cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of diet, mating duration, female to male ratios, and temperature on ovary activation, mating success, and fecundity of Aethina tumida

The effects of natural diet (brood, pollen, honey, and their various combinations), mating duration (1 day versus 2 days), female (F) to male (M) ratio (1F/1M, 2F/1M, and 1F/2M), and temperature (34 versus 27–29 °C) on ovary activation, mating success, and fecundity of small hive beetles (SHBs) were studied. Our results indicated that regardless of mating duration, (1) a diet of brood, pollen, and honey presented together supported the highest fecundity; (2) intake of protein-rich diets encouraged ovary activation and egg-laying; and (3) diet of honey alone did not encourage ovary activation, mating success, and egg-laying at room temperature. Regardless of the number of males available for mating, egg-laying varied through time. Overall, females that were presented with two males for a 5-day mating period had higher fecundity than females provided with one male or three male partners. High temperature accelerated ovary activation and egg-laying regardless of female to male ratio during a 15-h mating period. Knowledge of these factors that influence fecundity helps elucidate why SHBs are very successful pests of honey bees.
What can genes tell us about the relationship between education and health

Abstract We use genome wide data from respondents of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to evaluate the possibility that common genetic influences are associated with education and three health outcomes: depression, self-rated health, and body mass index. We use a total of 1.7 million single nucleotide polymorphisms obtained from the Illumina HumanOmni2.5-4v1 chip from 4233 non-Hispanic white respondents to characterize genetic similarities among unrelated persons in the HRS. We then used the Genome Wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) toolkit, to estimate univariate and bivariate heritability. We provide evidence that education ( h 2 = 0.33), BMI ( h 2 = 0.43), depression ( h 2 = 0.19), and self-rated health ( h 2 = 0.18) are all moderately heritable phenotypes. We also provide evidence that some of the correlation between depression and education as well as self-rated health and education is due to common genetic factors associated with one or both traits. We find no evidence that the correlation between education and BMI is influenced by common genetic factors.
Intraepithelial Effector (CD3+)/Regulatory (FoxP3+) T-Cell Ratio Predicts a Clinical Outcome of Human Colon Carcinoma

Background & Aims Regulatory T cells (Tregs) express the forkhead box transcription factor (FoxP3) and suppress the antitumor immune response. We investigated whether the intratumoral densities of FoxP3 + and effector CD3 + lymphocytes are associated with prognosis of patients with colon cancer. Methods FoxP3 and CD3 expression and location were determined in stage II and III colon carcinomas (n = 160) and normal mucosa (n = 25) by immunohistochemistry; CD4 and FoxP3 were localized by dual immunofluorescence microscopy. T-cell markers were compared with pathological variables, DNA mismatch repair status, and patient survival using Cox proportional hazards models. Results FoxP3 + and CD3 + T-cell densities were increased in carcinomas compared with autologous normal mucosa ( P + cells was associated with poor tumor differentiation ( P = .038), female sex ( P = .028), and advanced patient age ( P = .042). FoxP3 + cell density was not prognostic, yet patients with tumors with reduced intraepithelial CD3 + T-cell densities had reduced disease-free survival (DFS) rates (hazard ratio [HR], 1.87 [95% confidence interval, 1.10–3.16]; P = .018). A low intraepithelial CD3 + /FoxP3 + cell ratio predicted reduced DFS (46.2% vs 66.7% survival at 5 years; HR, 2.17 [95% confidence interval, 1.11–4.23]; P = .0205). The prognostic impact of these markers was maintained when tumors were stratified by mismatch repair status. By multivariate analysis, a low CD3 + /FoxP3 + cell ratio ( P = .0318) and low numbers of CD3 + T cells ( P = .0397) predicted shorter DFS times and were stronger prognostic variables than tumor stage or number of lymph node metastases. Conclusions A low intraepithelial CD3 + /FoxP3 + cell ratio and reduced numbers of CD3 + T cells were associated with shorter patient survival time, indicating the importance of an effector to Treg cell ratio in colon cancer prognosis.
Benzotriazole-Assisted Solid-Phase Assembly of Leu-Enkephalin, Amyloid β segment 34−42, and other “Difficult” Peptide Sequences

Microwave-assisted solid-phase syntheses of six “difficult” peptides, H-VVSVV-NH2 (3), H-VVVSVV-NH2 (4), H-VIVIG-OH (5), H-TVTVTV-NH2 (6), H-VKDGYI-NH2 (7), and H-VKDVYI-NH2 (8), were achieved util...
Predicting an Optimal Outcome After Radical Prostatectomy: The Trifecta Nomogram

Purpose: The optimal outcome after radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer is freedom from biochemical recurrence along with the recovery of continence and erectile function, a so-called trifecta. We evaluated our series of open radical prostatectomy cases to determine the likelihood of this outcome and develop a nomogram predicting the trifecta.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of patients undergoing open radical prostatectomy for clinical stage T1c-T3a prostate cancer at our center during 2000 to 2006. Men were excluded if they received preoperative hormonal therapy, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, if pretreatment prostate specific antigen was more than 50 ng/ml, or if they were impotent or incontinent before radical prostatectomy. A total of 1,577 men were included in the study. Freedom from biochemical recurrence was defined as post-radical prostatectomy prostate specific antigen less than 0.2 ng/ml. Continence was defined as not having to wear any protective pad...
American Homicide: Theories, Methods, and Body Counts

