cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NMR studies of spherical molecules dissolved in smectic liquid crystal solvents

Abstract The proton NMR spectra of the nearly tetrahedral molecules CH3CCl3 and CH3SiCl3 and the tetrahedral molecules (CH3)4Si and (CH3)4C in smectic liquid crystal solvents are discussed. The relatively large magnitudes observed for the orientation parameter Szz in the smectic phase enable the 1H chemical shielding anisotropies of CH3CCl3 and CH3SiCl3 to be obtained with good accuracy. In addition, it was also observed that the intramolecular direct dipole-dipole interaction did not vanish for the spherical (CH3)4Si and (CH3)4C systems. A splitting is observed in the 1H spectra for these molecules which is an order of magnitude larger than previous values obtained using nematic liquid crystal solvents. Values of the direct dipole-dipole coupling constant DHH, and orientation parameter Szz for the two molecules are reported, as well as D13CH for (CH3)4Si.
Advanced optical processors for multiple degree-of-freedom object recognition

Several optical pattern recognition techniques suitable for multiple-degree-of-freedom object recognition are described. These include a correlator, an associate processor, and three feature extractors using moments, chord distributions, and a space-variant feature space. The processing architectures, the algorithm details, and initial results obtained for each approach are presented. >
Sex differences in the dendritic arbor of hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus neurons

The hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMH) displays sexual dichotomies in its overall size, neurochemistry, and neuronal morphology. These differences may underlie the sex differences observed in functions mediated by the VMH, such as reproductive behaviors and energy balance. A previous Golgi impregnation analysis of VMH dendrites reported sex differences in total dendrite length in the ventrolateral region of the VMH. The present study tested the hypothesis that this sex difference is localized to a specific dendrite type. VMH neurons were visualized with Golgi impregnation. Overall, male rats displayed significantly longer dendrites than females for VMH neurons. This sex difference was apparent in both the dorsomedial and the ventrolateral subdivisions of the VMH. When dendrites were classified based on dendrite type, namely long primary, short primary and secondary dendrites, the increased length for males was observed for all dendrite types. Furthermore, when long primary dendrites were categorized according to whether they extended in the dorsomedial, ventrolateral, ventromedial or dorsolateral direction, the sex difference in length occurred for all directions. These results indicate that the previously identified dendrite categories for VMH neurons are integral to VMH circuitry for both males and females. Given that the sex difference in dendrite length applied to all dendrite types, the elongated male VMH dendrites may provide additional sites to process input from both local interneurons and extranuclear afferents.
Growth of low‐density two‐dimensional electron system with very high mobility by molecular beam epitaxy

We report on the growth of modulation‐doped GaAs/Alx Ga1−xAs heterostructures with mobilities (μ) on the order of 1×106 cm2 /V s (at 4.2 K) and areal densities (ns ) below 8×1010 cm−2 . In growing these structures we employ the atomic plane doping technique and ultrathick (>1000 A) spacer layers. The mobilities of these structures are the highest ever reported for low densities. Measurements of μ vs ns as a function of illumination or gate voltage indicate μ∼nαs behavior with α≂0.6 and, even for ns ≂1.4×1010 cm−2 , μ has a value in excess of 0.3×106 cm2 /V s.
Vorticity generated by pure capillary waves

Capillary waves, like other surface waves on water, generate a rectified, or time-averaged, vorticity field extending beyond the oscillatory (Stokes) layer at the surface. This vorticity field ω is particularly interesting in relation to the parasitic capillary waves found on the forward slopes of steep gravity waves. Longuet-Higgins (1992) suggested that the rectified vorticity from the parasitic capillaries might contribute significantly to the vorticity observed beneath the crest of the gravity wave. The basic calculations by Longuet-Higgins (1992) were only of the horizontally averaged values of ω, Here we extend his theory by calculating, for pure capillary waves, the space variation of ω, to second order in the steepness of the capillary waves, Thus, the vorticity, and hence velocity, fields are calculated in the oscillatory Stokes layer and just beyond it, to the second order. Good agreement is found both with numerical simulations and with experimental measurements.
Optimal design of plant lighting system by genetic algorithms

A genetic algorithm technique is developed for the optimal design of a supplemental lighting system for greenhouse crop production. The approach uses the evolutionary parallel search capabilities of genetic algorithms to design the pattern layout of the lamps (luminaires), their mounting heights and their wattages. The total number and the exact positions of luminaires are not predefined (even though possible positions lay on a fixed grid layout), thus the genetic algorithm system has a large degree of freedom in the designing process. The possibilities of mounting heights and luminaire wattages are limited to four different values for each luminaire in this study. A fitness function for the genetic algorithm was developed, taking into account light uniformity, light intensity capability, shading effects of the design, as well as operational and investment costs. The systems designed by the genetic algorithm show improved values of light uniformity and substantial savings without any effect on the light capacity capabilities of the system. Innovative automatically designed systems compare favorably with typical and expert-designed lighting systems.
Pleistocene Precipitation Balance in the Amazon Basin Recorded in Deep Sea Sediments

