cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A method of robust multi-rate state estimation

Abstract The inadequacy of the standard notions of detectability and observability to ascertain robust state estimation is shown. The notion of robust state estimation is defined, and for a class of processes the conditions under which the robust state estimation is possible, are given. A method of robust, nonlinear, multi-rate, state estimator design is presented. It can be used to improve robustness in an existing estimator or design a new robust estimator. Estimator tuning guidelines that ensure the asymptotic stability of the estimator error dynamics are given. To ensure that estimation error does not exceed a desired limit, the sampling period of infrequent measurements should be less than an upper bound that depends on factors such as the size of the process dominant time constant, the magnitude of measurement noise, and the level of process–model mismatch. An expression that can be used to calculate the upper bound on the sampling period of infrequent measurements, is presented. The upper bound is the latest time at which the next infrequent measurements should arrive to ensure that estimation error does not exceed a desired limit. The expression also allows one to calculate the highest quality of estimation achievable in a given process. A binary distillation flash tank and a free-radical polymerization reactor are considered to show the application and performance of the estimator.
Anaplastic variant of spermatocytic seminoma

Four examples of spermatocytic seminoma with a predominant anaplastic component occurred in men 33 to 43 years of age, without histories of cryptorchidism. The seminomas presented with painless testicular masses recognized 3 to 18 months before orchiectomy. Preoperative serum measurements of human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein were negative. All tumors contained areas (10% to 30% of the tumor) in which the three cell types characteristic of conventional spermatocytic seminoma could be identified under light microscopy. The predominant anaplastic component also contained the three cell types, but the nuclei had prominent nucleoli with granular and filamentous chromatin. In addition, sheets of cells with vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli superficially resembling embryonal carcinoma were found. There were numerous large mononuclear and multinucleated giant cells with bizarre nuclei and prominent nucleoli, but no sarcomatous elements. Many normal and abnormal mitotic figures were present. Tunical and vascular invasion and extensive necrosis were constant features. Immunohistochemistry documented p53 protein overexpression in two tumors, but neoplastic cells were negative with immunostains for placenta-like alkaline phosphatase, leukocyte common antigen, neuron-specific enolase, alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, vimentin, and cytokeratins. Ultrastructural examination of the anaplastic component showed large rope-like nucleoli, but the cytoplasmic features were similar to those of conventional spermatocytic seminoma. Despite the presence of a major anaplastic component, no patient has developed metastasis. Larger series and longer follow-up are needed to understand the natural history of these neoplasms.
Radical Critique and Progressive Traditionalism in John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath 1

This essay explores the radical critique of capitalism offered by John Ford's film, The Grapes of Wrath. Building on E.P. Thompson's notion of `radical traditionalism', I argue that Ford offers an economically radical critique of capitalism based upon the symbolic resources of patriarchy and racial exclusion. In order to understand the social impact of Ford's cinema, I reconstruct the symbolic and semiotic resources of the laboring community during the late 1930s, relying upon labor histories and community and cultural studies of the period. After examining those semio-social resources, I argue that Ford's work was both re-made by its times and contributed to the formation of a kind of `working class consciousness' in American cinema. I conclude by offering suggestions concerning the limits of solidarity produced by this radical economic critique based in a symbolic traditionalism.
A deep-branching clade of retrovirus-like retrotransposons in bdelloid rotifers

Rotifers of class Bdelloidea, a group of aquatic invertebrates in which males and meiosis have never been documented, are also unusual in their lack of multicopy LINE-like and gypsy-like retrotransposons, groups inhabiting the genomes of nearly all other metazoans. Bdelloids do contain numerous DNA transposons, both intact and decayed, and domesticated Penelope-like retroelements Athena, concentrated at telomeric regions. Here we describe two LTR retrotransposons, each found at low copy number in a different bdelloid species, which define a clade different from previously known clades of LTR retrotransposons. Like bdelloid DNA transposons and Athena, these elements are found preferentially in telomeric regions. Unlike bdelloid DNA transposons, many of which are decayed, the newly described elements, named Vesta and Juno, inhabiting the genomes of Philodina roseola and Adineta vaga, respectively, appear to be intact and represent recent insertions, possibly from an exogenous source. We describe the retrovirus-like structure of the new elements, containing gag, pol, and env-like open reading frames, and discuss their possible origins, transmission, and behavior in bdelloid genomes.
Evaporation Rate Model for a Natural Convection Glazed Collector/Regenerator

Developpement d'un modele pour le calcul du debit massique d'evaporation d'eau du collecteur/regenerateur utilise par les systemes frigorifiques a cycle ouvert. Comparaison des performances obtenus pour un collecteur/regenerateur couvert ou a l'air libre
Sphaeronema Whittoni N. Sp. (Nematoda: Criconematidae)

