cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CFAR-enhanced image codec for SONAR ATR

The wavelet transform gives a compact multiscale representation of a digital image and provides a hierarchical structure which is well suited for post- processing. With its good localization property in both the spatial domain and the frequency domain, wavelet-based image compression has gained a huge success in the past several years. In this paper we present a wavelet-based image codec specially designed for an automatic target recognition (ATR) system. Due to the large amount of data size, a `good' image compression algorithm is both necessary and important as a pre-processing stage for an ATR system, especially in a `real-time' processing situation. We incorporate a constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detector into an embedded image compression algorithm to efficiently code target pixels exclusively in the bit stream. The new image codec, which is enhanced by the CFAR feature, clearly exhibits (potential) targets in the decompressed image. Another new feature of this codec is a wavelet-interpretation of the CFAR detector, a multiscale representation of the CFAR values in the wavelet domain.
Intelligent technical analysis based equivolume charting for stock trading using neural networks

It has been long recognized that trading volume provides valuable information for understanding stock price movement. As such, equivolume charting was developed to consider how stocks appear to move in a volume frame of reference as opposed to a time frame of reference. Two technical indicators, namely the volume adjusted moving average (VAMA) and the ease of movement (EMV) indicator, are developed from equivolume charting. This paper explores the profitability of stock trading by using a neural network model developed to assist the trading decisions of the VAMA and EMV. The generalized regression neural network (GRNN) is chosen and utilized on past S&P 500 index data. For the VAMA, the GRNN is used to predict the future stock prices, as well as the future width size of the equivolume boxes typically utilized on an equivolume chart, for calculating the future value of the VAMA. For the EMV, the GRNN is also used to predict the future value of the EMV. The idea is to further exploit the equivolume potential by using a forecasting system to predict the future equivolume measurements, allowing investors to enter or exit trades earlier. The results show that the stock trading using the neural network with the VAMA and EMV outperforms the results of stock trading generated from the VAMA and EMV without neural network assistance, the simple moving averages (MA) in isolation, and the buy-and-hold trading strategy.
Lanthanide ion enhancement of interferon binding to cells

Abstract Pretreatment of purified [ 125 I]-labeled human and mouse β interferons (IFN) with lanthanum chloride (LaCl 3 ) enhanced 20–30 fold the binding of the [ 125 I]-IFNs to human A549 and mouse L cells at 0°C and also enhanced antiviral activity in homologous cells. Although lanthanides enhanced cross-species binding of both human and mouse [ 125 I]-IFNs, there was no increase in cross-species antiviral activity. Unlabeled IFN not treated with LaCl 3 did not compete with [ 125 I]-IFN treated with LaCl 3 for cellular receptors. However, unlabeled IFN treated with LaCl 3 did compete with LaCl 3 -treated [ 125 I]-IFN. These results suggest that lanthanide treated IFNs do not bind to the same receptors as native IFNs.
Work in progress — Effect of departmental culture on ePortfolios for graduate engineering programmatic assessment

This “Work In Progress” is part of a larger study investigating ePortfolio use for graduate assessment in engineering programs. ePortfolios have been used in a variety of applications ranging from undergraduate assessment to graduate student work showcases and most recently for graduate program assessment. Little work to date has been done that specifically addresses graduate assessment in engineering. Our study helps fill this gap by examining the results of ePortfolio implementations in three separate engineering graduate programs at a large research institution located in the southeast United States. The ePortfolios studied were designed in Fall 2010 and implemented in Spring 2011. During the design phase, anecdotal evidence of distinct departmental cultures emerged. The cultures appeared to have an effect on the final ePortfolio designs. This work formally examines departmental culture from an “insider” perspective and determines the relationship, if any, between departmental culture and perceptions of ePortfolios.
Tracking loop for fading dispersive channels

An optimum closed-loop symbol synchronizer operating over fading dispersive channels is developed. It is shown that the optimum tracking synchronizer is a multiplier that forms the product of the received signal and a filtered version of it, the filter impulse response is the first derivative with respect to time (or frequency) of the autocorrelation function of the signal part of the received waveform. It is proved that for small misalignment the control signal vector is an incrementally linear function of the error vector. For a Gaussian-shaped scattering function, a simple closed-loop structure is obtained and expressions for tracking error statistics are derived. The dependency of such statistics on the signal-to-noise ratio and on the spread of the channel is investigated. >
Primitive permutation groups of odd degree, and an application to finite projective planes

One of the most beautiful and important results concerning finite projective planes is the Ostrom-Wagner Theorem [26]: such a plane admitting a 2-transitive collineation group must be desarguesian. It has long been conjectured that the same conclusion must hold if it is only assumed that there is a collineation group transitive on incident point-line pairs [ll, pp. 208-214; 171. The starting point for this paper was a proof of this conjecture, modulo a degenerate situation:
A novel approach to teaching amplitude and phase distortion concepts using time domain methods