In his comments on my book, American Homicide, Robert R. Dykstra (2010, 181–84) declares that my theory is both unoriginal and incorrect, my numbers are questionable, my history is mistaken, and my...
An evolutionarily conserved mechanism of calcium-dependent neurotoxicity in a zebrafish model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a leading cause of neurodevelopmental disability. Nonhuman animal models offer novel insights into its underlying mechanisms. Although the developing zebrafish has great promise for FASD research, a significant challenge to its wider adoption is the paucity of clear, mechanistic parallels between its ethanol (EtOH) responses and those of nonpiscine, established models. Inconsistencies in the published pharmacodynamics for EtOH-exposed zebrafish, alongside the use of comparatively high EtOH doses, challenge the interpretation of this model's clinical relevance. Methods To address these limitations, we developed a binge, single-exposure model of EtOH exposure in the early zebrafish embryo. Results Brief (3-hour) EtOH exposure is sufficient to cause significant neural crest losses and craniofacial alterations, with peak vulnerability during neurogenesis and early somitogenesis. These losses are apoptotic, documented using TUNEL assay and secA5-YFP-reporter fish. Apoptosis is dose dependent with an EC50 = 56.2 ± 14.3 mM EtOHint, a clinically relevant value within the range producing apoptosis in chick and mouse neural crest. This apoptosis requires the calcium-dependent activation of CaMKII and recapitulates the well-described EtOH signaling mechanism in avian neural crest. Importantly, we resolve the existing confusion regarding zebrafish EtOH kinetics. We show that steady-state EtOH concentrations within both chorion-intact and dechorionated embryos are maintained at 35.7 ± 2.8% of EtOHext levels across the range from 50 to 300 mM EtOHext, a value consistent with several published reports. Equilibrium is rapid and complete within 5 minutes of EtOH addition. Conclusions The calcium/CaMKII mechanism of EtOH's neurotoxicity is shared between an amniote (chick) and teleost fish, indicating that this mechanism is evolutionarily conserved. Our data suggest that EtOHext concentrations >2% (v/v) for chorion-intact embryos and 1.5% (v/v) for dechorionated embryos have limited clinical relevance. The strong parallels with established models endorse the zebrafish's relevance for mechanistic studies of EtOH's developmental neurotoxicity.
Training Laboratories in Developmental Psychology

Unil,ersiiy o/ Michigun Stmmary.-This is o description of a flexible program to train graduare and advanced undergraduate students in research in developmenral psychology. Stress is on observational training and experiments which exemplify current theoretical issues and techniques, using newborns through eighth graders. Sample courses are outlined and include observation of an infant in his own home; paired-observation projeccs for observer-reliability training; three or four experiments (from, e.g., Piaget, Bandura, Bruner); paper-design of an original experiment; class demonstrations with visiting children of various scales of development; visin to and from area researchers; movies. Student response is exceptionally favorable. The accelerated interesr in developmental psychology (as attested to by the increasing numbers of new Ph.D. programs in that area, additional faculty appointments, new courses in infancy and childhood and adolescence and gerontology, and new research centers) may make this report of more than historical interest. It is a description of a pioneer experimental child psychology program which I began and ran for four years at Mount Holyoke College (South Hadley, Massachusetts) in the early 1950s, and a modified version recently initiated at the University of Michigan.
The role of ‘tumor suppressor’ genes in neural tumors

very cell contains the genetic capacity for rapid growth dur- ing embryonic development, as well as the ability to differentiate and assume its function in the tissue structure. Clearly, an over- lapping set of genes in different cell types must be involved in these processes and in the response of cells to their environment. In ad- dition to genes that stimulate growth and differentiation (e.g. certain proto-oncogenes), most (if not all) cells seem to contain 'tumor suppressor' genes against excessive growth. The function of these 'tumor suppressor' genes may be to regulate (suppress) the expression of growth-promoting factors, thereby exercising growth control. There are different types of genetic alterations capable of in- itiating tumor development, includ- ing loss or altered expression of endogenous tumor suppressor genes and/or invasion of virus genes that could lead to loss of growth regulation. Depending on the nature of these initial and subsequent genetic changes, un- inhibited growth of the cells could progress to benign or malignant tumor formation. Several research strategies have led to the dis- covery of genes involved in tumor formation in the nervous system in both positive and negative ways. This article focuses on the 'tumor suppressor' genes - who they are, what they do, how they are inacti- vated, and how to identify new can- didates (for a review of positively active oncogenes, see Ref. 1). Who they are Several avenues of research have provided evidence for the existence of tumor suppressor genes. For example, fusion of normal and malignant cells leads to the suppression of the tumorigenic phenotype in most of the resulting hybrids, which retain a relatively complete chromosomal com- plement. Reappearance of tumori- genicity is often accompanied by
SU‐FF‐T‐228: Evaluation of Surface and Superficial Dose for Head and Neck Treatments Using Conventional Or Intensity‐Modulated Techniques

