuming: (1) that the rare-earth-iron (RE-Fe) exchange interaction takes place through the neighboring eight oxygen ions, and (2) (somewhat more uncertainly) that the rare-earth-oxygen (RE-O) exchange interaction is axial about the RE-O axis. This leads us to express the exchange splittings in two sets of four exchange constants. We find a good four-parameter fit of the experimental exchange splittings by adopting essentially zero values for the rare-earth-ferric ion exchange interactions that take place through the four nearest oxygen ions. This result corroborates qualitative conjectures on the RE-Fe exchange based on superexchange bonding angles. The validity of the extrapolation of the anisotropy of the Yb-Fe exchange interaction to other rare earths is discussed.
Sector-scanning echocardiography

The mechanical sector scanner is described in detail, and its clinical application is discussed. Cross sectional images of the heart are obtained in real time using this system. The sector scanner has three major components: (a) hand held scanner, (b) video display, and (c) video recorder. The system provides diagnostic information in a wide spectrum of cardiac diseases, and it quantitates the severity of mitral stenosis by measurement of the mitral valve orifice area in diagnosing infants, children and adults with cyanotic congenital heart disease.
The Web: For Sharing or Snaring?

Editor-in-chief Norman Chonacky explores Web technology and its implications for CiSE magazine, in particular.
Resonance Raman studies of cytochrome c' support the binding of NO and CO to opposite sides of the heme: implications for ligand discrimination in heme-based sensors.

Resonance Raman (RR) studies have been conducted on Alcaligenes xylosoxidans cytochrome c‘, a mono-His ligated hemoprotein which reversibly binds NO and CO but not O2. Recent crystallographic characterization of this protein has revealed the first example of a hemoprotein which can utilize both sides of its heme (distal and proximal) for binding exogenous ligands to its Fe center. The present RR investigation of the Fe coordination and heme pocket environments of ferrous, carbonyl, and nitrosyl forms of cytochrome c‘ in solution fully supports the structures determined by X-ray crystallography and offers insights into mechanisms of ligand discrimination in heme-based sensors. Ferrous cytochrome c‘ reacts with CO to form a six-coordinate heme−CO complex, whereas reaction with NO results in cleavage of the proximal linkage to give a five-coordinate heme−NO adduct, despite the relatively high stretching frequency (231 cm-1) of the ferrous Fe−N(His) bond. RR spectra of the six-coordinate CO adduct indicate th...
Development of a Novel Genus-specific Real-time PCR Assay for Detection and Differentiation of Bartonella Species and Genotypes

ABSTRACT The genus Bartonella includes numerous species with varied host associations, including several that infect humans. Development of a molecular diagnostic method capable of detecting the diverse repertoire of Bartonella species while maintaining genus specificity has been a challenge. We developed a novel real-time PCR assay targeting a 301-bp region of the ssrA gene of Bartonella and demonstrated specific amplification in over 30 Bartonella species, subspecies, and strains. Subsequent analysis of ssrA sequences was sufficient to discriminate Bartonella species and provided phylogenetic data consistent with that of gltA, a commonly used gene for differentiating Bartonella genotypes. Using this assay, we identified Bartonella DNA in 29% and 47% of blood specimens from elk in Wyoming and cattle in the Republic of Georgia, respectively. Sequence analysis of a subset of genotypes from elk specimens revealed a cluster most closely related to Bartonella capreoli, and genotypes from cattle were identified as Bartonella bovis, both Bartonella species commonly found in wild and domestic ruminants. Considering the widespread geographic distribution and infectivity potential to a variety of hosts, this assay may be an effective diagnostic method for identification of Bartonella infections in humans and have utility in Bartonella surveillance studies.
Resource Allocation and Military Budgetary Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT While scholars have tried to explain the variation in spending by African countries on conventional forces or auxiliary forces, no study has been done that compares the resource allocation process for both. Governments elect to spend more money on conventional forces when faced with military conflicts as opposed to potential threats. By contrast, interstate conflicts suppress spending on irregular forces. The best predictor of state spending on auxiliary organizations involves domestic factors such as the existence of a civilian government. The most surprising finding is that spending on conventional and auxiliary forces is not always an “either/or” decision.
The formation of vortex streets

