cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed cooperation and diversity for hybrid wireless networks

In this paper, we propose a new Distributed Cooperation and Diversity Combining framework. Our focus is heterogeneous networks with devices equipped with two types of radio frequency (RF) links: short-range high-rate interface (e.g., IEEE802.11), and a long-range low-rate interface (e.g., cellular) communicating in fading channels. Within this framework, we propose and evaluate a set of distributed cooperation techniques operating at different hierarchical levels with resource constraints such as short-range RF bandwidth. We propose a Priority Maximum-Ratio Combining (PMRC) for pre-demodulation combining, a post soft-demodulation combining, and a decode-and-forward technique. We show that the proposed techniques achieve significant improvements on Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), Bit Error Rate (BER) and throughput through analysis, simulation, and experimentation on our platform prototype. Our results also indicate that, under several communication scenarios we are considering, PMRC can improve the throughput performance by over an order of magnitude.
Restructuring the U.S. Tax Court: A Reply to Stephanie Hoffer & Christopher Walker's 'The Death of Tax Court Exceptionalism'

Stephanie Hoffer and Christopher Walker’s excellent Minnesota Law Review article, The Death of Tax Court Exceptionalism, http://ssrn.com/abstract= 2393412, analyzes the topical and important question of whether the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) governs the standard and scope of review the Tax Court applies to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) decisions. The APA contains provisions for court review of agency decisions but the Tax Court has repeatedly stated that the APA does not apply to it. As a result, the Tax Court has accorded less across-the-board deference to the IRS than APA standards call for.Professors Hoffer and Walker argue that the Tax Court should cease taking this exceptional position and instead apply the APA. I have long advocated for the abandonment of tax insularity, and the Tax Court’s history makes it of particular concern in this regard. As an Article I court that at one time was an independent agency, it is unclear even in which branch of government this tribunal belongs. The Tax Court is isolated from other courts and judicial institutions such as the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts and the U.S. Judicial Conference, although it is no longer subject to the provisions that govern administrative agencies.As a result, the question of whether the APA’s “reviewing court” provisions apply to the Tax Court is not as doctrinally obvious as one might imagine, as this Reply demonstrates. Yet, this is primarily a symptom of the larger problem of the Tax Court’s insularity and unclear position in the federal government. Although it would be helpful for the Tax Court to implement APA procedures even without making other structural changes, a piecemeal approach is not particularly efficient. Recent case law suggests that litigants will continue to raise issues about the Tax Court’s unusual structure as long as it is different from other courts. The broad point of this Reply is therefore that it is past time to classify the Tax Court’s place in the federal scheme and treat the court like the judicial body that it is.
Synthesis and Characterization of a C60-Pentacene Monoadduct

Abstract C60 reacts with 1 equivalent of pentacene to give a C60-pentacene monoadduct in 59% yield. lH and 13C NMR data confirm a C2V symmetric structure for the monoadduct consistent with C60 cycloaddition across central carbon atoms 6 and 13 of pentacene. Seven bispentacene adducts are formed in 13% overall yield.
Conical bodies of given length and volume having maximum lift-to-drag ratio at hypersonic speeds. II - Variational methods.

Variational calculus used in obtaining lift drag ratio attainable by slender conical body at hypersonic speeds
Nanophotonic materials and devices for optical system integration

Summary form only given. We explore the unique capabilities and advantages of nanotechnology in developing next generation integrated photonic chips. For example, due to the boundary conditions on the lateral interfaces, the optical field propagating in a subwavelength periodic nanostructure will localize in a significantly different way depending on the polarization. Our long-range goal is to develop a range of photonic nanostructures - including artificially birefringent and devices, photonic crystals with defects to tailor spectral filters, and nanostructures for spatial field localization to enhance optical nonlinearities - to facilitate on-chip system integration through compatible materials and fabrication processes.
Possible relationship between the ratio $pi$$sup +$/$pi$$sup -$ and the average multiplicity

If charge distribution in a collision process becomes "statistical," then the ratio $\frac{{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}}{{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}}$ could be used to measure the average multiplicity. A detailed mathematical analysis is given as well as a discussion of physical limitations.
Osteonectin/SPARC secreted by RPE and localized to the outer plexiform layer of the monkey retina.