We present an alternative method to teach amplitude and phase distortion concepts using time domain methods. Typically, these concepts are taught using relatively expensive network analyzers. Here we show how a transcendental waveform, generated using relatively inexpensive waveform generators, and observed using standard lab oscilloscopes, can be used to illustrate amplitude and phase distortion, enabling the student to better understand systems whose magnitude responses are not flat, or whose phase responses may not be linear. Our methods allow students the opportunity to gain more insight into the characteristics of high fidelity (audio) systems.
Cultivation of roots in bioreactors

Over the past few years, the number of reports of roots cultured in reactors has increased dramatically. This has provided much-needed information on the physical and metabolic requirements of cultured roots, and has established techniques for the manipulation of root tissue. Most of this work, however, is conducted on a relatively small scale (less than 5 l), and many are demonstrations as opposed to systematic studies. The real challenge of scale-up will be encountered when moving to the 100-1000 l scale, while maintaining dry tissue densities in excess of 10-20 (g dry weight) l-1. Achievement of this goal will require small-scale studies, focused on obtaining design and operational information, coupled with measurements of fundamental scale-up parameters in large-scale systems.
An economic analysis of public sector collective bargaining and strike activity

This paper develops a theory of public sector collective bargaining and uses it to investigate the economic determinants of public sector strike activity. The model considers union leaders, union members, bureaucrats, politicians, and voters, with the intention of explicitly recognizing both the constraints placed on the bargaining parties by their constituents and the differences between public and private sector collective bargaining. The empirical results indicate that only in cases where both negotiating parties are motivated by self-interest can we expect frequent strikes and strikes of long duration. The results also suggest that public sector strikes are countercyclical and principally influenced by the business cycle and its impact on state and local revenues.
Dependency of thermal and mechanical properties on the composition of mixed-substituent poly(fluoroalkoxyphosphazenes)

A series of poly(fluoroalkoxyphosphazenes) containing a mixture of 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentoxy and 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy substituents was synthesized. The series included polymers with 25–94% incorporation of the trifluoroethoxy substituent, as well as single-substituent polymers with 100% octafluoropentoxy or trifluoroethoxy side groups. Polymers were analyzed by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis, and were subjected to limiting oxygen index and microtensile testing. It was found that the Tg and Td values among the cosubstituted polymers varied little with changes in composition, but the mechanical properties varied over a wide range. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2569–2576, 2004
Selective Service Policy 1940–1942

A basic principle of selective service is to procure men for the land and naval forces without unnecessarily disturbing vital industry and other agencies and facilities which contribute materially to the stability of our national life. .. . We must estimate our several needs, inventory our supply and then allot the supply to the need.... (General Lewis B. Hershey, New York Times, January 6, 1942.)
The product cycle model of foreign direct investment and developing country welfare

Abstract Raymond Vernon's product-cycle model predicts two distinctive kinds of foreign direct investment in developing countries: fist, subsidiaries whose operations are tightly integrated into the parent's strategy to advance its competitive position in international markets; second, subsidiaries toward the host market whose profits help fund the needs of the parent but whose output is not an integral part of the parent's global sourcing network. In practice, the latter are frequently subject to domestic content, joint venture, and technology-sharing requirements; the former almost never are. How do the two kinds of foreign direct investment differ in their impact on host country development? Somewhat surprisingly, to those who may be wary of what Vernon himself reffered to as “captive” plants, foreign investor operations intimately linked into the parent's global sourcing network make a systematically larger and more dynamic contribution to the host economy via the activities of the affiliates themselves, via backward linkages to local suppliers, and via spillovers and externalities. Foreign investor operations impeded from close integration via domestic content, joint venture, and technology-sharing requirement provide a much less positive and sometimes genuinely negative impact, especially if they are protected by trade barriers or other forms of market exclusivity.
Applying linked data principles to represent patient's electronic health records at Mayo clinic: a case report

The Linked Open Data (LOD) community project at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is publishing various open data sets as Resource Description Framework (RDF) on the Web and extending it by setting RDF links between data items from different data sources containing information about genes, proteins, pathways, diseases, and drugs. While this presents a very powerful platform for federated querying and heterogeneous data integration, its true potential can only be realized when combining such information with "real patient" data from electronic health records. In this paper, we report our early experiences in applying Linked Data principles and technologies for representing patient data from electronic health records (EHRs) at Mayo Clinic in RDF. In particular, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept case study leveraging publicly available data from the Linked Open Drug Data cloud to federated querying for type 2 diabetes patients. Our study highlights several challenges and opportunities in using Semantic Web tools and technologies within a healthcare setting for enabling clinical and translational research.
Algebraic complexity of computing polynomial zeros

