cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robotic Grasping of Novel Objects using Vision

We consider the problem of grasping novel objects, specifically objects that are being seen for the first time through vision. Grasping a previously unknown object, one for which a 3-d model is not available, is a challenging problem. Furthermore, even if given a model, one still has to decide where to grasp the object. We present a learning algorithm that neither requires nor tries to build a 3-d model of the object. Given two (or more) images of an object, our algorithm attempts to identify a few points in each image corresponding to good locations at which to grasp the object. This sparse set of points is then triangulated to obtain a 3-d location at which to attempt a grasp. This is in contrast to standard dense stereo, which tries to triangulate every single point in an image (and often fails to return a good 3-d model). Our algorithm for identifying grasp locations from an image is trained by means of supervised learning, using synthetic images for the training set. We demonstrate this approach on two robotic manipulation platforms. Our algorithm successfully grasps a wide variety of objects, such as plates, tape rolls, jugs, cellphones, keys, screwdrivers, staplers, a thick coil of wire, a strangely shaped power horn and others, none of which were seen in the training set. We also apply our method to the task of unloading items from dishwashers.
Effect of Sulfur Dioxide Atmospheres on Efflorescence

The effect of sulfurous atmospheres on the efflorescence of structural clay materials was studied. An efflorescing shale and a nonefflorescing clay were fired in 5 and 0.5% sulfur dioxide atmospheres. The efflorescing tendency was determined by a wick-action type of test, and the efflorescing salts were analyzed by microchemical techniques. The effects of additions of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate to the nonefflorescing material were studied. Sulfate development in the drier was investigated by drying specimens in a sulfurous atmosphere. Efflorescence was obtained on specimens prepared from a normally nonefflorescing material when this material was fired in a sulfurous atmosphere; the efflorescence tendency was increased, however, by drying in an atmosphere containing sulfur dioxide.
Migraines, Angiographic Coronary Artery Disease and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Women

Abstract Purpose There are conflicting data regarding the association between migraines and cardiovascular events. We evaluated the relationship between migraine headaches, angiographic coronary artery disease, and cardiovascular events in women. Subjects and Methods The Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study is a National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-sponsored prospective, multicenter study aiming to improve ischemia evaluation in women. A total of 944 women presenting with chest pain or symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischemia were enrolled and underwent complete demographic, medical, and psychosocial history, physical examination, and coronary angiography testing. A smaller subset of 905 women, representing a mean age of 58 years, answered questions regarding a history of migraines. We prospectively followed 873 women for 4.4 years for cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Results Women reporting a history of migraines (n=220) had lower angiographic coronary severity scores, and less severe (≥ 70% luminal stenosis) angiographic coronary artery disease compared to women without a history of migraines (n=685). These differences remained statistically significant after adjustment for age and other important cardiac risk factors. On prospective follow-up of a median of 4.4 years, women with a history of migraines were not more likely to have a cardiovascular event (hazard ratio [HR] 1.2; 95% confidence interal [CI], 0.93–1.58) and migraines did not predict all-cause mortality (HR 0.96; 95% CI, 0.49–1.99). Conclusion Among women undergoing coronary angiography for suspected ischemia, those reporting migraines had less severe angiographic coronary artery disease. We could not support an association between migraines and cardiovascular events or death. Further research studying the common pathophysiology underlying migraines and cardiovascular disease is warranted.
A three-dimensional model of the human transglutaminase 1: insights into the understanding of lamellar ichthyosis.

The stratum corneum, the outer layer of the epidermis, serves as a protective barrier to isolate the skin from the external environment. Keratinocyte transglutaminase 1 (TGase 1) catalyzes amide crosslinking between glutamine and lysine residues on precursor proteins forming the impermeable layers of the epidermal cell envelopes (CE), the highly insoluble membranous structures of the stratum corneum. Patients with the autosomal recessive skin disorder lamellar ichthyosis (LI) appear to have deficient cross-linking of the cell envelope due to mutations identified in TGase 1, linking this enzyme to LI. In the absence of a crystal structure, molecular modeling was used to generate the structure of TGase 1. We have mapped the known mutations of TGase 1 from our survey obtained from a search of PubMed and successfully predicted the impact of these mutations on LI. Furthermore, we have identified Ca2+ binding sites and propose that Ca2+ induces a cis to trans isomerization in residues near the active site as part of the enzyme transamidation activation. Docking experiments suggest that substrate binding subsequently induces the reverse cis to trans isomerization, which may be a significant part of the catalytic process. These results give an interpretation at the molecular level of previously reported mutations and lead to further insights into the structural model of TGase 1, providing a new basis for understanding LI.
Neighborhood effects in visual word recognition: facilitatory or inhibitory?