Terrigenous sediments from Ceara Rise in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean record Pleistocene Amazon Basin climate variability. Iron oxides and oxyhydroxides in this region originate mainly from chemically leached Amazon lowland soils. Concentrations of goethite and hematite in the terrigenous fraction consistently peak during transitions from glacial to interglacial periods, suggesting an increased proportion of erosive products derived from the Amazon lowlands compared to the physically weathered highlands. Lowland Amazon Basin precipitation changes, monitored by the percentage of goethite relative to total iron oxides, lead ice age extremes with maximum aridity during ice growth and maximum precipitation during ice melt. Rapid climate changes over the Amazon Basin may reflect shifts in the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone forced by northern hemisphere insolation at precessional (1/23,000 yr−1) and obliquity (1/41,000 yr−1) frequencies. Variance in the orbital eccentricity bands (1/100,000 and 1/413,000 yr−1) may be explained by nonlinear amplification of insolation forcing at precessional frequencies. The early response of Amazon precipitation to insolation, ahead of high-latitude ice volume (δ18O) at all orbital frequencies, suggests that tropical aridity is part of the chain of events leading to ice ages, rather than a response to glacier oscillations.
Liver weight changes during distant growth of transplanted tumor.

SummaryDuring the growth of subcutaneously transplanted mammary carcinomas or lymphosarcomas in mice the dry weight of the host carcass progressively decreases while the dry weight of the tumor-free liver of the host progressively increases. This dry liver weight gain is proportional to the dry tumor weight increase.
FDI, Competitive Menace, and the Evolution of Labor Practices in China

It is often argued that labor-intensive, export-oriented, foreign direct investment contributes tremendously to employment growth in China. However, this argument is not adequately verified due to the lack of rigorous and systematic examination of the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the quantity and quality of employment. This article attempts to fill the lacunae. It shows that foreign-invested enterprises have not contributed to employment to the same extent as other ownership types or as their economic prowess would seem to allow. In response to the assertion that the employment contribution by FDI goes beyond direct job creation by foreign-invested enterprises, the article constructs an econometric test to account for the possible indirect employment effects. Yet the test shows that FDI has positive but insignificant effects on employment. In addition to the quantitative effects, the impacts of FDI on the quality of employment are also analyzed. The article concurs with the argument that ...
Oxidation kinetics and effect of pH on the degradation of MTBE with Fenton reagent

Abstract The fundamentals of the Fenton reagent-based degradation of low concentrations of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in batch reactors under initially anaerobic conditions are discussed in this work. The objective of the study was to quantitatively verify the feasibility of MTBE degradation with Fenton reagent under such conditions. The conclusions may be potentially helpful to further develop an effective in situ treatment of MTBE-contaminated groundwater. Initial MTBE concentrations ([MTBE]0) of 11.4 and 22.7 μM (approximately 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L, respectively) were treated with Fenton reagent (FR) using a [FR]0:[MTBE]0 molar ratio of 10:1. FR was used in equimolar mixture of Fe2+and H2O2 (i.e., [Fe2+]0:[H2O2]0=1:1). This analysis considers the hydroxyl radicals (OH ) produced by FR as the main species responsible for the degradation processes. The effects of [MTBE]0 and pH on the oxidation kinetics were investigated. Under these conditions it was observed that: (i) MTBE was degraded at high extent (90–99%) after 1 h of reaction time, (ii) MTBE mineralization was low in all cases and reached only 31.7% at the best conditions, and (iii) In all cases, most of MTBE degradation occurred during the initial 3–5 min of reaction. During this brief initial phase, MTBE transformation followed pseudo-first order kinetics, while the subsequent phase exhibited a sharp drop in degradation rate and had almost negligible contribution to the overall degradation. Experiments performed at acidic pH exhibited the best degradation results, while at neutral pH the degradation rates dropped significantly. Other parameters included in this analysis were: TOC reduction and total concentration of compounds containing the tert-butyl group in their structure (tBC). These compounds were analyzed because of the concerns related to their potential toxicity. Tert-butyl formate (TBF), Tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), acetone and methyl acetate were identified and quantified as major reaction intermediates.
Metabolism of myristicin by Depressaria pastinacella CYP6AB3v2 and inhibition by its metabolite.

Abstract Although methylenedioxyphenyl (MDP) compounds, such as myristicin, are useful in the management of insecticide-resistant insects, the molecular mechanisms for their action in mammals and insects have not been elucidated. In this study, GC–MS analyses of methanol extracts of foliage of wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) have identified myristicin as a substrate for CYP6AB3v2, an imperatorin-metabolizing cytochrome P450 monooxygenase from Depressaria pastinacella (parsnip webworm). In contrast with its strong inhibitory effects on many mammalian P450s, myristicin is effectively metabolized by CYP6AB3v2 (Vmax and Km of 97.9 pmol/min/pmol P450 and 17.9 μM, respectively) at a rate exceeding that recorded previously for imperatorin, the only other known substrate for this highly specialized enzyme. The myristicin metabolite of CYP6AB3v2 is 1-(3′,4′-methylenedioxy-5′-methoxyphenyl)-2,3-epoxypropane. Molecular dockings have indicated that, unlike other epoxide metabolites of furanocoumarins, this epoxide metabolite is likely to remain in the CYP6AB3v2 catalytic site due to its low binding energy (−31.0 kcal/mol). Inhibition assays indicate that myristicin acts as a mixed inhibitor of this insect P450 and suggest that the epoxide metabolite may be an intermediate involved in the formation of P450–methylenedioxyphenyl complexes.
Equivolumetric gradients for zonal rotors: separation of ribosomes.