Abstract Using the power sum techniques of Turan, we evaluate all the complex zeros of an n th degree univariate polynomial with relative errors ⩽ ϵ using O ( n 2 log n ( n log n + log(1/ ϵ ))) arithmetic operations. O ( n log n log(1/ ϵ )) operations suffice to approximate (with relative error ⩽ ϵ ) a single complex zero using Turan's method and all the zeros if they are real using Graeffe's method. In all cases n processors suffice for cn times parallel acceleration where c is a positive constant. Incorporating Turan's techniques into another, more recent algorithm gives a single complex zero with absolute error ⩽ ϵ using O (log 2 n log log(| λ 1 / ϵ |)) arithmetic parallel steps, n 2 processors (which places the problem in NC) and also gives all the complex zeros in O ( n 2 log n + log log(| λ 1 / ϵ |))) arithmetic operations, where λ 1 is the absolutely largest zero. Computations with O (log( n | λ 1 / ϵ |))) binary bits support the latter estimates for the arithmetic complexity, which leads to a simple proof of the current best estimate for the Boolean circuit complexity (bit-operation complexity) of computing all the complex zeros of a polynomial, announced by A. Schonhage in 1982 but not proven yet.
Prophylactic coverage of dental patients with artificial joints: A retrospective analysis of thirty-three infections in hip prostheses

Persons with total joint prostheses theoretically risk infection from the transient bacteremia that may accompany dental treatment, and the literature suggests that these patients be treated prophylactically with antibiotics. Effective prophylaxis requires that the most common infecting organisms be identified and tested for drug sensitivity. We reviewed thirty-three cases of infected hips out of a total of 1,855 hip prosthesis placements. The infections were classified as early (less than 6 months after placement) or late (greater than 6 months after placement). In the patients studied, the risk of infection associated with dental procedures was extremely low (0.05 percent). Staphylococcus aureus was the organism most often isolated from the infected hips, and its incidence was twice as high in the late as in the early infections. Based on the drug sensitivities of the most common infecting organisms, the recommended drugs of choice for prophylactic treatment of dental patients with artificial joints are erythromycin, clindamycin, or a penase-resistant penicillin.
Sorption of Benzene and N-Hexane in Polyethylene

Abstract Differential sorption data of benzene and n-hexane vapors in polyethylene have been obtained over wider ranges of temperatures and activities than available before. The data are used to develop a better model or help in the choice of the appropriate theory and modeling assumption from the available ones. Whereas the swelling of the walled-in amorphous region, with some modifications, provides the best correlation for the solubilities, in contrast, the integrated giant crosslink model shows remarkable agreement with the experimental values of diffusivities.
Colleges and Universities Should Give More Broad-Based Attention to Health and Wellness—At All Levels

Higher Education needs to give more broad-based attention to health and wellness. Our graduates will all have to deal with the facts that the general state of health of Americans is not good and our national health care system is badly in need of reform. We should offer innovative approaches to helping our graduates establish positive, lifetime health habits and we should demonstrate to them our own model approaches to promoting health and wellness through more effective health insurance and worksite wellness programs.
Pygmalion effect: An issue for business education and ethics

This study reports the results of a survey designed to assess the impact of business education on the ethical beliefs of business students. The study examines the beliefs of graduate and undergraduate students about ethical behavior in educational settings. The investigation indicates that the behavior which students learn or perceive is required to succeed in business schools may run counter to the ethical sanctions of society and the business community.
N̄20 and P̄40 somatosensory evoked potentials: Thalamic lesions and subcortical origin

– Three patients with well-defined clinical and radiographic lesions have been studied with somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs). The data indicate that the primary scalp potentials from stimulation of both the arm and leg (N20 and P40) can be lost with thalamic lesions and would be consistent with these potentials being generated in either the thalamus or thalamocortical radiations.
Molecular MRI of Atherosclerosis with USPIO

Inflammation in atherosclerosis is a risk factor for plaque rupture and atherothrombosis. USPIO-enhanced MRI is capable of evaluating the inflammatory activity in vivo on a cellular as well as a sub-cellular level. This paper reviews the recent advances in USPIO-enhanced MRI of atherosclerotic plaque inflammation. Imaging strategies for evidentiating the presence of the USPIO label in plaques take advantage of the susceptibility effect induced by the nanoparticles in their surroundings to obtain a negative contrast (T2* weighted imaging) or a positive contrast (the White Maker and Susceptibility Gradient Mapping). Quantitative methods have more recently been adapted to in vivo imaging of USPIO in atherosclerotic plaques, and showed great promise in detecting treatment responses. When they are not taken up rapidly from blood by the reticulo-endothelial system (RES), USPIOs nanoparticles passively target inflammation in atherosclerosis by engulfment in intra-plaque phagocytic cells. This has been demonstrated in both animal models and human patients. However, by modifying the surface of coating materials, nanoparticles can actively target atherosclerosis molecular and cellular actors in animal models. The goal of molecular imaging of atherosclerotic plaques is to identify events in the early onset of the disease, as well as critical evolution to vulnerable plaques. USPIO agents are preferred as basis to develop targeted agents because of the ability to overcome the toxicity issue of long-term body residence of Gd-based agents, and their lower sensitivity based on their relaxivity properties. MRI agents capable of efficiently targeting oxidized LDL, cell adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, P-selectin, E-selection), apoptosis and activated platelets have been demonstrated in animal models. The use of these methodologies at the clinical level will depend on the availability and toxicity profiles of the agents, and will require standardized state of the art imaging techniques.
Memory for context is impaired by injecting anisomycin into dorsal hippocampus following context exploration