A new species of Sphaeronema is described. S. whittoni females are distinguished by their round stylet knobs, vulval lips flush with the body, lack of cuticular pattern, and large size. Males and second stage larvae differ from other described species in the shape of stylet knobs and body size.
Percutaneous transvenous coil embolization of a Type 4 sagittal sinus dural arteriovenous fistula: Case report

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: To present an alternative endovascular therapy for a Type 4 sagittal sinus dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF). CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old man presented with right facial paresthesias. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an enlarged left parasagittal cortical vein adjacent to the superior sagittal sinus. Angiography demonstrated a Type 4 sagittal sinus DAVF. INTERVENTION: The DAVF was cured using percutaneous transvenous coil embolization. CONCLUSION: This case represents the first report in which a sagittal sinus DAVF was cured using a percutaneous transvenous endovascular approach.
Peripheral immune challenge with viral mimic during early postnatal period robustly enhances anxiety-like behavior in young adult rats

Inflammatory factors associated with immune challenge during early brain development are now firmly implicated in the etiologies of schizophrenia, autism and mood disorders later in life. In rodent models, maternal injections of inflammagens have been used to induce behavioral, anatomical and biochemical changes in offspring that are congruent with those found in human diseases. Here, we studied whether inflammatory challenge during the early postnatal period can also elicit behavioral alterations in adults. At postnatal day 14, rats were intraperitoneally injected with a viral mimic, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (PIC). Two months later, these rats displayed remarkably robust and consistent anxiety-like behaviors as evaluated by the open field/defensive-withdrawal test. These results demonstrate that the window of vulnerability to inflammatory challenge in rodents extends into the postnatal period and offers a means to study the early sequelae of events surrounding immune challenge to the developing brain.
Accuracy and efficiency of low-order volume integral equation techniques for dielectric bodies modeled with tetrahedral cells

Summary form only given. Many computational techniques based on volume integral equations have been proposed for the analysis of heterogeneous dielectric bodies illuminated by electromagnetic fields. The Schaubert-Wilton-Glisson approach (1984) employed the electric field integral equation (EFIE) with an expansion of the D-field in divergence conforming basis functions. This is sometimes called an EFIE-D approach. The Sun-Chew formulation (2009) uses a curl-conforming expansion of the electric field; this has been called an EFIE-E approach. The author recently described an EFIE-H formulation (ACES-2013) where the magnetic field is expanded in curl-conforming bases and the D-field obtained from it; that approach produces a solenoidal (zero-divergence) representation for D like that previously described by Carvalho and Mendes (1999) and recommended by Botha (2006). An EFIE-J formulation using piecewise-constant basis functions was proposed by Markkanen et al. (2012). These formulations share the properties that they employ tetrahedral cells, and can easily be scaled to produce symmetric impedance matrices. Approaches employing the magnetic field integral equation are available but do not produce a symmetric impedance matrix. Formulations based on differential equations are also widespread for heterogeneous bodies, but volume integral formulations remain of interest due to the possibility of obtaining a well-conditioned set of equations for fast iterative solution. By far the most widely-used formulation of the above is the Schaubert-WiltonGlisson EFIE-D approach. However, that approach requires more unknowns for a given model (one per face) than the EFIE-E or EFIE-H discretizations (one per edge), although less than the EFIE-J approach (3 per cell). In addition, the EFIED formulation requires volume-volume, volume-surface, and surface-surface interaction integrals, some over fictitious charge. In contrast, the EFIE-H formulation can be implemented without volume integrations. These observations suggest that the EFIE-D approach may not be the best choice. However, to assess the relative efficiency of these formulations, onemust investigate the trade-off between accuracy and computational cost for a given problem. In this presentation, the accuracy of results for internal fields and scattering cross section for several spherical dielectric bodies, as well as the execution times, will be used to compare the performance of the symmetric EFIE-D, EFIE-E, and EFIE-H formulations when used with tetrahedral-cell models.
Mitral Valve Closure Prediction With 3-D Personalized Anatomical Models and Anisotropic Hyperelastic Tissue Assumptions

This study is concerned with the development of patient-specific simulations of the mitral valve that use personalized anatomical models derived from 3-D transesophageal echocardiography (3-D TEE). The proposed method predicts the closed configuration of the mitral valve by solving for an equilibrium solution that balances various forces including blood pressure, tissue collision, valve tethering, and tissue elasticity. The model also incorporates realistic hyperelastic and anisotropic properties for the valve leaflets. This study compares hyperelastic tissue laws with a quasi-elastic law under various physiological parameters, and provides insights into error sensitivity to chordal placement, allowing for a preliminary comparison of the influence of the two factors (chords and models) on error. Predictive errors show the promise of the method, yielding aggregate median errors of the order of 1 mm, and computed strains and stresses show good correspondence with those reported in prior studies.
Intraarticular Abnormalities in Residual Perthes and Perthes-like Hip Deformities

Background Residual Perthes and Perthes-like hip deformities are complex and may encompass proximal femoral deformity, secondary acetabular dysplasia, and associated intraarticular abnormalities. These intraarticular abnormalities have not been well characterized but may influence surgical technique and treatment outcomes.
A general Bieberbach inequality

