cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uniform Grades and Standards, Product Differentiation and Product Development

NIFORM grades and standards have received considerable support for their contribution to the operation of our agricultural marketing system. They facilitate trade and generally improve the allocative efficiency of the pricing process. Product differentiation, on the other hand, has been considered an imperfection which interferes with pricing efficiency and effective resource allocation. However, product differentiation may be used advantageously by individual firms, and differentiation may increase product variety. This paper suggests that the theoretical bases for both uniform grades and standards and product differentiation are stronger than we have traditionally believed when we consider dynamic interrelations between the two. In looking upon marketing as a moving and evolving process,' the interrelations may be complementary from the standpoint of product improvement and development.
Thermal Spreading with Flat-Plate Oscillating Heat Pipes

The thermal performance of a flat-plate oscillating heat pipe operating as a heat spreader was experimentally investigated. The copper flat-plate oscillating heat pipe had overall dimensions of 101...
The role of nitric oxide in the regulation of cerebral blood flow

The role of nitric oxide in the cerebral circulation under basal conditions and when exposed to hypoxic, hypercapnic and hypotensive stimuli, was studied in mechanically ventilated rats using a venous outflow technique, by examining the effects of inhibition of nitric oxide synthase with N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME).l-NAME (10 or 30 mg/kg injected intravenously) raised mean arterial blood pressure by 14% and 24%, and increased cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) by 20% and 24%, respectively. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was unaltered, as were blood gases and pH. The increases in MABP and CVR were attenuated byl-arginine (300 mg/kg). Following the administration ofl-NAME, the increases in CBF elicited by ventilation with 8% oxygen for 25 s were unaltered, in comparison to control responses.l-NAME attenuated the increases in CBF and reduced the time for recovery to basal flow rates evoked by ventilation with 10% carbon dioxide. These effects were reversed byl-, but not byd-, arginine. Autoregulation by CBF during hypotensive episodes, as measured by comparisons of CVR values, was unaffected byl-NAME. The results suggest that endogenous nitric oxide is involved in the responses of the cerebral vasculature to elevated levels of CO2 in the arterial blood. Nitric oxide does not appear to play a major role in autoregulation to increases or decreases in MABP, or in hypoxia-evoked vasodilation.
An Effective Spectrum Sensing Method Based on Correlation Coefficient and Energy Detection

Spectrum sensing is the key functionality for dynamic spectrum access in cognitive radio networks. Energy detection is one of the most popular spectrum sensing methods due to its low complexity and easy implementation. However, performance of the energy detector is susceptible to uncertainty in noise power. To overcome this problem, this paper proposes an effective spectrum sensing method based on correlation coefficient. The proposed method utilizes a single receiving antenna with a delay device to acquire the original received signal and the delayed signal. Then the correlation coefficient of the two signals is computed and the result is used as the test statistic. Theoretical analysis shows that the decision threshold is unrelated to noise power, thus the proposed approach can effectively overcome the influence of noise power uncertainty. Simulation results testify the effectiveness of the proposed method even in low signal-to-noise (SNR) conditions.
Dextrorphan inhibits the release of excitatory amino acids during spinal cord ischemia

The release of excitatory amino acids, particularly glutamate, into the extracellular space plays a causal role in irreversible neuronal damage after central nervous system ischemia. Dextrorphan, a noncompetitive N-methylD-aspartate receptor antagonist, has been shown to provide significant protection against cerebral damage after focal ischemia. We investigated the changes in extracellular neurotransmitter amino acid concentrations using in vivo microdialysis in a swine model of spinal cord ischemia. After lumbar laminectomies were performed, all animals underwent left thoracotomy and right atrial‐ femoral cardiopulmonary bypass with additional aortic arch perfusion. Microdialysis probes were then inserted stereotactically into the lumbar spinal cord. The probes were perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid and 15-minute samples were assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Group 1 animals (n 5 9) underwent aortic clamping distal to the left subclavian and proximal to the renal arteries for 60 minutes. Group 2 animals (n 5 7) were treated with dextrorphan before application of aortic clamps, and during aortic occlusion and reperfusion. Five amino acids were studied, including two excitatory neurotransmitters (glutamate and aspartate) and three putative inhibitory neurotransmitters (glycine, g-amino-butyric acid, and serine). Somatosensory-evoked potentials and motor-evoked potentials were monitored. Glutamate exhibited a threefold increase in extracellular concentration during normothermic ischemia compared with baseline values and remained elevated until 60 minutes after reperfusion. In animals treated with dextrorphan, glutamate concentrations decreased to one-third of baseline levels before aortic clamping and remained unchanged during ischemia and reperfusion. There was early loss of somatosensory-evoked potentials and motor-evoked potentials during ischemia in group 1 animals. Group 2 animals demonstrated unchanged somatosensory-evoked potentials and only mild (20%) decrease in the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials. These results suggest that dextrorphan inhibits the release of excitatory amino acids in the spinal cord during ischemia and, therefore, may have a protective effect on spinal cord function during operations on the thoracoabdominal aorta. (Ann Thorac Surg 1994;58:312‐20)
Reversible weight-related increase in plasma testosterone during treatment of male and female patients with anorexia nervosa

