cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optic disc pallor: A false localizing sign☆

A 20-year-old pregnant woman was referred with bilateral mild visual acuity loss and optic disc pallor. Because of profound color vision deficits out of proportion to her acuity loss, an abnormality of the cone photoreceptors was suspected. An electroretinogram confirmed the diagnosis of a cone dystrophy and precluded further costly and invasive testing. Cone dystrophy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any patient with bilateral, nonrefractive visual loss, especially if color vision is disproportionately affected, even with a normal retinal appearance and no significant family history.
How firm capabilities affect who benefits from foreign technology

Abstract We explore how firm capabilities affect the diffusion of technology brought with foreign direct investment (FDI). Using a panel dataset on Indonesian manufacturers from 1988 to 1996, we measure how the productivity of differing domestic firms responds to the entry of multinational competitors. We find that firms with investments in research and development and firms with highly educated employees adopt more technology from foreign entrants than others. In contrast, firms that have a small “technology gap,” meaning that they are close to the international best-practice frontier, benefit less than firms with weak prior technical competency. This finding suggests that the marginal return to new knowledge is greater for firms that have more room to “catch up” than it is for already competitive firms.
Determination of human chronological age by study of a collagen sample.

Abstract The stabilization (‘cross-linking’) of insoluble human collagen has been shown to progress so predictably that it can form the basis of a method to determine an individual's age by study of a tissue specimen.
Effects of pirenperone and ketanserin on rat prolactin secretion in vivo and in vitro

Pirenperone, which is chemically related to ketanserin, has been reported to be a selective serotonin2 (5-HT2) antagonist and a specific d-LSD antagonist. We now report that pirenperone markedly stimulates prolactin (PRL) secretion in vivo at low doses and blocks the dopamine (DA)-induced inhibition of PRL release from rat pituitary glands in vitro, suggesting it acts as an antagonist at DA2 receptors in the anterior pituitary gland. Ketanserin, also a purported selective 5-HT2 receptor blocker, has no effect on rat PRL secretion in vivo or in vitro, but at high doses, it inhibits the increase in serum PRL levels produced by the two 5-HT agonists, quipazine and 5-methoxy-N, N-dimethyl-tryptamine (5-MeODMT). It had a weak ability to antagonize the PRL-releasing effect of the 5-HT precursor, 5-hydroxytryptophan. These results suggest that serotonergic stimulation of rat PRL secretion by quipazine and 5-MeODMT may be partially mediated by 5-HT2 receptors. The inability of ketanserin to effectively block the effect of 5-HTP suggests its mechanism of stimulating PRL secretion is more complicated than that of the direct acting agonists.
A Fourier Transform Diode Array Spectrometer for the UV, Visible, and Near-IR

A new Fourier transform spectrometer for the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared regions is described. Based on a Michelson interferometer with a tilted rather than moving mirror, the new spectrometer produces interferograms which are spatial (instead of temporal) intensity patterns and uses photodiode array detection. The primary advantages of the new spectrometer are optical and mechanical simplicity and extremely fast spectral acquisition, as well as large optical throughput. In addition, it is shown that shot noise does not dominate in the recorded interferogram and so Fellgett's advantage applies to the transformed spectrum.
Innate Immunity and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Innate immunity, with macrophages playing a central role, is critically important in the pathogenesis of RA. Although environmental insults such as smoking have been implicated in the initiation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who express the shared epitope, the understanding of the role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of this disease is also expanding. As the understanding continues to expand, enticing targets for new therapeutic interventions continue to be identified. This article focuses on cells of myelomonocytic origin, their receptors, and factors that interact with them.
Phonons in GaAs-AlxGa1−xAs superlattices

Abstract This paper reviews experimental and theoretical results on superlattice phonons in GaAs-AlxGa1-xAs structures. Emphasis is given to the phonon confinement problem and its implications for the understanding of bulk dispersion relations as well as for the structural characterization of superlattices. The dielectric continuum model, subject of controversy over the last few years, is discussed in detail. Finally, a comprehensive analysis underscores the importance of resonance Raman studies for the investigation of exciton physics in quantum wells and illustrates their possible applications for characterization purposes.
Restricted Feeding of Pullets Effect of Duration and time of Restriction on Three-Year Laying House Performance

Abstract RESEARCH on the effect of restricted feeding of young chickens was reviewed recently by Gowe et al. (1960) and summarized in a previous report by Fuller (1962). Most of this research has been concerned only with the effects of restricted feeding upon traits having economic importance and consequently is usually content with first-year egg production and related characteristics such as age at maturity, mortality, and egg size. Since the work reported herein was initiated, Hollands and Gowe (1961) have reported that production was increased in both the first and second laying year by restricted feeding during the growing period. Physiological bases for differences in laying house performance attributable to restricted feeding of growing pullets also has received too little attention. Progress made in this area by biologists working with other species was noted by Fuller (1958) and citations appear elsewhere in this paper where applicable. There is also insufficient evidence …
Tunable pulse repetition-rate multiplication using phase-only line-by-line pulse shaping