A proof is given of a general Bieberbach inequality which has the Bieberbach, Urysohn and harmonic Urysohn inequalities as special cases. This establishes a stronger as well as more general inequality than the previously mentioned inequalities. Generalizations (as well as strengthened versions) of other inequalities previously proven by the author are also obtained.
Between a Buck and a Hired Place

This forum is a continuation of a regular series of columns on engineering ethics based on the Applied Ethics Case of the Month program, sponsored by the National Institute for Engineering Ethics (NIEE), Texas Tech University. The Case-of-the-Month program consists of applied ethics cases taken from actual professional practice and presented in narrative format on the NIEE’s interactive Web site, with the names of the participants and the locations altered to preserve anonymity. Each case is linked to a series of suggested solutions, not all of which are necessarily ethical but which represent reactions commonly found in professional practice. Web site visitors are given the opportunity to vote on their preferred course of action for the dilemma, as well as to offer commentary. Results are tabulated at the end of the voting period and the statistical responses are reported, along with commentary and in some cases, the actual solution for the case. Actual real-life situations are the central notion upon which the program is founded. Such ethics cases stimulate greater attention to ethical issues, and they allow readers the opportunity to avoid similar pitfalls in their own careers. In addition to individual review and reflection, the case histories may also provide a convenient focus for informal brown-bag discussions in firms and agencies. Those interested in the program are encouraged to visit the NIEE’s Case-of-the-Month Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.niee.org/Case-of-the-Month/. Results and discussion appear on the Web site and also appear in this forum section of the Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice. A more detailed description of this program appeared in the January 1998 issue of this journal.
Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Nephrectomy and Contralateral Ureteral Reimplantation in Children

Abstract Background: Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) has expanded the role for minimally invasive surgery within pediatrics. RALS may be particularly beneficial for the treatment of children with a refluxing nonfunctioning renal moiety and contralateral vesicoureteral reflux. In this report, we describe a single RALS procedure, which includes both nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy, and contralateral extravesical ureteral reimplantation (EVUR). Methods: A retrospective review was performed of four patients who underwent RALS nephrectomy/partial nephrectomy and concurrent EVUR in one setting. Procedures were performed by a single surgeon using a robot-assisted laparoscopic approach. Four ports were used in a transperitoneal approach with patient positioning changed without moving the robotic system between the nephrectomy and reimplant. We described the technique and assessed its safety and efficacy. Results: All cases were treated with the single RALS approach. Mean patient age was 2.3 years. T...
Was There a German ‘Geoffrey Chaucer’ in the Late Middle Ages? The Rediscovery of Heinrich Kaufringer's Verse Narratives as Literary Masterpieces

One of the curious phenomena in late-medieval literature proves to be the seeming absence of a major figure like Giovanni Boccaccio, Geoffrey Chaucer, Franco Sacchetti, or Marguerite de Navarre in ...
Architecture and Implementation of Power and Area Efficient Receiver Equalization Circuit for High-Speed Serial Data Communication

A low power, small area receiver equalizer circuit based on novel threshold multiplexing (TMX) technique is presented. Simulation results based on the proposed sampler circuit and a 3-level 2-tap TMX equalizer circuit implementation show achievable 20~30 ps eye margin improvement for a 5 Gb/s high-speed serial I/O application. This circuit demonstrates a very low PVT sensitivity and extremely wideband operation, which is fully digital and highly scalable and therefore very suitable for SOC applications.
How to cut a cake fairly using a minimal number of cuts

Abstract What is the minimum number of cuts needed to divide a cake among n players so that each player receives at least 1 n of the whole cake? The simple “one cuts - the other chooses” shows that one cut suffices for 2 players. It was previously known that 3 players require 3 cuts and 4 players require 4 cuts with only upper bounds available for n> 4. Algorithms using 6 cuts for 5 players and 8 cuts for 6 players are discussed, which lower the previously known upper bounds. Moreover, it is shown that 6 cuts is the best possible for 5 players.
Effects of N fertilizer treatments on biologically active N pools in soils under plow and no tillage

Studies assessing the effects of different tillage and N fertilizer management practices on distributions and amounts of various C and N pools in soil can provide information about the influence of such management on the quality of organic matter in agricultural soils. To assess the influence of management on soil quality, we characterized the organic matter by measurements of total N, organic C, microbial biomass N and active N in the 0–20cm profiles of soil from long-term field experiments containing plots under treatments of plow or no tillage and 0, 135, or 270kgNha–1 fertilizer. Previous work had established that on the basis of the crop growth requirement of maize, these application rates of fertilizer N provide amounts of N that are deficient, sufficient, and excessive, respectively. The studies reported provide evidence that the sufficient amount of fertilizer N stimulated formation of the biologically active pools of N (biomass N and active N) in soils under no tillage treatments, but the excessive amount of fertilizer N tended to suppress these pools. The results demonstrated that these influences of excessive N fertilization were not reflected in distributions of total N or total organic C in soil profiles but became evident with the measurements of biologically active N. This suggests that such measurements can provide information related to the influence of different management practices on soil quality.
Building DNA Nanostructures for Molecular Computation, Templated Assembly, and Biological Applications