Plasma testosterone was measured in three males and thirty-six female patients before and after treatment for anorexia nervosa. Low testosterone values were found before treatment, and weight gain was associated with an increase to normal levels. LH, and to a lesser extent FSH, increased during treatment, in accord with previous reports. It is suggested that in males, documentation of the return to normal testosterone levels be made one routine indicator of a return to biological health similar to the return of menstrual cycles for females.
Multiple actions of dieldrin and lindane on the GABAA receptor-chloride channel complex of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons†

The GABA A receptor-chloride channel complex is known to be the target of cyclodiene insecticides and of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH, lindane). Dieldrin first enhances, then suppresses, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)- induced chloride currents, and the latter action results from the acceleration of desensitization. We now report more detailed analyses of the action of dieldrin and γ-HCH on the GABA A receptor-chloride channel complex of rat dorsal root ganglion, using whole-cell and single-channel patch clamp techniques. Preapplication of dieldrin suppressed GABA-induced chloride currents in a time and dose-dependent manner. No enhancement of current was observed under these conditions, because the enhancing action of dieldrin, which is transient in nature, had ceased by the time GABA-induced currents were recorded. Both transient and sustained components of chloride currents were suppressed by dieIdrin. The effect was almost irreversible, and the current did not recover after 30 min of washout with dieldrin-free solution. The currents activated by higher concentrations of GABA were more strongly suppressed by dieldrin. Coapplication of γ-HCH with GABA caused an enhancement of the GABA-induced chloride currents, which was followed by suppression. Single-channel currents induced by 1 μm GABA were completely suppressed by 1 μm γ-HCH. Hyperexcitation of the nervous system and whole animal caused by dieldrin and γ-HCH is the result of suppression of the GABA receptor-chloride channel complex
A Computer Controlled Method for Determining the Fields of Visual System Neurons

Determining the shape of the response field of a visual system neuron by monitoring its responses to a manually manipulated light stimulus is a very tedious procedure. Equipment and computer programs are here described which allow a computer to control the shape of a stimulus image while it monitors the response of a unit (neuron). The technique was used on simulated neurons and neurons of the lateral geniculate bodies of experimental animals (cats). Preliminary results showed that the technique repeatably located and sized the response fields of these units.
Hippocampal 3α,5α-THP may alter depressive behavior of pregnant and lactating rats

The 5alpha-reduced metabolite of progesterone (P), 5alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-THP), may mediate progestins' effects to reduce depressive behavior of female rats in part through actions in the hippocampus. To investigate, forced swim test behavior and plasma and hippocampal progestin levels were assessed in groups of rats expected to differ in their 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels due to endogenous differences (pregnant and postpartum), administration of a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor (finasteride; 50 mg/kg sc), and/or gestational stress [prenatal stress (PNS)], an animal model of depression. Pregnant rats had higher plasma and hippocampal 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels and less depressive behavior (decreased immobility, increased struggling and swimming) in the forced swim test than did postpartum rats. Finasteride, compared to vehicle-administration, reduced plasma and hippocampal 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels and increased depressive behavior (increased immobility, decreased struggling and swimming). PNS was associated with lower hippocampal, but not plasma, 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels and increased swimming compared to that observed in control rats. Together, these data suggest that 3alpha,5alpha-THP in the hippocampus may mediate antidepressive behavior of female rats.
A generalized method for the superposition of resonance structures

Abstract We calculated ab initio energies corresponding to a novel type of n system wavefunction that has heretofore been used only at the Huckel level. The wavefunctions were constructed following the general prescription of resonance theory and gave results qualitatively similar to, but quantitatively different from, the Heitler-London-Slater-Pauling (HLSP) functions. The sort of wave-function treated here allows simpler algorithms for the evaluation of matrix elements than does HLSP. We made calculations on 1,3-butadiene, 1,3,5-hexatriene, benzene, fulvene, 1,2-dimethylenecyclobutene and 1,2,3-trimethylenecyclopropane. We also treated the resonance energy of benzene and the dipole moment of fulvene by using this method.
When is it acceptable to accept a null hypothesis: No way, Jose?