Osteonectin,1 also known as SPARC2 and BM-40,3 is a 43-kDa Ca2+ binding glycoprotein with complex biological functions.4 Osteonectin/SPARC is believed to regulate cell growth through interactions with the extracellular matrix.5 Increased secretion of osteonectin/SPARC is associated with endothelial cell injury in vitro6 and the inhibition of cell spreading on collagen. It can also induce cell rounding in cultured endothelial cells and fibroblasts.7 Osteonectin/SPARC will associate directly with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and modulate its activity.8 This binding activity to PDGF seems to be Ca2+ independent, whereas its binding to collagen is Ca2+ dependent.9 Its Ca2+ binding domain is unique10 and may be involved in modulating cell shape and adhesion.11,12 Previous studies have implicated osteonectin/SPARC in ocular disease. Increased expression of osteonectin/SPARC mRNA13 and protein14 is associated with age-related human cataract, and several independent studies demonstrate that deletion of osteonectin/SPARC causes cataract in mice.15,16 Osteonectin/SPARC has previously been detected in quail,17 chicken,18 and monkey14 retinas. In humans osteonectin/SPARC mRNA is found in two distinct messages, a predominant 2.2-kb message and a less abundant 3.0-kb message.19,20 These messages arise from different polyadenylation sites and have identical coding regions.19 The gene contains 10 exons and is located on chromosome 5q35.21 Presently, there are no genetic retinal diseases associated with that locus (http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/RetNet/disease.htm). To establish a potential role for osteonectin/SPARC in retinal function, we examined the expression of osteonectin/SPARC protein and mRNA in the monkey retina. We also localized the protein by immunocytochemistry and examined secretion of osteonectin/SPARC protein by cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Collectively, these data provide evidence that osteonectin/SPARC is produced in the RPE and localized to the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the retina.
Nonlinear optics of de Broglie waves

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the foundations and some of the recent developments of nonlinear atom optics, concentrating on the case of bosonic atoms. This chapter also talks about s -wave scattering, providing an appropriate description of the low-energy collisions of relevance in ultracold, low-density samples of bosonic atoms. As such, this analysis determines the properties of nonlinearity most commonly used in the nonlinear manipulation of bosonic Schrodinger fields. In close analogy to the optical case, a microreview of the formalism of manybody theory, which allows one to treat atomic samples as fields, is described in the chapter. The chapter presents the mean-field theory appropriate for the description of ultracold atomic samples, leading to the famous Gross–Pitaevskii equation widely used in the dynamical description of Bose–Einstein condensates at zero temperature. The chapter discusses ways to improve the approach at finite temperatures and matter-wave, four-wave mixing in low-density atomic condensates both in a mean-field approach and in the framework of quantum optics. The nonlinear mixing between optical and matter waves, giving in particular an analysis of matter–wave superradiance and of phase-coherent matter wave amplification has also been described in this chapter.
The E-man-ci-pation of Jeannie: Feminist Doppelgangers on U.S. Television

“The Americanization of Jeannie” (1965), an early episode of I Dream of Jeannie, directly represents the women's liberation movement as Jeannie attempts emancipation. Through a close reading, I argue that not only does “The Americanization of Jeannie” use the same rhetorical strategies that are currently categorized as postfeminist, but this rhetoric is better understood as a doppelganger than a backlash. “The Americanization of Jeannie” presents a caricature – a feminist doppelganger – that depicts feminism as illogical, apolitical, and ultimately comedic, thereby functioning to contain the cultural representations of feminism in the public forum.
The BUD4 protein of yeast, required for axial budding, is localized to the mother/BUD neck in a cell cycle-dependent manner

A and alpha cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibit an axial budding pattern, whereas a/alpha diploid cells exhibit a bipolar pattern. Mutations in BUD3, BUD4, and AXL1 cause a and alpha cells to exhibit the bipolar pattern, indicating that these genes are necessary to specify the axial budding pattern (Chant, J., and I. Herskowitz. 1991. Cell. 65:1203-1212; Fujita, A., C. Oka, Y. Arikawa, T. Katagi, A. Tonouchi, S. Kuhara, and Y. Misumi. 1994. Nature (Lond.). 372:567-570). We cloned and sequenced BUD4, which codes for a large, novel protein (Bud4p) with a potential GTP-binding motif. Bud4p is expressed and localized to the mother/bud neck in all cell types. Most mitotic cells contain two apparent rings of Bud4 immunoreactive staining, as observed for Bud3p (Chant, J., M. Mischke, E. Mitchell, I. Herskowitz, and J.R. Pringle. 1995. J. Cell Biol. 129: 767-778). Early G1 cells contain a single ring of Bud4p immunoreactive staining, whereas cells at START and in S phase lack these rings. The level of Bud4p is also regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Bud4p is inefficiently localized in bud3 mutants and after a temperature shift of a temperature-sensitive mutant, cdc12, defective in the neck filaments. These observations suggest that Bud4p and Bud3p cooperate to recognize a spatial landmark (the neck filaments) during mitosis and support the hypothesis that they subsequently become a landmark for establishing the axial budding pattern in G1.
Retinoid Compounds Activate and Induce Hepatic Glycine N-Methyltransferase in Rats

Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) functions to regulate S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) levels and the ratio of SAM/S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). SAM is a universal methyl group donor and the up-regulation of GNMT may lead to wastage of methyl groups required for transmethylation reactions. Previously, we demonstrated that dietary treatment of rats with 13-cis-retinoic acid (CRA) decreased the hepatic concentration of SAM and the SAH ratio. Here, we examined the ability of CRA, as well as all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), to regulate hepatic GNMT as a potential basis for our earlier observations. Rats were fed either a control (10% casein + 0.3% L-methionine) diet or a control diet supplemented with L-methionine (10 g/kg diet). Rats from each group were orally given ATRA, CRA (both at 30 micromol/kg body), or vehicle daily for 7 d. For control rats, administration of both CRA and ATRA elevated the hepatic GNMT activity 49% and 34%, respectively, compared with the control group. Similar results were exhibited by rats fed the methionine-supplemented diet. Moreover, the retinoid-induced elevations in enzyme activity were reflected in the abundance of GNMT protein. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a nutritional compound that induces GNMT activity at the transcriptional and/or translational level.
Hadamard-transform spectrometry of the atmospheres of Earth and jupiter.