CONSPECTUS: DNA is a critical biomolecule well-known for its roles in biology and genetics. Moreover, its double-helical structure and the Watson-Crick pairing of its bases make DNA structurally predictable. This predictability enables design and synthesis of artificial DNA nanostructures by suitable programming of the base sequences of DNA strands. Since the advent of the field of DNA nanotechnology in 1982, a variety of DNA nanostructures have been designed and used for numerous applications. In this Account, we discuss the progress made by our lab which has contributed toward the overall advancement of the field. Tile-based DNA nanostructures are an integral part of structural DNA nanotechnology. These structures are formed using several short, chemically synthesized DNA strands by programming their base sequences so that they self-assemble into desired constructs. Design and assembly of several DNA tiles will be discussed in this Account. Tiles include, for example, TX tiles with three parallel, coplanar duplexes, 4 × 4 cross-tiles with four arms, and weave-tiles with weave-like architecture. Another category of tiles we will present involve multiple parallel duplexes that assemble to form closed tubular structures. All of these tile types have been used to form micrometer-scale one- and two-dimensional arrays and lattices. Origami-based structures constitute another category where a long single-stranded DNA scaffold is folded into desired shapes by association with multiple short staple strands. This Account will describe the efforts by our lab in devising new strategies to improve the maximum size of origami structures. The various DNA nanostructures detailed here have been used in a wide variety of different applications. This Account will discuss the use of DNA tiles for logical computation, encoding information as molecular barcodes, and functionalization for patterning of other nanoscale organic and inorganic materials. Consequently, we have used DNA nanostructures for templating metallic nanowires as well as for programmed assembly of proteins and nanoparticles with controlled spacings. Among other applications, we have used DNA nanotechnology in biosensors that detect target DNA sequences and to affect cell surface receptor clustering for communicating with a cell signaling pathway. We used DNA weave-tiles to control the spacing between thrombin-binding aptamers which resulted in very high antithrombin and anticoagulant activity of the construct. We believe that the tremendous progress in DNA nanotechnology over the past three decades will open even more research avenues in the near future for applications in a wide variety of disciplines including electronics, photonics, biomedical engineering, biosensing, therapeutics, and nucleic-acid-based drug delivery.
Reconstructing Dewey: The Philosophy of Critical Pragmatism

The historical relationship between pragmatism and critical theory is one in which the antifoundational and practice-oriented dimensions of pragmatism appear to exist in tension, if not outright conflict, with the emancipatory commitments of the neo-Marxist legacy of critical theory. While Deweyan pragmatism is most often understood in its deliberative, experimental, open-ended, and contextual dimensions, little attention has been paid to the critical dimensions of Dewey's thought. In what follows, I take the initial steps in recovering the critical features of Dewey's pragmatism by developing my analysis along two lines. First, I sketch the general contours of the relationship between pragmatism and critical theory in order to account for and unpack the long-standing hostility of critical theorists toward pragmatism. Second, I argue that these hostilities are unwarranted, and that they have been passed to us in the form of a persistent inability to appreciate the critical features of Dewey's pragmatism. Through an investigation of the philosophical underpinnings of Dewey's pragmatism, I hope to show that Dewey's democratic commitments to the transformatory potential of lived experience, to a reconstructed conception of individualism, and to the cultivation of reflective social intelligence might be viewed as the basis of a critical theory worthy of greater attention and appreciation. Moreover, I hope that this effort will open avenues of inquiry into what might be called a model of “critical pragmatism.”
Indirect imaging of ethanol via magnetization transfer at high and low magnetic fields.

Ethanol (EtOH) is believed to exert its neurochemical effects through interactions with brain cellular components, which causes a fraction of brain EtOH to have a lower molecular mobility. This facilitates magnetization transfer to other molecules similarly associated with macromolecules, such as water. It was hypothesized that this effect can be used in vivo to image EtOH indirectly via the much stronger brain tissue water resonance. EtOH-containing bovine serum albumin samples were used to demonstrate magnetic coupling between EtOH and water at 7 T and 1.5 T. Spectroscopy and imaging experiments demonstrated that EtOH signal saturation yielded greater water signal reduction than inversion and that this reduction scaled with EtOH concentration in the BSA samples. In human brain at physiologically relevant brain EtOH concentrations, water signal reductions were measurable when saturating the EtOH resonance. Strengths and limitations of indirectly imaging brain EtOH are discussed.
Compatible taper and volume equations for yellow-poplar in West Virginia