Pre-exposure to the context facilitates the small amount of contextual fear conditioning that is normally produced by immediate shock. This context pre-exposure facilitation effect provides a convenient way to study the rat's learning about context. We recently reported that anterograde damage to dorsal hippocampus prevents this facilitation. The present experiments strengthen this conclusion by showing that the protein synthesis inhibitor, anisomycin, injected bilaterally into the dorsal hippocampus following context pre-exposure also significantly reduces the facilitation effect. The same treatment given immediately after immediate shock, however, had no effect on facilitation. These results support theories that assume that, (a) contextual fear involves two processes, acquiring and storing a conjunctive representation of a context and associating that representation with fear; and (b) the hippocampus contributes to contextual fear by participating in the storage of the memory representation of the context.
Vertical and Horizontal Expansion in Value-based Models

Strategy research has often treated vertical integration and diversification strategies as independent topics. Using a biform model, this paper reconciles the existing chiasm by examining the simultaneous interplay between vertical and horizontal corporate strategies. I find that firms in a classical Williamsonian scenario characterized by “small numbers”, transaction-specific investments, ex ante vertically integration decisions, and ex post bargaining do not necessarily prefer vertical integration to market transactions. Conversely, if one firm in the economy can develop a valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable resource that favors synergies from horizontal expansion strategies, said firm does strictly prefer vertical integration. Overall, I show that vertical and horizontal corporate strategies may be complements even when governance and production costs increase disproportionately to firm size.
Rates and patterns of estuarine sediment accumulation

Estuarine sedimentation rates are estimated for vertical increments of sediment cores by adjusting average rates between dated horizons with the ratio of pollen concentration to concentration of sediment. The method assumes independent influxes of pollen and sediment into the estuary, similar patterns of transport and deposition for both pollen and fine sediment, a uniform influx of pollen over the time interval between dated horizons, and preservation of the majority of pollen entering the estuary. Comparisons of detailed, pollen-derived sedimentation rates with historical records of climatic and anthropogenic events in upper Chesapeake Bay show that highest rates of sediment accumulation occur in upper and middle stretches of tidal tributaries and coincide with major storms and periods of intensive land clearance when >20% of total land area in a given watershed is deforested and under cultivation.
Transcription in Drosophila melanogaster salivary gland cells is altered following exposure to low‐frequency electromagnetic fields: Analysis of chromosome 3R

The use of the transcription autoradiographic method permits identification of nascent RNA chains directly on identifiable regions of Drosophila salivary gland chromosomes. Changes in transcriptional activity at 13 defined regions of the right arm of chromosome 3 (3R) were observed following 20-min exposures of salivary glands to five different extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic (EM) fields. Changes in translational patterns were also induced by the ELF EM fields in exposed cells. Differences included an increase in over-all polypeptide synthesis as well as in the number of polypeptides resolved in cells exposed to EM fields. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Micro-twin induced structural misalignment in InSb quantum wells

Structural misalignments in InSb quantum wells (QWs) caused by a micro-twin (MT) defect have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Dark field (DF) TEM images with the 002 reflection of the parent region show the misalignment clearly, in spite of their low image intensity. Equations that relate the width of a MT and some dimensions regarding the misalignment are derived. These equations make it possible to deduce the dimensions by [10]-directional 220 DF-TEM images which have a higher image intensity than 002 DF-TEM images. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Developing a planning culture for more effective strategic planning

Abstract The literature of long-range planning is replete with justifications of the need for strategic planning and admonitions concerning its critical importance. However, both the literature of planning and its practice, as manifested in a variety of organizations as diverse as industrial firms, educational systems and law enforcement agencies, are deficient in specifying proven techniques and methodologies for marshalling organizational resources to effectively implement strategic planning. Over a period of years, the authors have consulted with a variety of business organizations and public agencies in the development and implementation of long-range planning processes. From this work has come an empirically-tested conclusion that the success of long-range planning in an organization is less sensitive to the parameters of the planning techniques that it is to the overall culture within which the planning is accomplished. Since most of the non-pontifical literature of planning focuses on planning techniques and specifications for planning processes, these conclusions suggest a critical void in planning methodology.
Structural and thermodynamic basis for enhanced DNA binding by a promiscuous mutant EcoRI endonuclease.