In five experiments, in which subjects were to identify a target word as it was gradually clarified, we manipulated the target's frequency of occurrence in the language and its neighborhood size—the number of words that can be constructed from a target word by changing one letter, while preserving letter position. In Experiments 1–4, visual identification performance to screen-fragmented words was measured. In Experiments 1 and 2, we used the ascending method of limits, whereas Experiments 3 and 4 presented a fixed-level fragment. In Experiment 1, there was no relation between overall accuracy and neighborhood size for-words-between three and six letters in length. However, more errors of commission (guesses) were made for high-neighborhood words and more errors of omission (blanks) were made for low-neighborhood words. Letter errors within guesses occurred at serial positions having many neighbors, and these positions were also likely to contain consonants rather than vowels. In Experiment 2, a smallfacilitatory effect of neighborhood size on bothhigh- and low-frequency words was found. In contrast, in Experiments 3 and 4, using the same set of words,inhibitory effects of neighborhood size, but only for low-frequency words, were found. Experiment 5, using a speeded identification task, showed results parallel to those of Experiments 3 and 4. We suggest that whether neighborhood effects are facilitatory or inhibitory depends on whether feedback allows subjects to disconfirm initial hypotheses that the target is a high-frequency neighbor.
Nurse-assisted smoking counseling in medical settings: minimizing demands on physicians.

Background. In an effort to find more practical smoking intervention models for primary-care settings, three physician-and-nurse team approaches to patient counseling were compared with brief physician advice alone. Methods. Subjects were 3,161 adult smokers surveyed while waiting to see 1 of 40 primary-care physicians. Physicians delivered a brief stop-smoking prompt to 2,707 (86%) of these smokers and referred them to an on-site smoking counselor (e.g., nurse) who randomly provided a two-page pamphlet (advice-only control) or one of three brief nurse-assisted interventions: (a) self-quit training, (b) recruitment to a group program, or (c) a combination intervention. Smokers usually (87%) agreed to see the counselor. Results. After 3 months, subjects in the three nurse-assisted conditions were more likely to report a serious quit attempt (50% vs 39%, P < 0.001) than were physician-advice-only subjects. Quit rates at 3 months were also higher (P < 0.001) in the nurse-assisted self-quit (12.9%), recruitment (14.1%), and combination (13.0%) conditions, compared with those for brief physician advice only (7.6%). Conclusion. If long-term efficacy is confirmed, these nurse-assisted counseling approaches will serve as practical smoking intervention models for most medical-care delivery settings.
Effect of urbanization on surface water chemistry in south-central Texas

The use of state factors can adequately describe the biogeochemistry and geochemistry of relatively undisturbed surface waters. Watersheds with increasing proportions of urban and suburban land use, particularly in sub-tropical, semi-arid and arid urban areas, that utilize irrigation for turfgrass and landscaping may have a low flow urban signature that relates to the source water used by municipal water suppliers. We examined thirteen watersheds; four with waste water treatment plants (24–67% urbanization), four rural ( 30% urbanization) in a humid sub-tropical oak savannah in south-central Texas. Three of our urban and one of our rural watersheds displayed the signature of municipal tap water. Three out of four watersheds with waste water treatment plants displayed the signature of treated sewage effluent. We suggest as a result of this study that the chemistry of municipal tap water particularly that with high sodium and bicarbonate, used in urban watersheds for irrigating turfgrass and landscapes may have detrimental effects on base flow stream water quality after it has interacted with watershed soils.
The Effects of Systemic Hypotension on Postnatal Intestinal Hemodynamics and Oxygenation