We demonstrate a method for all-optical, tunable pulse repetition-rate multiplication of a mode-locked laser based on spectral line-by-line control. In particular, two-to-five-times repetition-rate multiplication of a 9 GHz source is achieved with very high fidelity.
A stepwise approach to control an outbreak and ongoing transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Background Preventing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission in health care facilities where MRSA is endemic is challenging yet critical. Objective We sought to determine the effectiveness of 2 bundles of interventions for preventing MRSA transmission in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods This retrospective cohort study included infants admitted to our NICU between September 1, 2004, and March 31, 2009. Following a MRSA outbreak between September 2004 and September 2005, preventing ongoing MRSA transmission remained a challenge. In July 2006, bundle-I, including culture-based active surveillance, preemptive contact precaution for up to 72 hours for new admissions, and cohorting assignment of direct caregivers was introduced for eradicating MRSA transmission. Bundle-II began in April 2007 and included bundle-1 measures except that the real-time polymerase chain reaction test replaced culture for the detection of MRSA. Results This study identified 218 infants who developed MRSA infection or colonization and 151 instances of MRSA transmission during the study period. After instituting bundle-II, the transmission rate declined from 2.9 to 2.1 per 1000 patient-days-at-risk (incidence rate ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval: 0.9-2.2), and hospital-acquired MRSA infections declined from 1.3 to 0.5 per 1000 patient-days-at-risk (incidence rate ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval: 1.1-5.8). Conclusion Despite an increasing incidence of MRSA in community settings, preventing MRSA transmission within a NICU is achievable through implementation of optimal intervention strategies.
Ringing-Down of the "Wall-Pinned" Mode in He 3 - B as a Test of Theories of Spin Relaxation

The decay in time of the frequency of the so-called "wall-pinned" mode in the nuclear resonance of $^{3}\mathrm{He}$-$B$ is shown to provide a test of a previously developed theory of spin relaxation and to give a numerical value of a previously unknown parameter of the normal phase.
Phase relations and alignment in bismuth-based high-T c wires

This article concerns a small region of the immense variable space involved in processing Bi2Sr2CaCuOy (referred to as 2212) wires. Progress toward fabricating wires has been rapid, and the science that underlies and supports the wire technology in this complicated system is becoming known. Over the next few years we can expect much longer lengths of wire with higher critical current density and the emergence of a viable magnet technology using these wires.
The protein quality, digestibility, and composition of algae, Chlorella 71105.

SUMMARY Freeze-dried Chlorella 71105 was found to contain 55.5% crude protein; 7.5% crude fat; 8.25% ash; 7.0% moisture; 17.8% total carbohydrate; 3.1% crude fiber; 2.68% chlorophyll; and .08% urea. The digestibility of the protein was 86%; of crude fat, 93%; of total carbohydrate, 72%; and of crude fiber, 15%. The protein efficiency ratio (PER) was 2.19, which compares favorably with soy protein. The PER of Chlorella with 0.2% L-methionine was 2.90, which compares favorably with casein values in the literature. The PER of casein was 3.30; that of defatted egg protein, 4.01, in these studies. The rats were fed at 10% protein levels. In addition, Chlorella 71105 contained all essential amino acids as well as having a high carotene content. Available energy value was 3.3 kcal/g.
Modelling the evolution of demand forecasts with application to safety stock analysis in production distribution systems

In this paper, we propose a general probabilistic model for modeling the evolution of demand forecasts, referred to as the Martingale Model of Forecast Evolution (MMFE). We combine the MMFE with a linear programming model of production and distribution planning implemented in a rolling horizon fashion. The resulting simulation methodology is used to analyze safety stock levels for a multi-product/multi-plant production/distribution system with seasonal stochastic demand. In the context of this application we demonstrate the importance of good forecasting.
Systemic Opioid Therapy for Chronic Cancer Pain

A switch from one drug or route of administration to another is common practice during long term opioid therapy in patients with chronic cancer pain.
High-resolution HLA-DRB typing using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and direct sequencing

High-resolution HLA-DRB typing is required for bone marrow transplantation between unrelated donors and recipients and also for identification of novel HLA-DRB alleles. Here we describe a method for the unambiguous identification of HLA-DRB alleles using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and direct sequencing. The highly variable second exon of all HLA-DRB1, -DRB3, -DRB4, -DRB5, -DRB6 and -DRB7 alleles was amplified using a single pair of generic DRB-specific primers and alleles were separated by DGGE. DNA was then reamplified from plugs removed from the gel and the sequences of these alleles were determined using fluorescent-based sequencing and allele-assignment software. The validity of this typing procedure was confirmed by identification of HLA-DRB alleles for 17 individuals previously characterized by PCR-SSP and/or cloning and sequencing techniques. We identified 34 different HLA-DRB alleles in these 17 unrelated individuals. Importantly, our analysis revealed HLA-DRB1 alleles which had not been identified using the PCR-SSP typing technique. Additionally, alleles from the HLA-DRB3, -DRB4 and -DRB5 loci were identified. Whereas traditional HLA-DRB typing methods provide limited information or require the use of multiple oligonucleotide primers or probes, our technique provides a reliable, specific and relatively rapid way of identifying all HLA-DRB alleles for high-resolution tissue typing.
13C NMR study of co-contamination of clays with carbon tetrachloride and benzene