Abstract We have described a gradient shape for zonal rotors in which the volume through which a particle migrates is proportional to time and to the sedimentation coefficient of the particle. Such gradients are the sectorial analogs of the isokinetic gradients of swinging-bucket rotors. We propose to call these equivolumetric gradients. We have tested resolution in these gradients with Euglena ribosomal subunits and polysomes, and found it superior to that of comparable isometric or linear gradients. Broadening of particle zones is independent of particle size and the volumetric distance migrated, but depends on the time of centrifugation and on the concentration of particles above certain limiting values.
Severity of liver disease in liver transplantation recipients with hepatitis C virus infection: relationship to genotype and level of viremia

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b has been reported to be associated with more severe posttransplantation liver disease than infection with non-1b genotypes. To address this issue, we evaluated the outcome in 124 patients who underwent liver transplantation for chronic HCV infection. The HCV genotype and/or serotype responsible for infection was determined by four different methods. HCV RNA was detected in serum samples by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, and quantified by branched DNA assay. Disease severity was expressed as a histological score (which included grading of portal inflammation, lobular activity, fibrosis, and cytopathic changes). Median duration of histological follow-up was 25 months (range 1-75 months). Genotype was assignable in 112 (92.5%) patients. Genotypes responsible for infection were as follows: 1a = 32.2%, 1b = 27.3%, 2a = 7.4%, 2b = 8.3%, 3a = 14%, and mixed infection (more than one subtype) = 3.3%. Level of viremia, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin, and total histological score were not significantly different in patients infected with type 1b compared with patients infected with other genotypes. While duration of histological follow-up was greater in patients infected with type lb versus other types (P = .02), by univariate and multivariate analysis neither HCV genotype (lb versus others), level of viremia nor duration of histological follow-up were associated with disease severity. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the actuarial graft survival in patients infected with type lb compared with that of patients infected with non-lb types (82% and 87% at 3 years, respectively). Reanalysis using HCV genotype 1 showed no association with disease severity, graft survival, and patient survival. We conclude that HCV genotype 1 and subtype 1b are not associated with disease severity or graft survival in liver transplantation recipients.
Global security risks and international competitiveness

Terrorism used to be considered a random political risk of relatively insignificant proportions. However, it seems to have gradually escalated in the last decade or so. It culminated on September 11, 2001 in New York City and Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, in the United States when massive terrorist attacks occurred. The assault stunned Americans and the rest of the world not only because of the enormity of the terror attacks themselves, but also because of the vulnerability it revealed. The terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and the military actions afterwards have heightened the uncertainty and gloom over the world economy. Falling consumer demand in the world’s strongest economies and the decline in investment have compounded the problems of many emerging countries. Tighter security measures have since disrupted not only international movement of supplies and merchandise but also international financial flow as well as tourism. These measures threaten the smooth functioning of international business activities we had taken for granted in the last 30 years. As a result, the larger problem of security, terrorism-induced and otherwise, has now entered directly and fully into the competitive business strategy equation. Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs) at 30 universities in the United States recently
On the global behaviour of symmetric Skyrmions

It is shown that the chiral angle, θ(r), of the hedgehog (symmetric) Skyrmions with an arbitrary baryon number, is a strictly decreasing or increasing function. For large values of r>0, θ(r) is strictly convex or concave. As r→∞, θ(r) and θ′(r) approach their limit values at the rate Or-αfor any α∈(0,2).
Using POPOP's viscosity-dependent lifetime as a picosecond resolution standard in near-UV fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) using near-UV excitation is being developed to probe endogenous fluorophores in cells and tissues. Here, we describe such a UV-FLIM system and present a useful method for measuring the fluorescence lifetime discrimination of the system using the viscosity dependent lifetime of 1,4-Bis(5-phenyloxazol-2-yl)benzene (POPOP). The time-domain UV-FLIM system employed a nitrogen laser (337.1 nm) fiber-optic coupled to an inverted microscope. Wide-field fluorescence images were obtained at controlled time delays with a 200 ps gated, intensified-CCD camera. Lifetimes were calculated from the intensity decay on a pixel-by-pixel basis. The system was capable of imaging endogenous fluorescence in living cells using UV excitation. POPOP is a nanosecond lifetime standard suitable for UV excitation (325-375 nm). Its single-exponential lifetime (1.4 ns in ethanol) is comparable to endogenous lifetime values measured in living cells. Increasing solvent viscosity via the incremental addition of glycerol produced a series of POPOP lifetime standards having a range of 1 ns. The FLIM system’s ability to discriminate lifetime differences of 50 ps was demonstrated using the POPOP series. Thus, POPOP’s viscosity dependent lifetime represents a useful and convenient resolution standard for UV-FLIM calibration.
Front-like behavior in the Arctic wintertime upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere

[1] Synoptic scale disturbances in the Arctic wintertime middle atmosphere are investigated using Sounding of the Atmosphere Using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) satellite temperature observations and U.K. Meteorological Office (MetO) assimilated analyses. A representative data set on 13 February 2002 is used as a case study. The observed strong vertical and horizontal thermal gradients in the Arctic winter upper stratosphere and mesosphere are evocative to front-like behavior in the troposphere. The observations from the SABER instrument and the MetO data of temperature and geopotential suggest that baroclinic instability is a process involved in enhancing the disturbance. Contrary to tropospheric baroclinic development, the ageostrophic circulation associated with the middle atmosphere disturbance is indirect and is driven by eddy momentum flux convergence due to vertically propagating planetary waves. Investigating perturbation geopotential through the Arctic middle atmosphere prior to and during the event, a dominant zonal wave number 1 planetary wave propagating into the upper stratosphere is observed. The observations suggest that, through this planetary wave action, the middle atmosphere becomes highly baroclinic and can promote baroclinic instability that can enhance temperatures to the extreme levels characteristic of these disturbances near the stratopause and in the lower mesosphere.
Subject-regulated dosing alters morphine self-administration behavior and morphine-stimulated [35S]GTPgammaS binding.

Repeated intake of opioids is associated with dose escalation and alterations in signal transduction at the G-protein-coupled receptor level. The current study utilized two experiments to identify factors in rats that influence consumption rates such as daily intake of self-administered morphine and receptor desensitization. In Experiment 1, rats self-administered either 0.30, 1.00, or 3.00 mg/kg/infusion morphine sulfate (morphine) during 7 daily 4-h sessions. For Experiment 2, rats were assigned to groups that self-administered either 1) self-regulated escalating doses of morphine, 2) a fixed dose of morphine, or 3) saline during 18-h sessions for 7 days to determine if dose control would increase consumption without significantly decreasing response rate. We then assessed morphine-stimulated [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding in the amygdala and thalamus from these three groups in Experiment 2. Results from Experiment 1 demonstrated that 0.30 mg/kg/morphine did not support stable self-administration. For Experiment 2, the self-escalation group self-administered more morphine than the fixed-dose group, yet maintained similar response rates. Additionally, self-escalation rats demonstrated decreased morphine-stimulated [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding in membranes prepared from amygdalar and thalamic nuclei compared to the fixed-dose and control groups. Our results suggest that session length inversely affects consumption rates for fixed doses of morphine. Self-regulated dosing of morphine is also associated with rapid escalation of daily consumption and no significant alterations in consumption rates. These results suggest subject-regulated dosing is a useful approach for modeling dose escalation associated with opioid dependence.
Intern candidates who withdraw from contracts: incidence and internal medicine program directors' attitudes.

Objective: To study the prevalence of intern candidates accepted through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) or after the match who subsequently withdraw and the attitudes of program directors regarding this issue.
Modeling ethylene combustion from low to high pressure

With the same reaction set, data have been modeled successfully from two ethylene-oxygen combustion systems at greatly different pressures. New data are from the Princeton flow reactor, a lower temperature (850–950 K) and high-pressure (5–10 atm) data set (=2.5). The second set is for a high-temperature ( Several reaction sets were tested, but only the present set demonstrated good agreement in both cases. A key difference between this set and previous ones lies in the modeling of the complex C2H3+O2 reaction. New rate constants were calculated based on recent findings regarding the potential energy surface of the C2H3+O2 system. In the 850–1600 K range that is crucial in these experiments, the product set CH2CHO+O was found to contribute much less than reported in earlier studies, and the HCO+CH2O channel dominated. The present reaction set predicted the species profiles in both cases with reasonable accuracy, allowing us to interpret and compare the reaction pathways over a wide range of conditions. In the low-pressure flame, C2H4 is mainly consumed by abstraction, while in the high-pressure system, abstraction (mainly by OH instead of H) competes with H addition that forms C2H5. In both cases, abstraction forms C2H3 that reacts with O2 to make HCO and CH2O and eventually CO and CO2 However, higher levels of C2H5 and HO2 at the high-pressure, lower temperature flow reactor condition drive distinct pathway differences. The key role of HO2 chemistry is particularly emphasized through the reaction CH2O+HO2. Model comparisons support a lower value of the rate constant for this reaction, consistent with that recommended by Hochgreb and Dryer.
Registration for an augmented reality system enhancing the situational awareness in an outdoor scenario