This study investigated the effect of acute systemic hypotension, induced by pericardial tamponade, on intestinal hemodynamics and oxygenation in 3- and 35-d-old swine. To delineate intrinsic versus systemic responses, the effects of tamponade were compared with those noted after isolated pressure reduction to an innervated in vivo gut loop, achieved by local arterial constriction. Younger subjects demonstrated 16 and 58% increases in vascular resistance during constriction and tamponade, respectively, whereas older subjects exhibited an increase in resistance (27%) only during tamponade. Intestinal oxygen uptake decreased approximately 30% during both constriction and tamponade in the younger group, despite the greater effect of tamponade on gut perfusion. Older subjects exhibited no change in gut oxygenation during either perturbation. In a separate series of experiments, vasopressin, phenylephrine, and angiotensin II, each an element of the systemic pressor response, were infused into in vitro gut loops from 3- and 35-d-old swine. Vasopressin caused sustained vasoconstriction in both age groups; however, phenylephrine and angiotensin II caused greater sustained increases in intestinal vascular resistance in 3- than in 35-d-old intestine. We conclude that systemic hypotension compromises intestinal perfusion to a greater extent in younger subjects, although this effect is not associated with overwhelming tissue hypoxia. The pronounced rise in gut vascular resistance in 3-d-old intestine may reflect the additive effects of intrinsic and systemic vasoactive forces engaged during acute systemic hypotension.
Seasonal Variation in Soil Organic Carbon

Long-term changes in total soil organic C usually occur gradually. These long-term trends might be obscured by smaller, rapid changes in soil C due to seasonal inputs of plant residues, roots, and exudates, or decomposition of such inputs. Yet there is little, if any, data describing the magnitude of seasonal changes in soil C. If seasonal fluctuations in soil C are substantial, then important implications exist for accurate comparison of soil C between sites, between treatments, and even in the same experimental unit over time. Thirty-nine consecutive monthly soil samples were taken from a field experiment planted every year with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Pacific Northwest, United States. The variation in soil organic C was 14 to 16% of the mean over the 39-mo period in the top 250 kg m⁻² equivalent mass (∼0- to 20-cm depth). Two to eight percent could be identified as a regular seasonal pattern. The no-till management system had the greatest seasonal fluctuation, and the timing of the annual maximum was different from that of the tilled soil management treatments. In the shallower soil layer (∼0–7 cm), total soil organic C varied 12 to 29% in which 4 to 13% could be attributed to a 12-mo seasonal pattern. Given the small magnitude of changes in soil C being measured and modeled in many agricultural and natural systems, soil samples taken at a single point in time are likely to encounter substantial but hidden measurement variability. The variability may be compounded by factors of the timing of sampling in relation to natural soil organic matter cycles and differences in the cycle due to treatment and weather. Sampling plans, which account for seasonal fluctuation and the different fluctuation patterns under different soil situations, will improve measurement accuracy.
John Snow, the Broad Street pump and the precautionary principle

Abstract In 1854 John Snow was responsible for a major advance in environmental health science when he demonstrated that cholera epidemics were waterborne rather than airborne. By mapping the disease outbreak he identified a specific London water source, the Broad Street pump, as its proximate cause. Removal of the pump handle was temporally related to the end of the epidemic. For his very careful mapping of an epidemic resulting in a new understanding of the cause of disease John Snow is considered to be the father of the science of epidemiology. More recently, many who advocate the precautionary principle have adopted this historic event as paradigmatic of action taken under precaution. They point out that Snow's efforts occurred before the identification of the cholera microbe or an understanding of the germ theory of disease. Snow's example seems to demonstrate that it is important to act on the possible association of a cause with an effect without a theoretical underpinning for the association and in preference to obtaining the scientific information needed to appropriately inform the decision. In contrast, I argue that Snow, an accomplished inhalation toxicologist, used his basic science knowledge to discard the erroneous associations that had previously led to the belief that cholera was an airborne disease. Snow's action is in many ways the antithesis of a precautionary approach in that his rigorous science overturned mistaken and harmful conclusions about the cause of cholera, which had been based on well documented but non-causal associations.
Heroines Under Control: Unexpected Portrayals of Women in the Organ of the Bulgarian Communist Party, 1944–1989

This is a framing analysis of the news coverage of women's issues in the official newspaper of the Bulgarian Communist Party over three nonconsecutive years. At the start of the Communist regime, women were ideologically constructed as warriors and tearless mothers of lost sons, deserving of complete equality. In the 1960s, the emphasis unexpectedly shifted to fashion and beauty as part of the Party's pronatalist propaganda. The age of perestroika in the late 1980s deconstructed the “double burden” faced by women and suggested social policies to relieve it, while still maintaining that chores were women's work only. Throughout the decades, the ideal Bulgarian woman was seen as androgynous, combining masculine and feminine traits to both contribute to the country's industrialization and birth the next generation of male elites. The analysis shows how quasi-feminist policies offered women limited career fulfillment while maintaining oppressive expectations, such as having sons over daughters, being attracti...
Influence of acid-base pairs on film formation and catalysis for acidic acrylic latexes