Summary Promiscuous mutant EcoRI endonucleases bind to the canonical site GAATTC more tightly than does the wild-type endonuclease, yet cleave variant (EcoRI ∗ ) sites more rapidly than does wild-type. The crystal structure of the A138T promiscuous mutant homodimer in complex with a GAATTC site is nearly identical to that of the wild-type complex, except that the Thr138 side chains make packing interactions with bases in the 5′-flanking regions outside the recognition hexanucleotide while excluding two bound water molecules seen in the wild-type complex. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm exclusion of these waters. The structure and simulations suggest possible reasons why binding of the A138T protein to the GAATTC site has ΔS° more favorable and ΔH° less favorable than for wild-type endonuclease binding. The interactions of Thr138 with flanking bases may permit A138T, unlike wild-type enzyme, to form complexes with EcoRI ∗ sites that structurally resemble the specific wild-type complex with GAATTC.
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

Archaeologists currently studying the African diaspora generally examine three broad issues, in decreasing order of prominence: the material identification of African identity, the archaeology of freedom at maroon sites, and race and racism. While conducting this research, several scholars have learned that many nonarchaeologists are deeply interested in their interpretations. At the present time, the archaeology of the African diaspora is not a truly global pursuit and the New World is overrepresented. This situation should change as archaeologists around the world discover post-Columbian archaeology and take up diasporic investigations.
Mechanically corner-coupled square microresonator array for reduced series motional resistance

Substantial reductions in vibrating micromechanical resonator series motional resistance R/sub x/ have been attained by mechanically coupling and exciting a parallel array of corner-coupled polysilicon square plate resonators. Using this technique with five resonators, an effective R/sub x/ of 4.4 k/spl Omega/ has been attained at 64 MHz, which is more than 4.8 X smaller than the 21.3 k/spl Omega/ exhibited by a stand-alone transverse-mode square resonator, and all this achieved while still maintaining an effective Q>9,000. This method for R/sub x/-reduction is superior to methods based on brute force scaling of electrode-to-resonator gaps or DC-bias increases, because it allows a reduction in R/sub x/ without sacrificing linearity, and thereby breaks the R/sub x/ versus dynamic range trade-off often seen when scaling.
Identifying Known and Unknown Peer-to-Peer Traffic

Class-of-Service identification is a very useful task for enterprise, university and ISP networks. Peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic, being a significant portion of the network traffic today, constitutes a highly desirable class for identification. Accurate classification of P2P traffic is a challenging problem, and becomes even more challenging when we are constrained to use only transport-layer header information. In this paper, we present a new approach for P2P traffic identification, that uses fundamental characteristics of P2P protocols, such as a large network diameter and the presence of many hosts acting both as servers and clients. We do not use any application-specific information, but we are, however able to identify both known and unknown P2P protocols in a simple and efficient way.
The uniform-field magnicon: an architecture more suitable for high-perveance beams

This paper provides the details and modeling results of a 700-MHz, 2.5-MW, continuous wave, non-conventional magnicon architecture. It then compares the new architecture to the conventional design. The new magnicon architecture proves less sensitive to beam size yet provides the very high dc-to-RF conversion efficiency demonstrated in the initial magnicon development. The magnicon developments to date have utilized longitudinal, dc magnetic fields with different field strengths in the deflection system and output cavity. While this transition between field strengths was used in the initial magnicon to assist in the conversion of the initial longitudinal beam energy into the transverse direction, it also spreads the beam bunch (for finite beam size), reducing conversion efficiency. The new magnicon architecture presented in this paper utilizes a constant focusing field over the entire device. Conventional and new magnicon designs are presented for the 700-MHz, 2.5-MW requirements. Large-signal modeling techniques are used to compare magnicon performance of these designs for large-diameter beams. The modeling techniques used to generate the self-consistent solutions for the beam-driven magnicon cavities are discussed, and the relationship between the magnicon efficiency and electron-beam diameter is presented. >
Lack of Response of Chicks to Proteolytic Enzyme Supplementation

Abstract IN VIEW of the reports of Lewis et al. (1955) on the effectiveness of dietary enzyme preparations in improving growth and feed efficiency of baby pigs, it was considered important to investigate this aspect of nutrition with reference to chicks. Few reports appear in the literature regarding the feeding of enzymes to poultry. Clickner and Follwell (1925) reported beneficial results from feeding “protozyme” to Leghorn pullets raised to 20 weeks of age. Hastings (1946) reported improved chick growth and feed efficiency when an enzyme preparation was added to a high fiber mash. More recently, Patrick (1955) reported no benefit from dietary additions of several proteolytic enzyme preparations. Two experiments were conducted with male chicks grown to four weeks of age in conventional chick starting batteries. In experiment 1, four hundred day-old White Leghorn male chicks were randomly allotted to 20 pens, with two replicates of ten dietary treatments. In experiment …
Cutting Edge: Dendritic Cell-Restricted Antigen Presentation Initiates the Follicular Helper T Cell Program but Cannot Complete Ultimate Effector Differentiation