With increased use of intensity‐modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) techniques questions have arisen as to selection of an optimum treatment approach when either superficial sparing or treatment is desired. Other work has pointed out the increased skindose resulting when multiple tangential beams are applied to head and neck treatment, as is the general case in IMRT planning. Helical tomotherapy might be expected to result in even further enhanced skindose compared with conventional bilateral field treatment. We have designed a typical nasopharyngeal target volume in an anthropomorphic head and neck phantom. Three different treatment techniques have been used to optimally treat this target, including bilateral static fields, a standard 8 field IMRT approach and helical tomotherapy. The phantom was immobilized in a standard treatment position and treated on a Varian 2300cd linear accelerator and on a Hi‐Art Helical tomotherapy unit. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (LiF) were placed on the surface of the phantom at a number of test positions. Kodak EDR2 films were also sandwiched between three of the phantom sections in the treated volume. Measureddoses at the surface and as a function of depth are compared with the planning system predictions for each treatment technique. Preliminary surfacedosemeasurements indicate 10–15% higher lateral surfacedoses and 20–30% higher anterior doses for both IMRT and tomotherapy, as compared with bilateral treatment, but lower intermediate doses 5cm anterior to the lateral CA for both IMRT techniques. The tomotherapy planning system appears to overestimate surfacedoses while Eclipse appears to better estimate these doses.
Influence of CW microwave radiation on in vitro release of enzymes from retinol- treated hepatic lysosomes.

Hepatic lysosomes were exposed in vitro to microwave radiation (2450 MHz) either prior to or simultaneously with treatment with retinol (vitamin A), and the release of the lysosomal enzymes, β-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, and cathepsin D, determined. A 60-min microwave exposure (10 or 100 mW/g) of retinol-treated lysosomes had no effect on the amount of release of β-glucuroni-dase, cathepsin D, or acid phosphatase. In addition, 10 and 100 mW/g irradiation of lysosome fractions for 40 min prior to a 20-min retinol and microwave treatment, had no influence on the release of these enzymes. Finally, the effect of microwave radiation on the loss of latency of acid phosphatase and β-glucuronidase from retinol-treated lysosomes was determined. Microwave radiation had no influence on the rate of appearance of these enzymes in the suspending medium. The results indicate that microwave radiation had no effect on the retinol-induced lysosomal enzyme release.
Multi-institutional Prospective Evaluation of Bowel Quality of Life After Prostate External Beam Radiation Therapy Identifies Patient and Treatment Factors Associated With Patient-Reported Outcomes: The PROSTQA Experience

Purpose To evaluate patients treated with external beam radiation therapy as part of the multicenter Prostate Cancer Outcomes and Satisfaction with Treatment Quality Assessment (PROSTQA), to identify factors associated with posttreatment patient-reported bowel health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods and Materials Pretreatment characteristics and treatment details among 292 men were evaluated using a general linear mixed model for their association with measured HRQOL by the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite instrument through 2 years after enrollment. Results Bowel HRQOL had a median score of 100 (interquartile range 91.7-100) pretreatment and 95.8 (interquartile range 83.3-100) at 2 years, representing new moderate/big problems in 11% for urgency, 7% for frequency, 4% for bloody stools, and 8% for an overall bowel problems. Baseline bowel score was the strongest predictor for all 2-year endpoints. In multivariable models, a volume of rectum ≥25% treated to 70 Gy (V70) yielded a clinically significant 9.3-point lower bowel score (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.8-1.7, P =.015) and predicted increased risks for moderate to big fecal incontinence ( P =.0008). No other radiation therapy treatment-related variables influenced moderate to big changes in rectal HRQOL. However, on multivariate analyses V70 ≥25% was associated with increases in small, moderate, or big problems with the following: incontinence (3.9-fold; 95% CI 1.1-13.4, P =.03), rectal bleeding (3.6-fold; 95% CI 1.3-10.2, P =.018), and bowel urgency (2.9-fold; 95% CI 1.1-7.6, P =.026). Aspirin use correlated with a clinically significant 4.7-point lower bowel summary score (95% CI 9.0-0.4, P =.03) and an increase in small, moderate, or big problems with bloody stools (2.8-fold; 95% CI 1.2-6.4, P =.018). Intensity modulated radiation therapy was associated with higher radiation therapy doses to the prostate and lower doses to the rectum but did not independently correlate with bowel HRQOL. Conclusion After contemporary dose-escalated external beam radiation therapy up to 11% of patients have newly identified moderate/big problems with bowel HRQOL 2 years after treatment. Bowel HRQOL is related to baseline function, rectal V70, and aspirin use. Finally, our findings validate the commonly utilized cut-point of rectal V70 ≥25% as having significant impact on patient-reported outcomes.
Use of Real-Time Physiologic Parameter Assessment to Augment Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Training for First-Year Osteopathic Medical Students