Abstract The influence of neutralizing agents was investigated using strong and weak acids with three different amines. Acidic acrylic latexes were synthesized through free radical emulsion copolymerization of butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid or 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate. Both strong (sulfonic) and weak (carboxylic) acids were neutralized with three amines, N , N -dimethyl-methylamine, N , N -dimethyl-1-butanamine and N -methyl-morpholine. Uncrosslinked neutralized and un-neutralized latex samples were monitored for water loss (drying parameters), pH development and amine evolution during drying. Surface morphology was monitored during the later stages of film coalescence. For the weak acid, amine volatility was the controlling factor for film formation kinetics, and pH reduction. For the strong acid, volatility of the amine was not a factor. The process of deblocking was governed by the acid–base equilibrium.
Relationships between parental ratings of infant temperament risk status, and delivery method

One hundred forty parents rated the temperament of their infants between the ages of 4 and 8 months. Analyses of the data examined the relationships between temperament and infant risk status (high or low), delivery method (vaginal or cesarean section), and the combined effects of infant risk status and delivery method. Although high-risk and low-risk infants were similar on the easy-difficult profile ratings of the revised infant temperament questionnaire, high-risk infants were rated more adaptable and more positive in mood than were the low-risk infants. Low-risk infants delivered by cesarean section were rated less optimally on three of the temperament factor scores, including withdrawal, mood, and adaptability. Interpretations of these findings are discussed and suggestions are offered for nurse practitioners and their provision of pediatric care to infants and their families.
Isolation of Δ8(14)-cholesten-3β-ol from rat skin

Abstract In recent studies of the mechanism of the enzymatic removal of the methyl group attached to carbon atom 14 of cholesterol precursors two groups have reported that Δ 8(14) -sterols serve as efficient precursors of cholesterol. Fried, Dudowitz, and Brown 1968 have shown that 4,4-dimethyl-Δ 8(14) -cholesten-3β-ol is convertible to cholesterol in rat liver homogenate preparations. In studies with similar preparations of rat liver in this laboratory (Lee and Schroepfer, 1968) the facile conversion of Δ 8(14) -cholesten-3β-ol to cholesterol has also been demonstrated. In this communication, we wish to present evidence indicating that Δ 8(14) -cholesten-3β-ol is present in rat skin. This report constitutes the first isolation of this compound from animal tissues.
Fermion masses on the vortex world sheet

Massless two-dimensional fermion modes on a vortex may be paired and given masses, resulting in a variety of effects. One is that superconductivity is suppressed. Another is that cosmic strings with topologically determined charge per unit length are possible. Some simple mechanisms for mass generation are discussed and various other issues in fermion-vortex physics are dealt with.
Molecular Mechanism for ATP‐Dependent Closure of the K+ Channel Kir6.2

In the ATP-dependent K+ (KATP) channel pore-forming protein Kir6.2, mutation of three positively charged residues, R50, K185 and R201, impairs the ability of ATP to close the channel. The mutations do not change the channel open probability (Po) in the absence of ATP, supporting the involvement of these residues in ATP binding. We recently proposed that at least two of these positively charged residues, K185 and R201, interact with ATP phosphate groups to cause channel closure: the β phosphate group of ATP interacts with K185 to initiate closure, while the α phosphate interacts with R201 to stabilize the channel's closed state. In the present study we replaced these three positive residues with residues of different charge, size and hydropathy. For K185 and R201, we found that charge, more than any other property, controls the interaction of ATP with Kir6.2. At these positions, replacement with another positive residue had minor effects on ATP sensitivity. In contrast, replacement of K185 with a negative residue (K185D/E) decreased ATP sensitivity much more than neutral substitutions, suggesting that an electrostatic interaction between the β phosphate group of ATP and K185 destabilizes the open state of the channel. At R201, replacement with a negative charge (R201E) had multiple effects, decreasing ATP sensitivity and preventing full channel closure at high concentrations. In contrast, the R50E mutation had a modest effect on ATP sensitivity, and only residues such as proline and glycine that affect protein structure caused major decreases in ATP sensitivity at the R50 position. Based on these results and the recently published structure of Kir3.1 cytoplasmic domain, we propose a scheme where binding of the β phosphate group of ATP to K185 induces a motion of the surrounding region, which destabilizes the open state, favouring closure of the M2 gate. Binding of the α phosphate group of ATP to R201 then stabilizes the closed state. R50 on the N-terminus controls ATP binding by facilitating the interaction of the β phosphate group of ATP with K185 to destabilize the open state.
Regulation of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein expression by thyroid hormone in rat GH3 pituitary tumor cells