A Hadamard-transform spectrometer was used to obtain a spectrum of Jupiter from 880-770/cm. Three ammonia absorption features stood out at 870, 851, and 833/cm. The general shape of the spectrum implied an atmosphere with a monotonically decreasing temperature profile up to the 125 K level. Transmission profiles of the earth's atmosphere were taken between 16 microns and 25 for five consecutive nights under varying amounts of atmospheric water and air mass. There are many saturated lines, but nightly variations were fairly constant and agreed well with a theoretical profile. These results show that the Hadamard-transform technique is a useful method for obtaining astronomical spectra.
Fracture-induced and thermal decomposition of NTO using laser ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract A surface analysis by laser ionization (SALI) apparatus has been used to obtain, for the first time, real-time photoionization mass spectra of the shear-induced molecular-fragment emission from an explosive. NTO (5-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-3-one) was chosen for these experiments because of its potential utility as a reasonably energetic, but very insensitive, explosive. Using vacuum ultraviolet single-photon ionization, the shear-induced NTO spectra were obtained with a spring-driven shearing device installed in a SALI chamber directly beneath the mass spectrometer sampling region. For comparison, we also obtained spectra under either slow-heating or rapid pulsed-laser heating conditions. The shear-induced spectra are dominated by a peak at m/z 99, which is not seen in the thermal- or laser desorption spectra. This peak is assigned to the closed-shell traiza-diketone produced by a nitro-nitrite rearrangement, followed by NO loss and then by rapid bimolecular H-atom removal. The stability of the cyclic diketone intermediate thus generated could help to explain the shock insensitivity of NTO. Laser-desorption spectra were also obtained both on fresh NTO samples and on samples that have been recovered from marginally sub-critical drop-weight impact tests. Comparison of spectra obtained with and without laser desorption, and as a function of temperature, demonstrate that the sequences of fragment ions observed under laser desorption conditions are the result of thermal decomposition, not of ion-fragmentation. The sequence of thermally generated fragments is dominated by M-16, M-30, M-45, M-46, and M-59. This series suggests several decomposition pathways, dominated by the same nitro-nitrate rearrangement and NO loss as the shear-induced decomposition. However, under the lower-density, but higher temperature, thermal or laser-desorption conditions, subsequent bimolecular H-atom removal to produce the closed-shell diketone is evidently slower than unimolecular ring-opening adjacent to the carbonyl group. We show how this sequence satisfactorily explains (1) the “initial” formation of CO2 that has been previously reported, (2) the results of nitrogen double-labeling experiments, and (3) the fact that neither NO2 nor HONO have been seen as substantial initial products of NTO decomposition.
Retrospective: tempest and typhoon: user-level shared memory

Tempest and Typhoon have emerged as among the most influential contributions of the Wisconsin Wind Tunnel project, a collaborative effort with Prof. Mark D. Hill, several staff members, and a large group of graduate students. This retrospective focuses on the origins of the Tempest and Typhoon ideas and their subsequent evolution.
Abstract C11: Using GCP to improve initial response to androgen deprivation in prostate cancer

Recurrent prostate cancer (PCa) is treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT, chemical castration), but patients on this treatment frequently relapse, indicative of the advent of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Due to the multifocal nature of the disease, any one treatment may not affect all pathways altered in CRPC; therefore, we set out to delay CRPC by increasing the apoptotic rate during ADT. We previously published that Filamin A (FlnA) is localized to the nucleus in androgen-dependent cells, whereas its expression is lost from the nucleus in CRPC. Restoration of FlnA nuclear expression induced apoptosis in the absence of androgens. We now show that genistein combined polysaccharide (GCP), a combination of isoflavones, can induce FlnA translocation to the nucleus. GCP and its main component genistein previously failed to prevent progression in pre-prostatectomy patients with low-grade PCa. However, our new data, both in vitro and in an animal model, show that GCP impedes relapse following castration, and induces apoptosis in PCa cells undergoing ADT, by promoting FlnA cleavage and nuclear translocation. Investigation of the mechanism of GCP's effects on FlnA showed that ADT phosphorylates FlnA and prevents its cleavage, whereas GCP inhibits FlnA phosphorylation, thereby promoting its cleavage and nuclear translocation. Additional data show that nuclear localization of FlnA induces apoptosis during ADT by preventing androgen receptor (AR) stabilization and by suppression of the ErbB3/PI3K/Akt axis. Taken together, our results identify GCP as a putative therapeutic module to prolong the effectiveness of ADT in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Citation Format: Benjamin A. Mooso, Maria Mudryj, Ralph W. deVere White, Paramita M. Ghosh, Rosalinda M. Savoy, Jean P. Cheung, Ruth L. Vinall, Clifford G. Tepper, Yu Wang, Salma Siddiqui, Roble G. Bedolla, Margarita Mikhailova. Using GCP to improve initial response to androgen deprivation in prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research; 2012 Feb 6-9; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(4 Suppl):Abstract nr C11.
Measurement of cosmic-ray proton and helium spectra during the 1987 solar minimum