CONTEXT The first 2 years of osteopathic medical school involve training in osteopathic principles and practice, including understanding the tenets of osteopathic medicine and developing palpatory skills for clinical application. Although this training emphasizes the link between somatic dysfunction and physiologic function, it does not include the opportunity for students to quantitatively assess the physiologic effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) using physiologic measurements. OBJECTIVE To evaluate an approach for integrated OMT training coupled with physiologic measurements of relevant parameters, whereby first-year osteopathic medical students assess the quantitative, real-time changes in specific physiologic signals during instruction. METHODS During mandatory musculoskeletal and cardiovascular demonstration laboratories at a single osteopathic medical school, students were divided into small groups and performed OMT on each other while recording real-time measurements of physiologic functions such as maximum clench force, time to fatigue for the forearm flexor muscles, heart rate, and peripheral vascular flow. After data were collected, students analyzed pre- and post-OMT measurements and discussed underlying physiologic principles in a large group format. At the end of the sessions, students completed a brief survey on the usefulness of the integrated laboratories. RESULTS Overall, 13 of 28 student groups (46.4%) measured a pre- to post-OMT increase in maximum clench force, and 16 (57.1%) observed an increase in time to fatigue for the forearm flexor muscles. Twenty-three of 27 student groups (85.2%) observed a reduction in heart rate and 19 (70.4%) measured an increase in peripheral vascular flow after OMT. Student satisfaction was generally favorable, with overall mean (SD) ratings of 6.38 (1.86) for the musculoskeletal laboratory and 7.81 (1.69) for the cardiovascular laboratory out of a maximum of 10 points. In open-ended comments, students deemed the combined laboratories as clinically applicable but desired more time for completing the laboratories. CONCLUSION Measurement of specific physiologic musculoskeletal and cardiovascular parameters before and after OMT enabled quantification of physiologic responses to OMT. Students' favorable feedback indicated that the quality of learning in the laboratories was enhanced by the addition of physiologic measurements.
Geochemical constraints on sustainable development: Can an advanced global economy achieve long-term stability?

Abstract The eighty-one stable chemical elements are examined individually with respect to (i) recent annual demand and (ii) worst case long-term availability in a distant future in which they must be extracted from the background sources of air, seawater, and ordinary rock. It is shown that, if a conventional use scenario is envisioned, the supplies of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, tellurium, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, and especially phosphorus will be questionable while the supplies of copper, zinc, molybdenum, silver, cadmium, tin, antimony, tungsten, mercury, lead, and bismuth will be inadequate. It is therefore concluded that, in the long run, only the promotion of massive recycling and substitution technologies will suffice to maintain the global industrial society now developing.
Paramyosin and actin in schistosomal teguments

Schistosomes are blood-dwelling trematode parasites that infect 200 million people in developing countries. The critical role served by the tegument in immune evasion and parasite homeostasis suggests that a detailed knowledge of tegumental components would be helpful in the design of new drugs and the production of vaccines. We demonstrate here, by immunoelectron microscopy, that the cytoskeletal proteins actin and paramyosin are organized into major tegumental structures of Schistosoma mansoni. The surface spines are composed of paracrystalline arrays of actin filaments. Actin is also present in areas recovering from damage, implying an important role for this structural protein in tegumental repair. Paramyosin exists predominantly in the tegument in a non-filamentous form, the membrane-bounded elongate bodies. The localization of this protein to the tegument of the parasite is the likely basis for resistance to S. mansoni observed in mice immunized with paramyosin (refs 1, 2 and T. P. Flanigen et al., in preparation).
Bitwise hill crypto system

This paper describes a modification to the conventional Hill Cipher system. The purpose of this paper is to explore the adeptness of Hill Cipher for binary data. The plaintext is any binary data such as images, audio, video, etc. The plaintext is subjected to scrambling by dividing it into 8 planes. Each of these planes is encrypted using a different key. From the study conducted on Bitwise Hill Cipher, it is found that it has enough security required for commercial applications.
Observed and theoretical profiles of the Si ii lines at λ1814

Emission line spectra observed at the limb of the solar disc are presented for transitions of singly ionized silicon at lambdas 1816.93, 1817.45 and 1808.01. The profiles show self-reversals in the line cores. A non-LTE analysis for a simplified model of the silicon ion is presented, and calculated line profiles are compared with the observations. The study indicates that some modification of the Vernazza et al. (1973) model of the solar chromosphere in the transition region is needed to reconcile the calculated and observed profiles.
Hematology and red cell morphology in guinea pigs acclimated to chronic hypoxia during growth