Augmented reality techniques can significantly enhance the situational awareness of a user by providing 3D information registered to the user's view of the world. Critical for usability of such a system is the precise registration. Outdoor AR systems usually employ a GPS for position and a hybrid combination of magnetometer and inclinometer for orientation estimation, which provide only a limited precision. At the Rockwell Science Center (RSC), an approach is being developed which uses terrain horizon silhouettes as visual cues for improving the registration precision and for sensor calibration. Since the observer position is known from GPS data, the horizon silhouette can be predicted using a digital elevation model (DEM) database. The silhouette segment, which the user sees, is extracted from a camera pointing in the same direction as the user. This segment is then matched with the complete 360 degree horizon silhouette from the DEM data. When the optimal match has been determined, camera azimuth, roll, and pitch angle can be computed. This registration approach is being implemented in an AR system for enhancing the situational awareness in an outdoor scenario which is being developed at RSC. Currently, the information augmentation is provided by a registered overlay onto a live video stream.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A new method for the isolation of replicative chromatin: Selective deposition of histone on both new and old DNA

We have developed a new method for isolating subcellular components after fixation of whole cells with formaldehyde. By a number of criteria we establish that the fixation does not alter or cause rearrangement of nucleosomal structure of either newly replicated or old chromatin. Using this approach we can almost completely resolve newly replicated chromatin from preexisting material on the basis of the difference in density. Newly replicated chromatin (even from cycloheximide-treated cells) appears to contain nucleosomes on both daughter strands. Exploiting the ability to separate newly synthesized chromatin, we have reexamined the question of the deposition of new histone at the replication fork. We find that newly synthesized histones H3 and H4 are deposited onto new DNA and stay in place for a significant time. In contrast new H1 is deposited on old DNA and new H2A-H2B, while they may be transiently bound to new DNA, are largely associated with preexisting chromatin.
Qualitative use of ellipsometry to study localized corrosion processes

Abstract Localized corrosion processes such as pitting, intergranular corrosion, crevice corrosion, and stress corrosion involve many aspects that are not amenable to a quantitative study by ellipsometry. This paper describes uses of ellipsometry that can, however, provide valuable insights into localized corrosion processes without having to determine the optical constants of absorbing films. The uses described are as follows: (1) the determination of induction times for pit initiation and the demonstration that changes occur in the passive film prior to pitting; (2) the measurement of the rate of repassivation, a process of importance to stress corrosion, for a metal surface whose protective film has been removed by abrasion (triboellipsometry); and (3) the identification of three stages leading to crevice corrosion by ellipsometric measurements made within a crevice.
Fuel reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI): a pathway to controlled high-efficiency clean combustion

A fuel reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) concept is demonstrated as a promising method to achieve high efficiency – clean combustion. Engine experiments were performed in a heavy-duty test engine over a range of loads. Additionally, RCCI engine experiments were compared to conventional diesel engine experiments. Detailed computational fluid dynamics modelling was then used to explain the experimentally observed trends. Specifically, it was found that RCCI combustion is capable of operating over a wide range of engine loads with near zero levels of NOx and soot, acceptable pressure rise rate and ringing intensity, and very high indicated efficiency. For example, a peak gross indicated efficiency of 56 per cent was observed at 9.3 bar indicated mean effective pressure and 1300 rev/min. The comparison between RCCI and conventional diesel showed a reduction in NOx by three orders of magnitude, a reduction in soot by a factor of six, and an increase in gross indicated efficiency of 16.4 per cen...
Relationship of pathology to function in congenital hearing loss. I. The pathology of congenital hearing loss.

New sources of information on the pathology of congenital hearing loss allow the otolaryngologist to evaluate more confidently the number of functional elements present or absent in a given hearing loss. Information is obtained from two sources: histo-pathological studies on temporal bones of deceased hearing-impaired children, and polytomogram studies on living children. These sources reveal that varieties and modifications must be added to the classic pathologies described by Michel, Mondini, Scheibe, and Alexander, necessitating changes in our estimates of the hearing function of hearing impaired children. Variations occur in recessive and dominant genetic hearing loss, in viral labyrinthitis, in chromosomal abnormalities, and in iatrogenic hearing loss. Temporal bone slides and polytomograms of these entities are shown and their functional elements described.
Minimum-Volume Enclosing Ellipsoids and Core Sets

We study the problem of computing a (1+e)-approximation to the minimum-volume enclosing ellipsoid of a given point set \({\cal S} = \{p^{1}, p^{2}, \dots, p^{n}\} \subseteq {\mathbb R}^{d}\). Based on a simple, initial volume approximation method, we propose a modification of the Khachiyan first-order algorithm. Our analysis leads to a slightly improved complexity bound of \(O(nd^{3}/\epsilon)\) operations for \(\epsilon \in(0, 1)\). As a byproduct, our algorithm returns a core set \({\cal X} \subseteq {\cal S}\) with the property that the minimum-volume enclosing ellipsoid of \({\cal X}\) provides a good approximation to that of \({\cal S}\). Furthermore, the size of \({\cal X}\) depends on only the dimension d and e, but not on the number of points n. In particular, our results imply that \(\vert {\cal X} \vert = O(d^{2}/\epsilon)\) for \(\epsilon \in(0, 1)\).
Pediatric cartilage interleave tympanoplasty.