The formation of vortex streets in the wake of two-dimensional bluff bodies can be explained by considering the non-linear interaction of two infinite vortex sheets, initially a fixed distance, h, apart, in an inviscid incompressible fluid. The interaction of such sheets (represented in the calculation by rows of point-vortices) is examined in detail for various ratios of h to the wavelength, a, of the initial disturbance. The number and strength of the concentrated regions of vorticity formed in the interaction depend very strongly on h/a. The non-linear interaction of the two vortex sheets explains both the cancellation of vorticity and vortex-street broadening observed in the wakes of bluff bodies.
Biomedical image representation and classification using an entropy weighted probabilistic concept feature space

This paper presents a novel approach to biomedical image representation for classification by mapping image regions to local concepts and represent images in a weighted entropy based probabilistic feature space. In a heterogeneous collection of medical images, it is possible to identify specific local patches that are perceptually and/or semantically distinguishable. The variation of these patches is effectively modeled as local concepts based on their low-level features as inputs to a multi-class SVM classifier. The probability of occurrence of each concept in an image is measured by spreading and normalizing each region’s class confidence score based on the probabilistic output of the classifier. Furthermore, importance of concepts is measured as Shannon entropy based on pixel values of image patches and used to refine the feature vector to overcome the limitation of the “TF-IDF”- based weighting. In addition, to take the localization information of concepts into consideration, each image each segmented into five overlapping regions and local concept feature vectors are generated from those regions to finally obtain a combined semi-global feature vector. A systematic evaluation of image classification on two biomedical image data sets demonstrates improvement of more than 10% for the proposed feature representation approach compared to the commonly used low level and visual word-based approaches.
Lentiviral vector delivery of human interleukin-7 (hIL-7) to human immune system (HIS) mice expands T lymphocyte populations.

Genetically modified mice carrying engrafted human tissues provide useful models to study human cell biology in physiologically relevant contexts. However, there remain several obstacles limiting the compatibility of human cells within their mouse hosts. Among these is inadequate cross-reactvitiy between certain mouse cytokines and human cellular receptors, depriving the graft of important survival and growth signals. To circumvent this problem, we utilized a lentivirus-based delivery system to express physiologically relevant levels of human interleukin-7 (hIL-7) in Rag2-/-γc-/- mice following a single intravenous injection. hIL-7 promoted homeostatic proliferation of both adoptively transferred and endogenously generated T-cells in Rag2-/-γc-/- Human Immune System (HIS) mice. Interestingly, we found that hIL-7 increased T lymphocyte numbers in the spleens of HIV infected HIS mice without affecting viral load. Taken together, our study unveils a versatile approach to deliver human cytokines to HIS mice, to both improve engraftment and determine the impact of cytokines on human diseases.
Treatment of fractures of the radius and ulna with compression plates.

An extended evaluation of the ASIF compression apparatus in the treatment of forearm fractures was begun in April 1965. One hundred and nineteen compression plates were applied in seventy-eight patients whose average follow-up was twenty-nine months. Plates were applied to both radius and ulna in twenty-eight patients with fractures of both bones; to the radius of thirteen patients whose fracture of the ulna was treated by closed reduction (six patients) or by an intramedullary rod (seven patients); to the radius in twenty-one patients with fractures in the distal one third of the radius (Galeazzi or Piedmont fractures); to the radius only in fourteen patients with other types of fracture of the radius; and to the ulna only in two patients with fractures of the ulna. All fractures primarily treated by compression plate fixation healed but two required subsequent bone-grafting for non-union. There were ten infections associated with compression plate fixation and loss of fixation occurred four times. Failure of fixation could be attributed to a technical error in four instances. Significant restriction of motion in the adjacent joint or joints occurred in seventeen patients; however, only seven of them did not return to their usual occupation. If the seven adult patients who had compression plate fixation of the radius and intramedullary fixation of the ulna are excluded, restriction of motion occurred in only ten of seventy-one patients and only five of seventy-one patients did not return to their usual occupation.
INVESTIGATING THE CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY OF THE TOEFL® SPEAKING SCORES FOR ITA SCREENING AND SETTING STANDARDS FOR ITAS