Abstract 1. 1. Weanling male guinea pigs were exposed for up to 14 weeks to an ambient P o 2 of 80 torr. Hematological measurements made on these animals were compared to data for normoxic controls of similar age and body weight. 2. 2. Within 2 weeks of hypoxic exposure, hematocrit was increased by 42% and [Hb] by 41% compared to controls. However, these changes were accompanied by only a 13% increase in the No. RBC's/mm 3 during the same period; mean red cell volume and mean cell hemoglobin content were each increased by 22% compared to controls. Normochromic macrocytes as well as numerous nucleated RBC's were evident in the peripheral smears of the hypoxia acclimated animals. 3. 3. Frequency analysis of RBC diameters showed a single peak at 6.3 μm for all controls. In guinea pigs acclimated to P O 2 = 80 torr, RBC diameters were initially bimodally distributed, with peaks at 6.3 and 7.6 μm, and later were broadly distributed with a mean of 7.0 μm. 4. 4. These findings support the hypothesis that, under severe and chronic erythropoietic stress, normochromic macrocytes appear in the peripheral blood following a skipped terminal mitotic division, during which cytoplasmic volume would normally be reduced.
Provincialism associated with the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum: Temporal constraint

Sudden global warming ∼55 Ma is associated with remarkable biotic events among both terrestrial and marine organisms. The marine microplankton were especially affected, with a rapid diversification among tropical planktonic foraminifera, a global acme of the dinoflagellate Apectodinium complex, and sudden changes in abundance patterns among the calcareous nannoplankton. Additionally, and in contrast with the former two groups, the latter group showed marked provincialism, with the distinctive Rhomboaster spp.–Discoaster araneus association (RD) restricted to a broadly crescent-shaped area extending through the Tethys seaway and the North and South Atlantic Oceans. We show here that this geographically restricted association was also temporally restricted. The stratigraphic occurrence of the Rhomboaster spp.–D. araneus association is correlative with the earliest Eocene Carbon Isotope Excursion. The relative abundance of this association is highest in the interval of minimum δ13C values, and sharply decreases as the δ13C increases toward preexcursion values. We propose that the Rhomboaster spp.–D. araneus association constitutes a stratigraphic proxy for the Carbon Isotope Excursion and represents an unique response to the Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), with a temporal span on the order of 175 kyr.
Science, Values, and Survival

In the context of today's mounting global problems, the relative demand for medical, educational, and related social benefits that derive from the neurosciences is diminished. At the same time the ...
Quantitation of the major whey proteins in human milk, and development of a technique to isolate minor whey proteins

Abstract Several whey proteins of human milk have important nutritional and physiological roles for the breast fed infant. Only 75 to 85% of the proteins in whey have been identified and quantitated, leaving a remaining protein fraction containing many proteins of probable nutritional and physiological significance. In this study, colostrum and mature milk samples were collected, and the concentrations of five major whey proteins were measured using immunoelectrophoresis or immunodiffusion. Based on Kjeldahl nitrogen analysis, the total concentration of whey proteins in colostrum was 17.05 mg/ml and in mature milk 5.95 mg/ml. The concentration of α-lactalbumin was 3.7 mg/ml and 1.7 mg/ml in colostrum and mature milk, respectively; lactoferrin concentration was 7.3 and 1.5 mg/ml; and secretory IgA concentration was 4.7 and 1.2 mg/ml. In both colostrum and mature milk, concentrations of serum albumin and lysozyme were 0.37 and 0.07 mg/ml, respectively. The sum of these major whey proteins expressed as a percentage of the total whey protein accounted for 81% of mature whey protein, and 94% of colostral whey protein, leaving 19% and 6% in the remaining protein fraction. A method was developed to isolate this remaining protein fraction from the major whey proteins using gel filtration and immunoaffinity chromatography. The quantitatively minor whey protein fraction obtained was further characterized using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and ion exchange chromatography.
Spiral ganglion cell density in young and old gerbils

The Mongolian gerbil, like other mammalian species, has a decreased number of spiral ganglion cells as a function of age. This loss of cells was first seen in 24- to 30-month old animals in the basal end of the ganglion. In the oldest individuals the apical end of the ganglion was also affected. There were approximately 15-25% fewer cells in the affected areas in the 36- to 42-month old animals. In the oldest animals degeneration of the stria vascularis was seen in the apical turn and some degenerative changes in the organ of Corti were seen throughout the length of the cochlear duct. The aging pattern in the gerbil cochlea, is similar to that described for other species. Vacuoles, previously described in the gerbil cochlear nucleus, were also seen in the auditory nerve within the modiolus, but central to the Schwann-glial border in all animals. Vacuoles were not present within the spiral ganglion or the peripheral processes of the ganglion cells. Because the ganglion cell axons should be similar on either side of the Schwann-glial border, but the vacuoles were confined to the central nervous system, it is concluded that the degenerative process affects glial cells as opposed to neurons.
Determination of the cutoff of the first higher order mode in a coaxial line by the transverse resonance technique

The author uses the transverse resonance technique and static field considerations to determine cutoff for the first higher order mode in a coaxial line. The result, while approximate, agrees very well with the rigorous field-theory solution for all practical coaxial lines. The solution also has an immediate connection with the physics of the problem which makes the result obtained almost obvious. >
Design of recursive digital filters with optimum magnitude and attenuation poles on the unit circle