Objective To describe a novel technique of cartilage tympanoplasty, and review surgical and hearing results in children. Study Design and Setting Retrospective chart review of all patients who had undergone tympanoplasty at a pediatric tertiary care hospital from August 2002 to July 2005. Forty-two patients were identified with a minimum follow-up time of 12 months. Results Mean preoperative perforation size was 21.3 percent (range 10%-90%), and mean patient age was 7.9 years (range 3-16 years). Median clinical follow-up was 24 months. Tympanic membrane closure and graft integration were achieved in 40 of 42 patients (95.2%), and 35 of 42 (85.7%) patients maintained an intact, stable tympanic membrane on long-term follow-up. A total of 93.8 percent of patients achieved a postoperative air-bone gap of less than or equal to 20 dB, and mean improvement in the air-bone gap was 10.7 dB. Conclusion and Significance Cartilage interleave tympanoplasty is a versatile, stable, and effective technique for tympanic membrane repair in children.
Improvements in Cascade Potential Transrormers

This paper describes a new cascade potential transformer which exhibits improved characteristics and utilization of materials as compared with a prior cascade design and with conventional potential transformers. Modifications responsible for these advances include major changes in the magnetic and electric circuits as well as in the mechanical parts. Features of the new design embrace a major reduction in height and weight, high metering accuracy over the entire range of transmission-line voltages, improved mechanical clamping and sealing, and excellen voltage distribution and transient responset
Neurotransmitter release regulated by nitric oxide in PC-12 cells and brain synaptosomes

Abstract Background: Nitric oxide is a messenger molecule of the nervous system, which is produced by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase, which may regulate cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels and which has been implicated in the control of neurotransmitter release. PC-12 pheochromocytoma cells differentiate to form neuronal cells in culture when they are exposed to nerve growth factor. The levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate in the cells and their ability to release acetylcholine in response to K + depolarization are both maximal after eight days of treatment with nerve growth factor. We set out to assess a possible role for nitric oxide in the processes that occur in differentiating PC-12 cells. Results: Nitric oxide synthase is first evident in differentiating PC-12 cells eight days after beginning treatment with nerve growth factor, coinciding with the marked increase in K + -depolarization-induced release of acetylcholine. The release of both acetylcholine and dopamine in response to K + -depolarization is blocked by inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase and by hemoglobin, which binds nitric oxide. Providing l-arginine, a precursor required for nitric oxide synthesis, reverses the effects of the inhibitors. In synaptosomal preparations from the corpus striatum, inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase prevent the release of glutamate in response to the glutamate derivative N-methyl-d-aspartate but not in response to K + -depolarization. Conclusion Nitric oxide may mediate the release of acetylcholine and dopamine in response to K'-depolarization in PC-12 cells and the release of glutamate in response to N-methyl-d-aspartate in striatal synaptosomes. Nitric oxide synthase expression is induced after eight days of treating PC-12 cells with nerve growth factor, coinciding with a marked enhancement of the release of neurotransmitters in response to K + -depolarization.
Adaptive search for sparse dynamic targets

We consider the problem of energy constrained and noise-limited search for targets that are sparsely distributed over a large area. We propose a multiple-stage search algorithm that accounts for complex time-varying target behavior such as transitions among neighboring cells and varying target amplitudes. This work extends the adaptive resource allocation policy (ARAP) introduced in [Bashan et al, 2008] to policies with T ≫ 2 stages. The proposed search strategy is driven by minimization of a surrogate function for energy constrained mean-squared error within locations containing targets. Exact optimization of the multi-stage objective function is infeasible, but myopic optimization yields a closed-form solution. We extend the myopic solution with non-myopic considerations that save a percentage of resources for exploring the scene at large. Empirical evidence suggests that the non-myopic policy performs significantly better than the myopic solution in terms of estimation error, probability of detection, and robustness to model mismatch. Moreover, the provided search policy has low computational complexity compared to state-of-the-art dynamic programming solutions.
Multiple primary neoplasms in association with prostate cancer in black and white patients

The current study follows up the 983 patients who were diagnosed as having prostate cancer at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City between 1970 and 1979 and of whom 106 (11.5%) developed a multiple primary malignant neoplasm (MPMN) in addition to their prostate cancer by January 1, 1986. Of the 283 black patients, 32 (11.3%) developed an MPMN involving 35 sites excluding prostate. Of the 636 white patients, 74 (11.6%) developed an MPMN in association with their prostate cancer. Comparing observed incidence rates to expected on the basis of SEER incidence data, two malignant tumors, urinary bladder cancer and malignant lymphoma, appeared to occur in excess in the present series of patients. The excess of urinary bladder cancer in our series could be explained by detection bias due to the routine use of cystoscopy. The excess incidence of lymphoma in our series appears significant but its etiology is unexplained. Cancer 59:380–384, 1987.
Contributions of Roy L. Whistler to carbohydrate polymer science