Although the primary use of the speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language™ Internet-based test (TOEFL® iBT Speaking test) is to inform admissions decisions at English medium universities, it may also be useful as an initial screening measure for international teaching assistants (ITAs). This study provides criterion-related validity evidence for the use of TOEFL iBT Speaking for ITA screening and evaluates the effectiveness of using the scores for teaching assistantship (TA) assignment classification. Four universities participated in this study. Local ITA-screening tests or instructor recommendations were used as the criterion measures. Relationships between the TOEFL Speaking test and the local ITA tests were explored through observed and disattenuated correlations. These relationships were moderately strong, supporting the use of the TOEFL Speaking test for ITA screening. However, the strengths of the relationship between the TOEFL Speaking test and the local ITA tests were found to be somewhat different across universities depending on the extent to which the local test engaged and evaluated nonlanguage abilities. Implications of these findings are discussed. Binary and ordinal logistic regressions were used to investigate how effective TOEFL Speaking scores were in separating students into distinct TA assignment categories. At all four universities, TOEFL Speaking scores were significant predictors of students' TA assignments and were fairly accurate in classifying students for TA assignments. ROC curves were used to determine TOEFL Speaking cut scores for TA assignments at each university that would minimize false positives (i.e., true nonpasses classified as passes). The results have considerable potential value in providing guidance on using the TOEFL iBT Speaking scores for ITA screening.
A high-efficiency linear polar transmitter for EDGE

This paper discusses a linear polar transmitter for EDGE signals with a total DC-to-RF efficiency of 56%. The transmitter is digitally-controlled, allowing for adjustments of delay, phase and amplitude. The amplifier is a 880-MHz class-E high-efficiency circuit with +20 dBm output power and a PAE of 70%. Two different supply modulators are compared: a 18% efficient linear envelope tracker and a 79% efficient switched-mode envelope tracker. The transmitter meets the EDGE spectral mask for both cases, showing that a high-efficiency amplifier can be linearized with a maintained high overall efficiency.
Developing and Validating a Socio-Technical Model for Geographically Distributed Collaboration in Global Virtual Teams

As technological developments continue to enable broader adoption of geographically-distributed collaboration practices in academic, industrial, governmental and non-profit organizations around the world, it has become critical for scholars and practitioners to be able to assess and predict the effectiveness of virtual organizations (VOs) and the global virtual teams (GVTs) that comprise them. This study provides a comprehensive review of the literature on the social and technical factors thought to influence VOs and GVTs, and proposes an integrative ten-factor sociotechnical model for their study and implementation. We then use computer-assisted content analysis to validate the model on a large sample of interdisciplinary literature. Finally, we provide recommendations for further empirical testing of the model on existing virtual organizations. From this work, we hope to encourage a more comprehensive understanding of the social and technical factors affecting VOs.
High‐speed video observations of a natural negative stepped leader and subsequent dart‐stepped leader

[1] We present new high-speed video observations of a natural negative stepped leader and a subsequent negative dart-stepped leader. Observations were made at a distance of 770 m using a high-speed video camera at 10,000 frames per second, a microwave-frequency radio receiver, a broadband electric field antenna, and an avalanche photodiode array. Lightning leader breakdown was observed in detail for both the negative stepped leader and the subsequent dart-stepped leader. During the negative stepped leader breakdown, detailed images were captured of the discharge structures near the leader tips. These structures bear a remarkable resemblance to the corona streamer zone and space leader discharges that have been observed in laboratory-generated negative stepped leaders. During the dart-stepped leader breakdown, no corona streamer zone was observed outside of the decaying return stroke channel, but small luminous structures that are suggestive of space leaders were observed just ahead of the main dart leader tip. Two distinct low-luminosity zones were observed just ahead of the dart leader tip, suggestive of two distinct breakdown regimes. A multipath junction was observed in the main channel to ground following the first return stroke but was not observed following the second return stroke. Finally, microwave-frequency radio emissions for both leader types and their return strokes were recorded, and their time domain behavior is compared and discussed.
Package Auctions and Exchanges

We report recent advances concerning the package allocation problem, in which traders seek to buy or sell combinations of goods. The problems are most difficult when some goods are not substitutes. In that case, competitive equilibrium typically fail to exist but the core is non-empty and comprises the competitive solutions. Also in that case, the Vickrey auction fails to select core allocations and yield revenues that are less than competitive. The Ausubel-Milgrom auction generally selects core allocations and, when goods are substitutes, prescribes the Vickrey allocation. We also evaluate the problems and promise of mechanisms for the package exchange problem.
Plasma wakefield acceleration utilizing multiple election bunches

