cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Volumetric x-ray imaging for ceramic microturbine rotors.

Use of ceramic components in the hot section of gas-fired microturbines would allow higher operating temperatures and thus better operating efficiencies. However, the cost of such ceramic components is an issue for commercial-scale production. Costs can be reduced, in part, through improving fabrication yields. Use of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods in early stages of fabrication will support the development process to improve yields and subsequently reduce costs by rejecting flawed components prior to final processing and proof testing. An NDE approach using high-speed 3D X-ray tomographic imaging has been investigated. A large (40 × 40 cm), flat-panel, amorphous silicon X-ray detector, together with fast image processing, has been shown to allow full-volume X-ray imaging with detection of internal features in full-size as-cast parts. Gelcast radial-flow microturbine rotors, ≈23 cm in diameter, have been studied for internal defects with this 3D X-ray imaging method. Internal cracks, voids, and other variations in density within the rotors have been detected. Data acquisition speeds of 3 full frames per second have been achieved with reconstruction times of individual cross-sections of less than 1 second. This paper presents details of the 3D X-ray imaging method and results achieved on full-size microturbine rotors.© 2002 ASME
Mathematical Modeling for the Discharge of a Metal Hydride Electrode

A mathematical model for the discharge of a metal-hydride electrode was developed. The model was used to study the effect of various parameters on predicted discharge curves. The simulations obtained using the model show the expected decrease of charge utilization as the rate of discharge is increased. Increasing the particle size of the alloy and decreasing the diffusion coefficient of the hydrogen atoms in the hydride showed a similar effect on the discharge curves. The model simulations also show the critical role that the kinetic and transport parameters play in determining the overall shape of the predicted discharge curves for a metal-hydride electrode. The kinetic parameters used in the model predictions are those for TiMn{sub 1.5}H{sub x} (x < 0.31).
The first-order perturbed SBS equations

Using standard multiscale techniques, a first-order perturbation theory for SBS is developed. In the presence of small damping, we find that there is a stationary solution for a soliton which is a fixed point. The velocity of this soliton is determined by the damping coefficients. In addition, there is also a constant shift in the pump intensity in the region between the front of the backward moving soliton and the forward light cone of the pump.
Importance of Pythium ultimum in a disease syndrome of cv. Essex soybean

In Virginia, a disease syndrome characterized by pre-emergence damping-off, delayed emergence, fine root necrosis, stunting, and, under dry conditions, by chlorosis, wilting, and plant death is common on cultivar Essex soybean. In growth chamber studies with naturally infested soil, frequency of isolation of Pythium ultimum from cotyledons and hypocotyls of seedlings was high (72-79%) and significantly greater from susceptible cultivar Essex than from cultivar Dare and V81-141, both resistant to the disease syndrome. Treatment of seeds of cultivar Essex with metalaxyl significantly increased seedling emergence in the growth chamber and field and decreased the disease severity index. In the field, the inoculum density of P. ultimum was greater in an area with a high level of disease than in an area with a low level of disease. In areas where the early phase of the syndrome (delayed emergence and damping-off) was severe, the late phase of the syndrome (stunting and wilt) was also severe. A low percentage (g...
Popular Constitutionalism's Hard When You're Not Very Popular: Why the ACLU Turned to Courts

Through a case study of the early American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), this article examines the empirical ramifications of constitutional scholars' recent exhortations to “take the Constitution away from the courts” in order to promote democratic deliberation about constitutional meaning. While it is now one of the most prominent examples of a litigation-based interest group, the ACLU began its existence demonstrating a commitment to constitutionalism outside the courts. Through coding a decade's worth of meeting minutes and examining archival sources, I demonstrate that the ACLU's mounting unpopularity rendered extrajudicial politics impossible, precipitating the ACLU's shift toward litigation. The ACLU's move toward litigation, despite its early devotion to political activism outside the courts, suggests that it is not always possible for political actors to make constitutional arguments without courts. Furthermore, the ACLU's use of courts to publicize and dramatize its constitutional arguments demonstrates that litigation may actually promote popular deliberation about constitutional meaning. These political realities both highlight and contradict two empirical assumptions underlying arguments about the normative desirability of restricting courts' involvement in constitutional politics. First, the state is not a neutral arena in which all political actors are equally free to pursue their constitutional visions through majoritarian processes. Second, courts may facilitate (rather than hinder) popular deliberation about constitutional questions.
Stereotactic radiosurgery of meningiomas following resection: Predictors of progression