Previous research has suggested that there exists a bias in the social sciences against no-effect hypotheses. This is regrettable given the importance of establishing not only when an effect does occur but also the boundary conditions of that effect. The purposes of this article are two-fold The first purpose is to review relevant portions of the history of hypothesis testing in an attempt to identify the sources of bias against hypotheses of no effect. The second purpose is to develop and describe rigorous methods for providing evidence in support of no-effect hypotheses-methods that avoid some of the problems traditionally associated with no-effect conclusions.
Investigation of the Viscoelastic Properties of Liquids Trapped in Nanoporous Cavities using Micromachined Acoustic Transducers

Abstract We have designed and fabricated 60 MHz bulk acoustic wave transducers and demonstrated the efficacy of these devices for probing the gravimetric and viscoelastic properties of layers in intimate contact with one of the electrodes. By integrating a 100 nm thick nanoporous film as the top electrode of the quartz resonator, we have been able to obtain enhanced sensitivity to mass loading and investigate the physical properties of liquids confined within 25–35 nm pores. By experimentally measuring the change in resonance frequency and Q- factor at the first and third resonance modes and using a detailed acoustic model in which the trapped liquid is treated as viscoelastic layer under a viscous liquid, the properties of trapped water-glycerol mixture confined in nanopores has been deduced.
Simplified geometry-adaptive block partitioning for video coding

Geometry-adaptive block partitioning (GEO) can greatly enhance video coding efficiency but at the expense of significantly increased computational complexity. Instead of proposing fast searching algorithm for encoding only [1, 2], this paper proposes to reduce the size of partitions for both the encoder and the decoder. The proposed scheme only searches partitions recognized as most valuable partitions, which is derived by analyzing different GEO partitions from the contribution to the coding efficiency. On the one hand, by only searching limited number of partitions, the encoder computation burden is much alleviated and the decoder needs to handle fewer cases. On the other hand, restricting the number of candidate partitions causes fewer overhead bits. Results obtained in the experiments show that compared to the original GEO, the proposed scheme can achieve similar coding efficiency at much lower complexity.
Migrants, markets and multinationals: competition among world cities for the highly skilled

Urban areas compete with one another for people, goods, capital, ideas and other inputs of economic activity. Under the rubric of globalization, instead of only maintaining or improving the initial stock of assets in a city, the power of a place to attract outside flows of economic activity from elsewhere is increasingly important to economic development. Similarly, global or world cities are characterized as the command and control points through which these global economic flows operate. In response to the heightened mobility of highly-skilled labor across national borders, research has begun to examine the role of international human capital as an economic flow. This paper will examine the role of places in determining where the highly-skilled go in the global economy by viewing global city command and control functions as requiring unique labor flows. By reviewing the evidence found in the literature, we can better understand the potential for urban areas to compete for highly-skilled labor in the global economy. Known indicators of place attractiveness are assessed to examine the relationship between the economic trajectories of cities and their labor requirements. Cities are situated between firms and states as the key place-based actors which influence the mobility of highly-skilled labor. Finally, the paper also examines measurement issues and methodological problems in creating indices of world cities as well as explores possibilities for new research.
A Factor Analytic Study of the Items in Three Selected Sex-Role Instruments

A factor analysis of items in the Bern Sex-role Inventory, the Personal Attributes Questionnaire, and Heilbrun's Masculinity and Femininity scales yielded 11 factors. College students (n = 400) at a large midwestern university completed the items from the three instruments. The solution that emerged suggests that sex roles are multidimensional and that masculinity may be more factorially complex.
3-D Simulations of Electroosmotic Sample Migration in Microchannels: Effects of Surface and Solution Property Variations

This article reports a 3-D numerical study on the effects of variation of surface and solution properties in microchannels on sample dispersion during electroosmotic migration. Zeta potential variations across and along the microchannel is found to generate a shear flow that increases the rate of dispersion of a sample plug. The electric conductivity variation due to the presence of a sample plug resulted in a complicated distortion of the sample plug due to the interaction between flow fields, electric potential, and species concentration. A study on the appropriateness of the 1-D Taylor dispersion method in microchip capillary electrophoresis modeling was also carried out.
Sums of corestrictions of cyclic algebras

By a cyclic layer of a finite Galois extension,E/K, of fields one means a cyclic extension,L/F, of fields whereE⊇L⊇F⊇K. LetC(E/K) denote the subgroup of the relative Brauer group, Br(E/K), generated by the various subgroups cor(Br(L/F)) asL/F ranges over all cyclic layers ofE/K and where cor denotes the corestriction map into Br(E/K). We show that forK global, [Br(E/K) :C(E/K)]<∞ and we produce examples whereC(E/K)≠Br(E/K).
Algorithm 772: STRIPACK: Delaunay triangulation and Voronoi diagram on the surface of a sphere