A class of infinite impulse response (IIR) digital filters with optimum magnitude in the Chebyshev sense, arbitrary attenuation in the passband and stopband, all zeros on the unit circle, and different order numerator and denominator is discussed. Several properties of low-pass filters of this type are described, such as the effect of an extra ripple in the passband and the minimum attainable passband ripple for a given order. An algorithm for the design of these filters is presented, which given the order of the filter, passband edge, stopband edge and passband ripple minimizes the stopband ripple. Alternatively, the stopband ripple can be fixed and the passband ripple minimized. This is done by working with the numerator and denominator separately. This algorithm is fast compared to other existing design procedures. Several examples are presented and compared with the classical elliptic filters. Filters are described which meet the same tolerance scheme as an elliptic filter with fewer multiplications.
The Inductrack: a simpler approach to magnetic levitation

Arising out of research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on passive magnetic bearings, a new magnetic levitation system, the Inductrack, has been developed and tested at model scale. The system employs special arrays of permanent magnets (Halbach arrays) on the moving car. The magnetic field from the arrays induces repelling currents in a close-packed array of shorted circuits in the track. Above a low transition speed (a few kilometers per hour), levitation forces approach a constant value, while drag forces decrease inversely with speed, with L/D reaching 200:1 or more at operating speeds. The high magnetic efficiency of the Halbach arrays, plus the use of close-packed track circuits, results in levitating forces approaching 40 metric tonnes per square meter (using NdFeB permanent magnet arrays, whose weight in typical cases is a few percent of the levitated weight). The system is passively stable: only motion is required for levitation. Failure of the drive system only results in the train slowing down and settling onto auxiliary wheels at a low speed. A detailed theoretical analysis of the Inductrack was made, on the basis of which a small-scale model was constructed and operated. The Laboratory is building a new small-scale model system (under NASA sponsorship) to demonstrate the acceleration rates and speeds (10-g and Mach 0.4 in the model) needed to magnetically launch rockets.
An optimistic checkpointing and selective message logging approach for consistent global checkpoint collection in distributed systems

In this paper, we present an asynchronous consistent global checkpoint collection algorithm which prevents contention for network storage at the file server and hence reduces the checkpointing overhead. The algorithm has two phases: In the first phase, a process initiates consistent global checkpoint collection by saving its state tentatively and asynchronously (called tentative checkpoint) in local memory or remote stable storage if there is no contention for stable storage while saving the state; in the second phase, the message log associated with the tentative checkpoint is stored in stable storage (checkpoint finalization phase). The tentative checkpoint together with the associated message log stored in the stable storage becomes part of a consistent global checkpoint. Under our algorithm, two or more processes can concurrently initiate consistent global checkpoint collection. Every tentative checkpoint will be finalized successfully unless a failure occurs. The finalized checkpoints of each process is assigned a unique sequence number in ascending order. Finalized checkpoints with same sequence number form a consistent global checkpoint.
Teaching Awareness of Strategic Behavior in Combination with Strategy Training: Effects on Children's Memory Performance

Abstract The present study examined the effectiveness of two components (rehearsal training and strategy awareness) of an instructional package designed to train the developmentally young in the use of mature information processing techniques. Two groups of children of equivalent developmental age (MA = 8), one mildly retarded and the other of average intelligence, participated. Rehearsal training was effective in improving recall scores on the training task; however, neither rehearsal training, memory awareness, nor their combination significantly altered memory performance on the generalization tasks. There was evidence, however, that the combination of rehearsal training and strategy awareness did increase the likelihood of strategy transfer on the generalization task (recognition) which most closely resembled the training task. Post-task questioning revealed that instructions concerning memory awareness did improve subjects ability to verbalize appropriate strategic behavior; however, these improvements were not consistently translated into either actual use of a rehearsal strategy or improved performance. Discussion centered on the implications of these results and on the need for increased research on the metamnemonic skills involved in strategy generalization.
The George Peabody Papers

The collection of George Peabody papers in the Essex Institute of Salem, Massachusetts, illustrates the value of private business correspondence in the study of economic history. Writers on the history of American commerce have complained of the lack of available business records, and students of capital movements have looked for more detailed information. The papers of George Peabody, merchant and financier, include material both on the importation of goods to the United States and on long-term investments during the period from 1830 to 1857.
A UAV avionics system to facilitate VHF depth sounding and SAR

An avionics system for an autonomous UAV platform supporting VHF depth sounding and SAR is under development. The system is divided into navigation, communication, and data processing or logging. This design provides accurate position, velocity, acceleration, and attitude data. It supports over-the- horizon communication via an Iridium satellite link. The data collected by this system will allow for motion effects of the UAV to be compensated for, to enable SAR image formation.
Small slope approximation for microwave polarimetric observation of the sea surface

The thermal microwave emission of the sea surface is determined mainly by the resonant ripples at near-nadir angles of observation (Irisov et al., 1987). Their amplitudes and directions of propagation are closely related to the local wind speed and direction. The anisotropy of the surface gravitational-capillary waves leads to a polarization dependence, which can be used for the remote sensing of the near-surface wind. The small-slope approximation is developed to calculate the brightness temperature of the rough ocean surface, taking into account the whole sea spectrum. The estimation of the higher order terms is made. The possibility of scanning for full polarization measurements is considered. >
Silencing of genes by promoter hypermethylation: key event in rodent and human lung cancer