Follicular helper T (TFH) cells are critical for germinal center (GC) formation. The processes that drive their generation and effector potential remain unclear. In this study, we define requirements for MHC class II APCs in murine TFH cell formation by either transiently ablating or restricting Ag presentation to dendritic cells (DCs). We find that cognate interactions with DCs are necessary and sufficient to prime CD4+ T cells toward a CXCR5+ICOS+Bcl6+ TFH cell intermediate. However, in the absence of additional APCs, these TFH cells fail to produce IL-21. Furthermore, in vitro priming of naive T cells by B cells engenders optimal production of IL-21, which induces a GC B cell transcriptional profile. These results support a multistep model for effector TFH cell priming and GC initiation, in which DCs are necessary and sufficient to induce a TFH cell intermediate that requires additional interactions with distinct APCs for full effector function.
The impact of time on predicate forms in the manual modality: signers, homesigners, and silent gesturers.

It is difficult to create spoken forms that can be understood on the spot. But the manual modality, in large part because of its iconic potential, allows us to construct forms that are immediately understood, thus requiring essentially no time to develop. This paper contrasts manual forms for actions produced over three time spans—by silent gesturers who are asked to invent gestures on the spot; by homesigners who have created gesture systems over their life spans; and by signers who have learned a conventional sign language from other signers—and finds that properties of the predicate differ across these time spans. Silent gesturers use location to establish co-reference in the way established sign languages do, but they show little evidence of the segmentation sign languages display in motion forms for manner and path, and little evidence of the finger complexity sign languages display in handshapes in predicates representing events. Homesigners, in contrast, not only use location to establish co-reference but also display segmentation in their motion forms for manner and path and finger complexity in their object handshapes, although they have not yet decreased finger complexity to the levels found in sign languages in their handling handshapes. The manual modality thus allows us to watch language as it grows, offering insight into factors that may have shaped and may continue to shape human language.
Permeation of chlorinated aromatic compounds through Viton and nitrile glove materials.

The ASTM cell was utilized to study permeation of chloro-, o-dichloro-, and m-dichloro-benzenes and o- and p-chlorotoluenes through Viton (unsupported) and nitrile (supported and unsupported) glove materials using isopropanol as collecting solvent, and FID/gas chromatog-raphy for quantitation. Adequate mixing in the collection chamber was accomplished by externally agitating the ASTM cell at the required speed in a moving-tray water bath at 25°C. The Viton glove did not show permeation even after 4 hours. The nitrile gloves showed breakthrough times of less than 1 hour. The steady state molar flux rates for unsupported or supported nitrile gloves, or for the different challenge solvents were not statistically different. Thus, breakthrough times were better indicators of permeation than steady state molar flux rates. A “mixed” permeation mechanism was proposed, depending on swelling of the glove material.
Is Hair Removal Necessary Before the Surgical Incision

Two preoperative male patients are scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass procedures. Both patients have hairy chest. Surgeon A orders preoperative removal of hair for his patient directly before surgery with clippers, and surgeon B does not order hair removal for his patient. Based on the literature, which preoperative hair removal practice will be most beneficial to avoid a surgical site infection?
Spectrum of Frequency-Shift Radio Photo-Transmissions

The spectrum of frequency-shift and subcarrier frequency-shift radio-photo transmissions are obtained from the general expression for the spectrum of a carrier which is frequency modulated with a triangular pulse. A simplified asymptotic expression for rapidly determining the high order sideband amplitudes is developed along with expressions for the interfering bandwidths of radio-photo transmissions. The effect of shaped apertures in the radio-photo scanner upon the output frequency spectrum is discussed. Experimentally determined values for triangular wave spectra are compared with calculated values.
On-chip delay measurement for silicon debug

Efficient test and debug techniques are indispensable for performance characterization of large complex integrated circuits in deep-submicron and nanometer technologies. Performance characterization of such chips requires on-chip hardware and efficient debug schemes in order to reduce time to market and ensure shipping of chips with lower defect levels. In this paper we present an on-chip scheme for delay fault detection and performance characterization. The proposed technique allows for accurate measurement of delays of speed paths for speed binning and facilitates a systematic and efficient test and debug scheme for delay faults. The area overhead associated with the proposed technique is very low.
The discriminative ability and diagnostic utility of the ADOS-G, ADI-R, and GARS for children in a clinical setting