STRIPACK is a Fortran 77 software package that employs an incremental algorithm to construct a Delaunay triangulation and, optionally, a Voronoi diagram of a set of points (nodes) on the surface of the unit sphere. The triangulation covers the convex hull of the nodes, which need not be the entire surface, while the Voronoi diagram covers the entire surface. The package provides a wide range of capabilities including an efficient means of updating the triangulation with nodal additions or deletions. For N nodes, the storage requirement for the triangulation is 13N integer storage locations in addition to 3N nodal corrdinates. Using an off-line algorithm and work space of size 3N, the triangulation can be constructed with time complexity O(NlogN).
Evaporation of sodium chloride melts

Abstract The evaporation rate of molten NaCl in the presence of various gases was measured at gas pressures between 0.74 and 212 psia. In induction heated crucibles the rate was a linear function of (1/P) 1 3 , with different slopes at high and low pressures. The (1/P) 1 3 dependence is shown to be expected for turbulent free convective mass transport. Under some conditions the evaporation rate decreased with decreasing pressures. This observation is attributed to condensation of NaCl in the gas with NaCl particles being carried back into the melt by a reflux process. The large difference in evaporation rates between Ar, He, and CO2 is attributed not only to differences in thermal conductivity but also to infrared absorption by the CO2.
Theoretically-based algorithms for robustly tracking intersection curves of deforming surfaces

This paper applies singularity theory of mappings of surfaces to 3-space and the generic transitions occurring in their deformations to develop algorithms for continuously and robustly tracking the intersection curves of two deforming parametric spline surfaces, when the deformation is represented as a family of generalized offset surfaces. The set of intersection curves of two deforming surfaces over all time is formulated as an implicit 2-manifold I in an augmented (by time domain) parametric space R^5. Hyperplanes corresponding to some fixed time instants may touchI at some isolated transition points, which delineate transition events, i.e. the topological changes to the intersection curves. These transition points are the 0-dimensional solution to a rational system of five constraints in five variables, and can be computed efficiently and robustly with a rational constraint solver using subdivision and hyper-tangent bounding cones. The actual transition events are computed by contouring the local osculating paraboloids. Away from any transition points, the intersection curves do not change topology and evolve according to a simple evolution vector field that is constructed in the Euclidean space in which the surfaces are embedded.
Spleen deposition of Cryptococcus neoformans capsular glucuronoxylomannan in rodents occurs in red pulp macrophages and not marginal zone macrophages expressing the C-type lectin SIGN-R1

The fate of microbial polysaccharides in host tissues is an important consideration because these compounds are often immune modulators. Splenic marginal zone macrophages that express the C-type lectin receptor SIGN-R1, take up neutral polysaccharides such as dextran and the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Given that the major component of Cryptococcus neoformans capsular polysaccharide, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), localizes in the spleen when injected intravenously, we investigated whether GXM uptake was mediated by splenic macrophages expressing the SIGN-R1 receptor in mice. No significant differences in the amount and location of GXM deposition were detected in the spleens of mice treated with a SIGN-R1 blocking antibody when compared to controls. Similarly, a blocking antibody to Dectin-1, a co-receptor of -SIGN-R1, had no effects on GXM distribution within the spleen. Histological examination of spleens from mice and rats injected with FITC-Dextran and GXM revealed no significant co-localization, with Dextran and GXM being found in marginal and red pulp macrophages, respectively. Hence we conclude that GXM was not deposited in marginal zone macrophages. However, GXM deposition was found in the red pulp. These results indicate that there is a selective localization of these polysaccharides to different receptors such as SIGN-R1 for FITC dextran in marginal zone and a to-be-identified receptor selectively expressed by red pulp macrophages for GXM.
Lues maligna in early HIV infection case report and review of the literature.

Background:Lues maligna (also known as malignant syphilis or ulceronodular syphilis) is a rare dermatologic manifestation of syphilis more commonly seen in patients with HIV infection. The classic lesion of lues maligna is an oval, papulopustular skin lesion with well demarcated borders sometimes co
Characteristics of in vitro amino acid incorporation by the ribosomal fraction from tobacco leaves.

Abstract Amino acid incorporation by the ribosomal fraction from tobacco leaves was studied. The incorporation was dependent on ATP and GTP. An energy-generating system [phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP) and PEP-kinase] was able to meet part of the energy requirements. The incorporation was very sensitive to ribonuclease and was dependent on the presence of soluble RNA and enzymes from the soluble fraction. These latter dependencies were particularly clear when the ribosomes were purified by centrifugation through sucrose layers. The ribosomal fraction could be separated into two fractions, one of 70 S and 80 S particles and one containing polysomes and some 80 S particles. Both fractions had the same specific incorporating activity. Addition of polyuridylic acid to the ribosomes stimulated the incorporation of phenylalanine 3- to 4-fold. Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)-RNA had no measurable effect on the amino acid incorporation. The stimulation of amino acid incorporation by TMV-RNA in the ribosomal system of Escherichia coli was not inhibited by the addition of tobacco leaf ribosomes. Therefore the failure of TMV-RNA to stimulate the ribosomal system from leaves may be ascribed to faulty interaction between TMV-RNA and the ribosomes.
Robust Roll Modulation Guidance for Aeroassisted Mars Mission