Both solid-sample and liquid-sample 13C NMR experiments have been carried out to identify the species produced by the reaction between carbon tetrachloride and benzene when adsorbed on clays, kaoli...
Extracting Microscopic Energies from Oil-Phase Solvation Experiments

There is a large literature that reports oil−water partition coefficients of small molecule compounds. A goal of much of this work is to obtain hydrophobicity parameters for models of folding, docking, binding, conformational changes, partitioning, and flow, mainly of biomolecules and drugs. The quantity obtained from experiments is the difference between a solute's oil- and water-phase chemical potentials Δμ ⋮ μwat − μoil, but the quantity needed for models is a contact free energy per unit area. Usually, solvation modelers find this quantity in two steps: (i) subtract off some assumed “irrelevant” solute entropies from the experimental Δμ's and then (ii) divide the result by the solute area. Here we show that such a procedure can lead to large errors. We use a two -dimensional lattice model of hydrocarbon liquids in NVT Monte Carlo simulations, where the underlying contact energy is rigorously known in advance, to test strategies for converting partitioning data to contact energies. We find that rather...
Quantifying efficiency technology improvements in U.S. cars from 1975–2009

Abstract Quantitative measurements of historic improvements in fuel efficiency technology help to illuminate the feasibility of future fuel economy standards. Past investigations have produced widely varying estimates of this rate of improvement, though all seem to indicate that fuel consumption reductions implied by the 2025 U.S. CAFE standards cannot be met solely through technological improvements at historic rates. In this paper, we use the characteristics of U.S. cars between 1975 and 2009 to estimate that holding all else equal, a 1% increase in weight increases a car’s fuel consumption by 0.69%, and a 1% reduction in 0–97 km/h acceleration time increases fuel consumption by 0.44%. These tradeoff parameters are combined with the results of related work by the authors and others, yielding a more comprehensive measure of technological improvements than has been previously reported. When accounting for all of these sources of improvement, we conclude that the per-mile (or per-kilometer) fuel consumption of new cars in the U.S. could have been reduced by 5% per year from 1975 to 1990, if acceleration, features, and functionality had remained at their 1975 levels. Approximately 80% of this potential was realized as actual reductions in fuel consumption. Between 1990 and 2009, in contrast, technological improvement averaged just 2.1% per year, only 34% of which was realized as actual fuel consumption reductions. To meet the 2025 CAFE standards for cars without sacrificing capabilities that consumers have come to expect, technology must improve quickly enough to reduce fuel consumption by 4.3% per year for 14 years — considerably faster than has occurred since 1990, but consistent with the pace of improvements observed between 1975 and 1990.
The Impact of Noncontinuum Thermal Transport on the Temperature of AlGaN/GaN HFETs

The effects of power density and heat generation zone size on the hotspot temperature of AlGaN/GaN HFET devices were predicted using an electrothermal modeling approach. The thermal response was modeled using a multiscale model that accounted for ballistic-diffusive phonon transport effects in the heat generation zone near the gate and diffusive transport effects outside of this zone. The Joule heating distribution was calculated using a hydrodynamic model in Sentaurus Device. The hotspot temperatures at different biasing conditions were determined using the multiscale thermal model and compared with a fully diffusive transport model. The results show that the hotspot temperature is higher when ballistic-diffusive transport effects are considered and this difference increases with increasing power density in the AlGaN/GaN HFETs.
An Assessment of Cooperative Learning used for Basic Computer Skills Instruction in the College Classroom

This article reports research on the use of cooperative learning strategies in a computer skills lab course at the college level. An experimental design was used to compare the difference in learning performance and student retention in the course between a section taught using cooperative teams and one taught in the traditional individual learning format. Both sections were taught by the regular full-time professor. The results showed that both performance and retention were significantly improved with the use of cooperative learning. The study also included a measure of computer anxiety the analysis of which resulted in a significant interaction between section and anxiety for overall course grade percentage, the high anxiety students doing much better in the cooperative learning section than in the individual learning section. The high anxiety students all experienced a reduction in anxiety regardless of treatment. However, the change in anxiety was most dramatic for the high anxiety students in the co...
Categorizing requirements for a contract-based system integration project

Categorizing requirements based upon their aspects and stakeholder intent can help requirements engineers and other developers to group and retrieve the requirements for analyzing the aspects of concern. The analysis is essential for project planning, system verification and validation, and integration coordination. For software requirements, researchers and practitioners have identified a set of categories, such as functional, performance, safety, to categorize a requirement. In a large systems engineering and integration project comprised of not only software but also hardware and activities in other disciplines (e.g., electrical, civil engineering), we encountered many additional, different aspects of the system that need to be analyzed and thus the requirements need to be categorized for those aspects. This experience report describes the lessons learnt in categorizing requirements in this project. The report provides insights for the practical issues of the categorization and our research on how more effectively the categorization could be done.
The state of the highest level of evidence: an overview of systematic reviews of pancreaticobiliary disease customized for the gastroenterologist and GI surgeon.