Transcriptional silencing by CpG island hypermethylation has become a critical component in the initiation and progression of lung cancer. The ability of pharmacologic agents to reverse promoter hypermethylation also makes it an attractive target to pursue for prevention of lung cancer. Animal models, together with studies in humans have fostered significant advances in elucidating the role of gene-specific methylation in cancer initiation and progression, the modulation of promoter methylation by carcinogen exposure and the ability to block tumor development by preventing epigenetically mediated gene silencing. These advances represent the beginning of efforts to develop a progression model for lung cancer that should aid efforts for early detection and gene targeting for therapy, and the development of preventive interventions that reverse epigenetic-mediated gene silencing.
Nanoscale CMOS spacer FinFET for the terabit era

A spacer lithography process technology, which uses a sacrificial layer and spacer layer formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), has been developed. It has been applied to make a sub-40-nm Si-fin structure for a double-gate FinFET with conventional dry etching for the first time. The minimum-sized features are defined not by the photolithography but by the CVD film thickness. Therefore, this spacer lithography technology yields better critical dimension uniformity than conventional optical or e-beam lithography and defines smaller features beyond the limit of current lithography technology. It also provides a doubling of feature density for a given lithography pitch, which increases current by a factor of two. To demonstrate this spacer lithography technology, Si-fin structures have been patterned for planar double-gate CMOS FinFET devices.
Dynamic base register caching: a technique for reducing address bus width

When address reference degrees of spatial and temporal higher order address lines carry streams exhibit high locality, many of the redundant information. By caching the higher order portions of address references in a set of dynamically allocated base registers, it becomes possible to transmit small register indices between the processor and memory instead of the high order address bits themselves. Trace driven simulations indicate that this technique can significantly reduce processor-to-memory address bus width without an appreciable loss in performance, fhereby increasing available processor bandwidth. Our resulfs imply that as much as 25% of the available 1/0 bandwidth of a processor is used less than 1% of the time.
Operation of a 5-MJ Capacitor Bank for EML Materials Testing

Summary form only given. The capacitor bank design previously proposed has been fabricated and tested. The module stores 500 kJ at 11 kV charge, using capacitors and fuses from General Atomics, ABB semiconductors and a custom 80 muH inductor from Stangenes. A circuit model of the banks, using the no greater than values for internal resistance and inductance of the capacitors, predicted 100 kA output at 11 kV charge. The real devices deliver 100 kA at 10.4 kV charge, with 5% bank reversal. Reinforcements were added to prevent deformation at the inductor tabs, and limit the motion of the conductor plates at high current A 5-M.I system has been fabricated and installed, using 10 of these modules, stacked in set of two, and another 5-MJ of modules is in fabrication. All ten of the modules passed testing at 1 kV, and 4 random modules passed testing at 8 kV charge, with a 10 mOmega load. 2 more, equivalent 500-kJ modules are being constructed using other 11 -kV capacitors. Results of the testing and comparison with the initial circuit models will be presented. Results from initial firings into dummy loads at the breech and low power EML launches will also be presented.
Structure of Receptive Fields in Area 3b of Primary Somatosensory Cortex in the Alert Monkey

We investigated the two-dimensional structure of area 3b neuronal receptive fields (RFs) in three alert monkeys. Three hundred thirty neurons with RFs on the distal fingerpads were studied with scanned, random dot stimuli. Each neuron was stimulated continuously for 14 min, yielding 20,000 response data points. Excitatory and inhibitory components of each RF were determined with a modified linear regression algorithm. Analyses assessing goodness-of-fit, repeatability, and generality of the RFs were developed. Two hundred forty-seven neurons yielded highly repeatable RF estimates, and most RFs accounted for a large fraction of the explainable response of each neuron. Although the area 3b RF structures appeared to be continuously distributed, certain structural generalities were apparent. Most RFs (94%) contained a single, central region of excitation and one or more regions of inhibition located on one, two, three, or all four sides of the excitatory center. The shape, area, and strength of excitatory and inhibitory RF regions ranged widely. Half the RFs contained almost evenly balanced excitation and inhibition. The findings indicate that area 3b neurons act as local spatiotemporal filters that are maximally excited by the presence of particular stimulus features. We believe that form and texture perception are based on high-level representations and that area 3b is an intermediate stage in the processes leading to these representations. Two possibilities are considered: (1) that these high-level representations are basically somatotopic and that area 3b neurons amplify some features and suppress others, or (2) that these representations are highly transformed and that area 3b effects a step in the transformation.
EFFECTS OF CHANGING SCALE ON LANDSCAPE PATTERN ANALYSIS: SCALING RELATIONS