Recent years have seen a surge of interest in assessment instruments for diagnosing autism in children. Instruments have generally been developed and evaluated from a research perspective. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G), Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), and Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) have received considerable attention and are widely used. The objective of this study was to explore the diagnostic utility and discriminative ability of these tools using a clinical population of children referred to a specialty diagnostic clinic over a 3 year time span. The results indicated that the ADOS-G and ADI-R led to approximately 75 percent agreement with team diagnoses, with most inconsistencies being false positive diagnoses based on the measures. The GARS was generally ineffective at discriminating between children with various team diagnoses and consistently underestimated the likelihood of autism. The findings have important implications for the use of these measures in both research and clinical practice.
Trabecular Bone Microarchitecture and Characteristics in Different Regions of the Glenoid

Success of shoulder surgery depends on implant fixation to the glenoid trabecular bone. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anatomic characteristics of the normal glenoid trabecular bone microarchitecture to help assist in implant design and provide data for finite element analyses. Eight cadavers without evidence of osteoarthritis were used. Glenoids were scanned with micro-computed tomography and then divided into lateral and medial, then superior, inferior, anterior, and posterior quadrants (8 total segments). Each segment was analyzed for total mineral density, bone volume fraction, structure model index, and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), number (Tb.N), and separation. Bone volume fraction was significantly higher (P<.05) in the posterolateral (20.8%±4.5%) and posteromedial (18.6%±2.5%) regions. Both Tb.N and Tb.Th were also highest in the posterolateral (Tb.N, 1.74±0.374 mm; Tb.Th, 0.148±0.017 mm) and posteromedial (Tb.N, 1.49±0.401 mm; Tb.Th, 0.165±0.016 mm) regions. Trabecular separation was greatest in the superomedial segment (1.00±0.181 mm) and lowest in the posterolateral region (0.663±0.121 mm). For structural model index, both the posterolateral (0.314) and posteromedial (0.312) regions had lower values than the other regions. The posterior segment of the normal glenoid in both the lateral and medial regions has the highest density, which is attributed to the increased trabecular number and thickness with decreased separation. This increased density may be attributed to the posterior directed loading of the glenohumeral joint. The trabecular microarchitecture in the glenoid is plate-like, as indicated by the low structural model index.
MONOALKYL α‐OXOAMIDES: PHOTOCHEMISTRY IN HOMOGENEOUS and IN MICROHETEROGENEOUS MEDIA*

An investigation of the photoreactivity of the amphiphilic α-oxoamide, N-(12-dodecanoic acid)benzoylformamide, (1), in aqueous (pH 10) solution and its inclusion complexes with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and carboxymethylamylose (CMA). In all three media photolysis of 1 yields predominantly the fragmentation products from hydrolysis, mandelamide and the corresponding aldehyde. The most reasonable mechanism for the reaction is an intramolecular quenching of a ketone-localized excited state by electron transfer from the amide nitrogen followed by proton transfer and a second electron transfer (zwitterion-1 diradical ⇄ zwitterion-2) to yield ultimately the mandelamide-imine precursor which hydrolyzes to the observed products. The quantum yields for 1 decomposition and mandelamide appearance in aqueous solution (pH 10) are 0.21 and 0.16, respectively. Compound 1 forms a 1:1 and 1:2 complex with β-CD and shows enhanced quantum efficiencies for reaction, especially the 1:2 complex. 1 also forms a complex with CMA which shows a similar binding constant to other similar chain length amphiphiles in other studies. Here again reactivity is enhanced for the photoreaction of 1 upon complexation, indicating that neither the electron transfer quenching of the excited states nor reaction of subsequent intermediates is prohibited in the complexes. Mechanistic implications of these results are discussed.
Reactive and reparative myocardial fibrosis in arterial hypertension in the rat.

Objective: Myocardial fibrosis is an important determinant of pathological hypertrophy. In two experimental models of arterial hypertension the purpose of the study was (a) to determine total collagen volume fraction and relative contribution of scarring and perivascular/interstitial fibrosis; and (b) to assess the effects of the aldosterone receptor antagonist spironolactone on these patterns of fibrosis. Methods: 76 eight week old Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 180 to 200 g were used for the studies. Using videodensitometry total collagen volume fraction was separated into the various components for the left and right ventricles in the following experimental models: renovascular hypertension occurring following unilateral renal ischaemia; continuous aldosterone administration via osmotic minipumps with either high (AL) or low (ALLO) sodium diet; renovascular hypertension and AL after pretreatment and continuous treatment with either 20 or 200 mg·kg−1·d−1 subcutaneously of the competitive aldosterone receptor antagonist spironolactone. All groups were compared to age and sex matched controls. Results: After eight weeks, systolic pressure was comparably increased in renovascular hypertension and AL and it remained raised with low dose spironolactone treatment in either model, but was normal with high dose spironolactone or low sodium diet. Left ventricular hypertrophy, expressed as a significant increase in left to right ventricular weight and left ventricle to body weight ratios, was present in renovascular hypertension, AL, and AL + low dose spironolactone compared to control (p<0.005). In either ventricle: (1) the amount of interstitial/perivascular fibrosis and myocardial scarring was increased (p<0.005) in renovascular hypertension and AL compared to control; (2) each was reduced (p<0.005) with either dose of spironolactone; and (3) only scars were seen in ALLO. Conclusions: Myocardial fibrosis of either ventricle was comparable in renovascular hypertension and AL. Spironolactone was able largely to prevent the perivascular/interstitial fibrosis and scarring in either model irrespective of the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and arterial hypertension. Low sodium diet in hyperaldosteronism prevented hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy, but not scarring. These findings suggest that a rise in plasma aldosterone, relative to sodium intake, may play a role in mediating collagen accumulation in the heart during the development of experimental arterial hypertension.
Exploring Silicon Carbide For Thermal Infrared Radiators