Trends emerged as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on pancreaticobiliary disease were reviewed by each panel of experts. There were few RCTs. Although studies observed statistical differences between their treatment groups, many of them were underpowered. The studies with the most patients were sponsored by industry—on adjuvant therapy and biliary stents. Two subjects did not have an RCT [necrotizing pancreatitis and intraductal papillary mucinous tumors (IPMN) of the pancreas]. Constant heterogeneity between RCTs was observed. A good example was the 22 variations in study designs noted between the 5 RCTs of the adjuvant chemotherapy panel. Some of these RCTs had no inclusion criteria while a more recent trial utilized very specific measures. Many trials had insufficient follow-up (6 months in one study of chronic pancreatitis surgery). Each randomized controlled trial may have reached a different conclusion than another one on the same topic although they had similar results (adjuvant treatment for resected pancreatic cancer). From this review of the highest level of evidence in the literature for pancreaticobiliary disease, it is apparent that the lack of quantity and quality of the highest level of evidence provides us with a challenge to improve the quality of our literature. Cooperation is required, which might begin by an international consensus on definitions, inclusion criteria, and the minimum length of follow-up.
Accurate Guitar Tuning by Cochlear Implant Musicians

Modern cochlear implant (CI) users understand speech but find difficulty in music appreciation due to poor pitch perception. Still, some deaf musicians continue to perform with their CI. Here we show unexpected results that CI musicians can reliably tune a guitar by CI alone and, under controlled conditions, match simultaneously presented tones to <0.5 Hz. One subject had normal contralateral hearing and produced more accurate tuning with CI than his normal ear. To understand these counterintuitive findings, we presented tones sequentially and found that tuning error was larger at ∼30 Hz for both subjects. A third subject, a non-musician CI user with normal contralateral hearing, showed similar trends in performance between CI and normal hearing ears but with less precision. This difference, along with electric analysis, showed that accurate tuning was achieved by listening to beats rather than discriminating pitch, effectively turning a spectral task into a temporal discrimination task.
A computational study of the F-5A forebody emphasizing directional stability

CFD has been used to study the F-5A forebody flowfield at high angle-of-attack combined with sideslip. The classic wind tunnel experiment demonstrating the dominant contribution of the F-5A forebody to directional stability at high angle-of-attack has been simulated computationally over an angle-of-attack range from 10 deg to 45 deg. The key wind tunnel trend for C (n-beta) was obtained computationally using the code known as cfl3d to solve the Reynolds' equations using a modified form of the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model. The computations provide detailed and fascinating insights into the physics of flowfield. The results of the investigation show that CFD has reached a level of development where computational methods can be used for high angle-of-attack aerodynamic design.
Unexpected density-dependent effects of herbivory in a wild population of the annual Collinsia torreyi

Summary 1 Herbivory is known to affect plant fitness, but has rarely been studied under realistic conditions, i.e. by manipulation of real herbivores in a wild plant population. Furthermore, its interaction with competition, another factor known to affect plant physiology and reproduction, has usually been neglected. 2 Interactions among plant density, insect herbivore damage and plant fitness components (survival and lifetime fecundity) were investigated by both observation and experiment in a population of a native montane annual, Collinsia torreyi, and its primary insect herbivore, the butterfly Euphydryas editha. Larvae were manipulated to inflict predetermined levels of experimental damage. 3 Increases in either plant density or herbivory generally had negative effects on fitness. Loss of only 5% of seedling leaf area significantly reduced adult lifetime fecundity. 4 Herbivory reduced fitness at low, but not at high, plant density. This form of interaction between effects of competition and herbivory is theoretically unexpected and opposite in direction to interactions found in other published studies. Low resource availability may be an important factor. 5 Where such an interaction occurs, it would cause the selective effects of herbivores to be density-dependent, i.e. when plants are crowded, the absence of selection would oppose any evolutionary increase in costly defences.
Time Reversal Polarization and a Z 2 Adiabatic Spin Pump