We investigate various plasma wakefield accelerator schemes that rely on multiple electron bunches to drive a large amplitude plasma wave, which are followed by a witness bunch at a phase where it will sample the high acceleration gradient and gain energy. Experimental verifications of various two bunch schemes are available in the literature; here we provide analytical calculations and numerical simulations of the wakefield dependency and the transformer ratio when M drive bunches and one witness bunch are fed into a high density plasma, where M is between 2 and 10. This is a favorable setup since the bunches can be adjusted such that the transformer ratio and the efficiency of the accelerator are enhanced compared to single bunch schemes. The possibility of a five bunch ILC afterburner to accelerate a witness bunch from 100 GeV to 500 GeV is also examined.
Implicit flux-split schemes for the Euler equations

Recent progress in the development of implicit algorithms for the Euler equations using the flux-vector splitting method is described. Comparisons of the relative efficiency of relaxation and spatially-split approximately factored methods on a vector processor for two-dimensional flows are made. For transonic flows, the higher convergence rate per iteration of the Gauss-Seidel relaxation algorithms, which are only partially vectorizable, is amply compensated for by the faster computational rate per iteration of the approximately factored algorithm. For supersonic flows, the fully-upwind line-relaxation method is more efficient since the numerical domain of dependence is more closely matched to the physical domain of dependence. A hybrid three-dimensional algorithm using relaxation in one coordinate direction and approximate factorization in the cross-flow plane is developed and applied to a forebody shape at supersonic speeds and a swept, tapered wing at transonic speeds.
Immunomodulatory effects of human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhuGM-CSF): evidence of antitumour activity.

Human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhuGM-CSF) is traditionally used as supportive care for patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy or haematopoietic cell progenitor mobilisation. Emerging evidence suggests rhuGM-CSF, through activity on monocytes and dendritic cells, acts as a potent modulator of immune responses and has the ability to recruit inflammatory cells and cytokines to local and systemic sites of infection. The immunomodulatory effects of rhuGM-CSF suggest the potential to enhance innate and acquired immune responses against tumour-related antigens. Enhancement of innate antitumour immunity, especially in the context of minimal residual disease, is of central importance and presents the potential for meaningful contributions to long-term disease survival. This article discusses the immunomodulatory effects of rhuGM-CSF in the context of single-agent therapy in solid tumours, as well as combination therapy in lymphoma. In addition, dendritic cell modulation wit...
Electrospun Polymer-Fiber Solar Cell

A novel electrospun polymer-fiber solar cell was synthesized by electrospinning a 1 : 2.5 weight% ratio mixture of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) resulting in bulk heterojunctions. Electrospinning is introduced as a technique that may increase polymer solar cell efficiency, and a list of advantages of the technique applied to solar cells is discussed. The device achieved a power conversion efficiency of %. The absorption and photoluminescence of MEH-PPV nanofibers are compared to thin films of the same material. Electrospun nanofibers are discussed as a favorable structure for application in polymer solar cells.
The 2003 Leona Tyler Award Address: Making Race a Matter of Individual Differences Within Groups

The effects of race, defined as individual-difference variables, on Black test takers'performance on tests of cognitive ability, knowledge, and skills have not been investigated in the traditional scholarly testing literature. Moreover, the scholarly testing community has been unwilling to consider this alternative conceptualization of race as a viable explanation for differences in test scores among racial groups. I argue that racial individualdifference variables sometimes account for enough variance among Black test takers' scores to explain the Black-White test score disparity.
Design and Analysis of Defection-Proof MAC Protocols Using a Repeated Game Framework

It is well-known that medium access control (MAC) protocols are vulnerable to the selfish behavior of nodes, which often results in inefficient use of resources. In this work, we aim to overcome this inefficiency by constructing a class of defection-proof MAC protocols in the context of slotted multiple access communications. The operation of the proposed protocols can be divided into a review phase and a reciprocation phase. In a review phase, nodes cooperate and collect signals on the behavior of other nodes. At the end of a review phase, nodes perform a statistical test independently to determine whether there has been a defecting node in the system. In a reciprocation phase, a node cooperates if it concludes that no defection has occurred and carries out a punishment otherwise. We provide sufficient conditions for protocols to be defection-proof against a constant defection strategy and to achieve an arbitrarily small efficiency loss. We analyze an example of a statistical test based on which we can build protocols that satisfy the sufficient conditions.
The response of bone to unloading