Landscape pattern is spatially correlated and scale-dependent. Thus, understanding landscape structure and functioning requires multiscale information, and scaling functions are the most precise and concise way of quantifying multiscale characteristics explicitly. The major objective of this study was to explore if there are any scaling relations for landscape pattern when it is measured over a range of scales (grain size and extent). The results showed that the responses of landscape metrics to changing scale fell into two categories when computed at the class level (i.e., for individual land cover types): simple scaling functions and unpredictable behavior. Similarly, three categories were found at the landscape level, with the third being staircase pattern, in a previous study when all land cover types were combined together. In general, scaling relations were more variable at the class level than at the landscape level, and more consistent and predictable with changing grain size than with changing extent at both levels. Considering that the landscapes under study were quite diverse in terms of both composition and configuration, these results seem robust. This study highlights the need for multiscale analysis in order to adequately characterize and monitor landscape heterogeneity, and provides insights into the scaling of landscape patterns.
Tales of Encounter: A Case Study of Science Fiction Films in Greater China in the 1970s and 1980s

An important motif in science fiction films is the encounter between different species—usually between human kind and alien kind. In films of this type, both anxieties and hopes are imagined and exhibited. By examining three science fiction films made in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Chinese mainland in the late 1970s and early 1980s—that is, The Super Inframan ( Zhongguo chaoren , 1975), God of War ( Zhanshen , 1976), and Death Ray on Coral Island ( Shanhudao shang de siguang , 1980)—this paper analyzes the ideologies and anxieties behind such encounters. These films present different “Chinese” pictures, revealing the fluidity of Chineseness, as well as the variety of frameworks within the genre of Chinese-language science fiction films. In this time of globalization, it is important to examine these early science fiction films in order to explore the relation between local social concerns and their artistic presentation.
The ripple effect of a complication in lung transplantation: Evidence for increased long-term survival risk.

Abstract Objective Lung transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients who have end-stage lung disease. The frequency and severity of complications have not been fully characterized. We hypothesized that early in-hospital, postoperative complications decrease long-term survival. Methods We retrospectively identified in-hospital complications in lung transplant recipients, from the period January 2007 to October 2013. Complications were graded using the extended Accordion Severity Grading System (ASGS). Complications were categorized by event and organ system. Survival analysis was performed ( P Results Among 748 eligible patients, 3381 independent in-hospital, postoperative complications occurred in 92.78% of patients. Median follow-up was 5.4 years. Complications associated with significant decrease in 5-year survival were: renal (hazard ratio [HR] 2.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40-4.48); hepatic (HR 4.08, 95% CI 2.86-5.82); cardiac (HR 1.95, 95% CI 1.56-2.45). The maximum ASGS of ≥5 (18.5% vs 73.8%), and the weighted ASGS sum >10 (2.5% vs 73.8%), were found to be significant predictors of long-term survival. Multivariate analysis identified a weighted ASGS sum of >10, and renal, cardiac, and vascular complications as predictors of decreased long-term survival. Conclusions Rigorous delineation of complications after lung transplantation showed that grade 5 ASGS in-hospital postoperative complications, and a weighted ASGS sum >10, were independent predictors of decreased long-term survival well beyond the initial perioperative period. These results may identify important targets for best practice guidelines and quality-of-care measures after lung transplantation.
Drafting New York Civil-Litigation Documents: Part XLVI — Best Practices for Persuasive Writing

This article, the 46th and final piece in the author's New York civil-practice series, covers issues in writing persuasive motion papers.
Political Support in Multiparty Canada: 1980–1984

In recent years Canada’s national political parties have faced an increasingly discontented and volatile electorate. Each of the last three federal elections has resulted in the defeat of an incumbent government, and party popularity between elections has fluctuated widely, often over quite brief time intervals. To date, however, few systematic attempts have been made to explain aggregate electoral change (Clarke et al., 1979, 1984), and until recently, inter-election movements in party support have received virtually no attention (Clarke and Zuk, 1984; Erickson and Monroe, 1984). This paper focuses on the latter by analyzing monthly variations in the popularity of Canada’s three national parties as revealed by surveys conducted by the Canadian Institute of Public Opinion between March 1980 and June 1984.1 The time interval was bracketed by the reinstatement of a Liberal government and its ouster in one of the most crushing electoral defeats in recent Canadian history.
Image repair: A case study of Thierry Frémaux and the Cannes Film Festival

Abstract The Cannes Film Festival and its General Delegate or artistic director, Thierry Fremaux, have drawn sharp and on-going criticism from more than one feminist group concerning the under-representation of films directed by women in its most prestigious competition for the Palme d’Or. Using William L. Benoit’s theory of image repair as its framework, this analysis considers Fremaux’s responses to accusations of sexism in the Festival’s film selection process. A close reading of articles appearing in English-language newspapers, and entertainment trade publications and websites from 2010 through 2015, reveals that Fremaux has used a variety of strategies including denial, reducing offensiveness, differentiation, and transcendence. The analysis finds that Fremaux's efforts have been largely ineffective in repairing his image due to a lack of mortification, no promise of corrective action, and claims that are revealed to be inaccurate and uninformed.