We introduce and analyze a class of one-dimensional insulating Hamiltonians that, when adiabatically varied in an appropriate closed cycle, define a ``${Z}_{2}$ pump.'' For an isolated system, a single closed cycle of the pump changes the expectation value of the spin at each end even when spin-orbit interactions violate the conservation of spin. A second cycle, however, returns the system to its original state. When coupled to leads, we show that the ${Z}_{2}$ pump functions as a spin pump in a sense that we define, and transmits a finite, though nonquantized, spin in each cycle. We show that the ${Z}_{2}$ pump is characterized by a ${Z}_{2}$ topological invariant that is analogous to the Chern invariant that characterizes a topological charge pump. The ${Z}_{2}$ pump is closely related to the quantum spin Hall effect, which is characterized by a related ${Z}_{2}$ invariant. This work presents an alternative formulation that clarifies both the physical and mathematical meaning of that invariant. A crucial role is played by time reversal symmetry, and we introduce the concept of the time reversal polarization, which characterizes time reversal invariant Hamiltonians and signals the presence or absence of Kramers degenerate end states. For noninteracting electrons, we derive a formula for the time reversal polarization that is analogous to Berry's phase formulation of the charge polarization. For interacting electrons, we show that Abelian bosonization provides a simple formulation of the time reversal polarization. We discuss implications for the quantum spin Hall effect, and argue in particular that the ${Z}_{2}$ classification of the quantum spin Hall effect is valid in the presence of electron electron interactions.
Treatment of somnambulism with anticipatory awakening

An 8-year-old boy with a 6-year history of parasomnia (twice-weekly sleepwalking with enuresis) was treated by awakening him for 5 nights before the episodes. The sleepwalking stopped entirely. Anticipatory awakening may be a simple, inexpensive, low-risk therapy for somnambulism.
Effect of 3,4-diaminopyridine on rat extensor digitorum longus muscle paralyzed by local injection of botulinum neurotoxin☆

The actions of the K+ channel blocker, 3,4-diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP), were studied in the rat extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle following local inhibition of neuromuscular transmission by botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). Local paralysis of the EDL muscle was induced by s.c. injections of BoNT serotypes A, B, E or F over the anterior tibialis muscle. One to 14 days later, the rats were anesthetized with urethane, and isometric twitch tensions following stimulation of the peroneal nerve were measured in situ. Muscles were paralyzed within 24 hr of administration of 5 mouse LD50 units (U) of BoNT/A and remained inhibited for the entire 14-day period of observation. Similar levels of inhibition, but of shorter duration, were observed after local injection of 20 U of BoNT/E, 10(4) U of BoNT/B or 20 U of BoNT/F. 3,4-DAP (4 mg/kg, i.v.) potentiated twitch tensions markedly in BoNT/A intoxicated muscle. The increase in tension developed rapidly (halftime = 5.81 +/- 0.6 min), persisted for approximately 1 hr, then decayed slowly with a halftime of 25.2 +/- 4.6 min. Subsequent administration of 3,4-DAP restored tensions to the original maxima, and this procedure could be repeated up to eight times with no decrement. The action of 3,4-DAP was comparable when given 1, 2, 3 or 7 days after BoNT/A and enhanced when administered 14 days after toxin injection. 3,4-DAP was less effective in reversing BoNT/E-induced muscle paralysis and nearly ineffective in antagonizing the paralytic actions of BoNT/B or BoNT/F. The results indicate that 3,4-DAP is of benefit in BoNT/A and BoNT/E intoxication, but is of marginal value after exposure to serotypes B and F.
Endogenous VEGF is required for visual function: evidence for a survival role on müller cells and photoreceptors.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is well known for its role in normal and pathologic neovascularization. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that VEGF also acts on non-vascular cells, both developmentally as well as in the adult. In light of the widespread use of systemic and intraocular anti-VEGF therapies for the treatment of angiogenesis associated with tumor growth and wet macular degeneration, systematic investigation of the role of VEGF in the adult retina is critical. Methods and Findings: Using immunohistochemistry and Lac-Z reporter mouse lines, we report that VEGF is produced by various cells in the adult mouse retina and that VEGFR2, the primary signaling receptor, is also widely expressed, with strong
The convenience of catalog shopping: Is there more to it than time?

Abstract There is little doubt that one of the important motivations behind direct marketing patronage is convenience. Convenience has traditionally been conceptualized as a time-dominated phenomenon, yet much of the research that attempts to link demographic surrogates of time-constrained individuals/households with direct marketing patronage has shown only weak relationships. This paper reexamines the nature of convenience in the context of direct marketing patronage behavior. It reveals that an important oversight regarding convenience is that it consists not only of a time dimension, but also of space and effort dimensions. The qualitative data on which the study is based provide user-friendly data that offer rather literal suggestions as to how the convenience concerns of catalog patrons can be addressed.
Comparing 2D and 3D Displays for Trend Estimation: The Effects of Display Augmentation

The proximity compatibility principle (PCP) predicts that integrated displays will show superior performance to separated displays for integrated tasks. Hollands, Pierce, and Magee (1998) compared 2D and 3D displays for a trend estimation task and found that 2D displays were better than 3D displays for integrated tasks. These results were inconsistent with the predictions of the PCP. The present study added line and mesh connections to the integrated display format to make existing emergent features more salient. Four display formats were tested: 2D, 3D Control, 3D Lines, and 3D Mesh. Twenty-four participants completed 256 trials evaluating the effect of display format, vergence rate, vergence direction, and starting distance on trend estimation. Results showed advantages for the 3D Mesh and 3D Line displays. A general advantage was found for faster vergence rates, and converging trends when the lines start closer together.
Overflow stability of N-order state space digital filters