Rat pituitary GH3 tumor cells express GH and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNAs and possess specific IGF-I and IGF-II receptors which mediate the inhibitory effect of IGF on GH secretion. T3 increases the rate of cell replication and GH gene transcription, and causes an increase in IGF-I binding to cell membranes. Since the IGFs circulate in association with specific binding proteins (IGFBPs) that appear to modulate the access of IGFs to their receptors, we have investigated the effect of T3 treatment on the expression of IGFBPs in GH3 cells. Cells were grown in serum-free defined medium, and IGFBP secretion was determined by Western ligand blotting of conditioned medium after the addition of T3 and/or various peptides for 48-72 h. The conditioned medium of GH3 cells revealed a complex of bands migrating at 40-45 Mr, a pattern typical of rat (r) IGFBP-3. T3 treatment resulted in an increase in rIGFBP-3. IGF-I, IGF-II, and insulin did not alter rIGFBP-3 levels. After concentrating (10-fold) conditi...
Comparative effects of nicotine and amphetamine on timing behavior in rats.

Abstract The effects of nicotine (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg; base) and amphetamine (0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg; base) were tested on the timing behavior in rats. Both the drugs caused an increase in the number of responses and a decrease in reinforcement, and thus disrupted the timing behavior. No consistent delayed effect was observed with these doses. In case of both the drugs, a rough dose-effect relation could be demonstrated, and the inter-response time distributions were found to be shifted to the shorter class intervals, consistent increase occurring in the intermediate interval group.
Constitutional craftsmanship and the rule of law

Is “rule of law” anything more than a fictional allusion? After all, “law” is an abstract noun, and abstract nouns can’t rule. Only people can rule. The conceptual framework of constitutional political economy invokes a central distinction between choosing rules and playing within those rules. Claims on behalf of a rule of law require a sharp distinction between the enforcement of agreed-upon rules and arbitrary changes in those rules. This paper explores whether there are constitutional arrangements under which it could reasonably be claimed that governance reflects a deep level operation of a rule of law despite the surface level recognition that it is men who rule. With the exercise of rulership being a social process and not a matter of individual action, the network pattern through which rules are enforced takes on particular significance. In particular, polycentric architectures are generally more consistent with rule of law than monocentric architectures.
Spectroscopy of jet-cooled phenylsilanes: The influence of hyperconjugation

Abstract Supersonic free jet spectra have been obtained for the compounds phenylsilane, phenyltrimethylsilane, and phenylpentamethyldisilane. Unlike the spectra of analogous alkylbenzenes, strong progression structures are seen for the silylbenzenes. It is argued that the spectroscopic differences arise from differences in hyperconjugation between the excited and ground states.
Ethnic Differences in Neonatal and Postneonatal Mortality