The utility of using an aggregate measure of a vehicle's performance in determining the gains in a fixed-structure guidance scheme for an aeromaneuvering spacecraft so as to increase the "robustness" of the vehicle's performance is examined. The gains in the guidance scheme are determined by minimizing an "averaged" performance measure based upon the vehicle's flight through several different atmosphere models. This technique is applied to a Martian aeromaneuvering problem. Simulation results using gains determined by this method show a significant increase in off-nominal performance.
Endotoxin, reticuloendothelial function, and liver injury

The concept that relates intestinal bacteria and their toxins as a common pathway of liver injury by toxic agents has interested investigators for a long period. Recently, a number of studies in experimental animals and in patients with liver disease support this contention, and are reviewed. Evidence is presented to suggest that: (a) function of the sinusoidal cells is critical to integrity of the hepatocyte; (b) damage to these lining cells by several agents may be the initial injury leading to decreased ability of the liver to detoxify endotoxin (LPS); (c) following this primary injury to Kupffer and endothelial cells, LPS causes damage at amounts which are ordinarily innocuous and may represent a final pathway of liver necrosis; (d) "spillover" of LPS may lead to systemic manifestations of liver disease, and (e) modification of endotoxin toxicity or absorption may protect against several acute and chronic liver injuries.
Alternatives to Eye Tracking for Predicting Stimulus-Driven Attentional Selection Within Interfaces

The visual properties of a design contribute to the formation of regions with differing amounts of uniqueness, or salience, producing an initial stimulus-driven attentional bias. The colocation of salient regions and critical information should be maximized as this increases the interface's usability by decreasing search times. The determination of salient locations, however, is often difficult. In web page design, eye tracking has traditionally been used to measure where users attend, therefore indicating the salient regions. But, eye tracking as a descriptive technique has many known costs. We propose two alternative methods to eye tracking that can be used to predict which regions of a web page will draw users' stimulus-driven attention: interest point recording and saliency model predictions. Through an empirical investigation we show that the predictions of both methods correlate with the locations fixated by a separate group of participants, and thus these methods are effective alternatives to eye tracking during formative design testing.
Modeling and simulation study of the self-discharge in supercapacitors in presence of a blocking layer

Abstract Supercapacitors are promising energy storage devices due to their high life cycle and high power density. However, supercapacitors also known as Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLCs) are affected by high leakage or self discharge. The leakage is mainly dominated by redox reactions at the electrode surface through which electrons cross the double layer. Experiments have shown that a very thin blocking layer coating on the electrodes improves the energy storage capability by reducing the leakage, but it reduces the specific capacitance. The detrimental effect of the blocking layer on the capacitance requires the study of the blocking layer thickness' impact on the performance of the supercapacitor. In this work we have developed a mathematical model to study such effects. The model is a combination of simple quantum mechanical and electrochemical phenomena that occur during the self-discharge process. Using the developed model, a computational method was applied to simulate the discharge profile and specific energy in devices with various thicknesses in the blocking layer. The simulation approach can be used to study supercapacitor performances for practical applications.
Humans vs. Computer Algorithms for the Plant Layout Problem

An experiment with plant layout formulated as a quadratic assignment problem gave the following results: 1 The CRAFT algorithm does as well as human subjects in solving the plant layout problem; 2 CRAFT does better as problem size increases if the human subjects have no prior knowledge of the computer solution values; 3 there is no breakpoint in relative problem solving ability between humans and computers at 200% flow dominance the coefficient of variation of the flow matrix expressed as a percent; 4 the point at which the computer becomes better, as opposed to equally good, is more clearly indicated by problem size than by flow dominance; 5 humans can solve problems with high flow dominance and problems with near-zero flow dominance better than they can solve problems with low flow dominance, though the computer is still at least as good across all levels of flow dominance.
Mechanisms of methamphetamine-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity

Methamphetamine (METH) is a powerful stimulant of abuse with potent addictive and neurotoxic properties. More than 2.5 decades ago, METH-induced damage to dopaminergic neurons was described. Since then, numerous advancements have been made in the search for the underlying mechanisms whereby METH causes these persistent dopaminergic deficits. Although our understanding of these mechanisms remains incomplete, combinations of various complex processes have been described around a central theme involving reactive species, such as reactive oxygen and/or nitrogen species (ROS and RNS, respectively). For example, METH-induced hyperthermia, aberrant dopamine (DA), or glutamate transmission; or mitochondrial disruption leads to the generation of reactive species with neurotoxic consequences. This review will describe the current understanding of how high-dose METH administration leads to the production of these toxic reactive species and consequent permanent dopaminergic deficits.
Plum Valley Hospital: A Critical Governance Matter Instructor's Note