Abstract The stability of n -order state space digital filters with two's complement overflow arithmetic is studied. Conditions are established for overflow stability for filters with zero input and for a class of filters with nonzero input. Limit cycles are characterized and conditions for convergence to a limit cycle are given. Examples are included illustrating results.
SUB1, an Arabidopsis Ca2+-binding protein involved in cryptochrome and phytochrome coaction.

Cryptochromes and phytochromes are the major photosensory receptors in plants and often regulate similar photomorphogenic responses. The molecular mechanisms underlying functional interactions of cryptochromes and phytochromes remain largely unclear. We have identified an Arabidopsis photomorphogenic mutant,sub1, which exhibits hypersensitive responses to blue light and far-red light. Genetic analyses indicate that SUB1functions as a component of a cryptochrome signaling pathway and as a modulator of a phytochrome signaling pathway. The SUB1 gene encodes a Ca2+-binding protein that suppresses light-dependent accumulation of the transcription factor HY5.
True Temperature Measurement of Electronic Components Using Infra‐red Thermography

Great savings can be achieved by detecting and isolating design problems early in an electronic programme. Many design problems, including electrical overstress, poor thermal design and circuit layout problems, are detectable by their infrared (I‐R) signature. A reliability and design improvement tool utilising current I‐R scanning technology has been developed. Specifically, an I‐R scanning method for making accurate temperature measurements for the purpose of electronic design reliability improvement and qualification has been developed and verified experimentally. Field‐actual conditions, in which radiative and convective heat losses from the components are negligible, are simulated with a thermally insulating enclosure. The enclosure is designed for rapid removal just before the scan, obviating the need for exotic materials that are transparent to I‐R in the scanner's passband. With typical hardware thermal lags, the method allows determination of true temperatures simulating field conditions. Corrections for unwanted scanner‐produced radiation and for the target emissivity are made with a three‐scan method and specially designed apparatus. An integral part of this apparatus is the aforementioned quickly removable thermal enclosure. The three scans take approximately an hour for a typical circuit board after initial set‐up time. True‐temperature measurements of circuit boards can be made with the I‐R design improvement tool now.
Identification and characterization of lactic Acid bacteria in a commercial probiotic culture.

The aim of the present study was to describe the identification and characterization (physiological properties) of two strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB 18 and 48) present in a commercial probiotic culture, FloraMax®-B11. Isolates were characterized morphologically, and identified biochemically. In addition, the MIDI System ID, the Biolog ID System, and 16S rRNA sequence analyses for identification of LAB 18 and LAB 48 strains were used to compare the identification results. Tolerance and resistance to acidic pH, high osmotic concentration of NaCl, and bile salts were tested in broth medium. In vitro assessment of antimicrobial activity against enteropathogenic bacteria and susceptibility to antibiotics were also tested. The results obtained in this study showed tolerance of LAB 18 and LAB 48 to pH 3.0, 6.5% NaCl and a high bile salt concentration (0.6%). Both strains evaluated showed in vitro antibacterial activity against Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, Escherichia coli (O157:H7), and Campylobacter jejuni. These are important characteristics of lactic acid bacteria that should be evaluated when selecting strains to be used as probiotics. Antimicrobial activity of these effective isolates may contribute to efficacy, possibly by direct antimicrobial activity in vivo.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of coronal mass ejections

Abstract We use computer assisted tomography (CAT) techniques to reconstruct the three-dimensional shapes of coronal mass ejections in the interplanetary medium. Thomson scattering of sunlight from electrons is assumed to be the source of variations in observed brightness in data provided by the HELIOS spacecraft zodiacal light photometers and by the SOLWIND coronagraph. Polarization measurements from the spacecraft yield additional information about line-of-sight electron densities not normally present in usual CAT-scan techniques. Here we use the technique to determine the density of a mass ejection which arose from the Sun on 7 May 1979. The HELIOS and coronagraph perspective views are not simultaneous; the HELIOS 16° photometer observes to as close a height as 17R ⊙ from the Sun, whereas the SOLWIND observations extend outward to sky plane distances of only 10R ⊙ . However, if radial velocities for the ejected material are assumed, and that, as an approximation, the velocity of outward-moving material at a given height is everwhere the same, we obtain a solution. The least-squares solution provides the velocity of the material with height as well as a three-dimensional density distribution. The material of the mass ejection appears to accelerate at solar distances as great as 10R ⊙ .
That “Dahm” layer comments on renaming the D”