Residual or recurrent meningiomas after initial surgical resection are commonly treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), but progression of these tumors following radiosurgery is difficult to predict. We performed a retrospective review of 60 consecutive patients who underwent resection and subsequent Gamma Knife (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden) radiosurgery for residual or recurrent meningiomas at our institution from 2001–2012. Patients were subdivided by Simpson resection grade and World Health Organization (WHO) grade. Cox multivariate regression and Kaplan–Meier analyses were performed to assess risk of tumor progression. There were 45 men (75%) and 15 women (25%) with a median age of 56.8 years (range 26.5–82 years). The median follow-up period was 34.9 months (range 6–108.4 months). Simpson grade 1–3 resection was achieved in 17 patients (28.3%) and grade 4 resection in 43 patients (71.7%). Thirty-four tumors (56.7%) were WHO grade 1, and 22 (36.7%) were WHO grade 2–3. Time from resection to SRS was significantly shorter in patients with Simpson grade 4 resection compared to grade 1–3 resection (p 2.5 cm at the time of SRS (p = 0.02) and increasing WHO grade (p < 0.01) were predictive of progression in multivariate analysis. Simpson resection grade did not affect progression-free survival (p = 0.90). The mortality rate over the study period was 8.3%. SRS offers effective tumor control for residual or recurrent meningiomas following resection, especially for small benign tumors.
High Performance, Low Complexity Vertical PNP BJT Optimization for a 0.24 μm SiGe BiCMOS Technology

An isolated vertical PNP BJT with fT of 28 GHz and f MAX of 26 GHz available as a modular component in a 0.24 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology is described. This paper presents, to the authors' knowledge, the highest fT ever published for a homojunction PNP device, as well as for a modular PNP in a BiCMOS technology. The VPNP device is fabricated using a low complexity integration scheme and is optimized to complement the high breakdown SiGe NPN HBT
Pulmonary Lesions in Fetuses Exposed in Utero to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus

The salient features of a porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) epizootic include respiratory disease followed by reproductive failure. The respiratory component is usually recognized first in finishing pigs or in the breeding herd as a mild flu-like disease with a high morbidity for all ages and high mortality in younger pigs. 5 In breeding herds, acute maternal reproductive failure often follows the onset of respiratory disease. PRRS is characterized by a sudden increase in early farrowings, late-term abortions, stillborn and mummified fetuses, weak neonates with high mortality, late returns to estrus, and repeat breeders. 5 No consistent histopathology has been obseived in fetal tissues from epizootics or following experimental infections of susceptible dams. In this report, we describe fetal histopathology associated with an experimental PRRS virus (PRRSV) infection. Eight pregnant gilts underwent surgery at different stages of gestation: 2 at 34 days, 1 at 45 days, 3 at 49 days, 1 at 65 days, and 1 at 85 days gestation (Table 1) (Lager KM, Mengeling WL, unpublished). All fetuses in 1 uterine horn (identified as principal fetuses) were exposed to a well-characterized PRRSV isolate 1 by transuterine injection of virus into their amniotic fluids. All fetuses in the contralateral uterine horn (identified as control fetuses) were exposed to a sham inoculum in a similar fashion. The gilts were necropsied 1731 days postsurgery, and their fetuses were recovered for study. Virus isolation was attempted on sera from live fetuses, thoracic fluids from dead fetuses, and tissue composites from each fetus (Lager KM, Mengeling WL, unpublished). Tissue samples for histopathologic examination were collected from lung, kidney, liver, and spleen and placed in neutral buffered 10% formalin. Tissues were processed routinely, cut into 8-µm sections, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). Sections of lung, liver, and kidney were mounted in embedding medium, a frozen, and sectioned on
Collective Ratings for Online Communities With Strategic Users

Despite the success of emerging online communities, they face a serious practical challenge: the participating agents are strategic, and incentive mechanisms are needed to compel such agents to provide high-quality services. Traditional mechanisms based on pricing and direct reciprocity schemes are not effective in providing incentives in such communities due to their unique features: large number of agents able to perform diverse services, imperfect monitoring of agents’ service quality, etc. To compel agents to provide high-quality services, we develop a novel game-theoretic framework for providing incentives using rating-based pricing schemes. In our framework, the service-providing agents are not rated individually; instead, they are divided into separate groups based on their expertise, location, etc., and are rated collectively, as a group. A collective rating is updated for each group based on the quality of service provided by all the agents appertaining to the group. Depending on whether a group of agents collectively contributes a sufficiently high level of services or not, the agents in the group are rewarded or punished through increased or decreased collective rating, which will lead to higher or lower payments they receive in the future. We systematically analyze how the group size and the rating scheme affect the community designer’s revenue as well as the social welfare of the agents and, based on this analysis. We design optimal rating protocols and show that these protocols can significantly improve the social welfare of the community as compared to a variety of alternative incentive mechanisms.
Resistance of avocado thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) to sabadilla, a botanically derived bait.