Abstract Compatible segmented polynomial taper and volume functions were developed for yellow-poplar ( Liriodendron tulipifera L.) from two ecoregions of West Virginia. The data were based on stem analysis of 26 trees from the Central Appalachian Broadleaf Forest province in northern West Virginia and 18 trees from the Eastern Broadleaf Forest province in west central West Virginia. Sample disks were extracted from 0.3, 0.6, 1.37, 1.8 m and then every 1.2 m to an approximate 7.6 cm top diameter outside bark. Sample trees ranged from 17.3 to 56.1 cm in diameter and from 18.8 to 38.5 m in total height. Model forms developed by Max and Burkhart [Max, T.A., Burkhart, H.E., 1976. Segmented polynomial regression applied to taper equations. For. Sci. 22, 283–289] and Clark et al. [Clark III, A., Souter, R.A., Schlaegel, B.E., 1991. Stem profile equations for southern tree species. USDA For. Serv. Res. Pap. SE-282] as well as two reduced forms of Clark et al. [Clark III, A., Souter, R.A., Schlaegel, B.E., 1991. Stem profile equations for southern tree species. USDA For. Serv. Res. Pap. SE-282] model were fitted to both inside and outside bark data. Outside bark taper prediction error for the proposed reduced model form using the fitted dataset had an average bias of 0.0153 cm and a standard error of the estimate of 1.2798 cm, based on the results from Central Appalachian Broadleaf Forest province. Volume prediction error for the same model and location had an average bias of −0.00002 m 3 and a standard error of the estimate of 0.0045 m 3 . Tests with an independent dataset from northern West Virginia showed the proposed reduced model form had the lowest overall outside bark prediction error as well as having the smallest error in five of the seven relative height classes tested.
Analysis of micro-Doppler signals using linear FM basis decomposition

Micro-Doppler is generated from targets with simple harmonic motions, characterized by a sinusoidal instantaneous frequency in the time-frequency plane. This type of micro-Doppler arises from vibrating or rotating targets, which are commonly present in indoor settings. It is shown that the use of basis functions matched to the sinusoidal micro-Doppler signatures proves effective in identifying the micro-Doppler components in indoor imaging. These functions are optimum in the maximum likelihood (ML) sense. Asymptotic properties of the proposed linear decomposition are derived. The basis decomposition provides enhanced phase and frequency resolutions and is robust to noise. It is strongly dependent on the Bessel function (of the first kind) characteristics. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effect of non-orthogonality of the basis functions and the respective frequency and phase resolution properties of the decomposition.
Dendrite Injury Triggers DLK-Independent Regeneration

SUMMARY Axon injury triggers regeneration through activation of a conserved kinase cascade, which includes the dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK). Although dendrites are damaged during stroke, traumatic brain injury, and seizure, it is not known whether mature neurons monitor dendrite injury and initiate regeneration. We probed the response to dendrite damage using model Drosophila neurons. Two larval neuron types regrew dendrites in distinct ways after all dendrites were removed. Dendrite regeneration was also triggered by injury in adults. Next, we tested whether dendrite injury was initiated with the same machinery as axon injury. Surprisingly, DLK, JNK, and fos were dispensable for dendrite regeneration. Moreover, this MAP kinase pathway was not activated by injury to dendrites. Thus, neurons respond to dendrite damage and initiate regeneration without using the conserved DLK cascade that triggers axon regeneration.
Membrane stabilization by abscisic acid under cold aids proline in alleviating chilling injury in maize (Zea mays L.) cultured cells

Previous studies of maize suspension-cultured cells showed that abscisic acid (ABA) treatment at warm temperatures improved the tolerance of cells to subsequent chilling. In the present study, it is shown that both ABA-treated and untreated maize cells accumulated proline in response to chilling. However, ABA-treated cells displayed less lipid peroxidation during chilling, and thus, unlike untreated cells, were able to retain the accumulated proline intracellularly. Proline application experiments indicate that an intracellular proline level higher than 2 µ µ µ mole (g FW) − 1 prior to chilling was needed to meaningfully reduce chilling-enhanced lipid peroxidation and significantly improve chilling tolerance. The results suggest that total proline accumulation in ABA-treated as well as untreated cells during chilling was enough to potentially improve chilling tolerance, but proline leakage rendered the control cells unable to benefit from the endogenous synthesis of proline in relation to the alleviation of chilling injury. Proline participated in chilling tolerance improvement in ABA-treated maize cells, as evidenced by: (1) the inhibition of proline accumulation by L -methionine- D , L -sulphoximine (MSO), an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, reduced ABAimproved chilling tolerance, and (2) the addition of glutamine into the medium prevented the MSO-induced reduction in chilling tolerance. The revised relationship between proline accumulation and membrane stability at cold is discussed in the light of these current findings.
A Critical Review of the Oxidation of Ti2AlC, Ti3AlC2 and Cr2AlC in Air