Benjamin F. Chao has suggested that Bullen's layer just above the mantle-core boundary be renamed the Bullen layer. I believe that this is inappropriate. Boundaries and layers in the Earth are most properly named after their discoverers or those who first measured their location or properties. Cornelius G. Dahm [1936] first described this layer and deserves to have it named after him. This is appropriate also because it is convenient to have a short, easy-to-remember name that is similar to D″, which has been in use for a long time.
Determination of submicromolar amounts of uranium(VI) by compleximetric titration with pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid

Abstract Uranium(VI) is selectively determined by a compleximetric titration with pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, using arsenazo-I indicator and hexamethylenetetramine buffer at pH 4.9. Cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid provide masking of interfering metal ions. A probe colorimeter apparatus is recommended for end-point detection. The relative standard deviation is 0.6% for 0.17–0.76 μmol of uranium.
Temperature and velocity distributions in an inductively coupled plasma

Abstract Computer simulations of inductively coupled plasma discharges (ICP) with flow patterns similar to those found in spectrochemical analysis were reported previously. In this investigation temperature and velocity distributions are measured under conditions which allow direct comparison with computer calculations for pure argon central gas flows without solution aerosols. Based upon these comparisons, a refined ICP gas flow model is proposed and its application provides agreement within experimental error between measured and calculated velocity and temperature profiles in most regions of the discharge.
7095 Description of endoscopic stricturotomy and pyloric myotomy in patients with mechanical gastric outlet obstruction.

INTRODUCTION Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) is a recognized complication of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and initially will provoke treatment with endoscopic balloon therapy that often requires repeat procedures. Ultimately open surgical procedures are necessary. This study was designed to judge the efficacy of endoscopic incision in managing GOO. METHOD 3 patients (2 female and 1 male) presented with GOO. All patients had an EGD to confirm presence of a mechanical lesion. All strictures or deformities were first dilated with a Microvasive TTS Balloon to determine levels of weakness within the obstructed area. Standard endoscopic incision was then employed with the Microvasive biopsy forceps until the lumen was fully patent and the muscular layer was reached. Endoscopic incision with a Microvasive sphincterotome was utilized in one of the 3 cases. RESULTS The first patient was an 86y.o. female who had undergone 4 previous dilations of a stenotic pylorus due to prior PUD. She was scheduled for a pyloroplasty. At EGD she was determined to have a 1cm thick stricture extending into the bulb. Balloon dilation followed by biopsy forceps incision carried to the muscular layer increased the luminal diameter from 3mm to 13mm. Slight hemorrhage stopped promptly with injection of HSE. Second patient was an 85yo male with recent duodenal ulcer causing a pyloric stricture that resulted in a 2-3mm opening. The angulation of the bulb prohibited pre-incisional use of a TTS balloon. Again incision to the muscularus was employed extending the pyloric channel to 12mm. The 3rd patient was an 80yo female with prepyloric ring causing obstruction that failed both balloon distention and forceps incision. It was effectively destroyed by incision using a sphincterotome. Avg. follow-up time was 11.3 months and no recurrences have been observed. CONCLUSIONS #1 Endoscopic stricturotomy and pyloric myotomy allows a safe and effective alternative to open procedures for patients with GOO #2 Results appear long-lasting #3 Recovery time is the same as regular endoscopy
Lipid bilayer-integrated optoelectronic tweezers for nanoparticle manipulations.

Remotely manipulating a large number of micro- scopic objects is important to soft-condensed matter physics, biophysics, and nanotechnology. Optical tweezers and optoelec- tronic tweezers have been widely used for this purpose but face critical challenges when applied to nanoscale objects, including severe photoinduced damages, undesired ionic convections, or irreversible particle immobilization on surfaces. We report here the first demonstration of a lipid bilayer-integrated optoelectronic tweezers system for simultaneous manipulation of hundreds of 60 nm gold nanoparticles in an arbitrary pattern. We use a fluid lipid bilayer membrane with a ∼5 nm thickness supported by a photoconductive electrode to confine the diffusion of chemically tethered nanoparticles in a two-dimensional space. Application of an external a.c. voltage together with patterned light selectively activates the photoconducting electrode that creates strong electric field localized near the surface. The field strength changes most significantly at the activated electrode surface where the particles tethered to the membrane thus experience the strongest dielectrophoretic forces. This design allows us to efficiently achieve dynamic, reversible, and parallel manipulation of many nanoparticles. Our approach to integrate biomolecular structures with optoelectronic devices offers a new platform enabling the study of thermodynamics in many particle systems and the selective transport of nanoscale objects for broad applications in biosensing and cellular mechanotransductions.
Modular set-based analysis from contracts

In PLT Scheme, programs consist of modules with contracts. The latter describe the inputs and outputs of functions and objects via predicates. A run-time system enforces these predicates; if a predicate fails, the enforcer raises an exception that blames a specific module with an explanation of the fault.In this paper, we show how to use such module contracts to turn set-based analysis into a fully modular parameterized analysis. Using this analysis, a static debugger can indicate for any given contract check whether the corresponding predicate is always satisfied, partially satisfied, or (potentially) completely violated. The static debugger can also predict the source of potential errors, i.e., it is sound with respect to the blame assignment of the contract system.
Impact of three-dimensional architectures on interconnects in gigascale integration