This case involves the quandary of a businessman named Arthur Eldredge. A member of the Board of Trustees of Plum Valley Hospital, he is uneasy about apparent conflicts of interest among many board members. Further, Mr. Eldredge is unsure if he can fulfill his responsibilities to the Board. A trustee of the hospital, he thinks he should do something to resolve these issues. He is uncertain about what action to take.
Binary ROC curve and three-class 2-D ROC surface

In this work, we compared the binary ROC curve and the 2-D three-class ROC surface. We found that the 2-D three-class ROC surface shares most of the properties of the binary ROC curve. In particular, the curve (or surface) has the same DOF as the as the decision rule that is used to generate it; the curve (or surface) contains all the optimal operating points under various decision criteria (note that for three-class, the equal error utility assumption is assumed, same below); different decision criteria result in the same ROC curve (or surface) by considering all the possible prior information; ROC curve (or surface) uniquely corresponds to one pair (or triplet) of likelihood ratio distributions, assuming such a pair (or triplet) exists; the ROC curve (or surface) is concave; and the ROC curve (or surface) provides graphic information as well as figure-of-merit for task performance. We thus conclude that that the 2-D ROC surface may be preferable as a starting point for comparing systems used to perform 3-class diagnostic tasks.
Trade policy and U.S. economic growth

Abstract Traditional estimates of the economic impact of trade policies, using either partial or general equilibrium models, have been made within a static framework. In this article we present a dynamic general equilibrium model of trade and U.S. economic growth. A distinctive feature of this model is that adjustments to changes in trade policy are based on intertemporal optimization by both households and businesses. Our estimates of the impact of trade liberalization on the U.S. economy are several times those based on static models. This is due to the impact of trade policy on U.S. capital formation and productivity growth.
Recent improvements of novel porous media formulation for multiphase flow conservation equation

Abstract In the derivation of time averaging of local volume averaged multiphase flow conservation equations presented in my book titled “Novel Porous Media Formulation for Multiphase Flow Conservation Equations” published by Cambridge University Press, September, 2011. The high-frequency fluctuation of all dependent variables were included except for the high frequency fluctuations of volume fraction, fluid–fluid interfacial area, and local averaging volume for the simplicity and lacking of pertinent experimental data on fluid–fluid interface. These equations are valid for use (1) for laminar flows by dropping out all high frequency terms in these derived equations; and (2) for weak turbulent flows allowing for neglecting of the high frequency fluctuations of volume fraction, fluid–fluid interfacial area and local averaging volume. The major contributions of this paper are (1) to include the high-frequency fluctuations of volume fraction, fluid–fluid interfacial area and local averaging volume, in the derivation for completeness and rigor, and to demonstrate flexibility of novel porous media formulation; (2) to incorporate the concept of a coherence component in turbulence and for simplification in deriving the time-volume averaged multiphase flow conservation equations; and (3) to include stationary, nonporous, and nonreactive internal structures. With these three improvements, a new set of multiphase flow conservation equations have been derived and presented here for the first time and they have greatly widened the range of applicability.
MOLECULAR MIMICRY BETWEEN A VIRAL PEPTIDE AND A MYELIN OLIGODENDROCYTE GLYCOPROTEIN PEPTIDE INDUCES AUTOIMMUNE DEMYELINATING DISEASE IN MICE

Abstract Semliki Forest Virus (SFV) induces an encephalomyelitis followed by demyelination in the brains of C57Bl6/J (B6) mice. To investigate the role of molecular mimicry in the pathogenesis of postviral demyelination, alignment algorithms were used and amino acid homologies between immunogenic epitopes of SFV and myelin autoantigens, myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) were identified. Immunization of B6 mice with SFV proteins induced significant lymphocyte proliferation to SFV E2 peptides and to MOG peptide,18–32 (which had molecular mimicry with E2 115–129), but not to MBP or PLP peptides. Both MOG 18–32 and E2 115–129, induced a later-onset chronic EAE-like disease that correlated with the presence of multifocal vacuolation in the CNS white matter. This histopathology was reminiscent of the secondary demyelination seen following SFV infection. Serum antibody responses to the peptides appeared late after immunizations and some samples cross-reacted with other myelin peptides, as well as with the mimicked MOG peptides. These findings suggest that following a CNS viral infection, antibody response to an epitope of virus that exhibits molecular mimicry with a peptide of MOG may contribute to autoimmune mediated injury to CNS myelin.
Autofocusing in medical ultrasound: the scaled covariance matrix algorithm