Of all the M n+1AX n phases, the most resistant to oxidation in air in the 900–1,400°C temperature range are Ti2AlC, Ti3AlC2 and Cr2AlC. A literature review, however, shows that while many claim the oxidation kinetics to be parabolic, others claim them to be cubic. Whether the kinetics are parabolic or better is of vital practical importance. By carefully re-plotting the results of others and carrying out one oxidation run for ≈3,000 h at 1,200°C on a Ti2AlC sample, we conclude that the oxidation kinetics are better described by cubic kinetics and that even that conclusion is an approximation. Lastly, we present compelling evidence that the rate-limiting step during the oxidation of Ti2AlC is diffusion down the alumina scale grain boundaries.
A Comparative Evaluation of ISODATA and Spectral Angle Mapping for the Detection of Saltcedar Using Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery

Abstract Nonnative plant species often cause adverse ecological and environmental impacts on the indigenous species of an area. Remote sensing methods have had mixed successes in providing spatial information on the distribution characteristics of specific vegetation species. Such research has been limited to broad‐band satellite based sensor systems whose spatial and spectral capabilities may not be adequate. Our research focuses on using hyperspectral data and innovative image processing techniques for mapping specific invasive species based on their spectral characteristics. Using the Airborne Imaging Spectroradiometer for Applications (AISA) hyperspectral imager (from Visible to Near Infrared (VNIR)). This research evaluated two methods of processing hyperspectral imagery including the Iterative Self‐Organizing Data (ISODATA) algorithm and Spectral Angle Mapping (SAM) for detecting saltcedar (Tamarix sp.) in Lake Meredith Recreational Area, Texas. A Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) algorithm was used to r...
Improving infection control in developing countries: the infection control assessment tool

The burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) is large in developing countries. There is an urgent need to improve HAI prevention in these countries.
Milk Fat: Origin of Fatty Acids and Influence of Nutritional Factors Thereon

Ruminant milk fat is of unique composition among terrestrial mammals, due to its great diversity of component fatty acids. The diversity arises from the effects of ruminal biohydrogenation on dietary unsaturated fatty acids and the range of fatty acids synthesized de novo in the mammary gland.
Managing pervasive systems using role-based obligation policies

Pervasive systems are complex distributed systems containing heterogeneous and mobile devices, services and applications. Policy-based management is an effective approach for managing these systems. The dynamism of a pervasive system due to mobility of devices and applications makes policy specification and management a difficult problem. Policies need to be modified when devices and applications are added, removed or migrated across pervasive systems. This causes significant policy management overhead and improper management may lead to policy conflicts, cycles and other undesirable system behaviors. In this paper, we present a role-based approach for managing pervasive systems. Roles group related entities and enable logical separation of entities from policies. Policies and entities are assigned to roles and every entity belonging to a role enforces policies assigned to that role. Policies and entities can be independently modified and this flexibility simplifies policy management. Roles are further organized into hierarchies that enable policy reuse. We present our management framework and middleware based on roles that is being developed for managing our prototype pervasive system.
Cell wall modifications in chilling-injured plum fruit (Prunus salicina)

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in cell wall pectins in normally ripening (juicy) and in chilling-injured plum fruit (Prunus salicina cv. Fortune) showing mealiness. Total cell wall neutral sugars and uronic acids, solubilization and depolymerization of pectins in water-, CDTA- and Na2CO3-soluble fractions of the cell wall (WSF, CSF and NSF, respectively), non-cellulosic neutral sugar compositions of these fractions, and the activities of the cell wall-degrading enzymes polygalacturonase (PG), pectin methylesterase (PME), 1,4-β- d -glucanase/glucosidase and β-galactosidase (β-gal) were determined. No differences in the total content of pectin and neutral sugars between normally ripening and chilling-injured fruit were detected. However, the mealy plums presented a higher level of tightly bound pectin (NSF) and a lower proportion of loosely bound pectin (WSF) than the juicy controls. Lower pectin depolymerization and reduced solubilization of neutral sugars in the WSF and CSF were also detected in the chilling-injured tissues, confirming an alteration in the normal ripening-associated pattern of polyuronide disassembly. While no differences were found in the activities of PG, PME and 1,4-β- d -glucanase/glucosidase between normally ripening and mealy fruit, the latter had reduced β-gal activity. This might have led to differential solubilization of polymers with galactan side chains, but further studies are required to determine if there is a causal relationship between these events. Overall, results indicated that the development of chilling injury symptoms in ‘Fortune’ plums is associated with abnormalities in cell wall metabolism, including a reduction in pectin solubilization and depolymerization and decreased ripening-associated modification of galactose-rich pectin polymers.
Observations on cognitive judgments

It is obvious to anyone familiar with the rules of the game of chess that a king on an empty board can reach every square. It is true, but not obvious, that a knight can reach every square. Why is the first fact obvious but the second fact not? This paper presents an analytic theory of a class of obviousness judgments of this type. Whether or not the specifics of this analysis are correct, it seems that the study of obviousness judgments can be used to construct integrated theories of linguistics, knowledge representation, and inference.
A solution to the static frame validation challenge problem using Bayesian model selection