Skeletal unloading leads to decreased bone formation and decreased bone mass. Bone resorption is uncoupled from bone formation, contributing to the bone loss. During spaceflight bone is lost principally from the bones most loaded in the 1-g environment, and some redistribution of bone from the lower extremities to the head appears to take place. Although changes in calcitropic hormones have been demonstrated during skeletal unloading (PTH and 1,25(OH)2D decrease), it remains unclear whether such changes account for or are in response to the changes in bone formation and resorption. Bed rest studies with human volunteers and hindlimb elevation studies with rats have provided useful data to help explain the changes in bone formation during spaceflight. These models of skeletal unloading reproduce a number of the conditions associated with microgravity, and the findings from such studies confirm many of the observations made during spaceflight. Determining the mechanism(s) by which loading of bone is sensed and translated into a signal(s) controlling bone formation remains the holy grail in this field. Such investigations couple biophysics to biochemistry to cell and molecular biology. Although studies with cell cultures have revealed biochemical responses to mechanical loads comparable to that seen in intact bone, it seems likely that matrix-cell interactions underlie much of the mechanocoupling. The role for systemic hormones such as PTH, GH, and 1,25(OH)2D compared to locally produced factors such as IGF-I, PTHrP, BMPs, and TGF-beta in modulating the cellular response to load remains unclear. As the mechanism(s) by which bone responds to mechanical load with increased bone formation are further elucidated, applications of this knowledge to other etiologies of osteoporosis are likely to develop. Skeletal unloading provides a perturbation in bone mineral homeostasis that can be used to understand the mechanisms by which bone mineral homeostasis is maintained, with the expectation that such understanding will lead to effective treatment for disuse osteoporosis.
Exact 1-Norm Support Vector Machines Via Unconstrained Convex Differentiable Minimization

Support vector machines utilizing the 1-norm, typically set up as linear programs (Mangasarian, 2000; Bradley and Mangasarian, 1998), are formulated here as a completely unconstrained minimization of a convex differentiable piecewise-quadratic objective function in the dual space. The objective function, which has a Lipschitz continuous gradient and contains only one additional finite parameter, can be minimized by a generalized Newton method and leads to an exact solution of the support vector machine problem. The approach here is based on a formulation of a very general linear program as an unconstrained minimization problem and its application to support vector machine classification problems. The present approach which generalizes both (Mangasarian, 2004) and (Fung and Mangasarian, 2004) is also applied to nonlinear approximation where a minimal number of nonlinear kernel functions are utilized to approximate a function from a given number of function values.
Crop yield is correlated with honey bee hive density but not in high-woodland landscapes

Abstract Honey bees are the most important managed pollinator worldwide and are vital to the success of modern agriculture. Native, wild bees are also important pollinators in both natural and agricultural systems, and are highly sensitive to habitat in the surrounding landscape. Few studies, however, have considered how managed honey bees, and their effectiveness as crop pollinators, may be influenced by variation in the surrounding landscape. If honey bees are influenced by areas outside of the crop fields in which they are placed, their effectiveness as crop pollinators could be diminished. The goal of this study was to determine whether the relationship between honey bee hive density and crop yield varies with the composition of the surrounding landscape. We collected historical (2000–2011) data on yield and honey bee hive stocking density from 38 commercial cranberry growers in central Wisconsin. Using mixed-model regression analyses we found that cranberry yield was strongly, positively correlated with hive density but this effect diminished as the proportion of the surrounding landscape in woodland increased. Thus, at cranberry marshes in low-woodland landscapes (e.g.,
Food intake and gastric emptying in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes

Recent studies suggest that the rate of nutrient transit through the upper gastrointestract may provide cues that are important to the control of food intake. We examined gastrointestinal function in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and related these findings to concomitant changes in food intake. Control and diabetic rats were adapted to one of two isocaloric diets either high in carbohydrate or fat. Control rats ate similar amounts of each diet. In contrast, diabetic animals fed high-carbohydrate diet were hyperphagic, whereas those fed low-carbohydrate diet ate normal amounts of food. Gastric emptying, intestinal mass, disaccharidase activity, and glucose absorption were increased in normophagic diabetic rats fed a low-carbohydrate diet. Feeding diabetic rats high-carbohydrate diet potentiated each of these effects, and food intake was highly correlated with rate of gastric emptying. These and other results indicate that diabetes enhances gastric emptying and intestinal carbohydrate digestion and absorption, even in the absence of hyperphagia. Consequently, the hyperphagia of diabetic rats may be in part a behavioral response to a greatly accelerated clearance of nutrients from the upper gastrointestinal tract that occurs when these animals are fed diets rich in carbohydrate.
Cure cycle optimization of an inorganic polymer matrix material for high temperature fiber reinforced composites