Bioassays were conducted on four avocado thrips (Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara) populations in southern California that had had limited past exposure to the botanical pesticide sabadilla, with the objective of establishing baseline susceptibility levels for the purpose of resistance monitoring. Reports of avocado thrips resistance in a grove that had received six sabadilla sprays over 2 years were confirmed when a bioassay indicated resistance ratios of 7.6 and 18.8 at the LC50 and LC90, respectively. Owing to the availability of other unrelated pesticides, sabadilla sprays were discontinued at this site, and, after 5.5 years, resistance ratios had dropped to near baseline levels. Avocado thrips baseline susceptibility to cyfluthrin was also obtained from one grove for future resistance monitoring studies. Resistance management principles are discussed in relation to the limited future options available for avocado thrips control. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Adenosine Receptor Activation Induces Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Human Retinal Endothelial Cells

Abstract —Adenosine, released in increased amounts by hypoxic tissues, is thought to be an angiogenic factor that links altered cellular metabolism caused by oxygen deprivation to compensatory angiogenesis. Adenosine interacts with 4 subtypes of G protein–coupled receptors, termed A1, A2A, A2B, and A3. We investigated whether adenosine causes proliferation of human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) and synthesis of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and, if so, which adenosine receptor subtype mediates these effects. The nonselective adenosine receptor agonist 5′- N -ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA), in a concentration-dependent manner, increased both VEGF mRNA and protein expression by HRECs, as well as proliferation. This proliferative effect of NECA was inhibited by the addition of anti-human VEGF antibody. NECA also increased insulin-like growth factor-I and basic fibroblast growth factor mRNA expression in a time-dependent manner and cAMP accumulation in these cells. In contrast, neither the A1 agonist N 6-cyclopentyladenosine nor the A2A agonist 2- p -(2-carboxyethyl) phenethylamino-NECA caused any of the above effects of NECA. The effects of NECA were not significantly attenuated by either the A2A antagonist [SCH58261][1] or the A1 antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine. However, the nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist xanthine amine congener completely inhibited the effects of NECA. Addition of antisense oligonucleotide complementary to A2B adenosine receptor mRNA inhibited VEGF protein production by HRECs after NECA stimulation. Thus, the A2B adenosine receptor subtype appears to mediate the actions of adenosine to increase growth factor production, cAMP content, and cell proliferation of HRECs. Adenosine activates the A2B adenosine receptor in HRECs, which may lead to neovascularization by a mechanism involving increased angiogenic growth factor expression. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=GENPEPT&access_num=SCH58261&atom=%2Fcircresaha%2F85%2F8%2F699.atom
Are brook trout streams in western Virginia and Shenandoah National Park recovering from acidification

Streamwater composition data obtained through periodic sampling of streams that support brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the mountains of western Virginia were examined for evidence of recovery from acidification during the 1988−2001 period. Measurements of sulfate deposition in precipitation indicate that sulfate deposition in the region declined approximately 40% between 1985 and 2000. While no significant regional trends in acid−base constituents were observed for the set (n = 65) of western Virginia study streams, significant regional trends were observed for a subset (n = 14) of streams in Shenandoah National Park (SNP). For the subset of SNP streams, the median increase in acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) was 0.168 μequiv L-1 year-1 and the median decrease in sulfate concentration was −0.229 μequiv L-1 year-1. Although these trends are consistent with recovery from acidification, the degree of apparent recovery is small compared to estimates of historic acidification in SNP streams and much le...
Pioglitazone reduces inflammation through inhibition of NF-κB in polymicrobial sepsis

The insulin sensitizing thiazolidinedione drugs, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone are specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonists and reduce pro-inflammatory responses in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease, and may be beneficial in sepsis. Sepsis was induced in 8–10-wk-old C57BL/6 mice by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) with a 22 -g double puncture technique. Mice received an i.p. injection of vehicle (DMSO:PBS) or pioglitazone (20 mg/kg) at 1 h and 6 h after CLP, and were sacrificed at various time points. In sepsis, vehicle-treated mice had hypoglycemia, increased lung injury and increased lung neutrophil infiltration. Pro-inflammatory plasma cytokines were increased, but the plasma adipokine, adiponectin, was decreased in vehicle-treated septic mice. This corresponded with inhibitor κB (IκBα) protein degradation and an increase in NF-κB activity in lung. Pioglitazone treatment improved plasma Glc and adiponectin levels, and decreased pro-inflammatory cytoki...
Pressure During Pressing of 290-Kilogram Stirred-Curd Cheddar Cheese Blocks

Abstract Pressure in the center and side of 290-kg stirred-curd Cheddar cheese blocks was determined during 2 h of pressing at 12 kPa of cheese surface pressure. A strain-gauge pressure transducer and data logger were used to conduct the study. Statistical analyses and graphical depiction showed that pressure increased more rapidly and was higher in the center than at the side of cheese blocks during pressing. Possible reasons for these findings are proposed.
The extensibility framework in Microsoft StreamInsight