The differential cosmic-ray proton and helium spectra have been measured during the 1987 solar minimum using a balloon-borne superconducting magnetic spectrometer launched from Prince Albert, Canada. The changing geomagnetic cutoff along the balloon trajectory was observed in the low-energy proton data to be about 25 percent below the nominal calculated values. The absolute particle fluxes were approximately equal to the highest fluxes observed at the previous solar minimum in 1977. Above 10 GV the observed spectra are represented by a power law in rigidity with spectral indices of 2.74 + or - 0.02 for protons and 2.68 + or - 0.03 for helium. The measurements above 200 MeV per nucleon are consistent with rigidity power-law interstellar spectra modulated with the solar modulation parameter phi = 500 MV. The energy dependence of the proton-to-helium ratio is consistent with rigidity power-law injection spectra and rigidity-dependent propagation without reacceleration.
Linear analysis of rotationally invariant, radially variant tomographic imaging systems

We describe a method to analyze the linear imaging characteristics of rotationally invariant, radially variant tomographic imaging systems using singular value decomposition (SVD). When the projection measurements from such a system are assumed to be samples from independent and identically distributed multi-normal random variables, the best estimate of the emission intensity is given by the unweighted least squares estimator. The noise amplification of this estimator is inversely proportional to the singular values of the normal matrix used to model projection and backprojection. After choosing an acceptable noise amplification, the new method can determine the number of parameters arid hence the number of pixels that should be estimated from data acquired from an existing system with a fixed number of angles and projection bins. Conversely, for the design of a new system, the number of angles and projection bins necessary for a given number of pixels and noise amplification can be determined. In general, computing the SVD of the projection normal matrix has cubic computational complexity. However, the projection normal matrix for this class of rotationally invariant, radially variant systems has a block circulant form. A fast parallel algorithm to compute the SVD of this block circulant matrix makes the singular value analysis practical by asymptotically reducing the computation complexity of the method by a multiplicative factor equal to the number of angles squared.
EFFECTS OF DIPEPTIDYL PEPTIDASE-4 INHIBITION ON ENDOTHELIAL NITRIC OXIDE RELEASE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND SICAM-1 LEVELS IN HYPERTENSIVE RATS

Most patients with diabetes also have hypertension, a cardiovascular risk factor associated with endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction and loss of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Recent studies have shown that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibition reduces blood pressure (BP) in patients with
Ureteral Stents Placed at the Time of Urinary Diversion Decreases Postoperative Morbidity

Objective: To determine the impact of stenting ureteroenteric anastomoses on postoperative stricture rate and gastrointestinal recovery in continent and noncontinent urinary diversions (UDs). Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and pathologic data on 192 consecutive patients who underwent a radical cystectomy and UD. Patients received either a continent or noncontinent UD with or without stent placement through the ureteroenteric anastomoses. Stricture rate, gastrointestinal recovery, length of hospital stay, and stricture characteristics were analyzed. Study endpoints were compared between four groups – stented and nonstented continent and stented and nonstented noncontinent UDs. Results: 36% of patients were stented and 64% were nonstented at the time of UD. Total ureteral stricture rate was 9.9%. There was no statistically significant difference in stricture rate (p = 0.11) or length of hospital stay (p = 0.081) in stented compared to nonstented patients. There was a significantly (p = 0.014) greater rate of ileus in patients who were nonstented in both continent and noncontinent UDs. Conclusion: Stenting of ureteroenteric anastomoses in both continent and noncontinent UD has no effect on postoperative stricture rate, but is associated with lower rates of postoperative ileus.
Initial Survey on Fracture Toughness of Commerical Nd2Fe14B

Nd2Fe14B is currently the best (highest energy product) hard magnet available. Like most magnetic materials, it is rather brittle. The fracture toughness of specimens of commercially available Nd2Fe14B magnets were measured using a chevron notch three point bend test. Values ranged from nearly 2 to 5.5 MPa√m. Consistent differences were found between the five different types of materials tested. In this initial survey, insufficient tests were done for good statistics to be obtained. However, it appears that this test will allow differences in fracture toughness between alloys with different compositions and fabricated by different production methods to be measured and tracked as improvements are made.
Protective effects of protein kinase C during myocardial ischemia require activation of phosphatidyl-inositol specific phospholipase C.