Abstract We investigated the potential effects of inorganic polymer processing conditions on the residual stress generation of fiber reinforced inorganic polymer matrix composites. By optimizing various stages of processing it was found that process-induced shrinkage can be reduced by as much as 20%, while simultaneously, the compression strength can be improved by over 30% compared to baseline processing parameters. Further with the optimization of the process parameters, the pore diameter reduced by over 65%, while the relative density increased by a little over 5%. These results suggest high temperature dimensional stability and reduced pore content. Also SEM images indicate a continuous thermodynamic transformation in the bonding strength between the precipitated particles. Thus, it is demonstrated that, through the process modification, a path exists to reduced cure shrinkage, high mechanical strength and thermodynamic stability that results in a potential reduction in residual stresses in continuous fiber reinforced, inorganic matrix composites.
Electrical Conductivity in Praseodymium-Cerium Oxide

The electrical conductivity of PrxCe1-xO2-δ (PCO) for 0 ≤ × ≤ 0.20 was examined over a wide range of temperatures and oxygen partial pressures. A defect model based on multiple Pr valence states was found to be qualitatively consistent with the observed data. A unique pO2-dependent ionic conductivity is observed at high pO2 values in compositions containing low levels of Pr (0 ≤ × ≤ 0.01). In compositions containing higher amounts of Pr (0.05 ≤ × ≤ 0.20), formation of a Pr induced impurity band results in a significant electronic conductivity at high pO2 values.
LBGT Elders in Rural Settings, Small Towns, and Frontier Regions

Rural areas have a higher percentage of older adults than the rest of the USA and are expected to experience the greatest increase in this age group, as many rural areas are becoming retirement communities. This chapter presents a trans-disciplinary examination of issues relevant to LGBT elders in rural settings (RS), small towns (ST), and frontier regions (FR). Information is presented on the characteristics of these areas, a profile of LGBT elders in these settings, issues of isolation and survival strategies, healthcare concerns and disclosure, and issues about integrated services and policy. For many LGBT elders, geographic location, in tandem with social, cultural, and economic issues, is a significant factor that influences how LGBT individuals experience aging.
Detection of residual leukemia by the polymerase chain reaction and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for AKR leukemia: a murine model for minimal residual disease.

Disease relapse after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a major cause of treatment failure and is thought to evolve from clinically occult residual disease in the recipient. However, the demonstration of minimal residual disease (MRD) in individual patients is of uncertain prognostic significance because the detection of residual disease has not consistently correlated with subsequent relapse. Moreover, the optimal therapeutic approach in patients with MRD after allogeneic BMT is unknown. The study of these issues has been hindered by the lack of clinically relevant animal models. In this report, we characterize a novel murine model for the study of MRD after allogeneic BMT. This model was designed to simulate high-risk BMT in humans in which patients receive transplants in relapse and disease recurrence in the major cause of treatment failure. The H-2-compatible, mixed lymphocyte culture nonreactive murine strains, AKR (H-2k) and CBA (H-2k), were chosen to parallel marrow transplants from HLA-matched siblings, which represent the majority of allo-transplants in humans. Male AKR leukemia cells were used in female donor/host chimeras permitting the Y chromosome to serve as a leukemia-specific marker for MRD. Detection of residual male leukemia cells in the peripheral blood of the primary host was facilitated by use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization (SSOPH). Use of PCR/SSOPH was highly predictive of clinical outcome (relapse or cure) in animals receiving transplants (P < .00002) and detected disease recurrence earlier than comparative flow cytometric analysis studies. This murine model will be useful in evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing disease relapse posttransplant and can be adapted to other transplant murine tumor systems for the study of MRD.
Application and Prospect of Solid-state Fermentation in Scale Production of Mycoherbicide

The application status,examples of solid-state fermentation in mycoherbicide scale production and how to control the fermention conditions were summarized in this paper.Its application prospect was also forecasted.
A Research on the Function of Ocean Folk Sports and its Motivation Mechanism

By adopting such approaches as literature review,field survey,investigation and consultation,the research was conducted on the functions of ocean folk sports and its motivation mechanissm.it was revealed that ocean folk sports possess the functions of continuity,affinity,health increasing,aesthetics cultivating and economy promoting.The motivation mechanism can be interpreted by the theory of dualism as the macro-control and urbanization of the island by the government from top to bottom and the demand expansion of the folk for sports from the bottom to top with the focus on island towns and streets.
Security in A-IMS

The Advances to IP Multimedia Subsystem (A-IMS) architecture, built on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2)'s Multimedia Domain (MMD), supports both IMS/MMD and non-Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) services. In terms of network operation, A-IMS as extensions to IMS/MMD enhances the IMS/MMD network security with the addition of Security Operation Center (SOC), posture agent, etc. Some parts of the A-IMS framework are still under development such as terminal support for the posture agent, security information exchange, and security policy definition.
Improving on PPI-based therapy of GORD.