Microsoft StreamInsight (StreamInsight, for brevity) is a platform for developing and deploying streaming applications, which need to run continuous queries over high-data-rate streams of input events. StreamInsight leverages a well-defined temporal stream model and operator algebra, as the underlying basis for processing long-running continuous queries over event streams. This allows StreamInsight to handle imperfections in event delivery and to provide correctness guarantees on the generated output. StreamInsight natively supports a diverse range of off-the-shelf streaming operators. In order to cater to a much broader range of customer scenarios and applications, StreamInsight has recently introduced a new extensibility infrastructure. With this infrastructure, StreamInsight enables developers to integrate their domain expertise within the query pipeline in the form of user defined modules (functions, operators, and aggregates). This paper describes the extensibility framework in StreamInsight; an ongoing effort at Microsoft SQL Server to support the integration of user-defined modules in a stream processing system. More specifically, the paper addresses the extensibility problem from three perspectives: the query writer's perspective, the user defined module writer's perspective, and the system's internal perspective. The paper introduces and addresses a range of new and subtle challenges that arise when we try to add extensibility to a streaming system, in a manner that is easy to use, powerful, and practical. We summarize our experience and provide future directions for supporting stream-oriented workloads in different business domains.
Use of 3-D cortical morphometry for mapping increased cortical gyrification and complexity in Williams syndrome

In this paper, we describe the use of three different shape measures i.e., shape index, curvedness, and L/sub 2/ norm of mean curvature - to quantify cortical gyrification and complexity, thereby evaluating brain structural differences between individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) and healthy controls. Unlike traditional measures of gyrification, the proposed measures analyze the intrinsic geometry of the cortex in three-dimensional (3-D) space. We analyzed the local and global cortical folding patterns of 39 WS and 39 controls using these shape measures, showing increased gyrification in the cingulate, visual cortex, superior parietal lobule, and central sulcus regions (more pronounced in the left brain hemisphere), and increased cortical complexity in left temporal and left parietal lobes in WS. These findings agree with, and extend, previously published studies and may relate to the characteristic clinical and cognitive profiles of individuals with WS.
The Future of Fibromyalgia

Objectives: To identify issues of importance regarding the validitiy of the fibromyalgia construct, its pathogenesis, treatment and outcome. Findings: Major unresolved iddues regarding construct, diagnosis, pathogenesis, treatment effect and outcome exist. Confusion between epiphenomena and pathogenetic abnormalities are common. Therapy has not been effective though statistically significant benefit has been demonstrated. Conclusion: Future research needs to consider fibromyalgia as a continuum rather than a discrete syndrome or "disease." Pathogenetic studies need to consider psychological factors more prominently. Longitudinal studies of outcome are important. New outcome measures need to be developed.
A voxel-based morphometry study of grey matter loss in fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome is a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects older male premutation carriers of the fragile X mental retardation gene. Although its core symptoms are mainly characterized by motor problems such as intention tremor and gait ataxia, cognitive decline and psychiatric problems are also commonly observed. Past radiological and histological approaches have focused on prominent neurodegenerative changes in specific brain structures including the cerebellum and limbic areas. However, quantitative investigations of the regional structural abnormalities have not been performed over the whole brain. In this study, we adopted the voxel-based morphometry method together with regions of interest analysis for the cerebellum to examine the pattern of regional grey matter change in the male premutation carriers with and without fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. In a comparison with healthy controls, we found striking grey matter loss of the patients with fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome in multiple regions over the cortical and subcortical structures. In the cerebellum, the anterior lobe and the superior posterior lobe were profoundly reduced in both vermis and hemispheres. In the cerebral cortex, clusters of highly significant grey matter reduction were found in the extended areas in the medial surface of the brain, including the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and precuneus. The other prominent grey matter loss was found in the lateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala and insula. Although the voxel-wise comparison between the asymptomatic premutation group and healthy controls did not reach significant difference, a regions of interest analysis revealed significant grey matter reduction in anterior subregions of the cerebellar vermis and hemisphere in the asymptomatic premutation group. Correlation analyses using behavioural scales of the premutation groups showed significant associations between grey matter loss in the left amygdala and increased levels of obsessive-compulsiveness and depression, and between decreased grey matter in the left inferior frontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex and poor working memory performance. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed a significant negative effect of CGG repeat size on grey matter density in the dorsomedial frontal regions. A significant negative correlation with the clinical scale for the severity of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome was found in a part of the vermis. These observations reveal the anatomical patterns of the neurodegenerative process that underlie the motor, cognitive and psychiatric problems of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, together with incipient structural abnormalities that may occur before the clinical onset of this disease.
Accelerometry and Its Association With Objective Markers of Walking Limitations in Ambulatory Adults With Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract Motl RW, Dlugonski D, Suh Y, Weikert M, Fernhall B, Goldman M. Accelerometry and its association with objective markers of walking limitations in ambulatory adults with multiple sclerosis. Objective To validate accelerometry based on its correlations with 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and oxygen cost of walking as objective markers of walking limitations in multiple sclerosis (MS). Design Cross-sectional. Setting Laboratory and general community. Participants Ambulatory participants with MS (N=26) who resided in the local community. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) scale and Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12); 6-minute walk test while wearing a portable metabolic unit for measuring the 6MWD and oxygen cost of walking; accelerometer during the waking hours of a 7-day period. Results The average of total daily movement counts from the accelerometer correlated significantly and strongly with MSWS-12 scores (ρ=–.681, P =.001), PDDS scores (ρ=–.609, P =.001), 6MWD (ρ=.519, P =.003), and oxygen cost of walking (ρ=–.541, P =.002). Conclusions We provide evidence that further supports the validity of accelerometry as a measure of walking limitations in ambulatory persons with MS.
Increased Sulfur Tolerance of Pt/KL Catalysts Prepared by Vapor-Phase Impregnation and Containing a Tm Promoter