This work develops a class of ultrasound phase aberration correction/autofocusing algorithms that are based upon the properties of the covariance matrix of the channel signals for time-delay focused resolution/speckle cells. The scaled covariance matrix SCM algorithms are designed to blindly estimate and correct focusing timing errors due to thin layers of unanticipated fatty tissue located in the near field of the transducer array. An important aspect of the algorithm is that the scaling of the covariance matrix elements fundamentally establishes a channel independent phase reference relative to which the aberrant channel phases are estimated. The model development involved the combination of a rigorous mathematical analysis of the scattering of ultrasound in random scattering media and extensive statistical simulation studies with phase aberrations imposed upon both the transmit and received channel signals. Under the assumption of a near field aberration model, the statistical simulation analyses showed that the SCM algorithms in simulation are capable of accurately estimating relative time delay channel errors with RMS timing errors up to /spl sim/62 ns, with interchannel correlation lengths as short as 1.4 mm.
Protein measurement using bicinchoninic acid: elimination of interfering substances

Protein quantitation based on bicinchoninic acid (BCA) is simple, sensitive, and tolerant to many detergents and substances known to interfere with the Lowry method. However, certain compounds often used during protein purification do interfere with the BCA protein assay. The response of the BCA chromophore to various interfering substances has provided insight into the mechanism of protein quantitation by BCA. Certain substances (e.g., glucose, mercaptoethanol, and dithiothreitol) elicit a strong absorbance at 562 nm when combined with the BCA working reagent. The absorbance appears to be identical to the normal response elicited by protein. Other agents (e.g., ammonium sulfate and certain ampholytes) diminish the protein-induced color development and shift the wave-length of the color response. Both types of interference can be eliminated by selectively precipitating protein with deoxycholate and trichloroacetic acid (A. Bensadoun and D. Weinstein (1976) Anal. Biochem. 70,241-250) prior to reaction with bicinchoninic acid. The modifications described here permit quick, efficient removal of many interfering substances that are commonly utilized during protein purification.
Pathogenesis of Group A Streptococcal Infections

Group A streptococci are model extracellular gram-positive pathogens responsible for pharyngitis, impetigo, rheumatic fever, and acute glomerulonephritis. A resurgence of invasive streptococcal diseases and rheumatic fever has appeared in outbreaks over the past 10 years, with a predominant M1 serotype as well as others identified with the outbreaks. emm (M protein) gene sequencing has changed serotyping, and new virulence genes and new virulence regulatory networks have been defined. The emm gene superfamily has expanded to include antiphagocytic molecules and immunoglobulin-binding proteins with common structural features. At least nine superantigens have been characterized, all of which may contribute to toxic streptococcal syndrome. An emerging theme is the dichotomy between skin and throat strains in their epidemiology and genetic makeup. Eleven adhesins have been reported, and surface plasmin-binding proteins have been defined. The strong resistance of the group A streptococcus to phagocytosis is related to factor H and fibrinogen binding by M protein and to disarming complement component C5a by the C5a peptidase. Molecular mimicry appears to play a role in autoimmune mechanisms involved in rheumatic fever, while nephritis strain-associated proteins may lead to immune-mediated acute glomerulonephritis. Vaccine strategies have focused on recombinant M protein and C5a peptidase vaccines, and mucosal vaccine delivery systems are under investigation.
Antimutator Role of the DNA Glycosylase mutY Gene in Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori has a highly variable genome with ongoing diversification via inter- and intragenomic recombination and spontaneous mutation. DNA repair genes modulating mutation and recombination rates that influence diversification have not been well characterized for H. pylori. To examine the role of putative base excision repair ung and mutY glycosylase and xthA apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease genes in H. pylori, mutants of each were constructed in strain JP26 by allelic exchange. Spontaneous mutation frequencies of JP26 mutY mutants, assessed by rifampin resistance, were consistently higher (26-fold) than that of the wild type, whereas the ung and xthA mutants showed smaller increases. In trans complementation of the JP26 mutY mutant restored spontaneous mutation frequencies to wild-type levels. In cross-species studies, H. pylori mutY complemented an Escherichia coli mutY mutant and vice versa. In contrast, the ung and mutY mutants did not show higher frequencies of intergenomic recombination or greater sensitivity to UV-induced DNA damage than the wild type. The H. pylori mutY open reading frame contains an eight-adenine homonucleotide tract; we provide evidence that this is subject to slipped-strand mispairing, leading to frameshifts that eliminate gene function. Our findings indicate that H. pylori possesses phase-variable base excision repair, consistent with a tension between repair and mutation.
Optimal routes and flows in multicasting over ad hoc networks