Objective. Ethnic disparities in infant mortality have been consistently documented in the United States, but these disparities are poorly understood. Although the infant mortality rate in the United States has fallen to record low rates, since 1971 the ethnic disparity between black and white infants has remained unchanged or increased. In 2001, the infant mortality rate among black infants was ∼2.5 times higher than the rate among white and Hispanic infants. The objective of this study was to identify ethnic differences in neonatal and postneonatal mortality as well as the causes and risk factors among infants born in California. Methods. Secondary analysis was performed of 1 277 393 singleton infants live-born to black, Latina, and white women from the California linked birth-infant death certificate from 1995 to 1997. The dependent variables were infant death (defined as an infant who died in the first year of life [death 2 and exact test statistics were used to compare the distribution of maternal and infant characteristics and cause-of-death rates by maternal ethnicity. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to estimate the relationship between maternal ethnicity, maternal and infant factors, and risk of infant mortality. Results. In both the neonatal and postneonatal periods, black women had higher infant mortality rates than Latina or white women for conditions originating in the perinatal period (including respiratory distress syndrome) and symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions (including sudden infant death syndrome). After adjusting for maternal and infant characteristics, there were no significant ethnic differences for neonatal mortality. For postneonatal mortality, black women had a higher risk (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.10-1.42) and Latina women had a lower risk (OR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.71-0.89) compared with white women after adjusting for maternal and infant factors. In analyses of all ethnic groups combined, as well as ethnic-specific analyses, the strongest predictors of neonatal and postneonatal death were infant birth weight of Conclusions. Causes of infant mortality and risk factors for infant mortality differed by maternal ethnicity, indicating a need to tailor prevention and education efforts, especially during the postneonatal period. To achieve national infant mortality goals, health professionals and policy makers should continue to emphasize the importance of early and continuous prenatal care and develop new strategies to reduce the incidence of low birth weight and premature infants. Ethnic-specific approaches may be needed to further reduce infant mortality rates and achieve our national goal to eliminate ethnic disparities in perinatal outcomes.
Engineering Fluid Dynamics: Derivations and Transformations of the Conservation Equations

In order to obtain the basic transport equations, a suitable computational domain is selected and the conservation laws for mass, momentum, and energy are applied. The form of the resulting equations, including constitutive equations to gain closure, depends largely on the type of approach taken in terms of “suitable model selection.” As discussed in Section 1.2.1 for the closed system approach, we consider a deformable volume moving with the fluid such that the individual fluid particles are always accounted for (Lagrange). In contrast, from the Eulerian point of view (open system), we consider a fixed control volume with the fluid moving through it. When these fixed or moving volumes are of finite extent, rate equations or integral equations can be directly obtained for the global flow quantities such as flow rates and forces (cf. Reynolds Transport Theorem). When such a system volume or control volume shrinks to an infinitesimally small fluid element of the flow field, differential equations can be directly obtained for the local flow quantities such as velocities and pressure. Alternatively, one could take a molecular approach (as done at supercomputing research centers) where the fundamental laws of nature are directly applied to the individual moving, and colliding molecules of a particular fluid in motion. In summary, engineers prefer the Eulerian framework, that is, mass, momentum, and energy balances for an open system.
Model-based system engineering of the Orion flight test 1 end-to-end information system

Recent advances in modeling tools and techniques show the promise of significantly improving our ability to effectively apply systems engineering techniques to complex system-of-systems architectures. In this paper we describe our experience with the application of a model-based approach (based on SysML) to the capture and analysis of the end-to-end information systems supporting the first unmanned test flight of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Exploration Vehicle. The paper describes the EFT-1 mission, the approaches used to define the underlying models, how the models are related, and how viewpoints are used to address specific stakeholder concerns. The paper also provides a brief summary of the observed benefits of this approach as well as key lessons learned.
Minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) modeling of voiced speech

In this paper we propose the MVDR method, which is based upon the minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) spectrum estimation method, for modeling voiced speech. Developed to overcome some of the shortcomings of linear prediction models, the MVDR method provides better models for medium and high pitch voiced speech. The MVDR model is an all-pole model whose spectrum is easily obtained from a modest non-iterative computation involving the linear prediction coefficients thereby retaining some of the computational attractiveness of LPC methods. With the proper choice of filter order, which is dependent on the number of harmonics, the MVDR spectrum models the formants and spectral powers of voiced speech exactly. An efficient reduced model order MVDR method is developed to further enhance its applicability. An extension of the reduced order MVDR method for recovering the correct amplitudes of the harmonics of voiced speech is also presented.
Tertiary Amide Rotation in a Nanoscale Host

A self-assembled cylindrical capsule provides a nanoscale environment that affects the rotational barriers of tertiary amides. Measurements of the activation energies for the rotations and behaviors of the amides inside the capsule were determined by using 1H NMR spectroscopic methods in deuterated mesitylene solution. For amides 3–8, rotation rates can decrease or increase in the capsule by up to an order of magnitude from those of the free amides in solution depending on the structure of the amides. The acceleration/deceleration of the rotation results from selective destabilization/stabilization of the ground state or the transition state. In the case of compound 10, the rotation generates two isomers that are equimolar in solution but inside the capsule only one of them is observed. Accordingly, the rotation rate is slowed by several orders of magnitude inside the capsule. In the case of amide 8, a competition experiment indicates that the acceleration of the rotation inside the capsule is due to destabilization of the ground state. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Effect of Fastener-Deck Strength on the Wind-Uplift Performance of Mechanically Attached Roofing Assemblies