Contributions of Professor Roy L. Whistler (1912–2010) to the carbohydrate polymer field include the following: determination of structures of guaran, annual plant hemicelluloses, and other polysaccharides; fragmentation analysis to accomplish the structural determinations; electron microscopy of starch granules; identification of the products of oxidation of starch; preparation of new derivatives of starch and amylose; alkaline degradation of polysaccharides; preparation of synthetic carbohydrate polymers; polysaccharide nomenclature; compilations of the literature on polysaccharides in the form of books, book chapters, and reviews.
Some Numerical Aspects of the Use of Transforms in Statistics

Abstract Numerical methods of differentiation and for the inversion of generating functions and Laplace transforms, are applied to some estimation problems. One problem considered involves the estimation of probabilities related to compound distributions. Let X 1, X 2, … be independent random variables with known distributions. Furthermore, let N be a random variable with an unknown distribution. The problem is to make inferences about the compound random variable Z = X 1 + X 2 + … + X N on the basis of k independent observations, N 1, N 2, …, N k , on N. Another problem considered involves the estimation of the busy period distribution in a Queueing system with known Poisson arrivals but unknown service distribution, on the basis of independent observations S 1, S 2, …, S k of the service time. The method uses a functional equation relating the Laplace transforms of the service time and busy period distributions. The same type of approach can be applied to a variety of estimation problems in Queueing and...
The effect of trauma on protein synthesis

Abstract The effect of trauma on protein synthesis in the rat was studied. During the study the rats received all nutrients except water via intravenous hyperalimentation (1.25 g of amino acids, 12.5 g of glucose/day plus vitamins and mineral supplements). On the fourth day of total intravenous feeding the rats were divided into two groups. The femur of one group of rats was fractured under ether anesthesia (traumatized rats); the second group of rats served as controls. Fifty to sixty milligrams of 70% [ 15 N]glycine was then added to the infusate and infused at a constant rate for the next 18 to 19 hr. The rats were then sacrificed, and the rate of protein synthesis in the liver, heart, lung, kidneys, and anterior tibealis muscle was determined by a modification of the method of Garlick et al . [3]. The rate of protein synthesis in all tissues assayed except lung was significantly increased in the traumatized rats compared to the control rats. We concluded that in well-fed rats the response to trauma is an increase in protein synthesis.
An efficient algorithm for constructing a connected dominating set in mobile ad hoc networks

The connected dominating set (CDS) is widely used as a virtual backbone in mobile ad hoc networks. Although many distributed algorithms for constructing the CDS have been proposed, nearly all of them require two or more separated phases, which may cause problems such as long delay in the later phases when the network size is large. This paper proposes a Distributed Single-Phase algorithm for constructing a connected dominating set, DSP-CDS, in ad hoc networks. The DSP-CDS is an asynchronous distributed algorithm and converges quickly in a single phase. Each node uses one-hop neighborhood information and makes a local decision on whether to join the dominating set. Each node bases its decision on a key variable, strength, which guarantees that the dominating set is connected when the algorithm converges. The rules for computing strength can be changed to accommodate different application needs. The DSP-CDS adapts well to dynamic network topologies, upon which the algorithm makes only necessary local updates to maintain the CDS of the network. The performance of the DSP-CDS can be tuned by adjusting two main parameters. Extensive simulations have demonstrated that those parameters can affect the CDS size, the CDS diameter, and number of rounds for the algorithm to converge. Comparisons with other multiple-phase CDS algorithms have shown that the DSP-CDS converges fast and generates a CDS of comparable size.
White between the Lines: Ethnic Positioning in Lakhota Discourse

By examining constructed dialogues with whiteness in everyday conversations, this article demonstrates how one group of Native Americans, the Lakhota, mark whiteness as rampant individualism. As such, whiteness is not an essential characteristic of white people, but shifts to different participants as it is negotiated in Lakhota discourse. In this context, the Lakhota values of community responsibility and service are juxtaposed to individualism associated with whiteness.
Critical theory and curriculum practice in STS education

The STS education movement is identified and related to the critique of technology of the 1960s–1970s. The critics of technology included the system of education in their critiques. There is a practical tension or “contradiction” in attempting to develop their insights within the curriculum routines of the schools and colleges. This tension is explored under six categories: reductive knowledge, socialization of technical modes of thinking, technicalized processes of learning, the loss of meaning, radical monopoly over learning, and the socialization of secular values.
Computational Analysis of Piston-Ring Wear and Oil Consumption for an Internal Combustion Engine