Tm-containing Pt/KL catalysts were prepared by a variety of techniques, including incipient wetness impregnation (IWI), ion exchange (IE), and vapor-phase impregnation (VPI) methods. The Pt morphology resulting from the addition of Tm and Pt sequentially, using the VPI method, was found to yield the greatest enhancement to the aromatization performance of the Pt/KL catalysts studied. The presence of Tm in the sequential VPI Pt/Tm/KL catalyst resulted reproducibly in a catalyst with higher Pt dispersion than that in an unpromoted VPI catalyst, as determined by EXAFS analysis and DRIFTS of adsorbed CO. VPI catalysts give more finely dispersed Pt clusters than either conventional IWI or IE methods. From TPO of poisoned catalysts, Tm was also found to act as a getter for sulfur, so it delays the poisoning of Pt under sulfur-containing feeds, as further evidenced by reaction studies. In addition, the initial activity of the Tm-promoted VPI catalysts was found to be higher than that of the unpromoted Pt/KL VPI catalysts, suggesting that Tm may directly modify Pt or even participate in accelerating the aromatization reaction. The amount and method of incorporation of Tm were found to be critical to the morphology of the Pt clusters and, subsequently, to catalyst performance under sulfur-free and sulfur-poisoned reaction conditions. While the sequential vapor-phase impregnation method with a small amount of Tm (0.15%) yielded a catalyst with improved catalytic properties, some of the other methods such as coimpregnation of Pt and Tm were found to hinder the dispersion of Pt. This may cause the blocking of the L-zeolite channels, as demonstrated by DRIFTS of adsorbed CO, and a higher deactivation rate in the reaction.
YouTube and Social Movements: A Phenomenological Analysis of Participation, Events and Cyberplace

Web 2.0 studies position new social media as creating relational connections, yielding new geographies based on increased awareness. YouTube exemplifies these media, fostering relations between geographically and politically disparate people. Moving beyond the dichotomy between space and cyberspace, this paper expands upon Wellman's (2001) description of cyberplace, and argues that place and cyberplace form a continuum upon which filmed events can be located. Invisible Children, a non-governmental organization concerned with raising awareness about Ugandan child soldiers, illustrates the role of new media in this continuum through disseminating their videos of protests on YouTube. This analysis expands our understanding of both the links between the generation of awareness and movement participation, and media's contribution to geographies of collective action.
Real and virtual nucleon Compton scattering in the perturbative limit

We present the results of calculations analyzing nucleon Compton scattering to lowest order using perturbative QCD (pQCD) methods. Two scenarios are considered: (1) the incoming photon is real; and (2) the incoming photon is virtual. The case of a real photon has been previously analyzed at least 5 times using pQCD, but no two results are in agreement. Here it is shown that our result agrees with that of Brooks and Dixon published in 2000. The case of a virtual photon has been previously analyzed only once using pQCD. However, doubt has been cast on the validity of that result. The results presented here for the virtual photon are believed to be more reliable. Some consideration is given of how to compare these results with experiment. Following the lead of Brooks and Dixon, for the proton, this involves normalizing the cross section using the Dirac proton form factor, which we also calculate. Finally, there is a comparison of our results with recent experiments.
Millimeter wave direct quadrature converter integrated with antenna for broad-band wireless communications

A compact quadrature modulator/demodulator integrated with a 40 GHz patch antenna for millimeter wave wireless applications is proposed. Anti-parallel diode sub-harmonic mixers are constructed for broad-band direct quadrature conversion. Overall phase and amplitude imbalance between the mixer I and Q output channels are less than 1.2/spl deg/ and 1 dB respectively. An average conversion loss of mixers of -14.6 dB is achieved in the frequency range from 39.75 GHz to 40.25 GHz. A communication link is built based on a pair of the proposed front-ends. Data transmission at up to 1 Gb/s data rate for QPSK modulation is successfully demonstrated.
Evolution of architectural design representations