Abstract Background . Protein kinase C (PKC) activation during myocardial ischemia is thought to be cardioprotective. However, the mechanism of ischemia-induced PKC activation remains unclear. We hypothesized that ischemic PKC activation occurs through activation of phosphatidyl-inositol specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) and protects the heart from ischemic injury. Methods . Isolated rabbit hearts were subjected to 20 minutes of normothermic ischemia and reperfusion. The PI-PLC inhibitor U73122 (0.5 μmol/L), its inactive analogue U73343 (0.5 μmol/L), or the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine (2 μmol/L) were given just before ischemia. Another group received U73122 plus the direct PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA, 10 pmol/L). Measurements included contractile function, intracellular calcium, PI-PLC activity, and translocation of PKC isoforms. Results . PI-PLC activity increased during myocardial ischemia and was inhibited by U73122. PI-PLC inhibition prevented the ischemic translocation of PKC-α, PKC-e, and PKC-η, and impaired cardiac recovery and cytosolic calcium regulation without significant changes in energy metabolism. PMA restored both contractile function and PKC translocation pattern in U73122-treated hearts. Direct PKC inhibition with chelerythrine mimicked the effects of U73122. Conclusions . PI-PLC mediates PKC translocation during myocardial ischemia. Inhibition of PI-PLC or PKC activation, or both, during ischemia significantly impairs postischemic myocardial recovery.
Cysteine string proteins are associated with cortical granules of Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Cysteine string proteins (csps) are associated with secretory organelles in a wide range of eukaryotic cells. Functional studies of these proteins indicate that they subserve one or more vital steps in the pathway of regulated exocytosis. Here, we document the presence of csps in fully grown (stage VI) oocytes of the frog, Xenopus laevis. Both Northern and immunoblot data support the conclusion that csps are expressed in these cells. In addition, immunoreactive csp is seen even at the earliest stage of oocyte development, namely, in stage I oocytes. Finally, immunoblot and immunocytochemical results indicate that csps are associated with cortical granules of stage II–VI oocytes. These observations suggest that csps participate in the cortical reaction that underlies the sustained block to polyspermy in Xenopus eggs. Moreover, because of the relative ease of manipulating cells as large as Xenopus oocytes, this system harbors considerable promise as a model for studying the role of csps and other proteins in exocytotic events.
Modifying atomic collision dynamics with intense ultrashort laser pulses.

It has been suggested that ''short'' pulses of intense laser radiation can modify atomic collision dynamics in new and interesting ways. Recent experimental results in sodium-argon vapor with 1.6-psec pulses verify the existence of such an effect, although smaller in magnitude and at somewhat higher field intensities than had been predicted from theoretical arguments. Using quantum-mechanical wave-packet propagation on a realistic potential-energy curve under the parameters of the experiment, we determine that the time between curve crossings, the standard against which pulse durations should be measured, is on the order of 0.8 psec or less. The experimental results can then be understood in the context of having used too long a pulse to have clearly observed short-pulse effects.
High Intensity Ion Accelerators for Inertial Fusion

Accelerator systems capable of driving inertial fusion targets are described. They are based on linear induction accelerator technology coupled with new methods of beam transport using electron neutralization of ion space charge. The resulting accelerators are modular and relatively compact. Typical unbunched output parameters of a beamline are 37 kA of Ne+ at 150 MeV in a 60 ns pulse.
PROPAGANDA IN THE SCHOOLS — DO THE EFFECTS LAST?

One of the important roles of the schools has always been to inculcate what the educators in power regard as socially desirable attitudes. Sometimes teaching is directly aimed at attitudes; sometimes changes in attitudes are by-products of instruction; sometimes they may be unconscious reactions to it. In any case, it is of both theoretical and practical interest to learn to what extent attitudes can be directly changed by educational propaganda. Are some attitudes affected more readily than others? And, once an attitude has changed, how long does it persist in its new form? The investigations described here throw some light on these questions.'
Extremum-Seeking-Based Fluctuation Mitigation and Azimuthal Velocity Profile Regulation by $E\times B$ Actuation in HELCAT

Turbulence and turbulence-driven transport are ubiquitous in magnetically confined plasmas, where there is an intimate relationship between turbulence, transport, destabilizing mechanisms, such as gradients and currents, and stabilizing mechanisms like shear. Active control of fluctuations is investigated in this paper via manipulation of flow profiles in a magnetized laboratory plasma device helicon-cathode (HELCAT). Fluctuations are monitored by electrostatic probes, and E×B flow profiles are controlled via bias ring electrodes. First, a nonmodel-based extremum-seeking optimal control algorithm is implemented in HELCAT to seek the bias ring voltages that minimize a cost function related to the fluctuation amplitude. The experimental results in HELCAT show that the proposed controller is able to not only suppress the fluctuations but also to regulate their average amplitude around a predefined desired level. It is anticipated that this controller can become a valuable tool for physics-oriented studies designed to elucidate the relationship between the shape of the azimuthal flow profile and the amplitude of the fluctuations once the capability of measuring the flow profile in real time becomes available in HELCAT. Second, with the assistance of a HELCAT-tailored transport code capable of predicting the evolution of the azimuthal flow at several radial points within the plasma, the potential of an extremum-seeking controller for directly regulating the azimuthal flow profile around a prescribed target profile is illustrated numerically.
Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins.