This paper presents the computational analysis of piston ring wear and oil consumption for an internal combustion (IC) engine. Two computational models, piston-ring wear and oil consumption, are employed to simulate the results for this analysis. Both instantaneous and transient results are discussed. The piston-ring wear model, namely WEAR, is built on the fundamentals of mechanical and adhesive wear mechanism; while the oil consumption, namely OILCONSUME, is on the fundamentals of oil vaporization and upper-ring gap oil reverse flow mechanisms. The two models are integrated with two external engine simulators: the Ford Motor Company General Engine SIMulation (GESIM) of the Ford Motor Company, and the Cylinder kit Analysis System for Engines (CASE) of the Michigan State University Engine Research Laboratory. An objective of this analysis is to understand how the engine operation condition impacts the piston-ring wear and the oil consumption per engine cycle basis. Also, it is to understand how the piston-ring wear affects the oil consumption and other engine mechanisms on a long time basis. A virtual Ford 4.6L-V8 engine has been tested on various engine speeds and loads to produce the computational results. The results show that the engine load and the engine speed play significant roles, individually and collectively, on the engine performance. The results also show the dependence of the oil consumption and the blow-by on the piston-ring wear over long-time engine run. The instantaneous and transient simulations have provided useful insights on the relation between the piston-ring wear and the oil consumption mechanisms in an IC engine.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Behavioral effects of bombesin administration in rats

Abstract Bombesin (BBS, 0.1–0.4 μg) administered to the lateral cerebral ventricle (IVT) of rats decreased food intake and feeding behavior. Grooming behavior increased and resting behavior decreased at doses ⩾0.01 μg. IVT BBS (4.0 μg) caused greater suppression of food-deprivation-induced food intake and feeding behavior than the same dose and volume administered intraperitoneally (IP). After IVT BBS, rats displayed more grooming and less resting than normal, but after IP BBS, rats displayed a normal frequency of grooming and more resting. IVT BBS (⩾0.01 μg) also decreased drinking behavior, and drinking-associated feeding, and suppressed (⩾0.1 μg) water-deprivation-induced water intake. When neither food nor water was present, non-deprived rats displayed increased grooming and decreased resting after IVT BBS (1.0 μg). The results show that IVT BBS inhibits feeding markedly, but the inhibition of feeding by IVT BBS does not resemble normal satiety or the effect of IP BBS because the central inhibition of feeding is always accompanied by excessive grooming and little resting. Furthermore, since IVT BBS decreases drinking at a dose lower than that required to reduce food intake, and IP BBS does not, the specific satiety effect of IP BBS on feeding cannot be mediated solely by increasing bombesin in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Broken Tablets: The Cult of the Law in French Art from David to Delacroix

In this first study of art, law, and the legislator, Jonathan Ribner provides a revealing look at French art from 1789 to 1848, the period in which constitutional law was established in France. Drawing on several disciplines, he discusses how each of the early constitutional regimes in France used imagery suggesting the divine origin and sacred character of its laws. Primarily a study of art and politics, "Broken Tablets" discusses painting, sculpture, prints, and medals (many reproduced here for the first time), as well as contemporary literature, including the poetry of Alfred de Vigny, Alphonse de Lamartine, and Victor Hugo. Ribner assesses the ways in which legislation imagery became an instrument of political propaganda, and he clearly illuminates the cult of the law as it became personalized under Napoleon, monarchist under the Restoration, and defensive under Louis-Phillipe.
Effect of a mesoscale type wind on the pollutant distribution from a line source

Abstract A family of analytical solutions to a two-dimensional transport and diffusion equation that describes the pollutant concentration downwind from an infinite crosswind line source on the ground is presented. Both large-scale and local or mesoscale winds are included in the analysis. The mesoscale wind is chosen to simulate a local wind produced by urban heat island effects. Results from a sample calculation show the effects of the mesoscale wind on pollutants to be non-uniform over the simulated urban region. Depending on the relative positions of the source, the center of the mesoscale wind, and the observer, and the directions of the large-scale and mesoscale winds, the concentration can be enhanced or reduced by the mesoscale wind.
Synthetic CpG oligodeoxynucleotides augment BAFF- and APRIL-mediated immunoglobulin secretion

The B lymphocyte-activating factor belonging to TNF superfamily (BAFF) acts on B lymphocytes through BAFF receptor (BAFF-R), the transmembrane activator, calcium modulator, and cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI), and the B cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Another cytokine, a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), only binds to TACI and BCMA. In this study, we sought to determine the effect of Toll-like receptor agonists (TLR-A) on the expression of BAFF/APRIL receptors by murine splenic B lymphocytes. CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) and LPS strongly up-regulated TACI expression, while BAFF-R was only up-regulated by CpG ODN. CpG ODN pretreatment up-regulated TACI expression on follicular and marginal zone B lymphocytes and increased their responses to BAFF- and APRIL-mediated Ig secretion. TACI seemed to be playing a pivotal role in BAFF- or APRIL-induced Ig secretion because B lymphocytes from TACI-knockout mouse or the blocking of TACI with a neutralizing antibody resulted in total inhibition of IgA and IgG secretion in CpG ODN-pretreated and BAFF- or APRIL-stimulated B cells. Thus, CpG ODN-induced increase in TACI expression is likely to play an important role in Ig secretion following activation of B lymphocytes through TLR9.