A thermal infrared radiator (blackbody) capable of fast thermal cycling is realized for pulsed operation at high frequency using elements from heavily-doped LPCVD poly-SiC. High emissivity, high thermal conductivity, low thermal mass and excellent mechanical robustness of poly-SiC enable this development. Poly-SiC's peak emission wavelength falls in the range of short wavelength infrared; devices are pulsed at frequencies up to 100 Hz with modulation depth near 50%. Materials analysis examining the surfaces of pre-and post-heated emitter elements has been performed using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Device reliability study has been carried out, including the dependence on thermal cycling/operation of poly-SiC's emissive, thermal, electrical and mechanical properties relevant to the presented devices.
ICOS promotes IL‐17 synthesis in colonic intraepithelial lymphocytes in IL‐10−/− mice

In the absence of IL-10, colonic inflammation ensues, which is characterized by high levels of IL-17. Here, we demonstrate a direct correlation between ICOS expression and IL-17 production in cIELs. IL-10−/− mice had increased numbers of cIELs and greater colon weight. Although the CD69 early activation antigen was expressed on cIELs from normal and IL-10−/− mice, ICOS was expressed only on cIELs from IL-10−/− mice. IL-17-producing cells in IL-10−/− mice consisted of CD4+ and CD8+ cIELs; however, CD4+ cells were the predominant IL-17-producing cell population. Culture of cIELs from IL-10−/− mice with IL-23 resulted in an increase in ICOS and IL-17 expression, whereas IL-10 suppressed expression of ICOS and IL-17. This occurred in primary cultures and recall stimulation experiments. The ICOS ligand B7RP-1 was up-regulated on colonic epithelial cells and on a population of large granular leukocytes during inflammation. Culture of cIELs with B7RP-1+ DCs enhanced IL-17A production from normal cIELs but failed to do so using cIELs from ICOS−/− mice. In vivo treatment of IL-10−/− mice with antibody to ICOS resulted in a significant reduction in colonic pathology. These findings implicate ICOS as an activational signal of Th17 cells during chronic intestinal inflammation, and they suggest that under some conditions, control of ICOS expression may help to suppress chronic intestinal inflammation.
Mixed-mode ATPG under input constraints

A pragmatic method of mixed-mode automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) which can operate under constrained inputs is presented. The author discusses fundamental modifications to traditional ATPG which allow tests to be generated for nontrivial circuits containing switch-level primitives. The program used, SPHINX, achieves reasonable fault coverages for mixed-mode circuits larger than those previously reported. >
Clinically Relevant Gram-Negative Resistance Mechanisms Have No Effect on the Efficacy of MC-1, a Novel Siderophore-Conjugated Monocarbam

ABSTRACT The incidence of hospital-acquired infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens is increasing at an alarming rate. Equally alarming is the overall lack of efficacious therapeutic options for clinicians, which is due primarily to the acquisition and development of various antibiotic resistance mechanisms that render these drugs ineffective. Among these mechanisms is the reduced permeability of the outer membrane, which prevents many marketed antibiotics from traversing this barrier. To circumvent this, recent drug discovery efforts have focused on conjugating a siderophore moiety to a pharmacologically active compound that has been designed to hijack the bacterial siderophore transport system and trick cells into importing the active drug by recognizing it as a nutritionally beneficial compound. MC-1, a novel siderophore-conjugated β-lactam that promotes its own uptake into bacteria, has exquisite activity against many Gram-negative pathogens. While the inclusion of the siderophore was originally designed to facilitate outer membrane penetration into Gram-negative cells, here we show that this structural moiety also renders other clinically relevant antibiotic resistance mechanisms unable to affect MC-1 efficacy. Resistance frequency determinations and subsequent characterization of first-step resistant mutants identified PiuA, a TonB-dependent outer membrane siderophore receptor, as the primary means of MC-1 entry into Pseudomonas aeruginosa. While the MICs of these mutants were increased 32-fold relative to the parental strain in vitro , we show that this resistance phenotype is not relevant in vivo , as alternative siderophore-mediated uptake mechanisms compensated for the loss of PiuA under iron-limiting conditions.