We provide a solution to the static frame validation challenge problem (see this issue) in a manner that is consistent with the guidelines provided by the Validation Challenge Workshop tasking document. The static frame problem is constructed such that variability in material properties is known to be the only source of uncertainty in the system description, but there is ignorance on the type of model that best describes this variability. Hence both types of uncertainty, aleatoric and epistemic, are present and must be addressed. Our approach is to consider a collection of competing probabilistic models for the material properties, and calibrate these models to the information provided; models of different levels of complexity and numerical efficiency are included in the analysis. A Bayesian formulation is used to select the optimal model from the collection, which is then used for the regulatory assessment. Bayesian credible intervals are used to provide a measure of confidence to our regulatory assessment.
Modification of porous poly(ether sulfone) membranes by low‐temperature CO2‐plasma treatment

A general method of modifying the entire cross section of porous poly(ether sulfone) membranes with a low-temperature CO 2 -plasma treatment is reported. Both surfaces of the membranes are highly hydrophilic, with a water drop on the surface disappearing in less than 1 s, even 6 months after plasma treatment. This high hydrophilicity of both membrane surfaces results from the incorporation of hydrophilic functionalities, as evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The incorporation of these hydrophilic functionalities takes place primarily during plasma treatment, with some incorporation of atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen immediately upon exposure to air. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the membrane surface is covered by a thin, white layer that is likely the result of etching and redeposition of sputtered surface fragments. An increase in the water bubble point and glass-transition temperature is also observed for CO 2 -plasmatreated membranes.
CSF, plasma viral load and HIV associated dementia.

Plasma viral burden has proven valuable in predicting the future course of systemic HIV related disease and the response to treatment. It is not known whether plasma or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) viral burden can be used to predict onset of or response to treatment of nervous system disease. We propose a model of viral load mediated neurotoxicity underlying peripheral and central HIV associated neurological disease. The objective of this preliminary study was to assess the relationship of HIV associated neurological disease to quantitative viral load in plasma and CSF. 47 subjects (HIV-=10, HIV+=37) participated in the study. Plasma and CSF samples were collected within a 3 h window. RTPCR(Roche Amplicor Monitor) was utilized to assess HIV-1 RNA viral load in both plasma and cell free (centrifuged) CSF. Subjects underwent concurrent comprehensive neurological and neuropsychological evaluations. In general, systemic viral load, as measured in plasma, was greater than that found in cell free CSF. Cell free C...
The Psp system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis integrates envelope stress-sensing and envelope-preserving functions.

The bacterial envelope integrates essential stress-sensing and adaptive functions; thus, envelope-preserving functions are important for survival. In Gram-negative bacteria, envelope integrity during stress is maintained by the multi-gene Psp response. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was thought to lack the Psp system, since it encodes only pspA and no other psp ortholog. Intriguingly, pspA maps downstream from clgR, which encodes a transcription factor regulated by the MprAB-σE envelope-stress-signaling system. clgR inactivation lowered ATP concentration during stress and protonophore treatment-induced clgR-pspA expression, suggesting that these genes express Psp-like functions. We identified a four-gene set -- clgR, pspA (rv2744c), rv2743c, rv2742c – that is regulated by clgR and in turn regulates ClgR activity. Regulatory and protein-protein interactions within the set and a requirement of the four genes for functions associated with envelope integrity and surface-stress tolerance indicate that a Psp-like system has evolved in mycobacteria. Among Actinobacteria, the four-gene module occurred only in tuberculous mycobacteria and was required for intra-macrophage growth, suggesting links between its function and mycobacterial virulence. Additionally, the four-gene module was required for MprAB-σE stress-signaling activity. The positive feedback between envelope-stress-sensing and envelope-preserving functions allows sustained responses to multiple, envelope-perturbing signals during chronic infection, making the system uniquely suited to tuberculosis pathogenesis.
Formation and growth of normal faults in carbonates within a compressive environment

Normal faults were initiated and grew through hierarchical formation of pressure-solution structures and their subsequent shearing in Cretaceous carbonates in the leading thrust front of Maiella Mountain, Italy. Through mapping in the field, we have documented the detailed architecture of faults with increasing slip values from a few millimeters to ∼50 m and have identified pretilting structural elements and four stages of fault development, each stage representing addition of a new structural element. The result is a conceptual model that begins with pretilting structures (bed-parallel and bed-perpendicular solution surfaces) that were reactivated in shear upon tilting of the beds at the frontal limb of the Maiella anticline. Slip on mechanical-layer boundaries and on bed-perpendicular solution surfaces resulted in oblique solution surfaces, linkage of solution surfaces, and fragmentation of rock. Oblique zones of fragmented rock in adjacent mechanical layers linked to form a continuous breccia and facilitated fault growth. These normal faults formed through mechanical processes strictly in a compressional regime.
Entropy maximization as a holistic design principle for complex optimal networks