A description is given of extensions to structure design making the diagrams more helpful to reviewers during walkthroughs. A machine-processable textual representation of a structure diagram, called an HSpec, is presented. The extensions also provide the additional information needed for an automatic transformation to the initial algebra designed by J. Tse (1986). His algebra allows the comparison of different design models. It is shown that the textual, frame-based HSpec is well suited for machine analysis and for assisting in human interpretation. The graphical depiction of the structure chart is better for quick human assimilation of software designs. Trial-and-error work continues to improve the communication and representation capabilities of software documents. >
Stability and Change in Belief Systems The Operational Code of George W. Bush

Cognitive frameworks and belief systems are the primary lenses through which presidents view the world. Two important questions are whether these beliefs ever change significantly, and if so, what causes these changes? This article develops empirical data on the strategic and operational beliefs of President George W. Bush (GWB) as a means of examining the theoretical basis for how and why core beliefs change. The author analyzes the foreign policy operational code of President Bush in four separate phases of his political career: the immediate prepresidential phase; his nine months in office prior to September 11, 2001; the six months immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks; and his last year in office as a second-term president. The results of this article allow us to address several recurring questions that concern the Bush administration and presidents’ belief systems and decision making. They challenge traditional interpretations of the Bush presidency and provide some insights into the causal mechanisms that underlie belief change.
Recognition of Complex Events: Exploiting Temporal Dynamics between Underlying Concepts

While approaches based on bags of features excel at low-level action classification, they are ill-suited for recognizing complex events in video, where concept-based temporal representations currently dominate. This paper proposes a novel representation that captures the temporal dynamics of windowed mid-level concept detectors in order to improve complex event recognition. We first express each video as an ordered vector time series, where each time step consists of the vector formed from the concatenated confidences of the pre-trained concept detectors. We hypothesize that the dynamics of time series for different instances from the same event class, as captured by simple linear dynamical system (LDS) models, are likely to be similar even if the instances differ in terms of low-level visual features. We propose a two-part representation composed of fusing: (1) a singular value decomposition of block Hankel matrices (SSID-S) and (2) a harmonic signature (HS) computed from the corresponding eigen-dynamics matrix. The proposed method offers several benefits over alternate approaches: our approach is straightforward to implement, directly employs existing concept detectors and can be plugged into linear classification frameworks. Results on standard datasets such as NIST's TRECVID Multimedia Event Detection task demonstrate the improved accuracy of the proposed method.
Introduction to symposium on managing local development

Much of the literature on managing the economy focuses first on the role of the federal government and increasingly in recent years on the role of state governments. The Full Employment Act of 1946 explicitly assigns macroeconomic management to the federal government; with its potentially powerful tools of monetary and fiscal policy, the federal government has more capacity than other levels of government to influence the aggregate level of jobs and prices. During the 1970s and 1980s, federal budgetary problems, competition from abroad, and changing conceptions of the appropriate division of responsibilities among levels of governments focused new attention on the increasingly active roles that state officials are taking to promote state economies. (See, for example, Fosler, 1988.) However, the macroeconomic policies of the federal government and the specific development strategies of state governments are not the whole story of economic management. Local government officials, citizens, and business groups throughout the country are actively engaged in promoting local economic development. In some cases, public involvement in the local economy seems to promote success; in other cases it fails. Yet policy analysts have devoted little attention to local economic management, have inadequate understanding of the nature of successful interventions, and consequently are not in a strong position to advise local policymakers. To the extent that improved policy interventions at the local level lead to more effective use of existing resources rather than just the transfer of development from one area to another, better local economic management could increase aggregate output and productivity. By focusing explicitly on local economic management, the papers in this symposium contribute to research and policy discussions of this topic. The standard models used by economists to explain and predict state or regional economic growth typically focus on differential costs of producing goods and services in different locations, most of which can be quantified and incorporated into regression models. Emerging from this focus on cost factors-such as wages, energy, transportation, and taxes-is frequently the policy prescription that the only way to promote development is to reduce costs. Yet none of these models fully explain growth rates, they are not good
Anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 therapy for bladder cancer: what is on the horizon?

Oncologic therapeutics has evolved enormously as we entered the 21st century. Unfortunately, the treatment of advanced urothelial cancer has remained unchanged over the last two decades despite a better understanding of the genetic alterations in bladder cancer. Pathways such as the PI3K/AKT3/mTOR and FGFR have been implicated in urothelial bladder cancer. However, targeted therapies have not shown proven benefit yet and are still considered investigational. Recently, researchers have been successful in manipulating the systemic immune response to mount antitumor effects in melanoma, lung cancer and lymphoma. Historically, intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin immunotherapy has been highly active in nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. Early data suggest that immune checkpoint inhibitors will soon prove to be another cornerstone in the treatment armamentarium of advanced bladder cancer.
Physical Therapist Practice in the Intensive Care Unit: Results of a National Survey