We investigate optimal routing and resource allocation to maximize the system performance in multicasting over ad hoc networks. In the ad hoc environment, maximizing the network performance requires a cross-layer algorithm to determine the optimal set of routes for both multicast and unicast traffic at the network layer, the corresponding link rates and individual link transmitter powers at the data link layer and physical layer. Based on Perron Fronbenius matrix theory, we present a cross-layer approach to obtain Pareto optimal values for these system variables. By careful formulation of the multicasting path structure, we construct a network associated matrix and use its left and right eigenvectors to find this Pareto optimal operation point to maximize the network performance. We also introduces an adaptive method, direct step method (DSM), which seeks the optimal operation point iteratively.
Efficient Decision Procedures for Model Checking of Linear Time Logic Properties

We propose an algorithm for LTL model checking based on the classification of the automata and on guided symbolic search. Like most current methods for LTL model checking, our algorithm starts with a tableau construction and uses a model checker for CTL with fairness constraints to prove the existence of fair paths. However, we classify the tableaux according to their structure, and use efficient decision procedures for each class. Guided search applies hints to constrain the transition relation during fixpoint computations. Each fixpoint is thus translated into a sequence of fixpoints that are often much easier to compute than the original one. Our preliminary experimental results suggest that the new algorithm for LTL is quite efficient. In fact, for properties that can be expressed in both CTL and LTL, the algorithm is competitive with the CTL model checking algorithm.
Regulating Legal Misconduct in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Abstract This research reviews malfeasance committed by legal actors in Virginia over a four-year time period, and examines the corresponding sanctions imposed on them. The inquiry entails the review of disciplinary cases reviewed by the Virginia State Bar. These cases cover a vast spectrum of misconduct ranging from those seemingly venial to those that are flagrantly criminal. The sanctions imposed are examined as well as the reasons for the sanctions. Further, the study examines if rates of misconduct and severity of sanctions vary by gender. Implications that arise from the study are also discussed.
The Industrial Chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) Interferes with Proliferative Activity and Development of Steroidogenic Capacity in Rat Leydig Cells

The presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in consumer products has raised concerns about potential adverse effects on reproductive health. Testicular Leydig cells are the predominant source of the male sex steroid hormone testosterone, which supports the male phenotype. The present report describes the effects of developmental exposure of male rats to BPA by gavage of pregnant and lactating Long-Evans dams at 2.5 and 25 μg/kg body weight from Gestational Day 12 to Day 21 postpartum. This exposure paradigm stimulated Leydig cell division in the prepubertal period and increased Leydig cell numbers in the testes of adult male rats at 90 days. Observations from in vitro experiments confirmed that BPA acts directly as a mitogen in Leydig cells. However, BPA-induced proliferative activity in vivo is possibly mediated by several factors, such as 1) protein kinases (e.g., mitogen-activated protein kinases or MAPK), 2) growth factor receptors (e.g., insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor-beta and epidermal growth factor receptors), and 3) the Sertoli cell-secreted anti-Mullerian hormone (also called Mullerian inhibiting substance). On the other hand, BPA suppressed protein expression of the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHCGR) and the 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme (HSD17B3), thereby decreasing androgen secretion by Leydig cells. We interpret these findings to mean that the likely impact of deficits in androgen secretion on serum androgen levels following developmental exposure to BPA is alleviated by increased Leydig cell numbers. Nevertheless, the present results reinforce the view that BPA causes biological effects at environmentally relevant exposure levels and its presence in consumer products potentially has implication for public health.
Galilean invariance and stabilized methods for compressible flows

In a recent work (Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 2007; 196(4–6):966–978), it was observed that lack of Galilean invariance led to catastrophic instabilities when stabilized methods were used in Lagrangian shock hydrodynamics computations. By means of an arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation, Galilean invariant SUPG operators were consistently derived in (Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 2007; 196(4–6):1108–1132), and their Lagrangian and Eulerian limits were compared to the most commonly used stabilized formulations. In the particular case of Eulerian meshes, it was shown that most of the SUPG operators designed to date for compressible flow computations are not invariant. However, due to the significant overhead of algebraic manipulations, the use in (Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 2007; 196(4–6):1108–1132) of the referential form of the ALE equations made the presentation of the main ideas quite involved. The present paper addresses this particular issue, since the invariance analysis is presented with the aid of the intuitive current configuration reference frame, more familiar to computational fluid dynamicists. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The "Glow"rious Sertoli and Germ Cells: Mouse Testis Development Visualized in Multi-Colors

A transgenic mouse with Sertoli and germ cells that are fluorescent protein color-coded has been established to enable developmental studies.
Stamps in cardiology. Acupuncture anaesthesia for open heart surgery.

Open heart surgery under acupuncture anaesthesia is depicted on this 8 cent Chinese stamp issued in 1975 as part of a set of four stamps to commemorate the successful integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern Western medicine in the treatment of various diseases. The four Chinese characters at right lower corner of the stamp stand for acupuncture anaesthesia. The other three stamps in the set feature such surgical feats as replantation of severed limbs, application of small soft splints for …