In 1979, Joshua Lederburg, recently appointed president of Rockefeller University, was in recruiting mode. Based on his long-term interest in the brain and psychiatry, Josh approached me with an attractive offer for myself and my colleagues Joe Coyle and Mike Kuhar. I visited our Dean, Richard Ross, to say goodbye, as I knew that Hopkins could never provide us Rockefeller-like resources. While Ross couldn't match the Rockefeller offer for a professor, he had an alternative proposal. Years earlier, an advisory committee had recommended that Hopkins establish a Department of Neuroscience.
ROLE AND LONG-TERM RESULTS OF LAPAROSCOPIC DECORTICATION IN SOLITARY CYSTIC AND AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE

AbstractPurpose: Access to retroperitoneal structures via the laparoscope has become established for various conditions. This minimally invasive approach has distinct advantages over conventional open surgery. We document our experience with laparoscopic cyst decortication for diseases of the kidney, including simple and complex cysts, multiple cysts and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 17 patients who underwent a total of 20 procedures. Cases were categorized as polycystic kidney disease and nonpolycystic kidney disease. Factors analyzed were estimated blood loss, length of surgical procedure hospital stay and complications. Followup included radiographic studies (computerized tomography and/or renal sonography) and patient subjective pain relief, as determined by clinical records and telephone interview.Results: Nine and 11 procedures were done for nonpolycystic kidney disease and polycystic kidney disease, respectively. Of th...
Induction of cold ischemia in patients with solitary kidney using retrograde intrarenal cooling: 2-year functional outcomes.

Purpose Renal hypothermia is commonly utilized during nephron sparing surgery to minimize ischemic tissue damage. We propose a method to induce renal hypothermia using continuous retrograde irrigation of iced saline via dual-lumen ureteral catheter. We will report results in an ex vivo porcine model followed by clinical outcomes in a series of patients with solitary kidney undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RALPN).
Directional coronary atherectomy for the diagnosis and treatment of radiation-induced coronary artery stenosis.

While radiation therapy has been known to cause myocardial and pericardial damage, its role in accentuating coronary artery disease in the absence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors has been controversial. As younger patients with treatable cancers are being treated with mediastinal radiation, coronary artery disease as a cause for severe chest pain should be entertained as a possible diagnosis. We describe a 25-year-old male who presented with an inferior wall myocardial infarction 6 years after receiving mediastinal radiation and chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease. He was subsequently treated by directional atherectomy to a 95% lesion in the right coronary artery. Histological examination of the atherectomy specimen revealed evidence of radiation-induced endothelial damage that had resulted in plaque formation and subsequent ischemia. Possible mechanisms for radiation-induced coronary artery disease and treatment options are discussed. (J Interven Cardiol 1995;8: 355–358)
Face Recognition and the Social Individual

Face recognition depends upon the uniqueness of each human face. This is accomplished by the patterns formed by the unique relationship among face features. Unique face-patterns are produced by the intrusion of random factors into the process of biological growth and development. Processes are described which enable a unique face-pattern to be represented as a percept in the visual sensory system. The components of the face recognition system are analyzed as is the manner in which the precept is connected through microcircuits to a memory file so that the history of a perceiver’s encounters with a familiar face enables the perceiver to access a memory store that is a record of the outcome of past encounters with the perceived. The importance of the face recognition system in enabling humans to individuate members the social group is discussed, as well as the importance of face recognition in the development of the individual’s social identity and ability to be a collaborative member of the social groups to which it belongs. The role of prosopagnosia—the inability to recognize familiar faces—in furthering an understanding of the face recognition system is examined, as is its importance in demonstrating the crucial nature of face recognition in human social functions. It is proposed that human face recognition is not a unique phenomenon but is an elaboration of processes existing in nonhuman primates as well as in lower animals.
The effects of systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol on cardiovascular disease mortality

Purpose To examine the effect of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and total cholesterol adjusted for the effect of age, race, and sex. The effect estimate of SBP is also independent of cholesterol level and vise versa. The focus of the study is to determine if the effect strength of these two variables changes along their whole ranges. Methods 26,913 participants of this study were from 4 study samples: Charleston Heart Study, Evans County Study, NHANES I and NHANES II. Of these 26,913 participants, 12,366 were Caucasian (Cau) females, 9,888 were Cau males, 2,725 were African American (AA) females, and 1,934 were AA males. These individuals were followed an average for 16 years (SD = 6 years). Starting age for them was from 25 years to 97 years (mean = 51 and SD = 14). Lowess curves were used to provide initial heuristics about possible segments if any is needed for the risk factors. Then, the most efficient Cox PH model was identified from the models with alternate function forms. Results Two segments were needed to best reflect the effect of total cholesterol (below 220 mg/dl, 220 mg/dl or above); 3 segments were needed to best reflect the effect of SBP (below 110 mmHg, 110 to 139 mmHg, 140 mmHg or above). The hazard ratio related to 20 mg/dl increase in cholesterol is 0.980 (not significantly different from 1) until it reaches 220 mg/dl. Beyond this cutoff, 20 mg/dl increase is related to 6% increase (p Conclusions The relative hazard for CVD mortality related to prehypertension is high (greater effect in the range from 110 to 139 mmHg than in the range beyond). Cholesterol effect is as expected.
A new series of highly active local anesthetics.