A roofing system consists of a waterproof membrane, attachments, cover board (if present), insulation, and vapor or air barrier [retarder (if present)]. A roof assembly is a roof system that includ...
Specific and Covalent Targeting of Conjugating and Deconjugating Enzymes of Ubiquitin-Like Proteins

Modification of proteins by ubiquitin (Ub)-like proteins (UBLs) plays an important role in many cellular processes, including cell cycle progression, nuclear transport, and autophagy. Protein modification occurs via UBL-conjugating and -deconjugating enzymes, which presumably exert a regulatory function by determining the conjugation status of the substrate proteins. To target and identify UBL-modifying enzymes, we produced Nedd8, ISG15, and SUMO-1 in Escherichia coli and equipped them with a C-terminal electrophilic trap (vinyl sulfone [VS]) via an intein-based method. These C-terminally modified UBL probes reacted with purified UBL-activating (E1), -conjugating (E2), and -deconjugating enzymes in a covalent fashion. Modified UBLs were radioiodinated and incubated with cell lysates prepared from mouse cell lines and tissues to allow visualization of polypeptides reactive with individual UBL probes. The cell type- and tissue-specific labeling patterns observed for the UBL probes reflect distinct expression profiles of active enzymes, indicating tissue-specific functions of UBLs. We identify Ub C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) and DEN1/NEDP1/SENP8, in addition to UCH-L3, as proteases with specificity for Nedd8. The Ub-specific protease isopeptidase T/USP5 is shown to react with ISG15-VS. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the desumoylation enzyme SuPr-1 can be modified by SUMO-1-VS, a modification that is dependent on the SuPr-1 active-site cysteine. The UBL probes described here will be valuable tools for the further characterization of the enzymatic pathways that govern modification by UBLs.
Mass spectrum and correlation functions of non-Abelian quantum magnetic monopoles.

The method of quantization of magnetic monopoles based on the order-disorder duality existing between the monopole operator and the Lagrangian fields is applied to the description of the quantum magnetic monopoles of't Hooft and Polyakov in the SO(3) Georgi-Glashow model. The commutator of the monopole operator with the magnetic charge is computed explicitly, indicating that indeed the quantum monopole carries $\frac{4\ensuremath{\pi}}{g}$ units of magnetic charge. An explicit expression for the asymptotic behavior of the monopole correlation function is derived. From this, the mass of the quantum monopole is obtained. The tree-level result for the quantum monopole mass is shown to satisfy the Bogomol'nyi bound (${M}_{\mathrm{mon}}\ensuremath{\ge}\frac{4\ensuremath{\pi}M}{{g}^{2}}$) and to be within the range of values found for the energy of the classical monopole solution.
TURBULENT SEPARATION AVOIDANCE FOR TAIL-LOADED FULLY CAVITATING HYDROFOIL SECTIONS

This paper presents a method for prescribing pressure distributions which use a Stratford pressure recovery on parts of the wetted surfaces of fully cavitating hydrofoil sections. These pressure distributions are then used in an inverse design method at the ideal attack angle (shockless entry). Such pressure distributions are most useful for tail-loaded profiles because they permit the most rapid pressure rise possible with an attached turbulent boundary layer. Examples are presented which show that very rapid pressure rises can be employed for such profiles. It is concluded that one can design practical profiles which have heavily loaded trailing edges without inducing turbulent separation.
Crowding Peter to Educate Paul: Lessons from a Class Size Reduction Externality.