A general holistic theory is presented for the organization of complex networks. The theory proposes that complex networks, both human-engineered and naturally evolved, are organized to meet certain design or survival objective(s) for a wide variety of operating or environmental conditions. Using the concepts of “value ” of interactions and “satisfaction ” in a network as generic performance measures, we show that the underlying organizing principle is to meet an overall performance target for a wide variety of operating environments as the design objective. This design requirement for reliable performance under maximum uncertainty leads to the emergence of power laws as a consequence of the Maximum Entropy Principle. The theory also predicts the emergence of exponential and Poisson distribution regimes as a function of the redundancy of the network, thus explaining all three regimes as different manifestations of the same underlying phenomenon within a unified theoretical framework. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Autofocus for coherent through-the-wall imaging with multiple antenna arrays

We consider the problem of coherent through-the-wall imaging with spatially distributed antenna arrays. A compact antenna array with wide bandwidth can be used to provide snapshots of a scene at high range resolution. The physical size of the antenna aperture limits the cross-range resolution of the array. Multiple arrays at spatially diverse locations can increase cross-range resolution, however coherent operation requires precise knowledge of the array locations and distortions caused by the wall propagation. We present a method for spatially-variant autofocus for distributed arrays by maximizing the coherence between the images provided by the individual arrays interrogating a common scene. Examples with measured data illustrate the effectiveness of the distributed array approach to coherent through-the-wall imaging.
Quantitation of Latent Varicella-Zoster Virus and Herpes Simplex Virus Genomes in Human Trigeminal Ganglia

Using real-time fluorescence PCR, we quantitated the numbers of copies of latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) genomes in 15 human trigeminal ganglia. Eight (53%) and 1 (7%) of 15 ganglia were PCR positive for HSV-1 or -2 glycoprotein G genes, with means of 2,902 ± 1,082 (standard error of the mean) or 109 genomes/105 cells, respectively. Eleven of 14 (79%) to 13 of 15 (87%) of the ganglia were PCR positive for VZV gene 29, 31, or 62. Pooling of the results for the three VZV genes yielded a mean of 258 ± 38 genomes/105 ganglion cells. These levels of latent viral genome loads have implications for virus distribution in and reactivation from human sensory ganglia.
Inductive Regularized Learning of Kernel Functions

In this paper we consider the problem of semi-supervised kernel function learning. We first propose a general regularized framework for learning a kernel matrix, and then demonstrate an equivalence between our proposed kernel matrix learning framework and a general linear transformation learning problem. Our result shows that the learned kernel matrices parameterize a linear transformation kernel function and can be applied inductively to new data points. Furthermore, our result gives a constructive method for kernelizing most existing Mahalanobis metric learning formulations. To make our results practical for large-scale data, we modify our framework to limit the number of parameters in the optimization process. We also consider the problem of kernelized inductive dimensionality reduction in the semi-supervised setting. To this end, we introduce a novel method for this problem by considering a special case of our general kernel learning framework where we select the trace norm function as the regularizer. We empirically demonstrate that our framework learns useful kernel functions, improving the k-NN classification accuracy significantly in a variety of domains. Furthermore, our kernelized dimensionality reduction technique significantly reduces the dimensionality of the feature space while achieving competitive classification accuracies.
Identification and Treatment of Substance Abuse Problems in the Emergency Room

While it may not be necessary for a culture to be involved with substance abuse, few groups have remained absolutely free (Cohen, 1982a; Nahas, 1982). In reviewing substance abuse, it becomes evident that there is considerable waxing and waning in the popularity of substances chosen and the groups that abuse. In Ireland, there was a fad with ether in the late 1800s, which resulted in passage of laws curtailing its use. In America, we have witnessed a change in opiate addiction, from middle-class women abusing tonics, to lower-class youths, primarily male, becoming involved with heroin. The recent resurgence of cocaine, especially among the more affluent, has become a matter of national concern. An excellent review of drug abuse can be found in Nicholi (1983).
Pseudotyping of lentiviral vector with novel vesiculovirus envelope glycoproteins derived from Chandipura and Piry viruses

While the envelope glycoprotein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV-G) is widely used for pseudotyping of lentiviral vectors, sub-optimal gene transfer into certain cell types and its sensitivity to inactivation by human complement hinders its broader applications. To find alternative candidates, here we evaluated two serologically distinct novel viral envelopes derived from Chandipura (CNV-G) and Piry (PRV-G) vesiculoviruses. Both permitted generation of high titer psuedotyped lentiviral vectors with a capacity for high efficiency gene transfer into various cell types from different species. In human lymphoid and hematopoietic stem cells, their transduction efficiency was significantly lower than that of VSV-G. However, both novel envelopes were found to be more resistant to inactivation by human serum complement compared to VSV-G. Thus CNV-G and PRV-G envelopes can be harnessed for multiple uses in the future based on the cell type that needs to be gene transduced and possibly for in vivo gene transfer.