In the paper "A New Series of HighlyActive Local Anesthetics" (SCIENCE, 118, 138 [1953]),in Table I, fourth column "Topical cocaine ratios: Corneal (rabbits)," the value for WIN 4510, the most activecompound in the series, should read 500 instead of 1000 .
Modal damping effects on the spatial distribution of anelastic damped vibration energy for a baseline cantilever structure

Modal damping was conceived as a vibration control concept for potential application to a select set of long, flexible structures. This alternative approach was designed to exploit damping mechanisms inherent in the structures of interest by capitalizing on distinctive dynamic properties existing among vibration modes. The premise of modal damping is to transfer vibration energy from the fundamental mode where most vibration energy of civil structures of interest resides, to higher order modes where vibration impedance was shown to be more effective. A question was posed during its development concerning the subsequent risks to the structure. Spatial displacements, velocities and accelerations along the longitudinal axis will clearly be impacted and can readily be evaluated by simulation as required. The specific inquiry was directed at risks associated with redistribution of the damped vibration energy. In response, the distribution dynamics associated with the simple but ever-present anelastic damping m...
Leucine-induced hypoglycemia

Summary Two infants with leucine-sensitive hypoglycemia are presented. A standard intravenous leucine tolerance test has been devised and utilized in the study of these 2 infants and of euglycemic and other hypoglycemic children who were not leucine sensitive. The leucine-sensitive children consistently had a decline in blood sugar levels of greater than 50 per cent 20 to 40 minutes after administration of the leucine. The diagnosis of leucine-sensitive hypoglycemia and management of infants who have it are discussed.
Far-field pattern of electron-bombarded semiconductor lasers

A sheet-like laser beam is observed from electron-bombarded CdS and ZnO single crystals. The far-field pattern extends 360° in azimuth and 5 to 10° perpendicular to this plane. The emission is in a plane perpendicular to the c axis of the crystal and is a result of total internal reflection from four sides of the crystal cavity.
Evidence for the presence of protease inhibitors in eastern (Crassostrea virginica) and Pacific (Crassostrea gigas) oysters

The plasma of eastern (Crassostrea virginica) and Pacific (Crassostrea gigas) oysters were compared for levels of inhibitory activities against a variety of proteases. Representatives of the serine, cysteine, metallo and aspartic protease mechanistic classes were analyzed, including extracellular proteases produced by two oyster-associated pathogens; Perkinsus marinus and Vibrio vulnificus. In comparison to C. virginica, C. gigas plasma exhibited significantly higher specific inhibition levels (ng protease inhibited/μg plasma protein) for papain (P<0.001), pepsin (P<0.001), P. marinus protease (P<0.001), trypsin (P=0.015), and V. vulnificus protease (P<0.001). Plasma of C. gigas did not inhibit the metalloprotease thermolysin. Instead, a significant increase in substrate hydrolysis was seen in wells containing plasma and thermolysin in comparison to wells containing thermolysin only. A similar trend was noted for thermolysin with the eastern oyster samples. These studies indicate the presence of protease inhibitors in the plasma of Crassostrea spp., which may have an impact upon host defense mechanisms, in addition to other physiological roles.
An electrochemical pumping system for on-chip gradient generation.

Within the context of microfluidic systems, it has been difficult to devise pumping systems that can deliver adequate flow rates at high pressure for applications such as HPLC. An on-chip electrochemical pumping system based on electrolysis that offers certain advantages over designs that utilize electroosmotic driven flow has been fabricated and tested. The pump was fabricated on both silicon and glass substrates using photolithography. The electrolysis electrodes were formed from either platinum or gold, and SU8, an epoxy-based photoresist, was used to form the pump chambers. A glass cover plate and a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) gasket were used to seal the chambers. Filling of the chambers was accomplished by using a syringe to inject liquid via filling ports, which were later sealed using a glass cover plate. The current supplied to the electrodes controlled the rate of gas formation and, thus, the resulting fluid flow rate. At low backpressures, flow rates >1 μL/min have been demonstrated using <1 mW of power. Pumping at backpressures as high as 200 psi have been demonstrated, with 20 nL/min having been observed using <4 mW. By integrating two electrochemical pumps with a polymer electrospray nozzle, we have confirmed the successful generation of a solvent gradient via a mass spectrometer.
Progress Monitoring in Grade 5 Science for Low Achievers

This article presents procedures and results from a 2-year project developing science key vocabulary (KV) short tests suitable for progress monitoring Grade 5 science in Texas public schools using computer-generated, -administered, and -scored assessments. KV items included KV definitions and important usages in a multiple-choice cloze format. A KV and item database was constructed for all Grades 3, 4, and 5 science student outcomes by scrutinizing basal and supplemental instructional materials used in Texas schools. The resulting 620 KV terms and 1,800 test items were formatted for computer administration in computer-generated probes.This study examines results from equivalent KV-science probes, administered to students with special needs on a weekly basis, over 5 or 6 weeks. It also compares results from KV probes versus standard multiple-choice science items in simpler pre—post administration. Results encourage further development of KV-based probes for progress monitoring in the content area of science.
Decreased baseline beta-lactamase production and inducibility associated with increased piperacillin susceptibility of Pseudomonas cepacia isolated from children with cystic fibrosis.