Background Early rehabilitation improves outcomes, and increased use of physical therapist services in the intensive care unit (ICU) has been recommended. Little is known about the implementation of early rehabilitation programs or physical therapists' preparation and perceptions of care in the United States. Objective A national survey was conducted to determine the current status of physical therapist practice in the ICU. Design This study used a cross-sectional, observational design. Methods Self-report surveys were mailed to members of the Acute Care Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. Questions addressed staffing, training, barriers, and protocols, and case scenarios were used to determine perceptions about providing rehabilitation. Results The response rate was 29% (667/2,320). Staffing, defined as the number of physical therapists per 100 ICU beds, was highest in community hospitals (academic: median=5.4 [range=3.6–9.2]; community: median=6.7 [range=4.4–10.0]) and in the western United States (median=7.5 [range=4.2–12.9]). Twelve percent of physical therapists reported no training. Barriers to providing ICU rehabilitation included insufficient staffing and training, departmental prioritization policies, and inadequate consultation criteria. Responses to case scenarios demonstrated differences in the likelihood of consultation and physical therapists' prescribed frequency and intensity of care based on medical interventions rather than characteristics of patients. Physical therapists in academic hospitals were more likely to be involved in the care of patients in each scenario and were more likely to perform higher-intensity mobilization. Limitations Members of the Acute Care Section of the American Physical Therapy Association may not represent most practicing physical therapists, and the 29% return rate may have contributed to response bias. Conclusions Although staffing was higher in community hospitals, therapists in academic and community hospitals cited insufficient staffing as the most common barrier to providing rehabilitation in the ICU. Implementing strategies to overcome barriers identified in this study may improve the delivery of ICU rehabilitation services.
Parents' Attitudes and Adjustment of Children

(1958). Parents' Attitudes and Adjustment of Children. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 92, No. 1, pp. 69-79.
“High-level synthesis and beyond — From datacenters to IoTs”

Jason Cong received his B.S. degree in computer science from Peking University in 1985, his M.S. and Ph. D. degrees in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1987 and 1990, respectively. Currently, he is a Chancellor's Professor at the UCLA Computer Science Department and the director of Center for Domain-Specific Computing (CDSC). He served as the department chair from 2005 to 2008. Dr. Cong's research interests include synthesis of VLSI circuits and systems, energy-efficient computer architectures, reconfigurable systems, nanotechnology and systems, and highly scalable algorithms. He has over 400 publications in these areas, including 10 best paper awards, and the 2011 ACM/IEEE A. Richard Newton Technical Impact Award in Electric Design Automation. He was elected to an IEEE Fellow in 2000 and ACM Fellow in 2008. He is the recipient of the 2010 IEEE Circuits and System Society Technical Achievement Award “For seminal contributions to electronic design automation, especially in FPGA synthesis, VLSI interconnect optimization, and physical design automation.”
Assessment of Monocyte Counts Derived From Automated Instrumentation

Incorporating the use of benchtop flow cytometric analyzers within the routine hematology laboratory requires an evaluation of the optimal methods of determining monocyte counts. We analyzed 100 specimens with the Coulter STKS (Coulter Corp, Hialeah, Fla) using software version 1F, and the FACScan (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, Calif) using monoclonal antibodies (CD14/CD45). These methods were compared with manual 800-cell differential. The data reinforce the conclusion that monoclonal antibodies should be used in the determination of the reference method. Linear regressions were employed for data comparison. When we compared the FACScan and the Coulter STKS against 800-cell differentials, we encountered y-intercepts of 2.81 and 4.22 with r values of 0.77 and 0.80, respectively, (n=100). When the Coulter STKS was compared with the FACScan, the y-intercept was 2.02 with an r value of 0.95 (n=100). This suggests that automated analyzers yield a more accurate assessment of monocytosis.
Studies on the Mode of Action of Diphtheria Toxin VI. Inhibition of Protein Synthesis Induced by Local Infection with Toxinogenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae

SummaryProtein synthesis in the tissues of guinea pigs after intramuscular challenge with viable, toxinogenic diphtheria bacilli was evaluated by measuring incorporation of 3H–leucine into cellular proteins. Significant inhibition of protein synthesis occurred in muscle tissues (heart, diaphragm, and skeletal muscle) and several non–muscle tissues (kidneys, liver, and adrenal gland). Protein synthesis in the spleen, small intestine, lung and brain was unimpaired. Inhibition of protein synthesis subsequent to intramuscular injection of 10 MLD purified diphtheria toxin was restricted to the three muscle tissues while non–muscle tissues were unaffected. Purified neuraminidase and deoxyribonuclease injected simultaneously with toxin failed to increase the range of tissues inhibited. Possible reasons for the difference in the patterns of inhibition obtained with C. diphtheriae bacilli and purified toxin are considered.
Spontaneous regression of pulmonary metastases following hysterectomy for choriocarcinoma.