An interconnect distribution model for homogeneous, three-dimensional (3-D) architectures with variable separation of strata is presented. Three-dimensional architectures offer an opportunity to reduce the length of the longest interconnects. The separation of strata has little impact on the length of interconnects but a large impact on the number of interstratal interconnects. Using a multilevel interconnect methodology for an ITRS 2005 100 nm ASIC, a two-strata architecture offers a 3.9/spl times/ increase in wire-limited clock frequency, an 84% decrease in wire-limited area or a 25% decrease in the number of metal levels required. In practice, however, such fabrication advances as improved alignment tolerances in wafer-bonding techniques are needed to gain key advantages stemming from 3-D architectures for homogeneous gigascale integrated circuits.
Gain enhancement in cascaded fiber parametric amplifier with quasi-phase matching: theory and experiment

We report a novel gain enhancement scheme for fiber-optic parametric amplifiers utilizing cascaded amplification and quasi-phase matching (QPM). The theory and method of QPM for four-wave mixing (FWM) are developed for the first time to our knowledge. In experimental implementations of the theory, we achieve >12 dB gain improvement in a three-stage dispersion-shifted (DS) fiber parametric amplifier. A 16-dB overall gain is obtained with 11 nm separation between zero-dispersion wavelength and pump wavelength. The experimental results show good agreement with theory and simulations. The influence of QPM on spectral characteristics of parametric gain is investigated with numerical simulations.
Reformulation RELAP5-3D in FORTRAN 95 and Results

RELAP5-3D is a nuclear power plant code used worldwide for safety analysis, design, and operator training. In keeping with ongoing developments in the computing industry, we have re-architected the code in the FORTRAN 95 language [2], the current, fully-available, ANSI standard FORTRAN language. These changes include a complete reworking of the database and conversion of the source code to take advantage of new constructs. The improvements and impacts to the code are manifold. It is a completely machine-independent code that produces machine independent fluid property and plot files and expands to the exact size needed to accommodate the user’s input. Runtime is generally better for larger input models, many prior user-reported problems have been resolved, and the program is better tested. Other impacts of code reformulation are improved code readability, reduced maintenance and development time, increased adaptability to new computing platforms, and increased code longevity. Comparison between the pre- and post-conversion code are made on the basis of programming metrics and code performance.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Relations Between Perceived Competence, Importance Ratings, and Self-Worth Among African American School- Age Children

The purpose of this research was to investigate how domain-specific importance ratings affect relations between perceived competence and self-worth among African American school-age children. Importance ratings have been found to affect the strength of the relationship between perceived competence and self-worth and have implications for motivation. Children were assessed on five perceived competence domains, on the importance of those domains, and on global self-worth. Five profiles reflecting relations between perceived competence and self-worth by importance ratings were assessed. Gender differences specific to scholastic competence/self-worth relations were also examined. It was hypothesized that at comparable levels of perceived competence, children ascribing more importance would evidence stronger relationships between perceived competence and self-worth. This was evident in some cases. Importance ratings were found to be pivotal in understanding relationships between perceived competence and self-w...
White-LED backlight control for motion-blur reduction and power minimization in large LCD TVs

A 1-D LED backlight scanning and a 2-D local dimming technique for large LCD TVs are presented. These techniques not only reduce the motion blur artifacts by means of impulse representation of images in video but also increase the static contrast ratio by means of local dimming in the image(s). Both techniques exploit a unique feature of LED backlight in large LCD TVs in which the whole panel is divided into a pre-defined number of regions such that the luminance in each region is independently controllable. The proposed techniques are implemented in a Xilinx FPGA and demonstrated on a Samsung 40-inch LCD TV. Measurement results show that the proposed techniques significantly reduce the motion blur artifacts, enhance the static contrast ratio by about 3X, and reduce the power consumption by 10% on average. Keywords- LED backlight, backlight scanning, backlight local dimming, motion blur, contrast ratio, low power.
ILLIADS: A new fast MOS timing simulator using direct equation-solving approach

By using a direct equation solver of a new MOS circuit primitive with piecewise-linear approximation of electrical waveforms, ILLIADS has been shown to be significantly superior to existing fast MOS timing simulators in both accuracy and speed. For simulation of medium-size digital circuits containing a few hundred transistors (n), ILLIADS has already achieved an O(n), about 3n or more, speedup over SPICE with error less than 3%. The sizes of circuits ILLIADS can handle is not limited by this method and the speedup is expected to grow with the circuit size. The possibility of generating false waveforms caused by merging of parallel transistors is reduced. A modified waveform relaxation algorithm is used to handle circuits with feedbacks as demonstrated through simulation of a ring oscillator and a updown counter.