ABSTRACT: The incidence of pulmonary infections in children with cystic fibrosis caused by Pseudomonas cepacia, an organism which may possess an inducible β-lactamase, has increased since 1978. Seven of 13 sputum isolates of P. cepacia from children with cystic fibrosis were classified as inducible by quantitative enzyme production following preincubation with 100, 200, or 400 µg/ml of cefoxitin. The recovery of inducible strains tended to be associated with recent ceftazidime therapy. Susceptibility to aztreonam, ceftazidime, and piperacillin alone or combined with the β-lactamase inhibitors. YTR 830 or sulbactam, and isoelectric focusing for β-Iactamase were performed. Inducible isolates produced significantly more β-lactamase than noninducible strains with or wihtout the addition of cefoxitin. Noninducible isolates were more susceptible than inducible isolates to 8 µg/ml of piperacillin, a difference that was eliminated with the addition of either β-lactamase inhibitor. Twelve of 13 strains produced a β- lactamase band in the pH range of 7.9-8.1; no differences in satellite patterns were noted between the two groups of organisms. Increased production of β-lactamase in the absence of an inducer may account for piperacillin resistance in P. cepacia in children with cystic fibrosis.
Pathophysiology of Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor is a potent endogenous vasodilator. This substance is now known to be nitric oxide, which is derived from the metabolism of L-arginine. This potent vasodilator also inhibits interactions of circulating blood elements with the vessel wall. Platelet adherence and aggregation, as well as monocyte adherence and infiltration, are regulated by this paracrine factor. By virtue of these characteristics, nitric oxide inhibits atherogenesis.
Persistence of soliton-like solutions of the perturbed sine-gordon equation

It is nonperturbatively proved that the damped, dc driven sine-Gordon equation has stable, soliton-like solutions.
How Well Did Health Departments Communicate About Risk At The Start Of The Swine Flu Epidemic In 2009

On Sunday, 26 April 2009, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in response to the outbreak of H1N1 influenza (known as swine flu) in the United States. Through an analysis of state and local health department Web sites, we determined whether departments were able to provide online information to their constituents within twenty-four hours of the declaration. The overwhelming majority of state health departments, and more than half of health departments participating in the Cities Readiness Initiative—but only a quarter of smaller, local health departments—were successful in doing so.
Policy Framework for Data Breaches

Why are we seeing so many breaches? Why aren't firms protecting their data more aggressively? And what can we do about it?
Role of Hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic Acids in Oxidative Stress-induced Activating Protein 1 (AP-1) Activity

We have previously reported that hydrogen peroxide, an active oxygen species and a cellular oxidant, induces c-Fos and c-Jun mRNA expression and DNA synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells and that these events require arachidonic acid release and metabolism through the lipoxygenase pathway. Here we have identified the eicosanoids that mediate the hydrogen peroxide-induced growth-related events in these cells. Hydrogen peroxide stimulated the production of 12- and 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acids in vascular smooth muscle cells. Both 12- and 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acids induced the expression of c-Fos and c-Jun protein and increased activating protein 1 (AP-1) activity, as measured by AP-1-DNA binding and AP-1-dependent human collagenase promoter-driven chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene transcription. Hydrogen peroxide and arachidonic acid also induced the expression of c-Fos and c-Jun protein and AP-1 activity. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid, an inhibitor of the lipoxygenase pathway, significantly inhibited both hydrogen peroxide and arachidonic acid-stimulated c-Fos and c-Jun protein expression and AP-1 activity. Together, these findings suggest that hydrogen peroxide induces the production of eicosanoids and that the eicosanoids are potential mediators of the oxidative stress-stimulated growth-related events in vascular smooth muscle cells.
The relationship between carotid blood pressure reactivity to mental stress and carotid intima-media thickness

Background Brachial blood pressure (BP) reactivity to stress predicts large artery damage and future cardiovascular (CV) events. Central BP is an emerging risk factor associated with target organ damage (TOD). Currently, little is known about the central BP response to mental stress and its association to TOD.
Organic Vapor (OV) Respirator Cartridge and Canister Testing Against Methylene Chloride

Abstract The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed amending its existing exposure regulations for methylene chloride. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) tested organic vapor cartridges and canisters for their breakthrough characteristics against methylene chloride. These tests were conducted to determine breakthrough times for methylene chloride with commercially available, negative-pressure organic vapor cartridge and canister respirators. Various methylene chloride challenge concentrations, from a low of 50 ppm to a high of 1000 ppm, were employed. Cartridges and canisters were tested “as received” from the manufacturer at a flow rate of 64 L/min through the respirator; 50 percent and 80 percent relative humidities were used. Breakthrough times (tb) were determined for individual cartridges and canisters, as well as for stacked cartridges. The results indicate that cartridge breakthrough times (tb) were extremely short when tested at 80 percent ...