Abstract 1. A case of choriocarcinoma with metastases to lungs, vagina, and brain is reported. 2. X-ray evidence is presented showing a regression of lung metastases following hysterectomy.
Studies on the Quality Trait Diversity and Its Correlation with Ecological Factor of Rice Landrance in Guangdong Province

In order to further improve evaluation and its effective utilization of landrace rice in Guangdong province,we used 2974 accessions catalogued in the national crop germplasm bank of which 9 rice quality traits as basic data to study.The geographic distribution of rice quality traits were analyzed,quality traits diversity among each and total rice area were compared,and the correlation between some ecological factors and rice quality traits were studied.The landrace rice in Guangdong province showed higher brown rice rate and milled rice rate,richer diversity of protein content,larger variation in gel consistency,and not many materials reached the national standard in amylose content.High-quality rice germplasm mainly distributed in south central rice area of Guangdong province.The result also showed that amylose content,gelatinization temperature,and gel consistency were the main impact indexs of rice quality formation.Humidity and temperature difference among areas were the main impact factors of rice quality variety formation.So,it is very important for high quality rice breeding and genetic background expanding to effectively use landrace rice in Guangdong province.
Monitoring and analysis for food-borne pathogens in Henan province in 2011

Objective:To survey the food-borne pathogens and investigate the occurrence and distributing trends of food-borne pathogens,find out high-risk food and places.Methods: A total of 1441 food samples(cooked meat products,egg and egg products,frozen rice products,baked and fried foods,restaurant food,non-fermented soy products,infant milk formulas) were examined for the presence of the food-borne pathogens by national active food-borne pathogens surveillance system.The samples were obtained from nine surveillance points in Henan province in 2011.Results: The food-borne pathogens were detected with an overall positive rate 6.45% from 1441 samples.The most heavy contamination by the food-borne pathogens was found in cooked meat products(17.47%),followed by restaurant food(8.06%).Samples were collected from 13 different types of sampling sites.The food-borne pathogens from large restaurant in the dining aspects had the highest detected rate,40%.The food-borne pathogen detection rates were 1.82% in 439 stereotype packaged food samples and 8.48% in 1002 bulk(including their own simple packaging) food samples.Conclusion: Extensive contamination of foodborne pathogens was found in food of Henan province.The food-borne pathogens are detected from seven categories of food,mainly Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus,catering food and cooked meat products were the most polluted high-risk food,the large restaurants were the high-risk places.
Analysis of gene quasispecies of transfusion transmitted virus with melt curve

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of gene variant of transfusion transmitted virus(TTV).Methods A fluorescence real-time nested polymerase chain reaction(nested-PCR)assay with specific primers from open reading frame one(ORF1)of TTV genome was established to detect TTV DNA in the serum sample from patients with hepatitis B,non A-G chronic hepatitis and blood donors,and then melt curve was applied.Results Number of melt curve peaks in the blood donors was significantly less than that in the non-A-non-G hepatitis patients(P 0.05).The number of peaks in the non A-G hepatitis grave patients and severe patients was much more complicated than that of non A-G hepatitis moderate patients(P 0.05),but there was no significant difference between non A-G hepatitis grave patients and severe patients(P 0.05).The number of peaks in the CHB and the CSHB was much more complicated than that of the blood donors and the ASC(P 0.05).The number of peaks in the grave CHB and the CSHB was significantly higher than that of the moderate CHB(P 0.05),while there was no significant difference between the grave CHB and the CSHB(P 0.05).Conclusions There is gene variant in TTV infection.The complication of gene variant strain or quasispecies infection of TTV may be one of the causes responsible for clinical exacerbation of TTV superinfecion in chronic hepatitis patients.Melt curve can be used to analyze gene variant.
Functional and biochemical interactions of Wnts with FrzA, a secreted Wnt antagonist

Wnts are highly conserved developmental regulators that mediate inductive signaling between neighboring cells and participate in the determination of embryonic axes. Frizzled proteins constitute a large family of putative transmembrane receptors for Wnt signals. FrzA is a novel protein that shares sequence similarity with the extracellular domain of Frizzled. The Xenopus homologue of FrzA is dynamically regulated during early development. At the neurula stages, XfrzA mRNA is abundant in the somitic mesoderm, but later becomes strongly expressed in developing heart, neural crest derivatives, endoderm, otic vesicle and other sites of organogenesis. To evaluate possible biological functions of FrzA, we analyzed its effect on early Xenopus development. Microinjection of bovine or Xenopus FrzA mRNA into dorsal blastomeres resulted in a shortened body axis, suggesting a block of convergent extension movements. Consistent with this possibility, FrzA blocked elongation of ectodermal explants in response to activin, a potent mesoderm-inducing factor. FrzA inhibited induction of secondary axes by Xwnt8 and human Wnt2, but not by Xdsh, supporting the idea that FrzA interferes with Wnt signaling. Furthermore, FrzA suppressed Wnt-dependent activation of the early response genes in ectodermal explants and in the marginal zone. Finally, immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that FrzA binds to the soluble Wingless protein in cell culture supernatants in vitro. Our results indicate that FrzA is a naturally occurring secreted antagonist of Wnt signaling.