Blockade of the gastric acid pump, hydrogen-potassium adenosine triphosphatase (H+,K+-ATPase), by proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is one of the most effective treatments for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). In ideal terms, however, the inhibition of acid secretion should occur rapidly, on the first dose, and remain virtually complete in a dose-dependent manner. Several aspects of PPI biochemistry prevent the achievement of this ideal. PPIs target the final step of acid secretion and, due to the covalent nature of their inhibition of H+,K+-ATPase, cause suppression of acid secretion long after the drug has been eliminated. Their disadvantages stem from their mechanism of action: they require accumulation and activation in active parietal cells and have short plasma half-lives, hence a relatively slow onset of action. An extension of PPI plasma half-lives is an obvious goal, possibly via exploitation of probable differences in the metabolism of the two enantiomers (structural mirror images) present in current PPI formulations: e.g., clinical data on the S-enantiomer of omeprazole (esomeprazole) suggest some improvement in acid control. An alternative is to generate a pro-drug of a PPI; plasma levels of the PPI would thus depend on release of the active metabolite from the pro-drug, again extending drug half-life. Another area of active investigation is the development of acid-pump antagonists to inhibit acid secretion at its final step.
Is health care a right or a privilege

In this overview of the American health system, the author make arguments for declaring health care a right in the U.S. Constitution. Learn why he believes this is necessary.
Password Entry Times for Recognition-based Graphical Passwords

Graphical passwords offer a more memorable alternative to traditional, text-based passwords. Among current contenders, cued-recall based click-point or gesture centered authentication systems like Microsoft’s picture gesture authentication (PGA) have been commercially more successful than recognition based systems (e.g., PassFaces). One perceived drawback of graphical authentication systems in general and especially recognition based authentication is the assumption that graphical authentication is slower and thus less user-friendly than traditional password entry via keyboard. This paper addresses these concerns and demonstrates a lower limit for recognition-based password entry times achievable with sufficient practice. While slightly slower than traditional keyboard based passwords, the entry speed of often-used graphical passwords is shown to reach 10 bits/s in an optimized configuration, which is sufficient for everyday use (3-6s per authentication sequence @ 36 bits) and exceeds the reported speed o...
Effects of Metasomatism on the Country Rocks Around the Carbonatites of Kudangulam Area, Tamil Nadu

Amtdst a chamockitic terrain, a new occurrence of carbonatite-metasomatic complex has been reported from Kudangulam area, near Cape Comorin, Tamil Nadu. Petrography and geochemistry of the metasomatic rocks formed around the carbonatites indicate that the carbonatitic melt associated with fenitizing solution degassed through deep faults present in this area by reactivation of continental rifting during Post-Tertiary Period.
The influence of learning about carbon dioxide removal (CDR) on support for mitigation policies

A wide range of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategies has been proposed to address climate change. As most CDR strategies are unfamiliar to the public, it is unknown how increased media and policy attention on CDR might affect public sentiment about climate change. On the one hand, CDR poses a potential moral hazard: if people perceive that CDR solves climate change, they may be less likely to support efforts to reduce carbon emissions. On the other hand, the need for CDR may increase the perceived severity of climate change and, thus, increase support for other types of mitigation. Using an online survey of US adults (N = 984), we tested these competing hypotheses by exposing participants to information about different forms of CDR. We find that learning about certain CDR strategies indirectly reduces support for mitigation policies by reducing the perceived threat of climate change. This was found to be true for participants who read about CDR in general (without mention of specific strategies), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, or direct air capture. Furthermore, this risk compensation pattern was more pronounced among political conservatives than liberals—although in some cases, was partially offset by positive direct effects. Learning about reforestation, by contrast, had no indirect effects on mitigation support through perceived threat but was found to directly increase support among conservatives. The results suggest caution is warranted when promoting technological fixes to climate change, like CDR, as some forms may further dampen support for climate change action among the unengaged.