Abstract This paper examines an increase in upper elementary class sizes in California associated with the K-3 class size reduction program. I also use the variation in fourth and fifth grade class size generated by idiosyncratic first and second grade reductions required to meet program rules to identify a negative impact of larger class sizes on achievement in upper elementary grades. These quasi-experimental findings generally agree with results of prior foreign and fixed-effects studies on upper grade levels, though my estimates are larger in some cases. The findings also imply that any evaluation strategy for class size reduction that uses upper grades as implicit or explicit controls is likely flawed.
NorB, an Efflux Pump in Staphylococcus aureus Strain MW2, Contributes to Bacterial Fitness in Abscesses

While remaining a major problem in hospitals, Staphylococcus aureus is now spreading in communities. Strain MW2 (USA400 lineage) and other community methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains most commonly cause skin infections with abscess formation. Multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pumps contribute to antimicrobial resistance but may also contribute to bacterial survival by removal of environmental toxins. In S. aureus, NorA, NorB, NorC, and Tet38 are chromosomally encoded efflux pumps whose overexpression can confer MDR to quinolones and other compounds (Nor pumps) or tetracyclines alone (Tet38), but the natural substrates of these pumps are not known. To determine the role of these efflux pumps in a natural environment in the absence of antibiotics, we used strain MW2 in a mouse subcutaneous abscess model and compared pump gene expression as determined by reverse transcription-PCR in the abscesses and in vitro. norB and tet38 were selectively upregulated in vivo more than 171- and 24-fold, respectively, whereas norA and norC were downregulated. These changes were associated with an increase in expression of mgrA, which encodes a transcriptional regulator known to affect pump gene expression. In competition experiments using equal inocula of a norB or tet38 mutant and parent strain MW2, each mutant exhibited growth defects of about two- to threefold in vivo. In complementation experiments, a single-copy insertion of norB (but not a single-copy insertion of tet38) in the attB site within geh restored the growth fitness of the norB mutant in vivo. Our findings indicate that some MDR pumps, like NorB, can facilitate bacterial survival when they are overexpressed in a staphylococcal abscess and may contribute to the relative resistance of abscesses to antimicrobial therapy, thus linking bacterial fitness and resistance in vivo.
Interior channels in Martian valley networks: Discharge and runoff production

The highland valley networks are perhaps the most compelling evidence for widespread fluvial activity on Mars .3.5 Ga. However, determining the hydrology of these features has been difficult owing to poor image resolution and the lack of available topographic data. New orbital imaging reveals 21 late-stage channels within valley networks, which we use to estimate formative discharges and to evaluate water supply mechanisms. We find that channel width and associated formative discharge are comparable to terrestrial valley networks of similar area and relief. For 15 narrow channels in basin-filling networks, likely episodic runoff production rates up to centimeters per day and first-order formative discharges of ;300‐3000 m 3 /s are similar to terrestrial floods supplied by precipitation. Geothermal melting of ground ice would produce discharges ;100 times smaller per unit area and would require pulsed outbursts to form the channels. In four large valleys with few tributaries, wider channels may represent large subsurface outflows or paleolake overflows, as these four channels originate at breached basin divides and/or near source regions for the catastrophic outflow channels.
Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Efficient Adaptive Pulse Compression

Adaptive filtering for radar pulse compression has been shown to improve sidelobe suppression through the estimation of an appropriate pulse compression filter for each individual range cell of interest. However, the relatively high computational cost of full-dimension, adaptive range processing may limit practical implementation in many current real-time systems. Dimensionality reduction techniques are here employed to approximate the framework for pulse compression filter estimation. Within this approximate framework, two new minimum mean square error (MMSE) based adaptive algorithms are derived. The two algorithms are denoted as specific embodiments of the fast adaptive pulse compression (FAPC) method and are shown to maintain performance close to that of full-dimension adaptive processing, while reducing computation cost by nearly an order of magnitude (in terms of the discretized waveform length N).
A Comparison of Hydrogenic Pellet Ablation Models with Experiment

This paper reports on several theories developed over the past 15 years to describe the ablation of a solid hydrogenic pellet injected into a hot plasma. The most widely accepted theory is the neutral gas shielding model. This model has been expanded to include ablation by fast ions (as well as electrons), realistic particle distribution functions, self-limiting ablation, and a cold ionized plasma shield beyond the ablating gas. Ablation measurements, including absolute pellet penetration and ablation profiles, from the Impurity Study Experiment, Poloidal Divertor Experiment, Doublet-III, Alcator-C, Tokamak Fontenay-aux-Roses, T-10, Texas Experimental Tokamak, Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, and Joint European Torus experiments are compared with variations of the neutral gas shielding model under a range of input assumptions.
Multiround algorithms for scheduling divisible loads

Divisible load applications occur in many fields of science and engineering and can be easily parallelized in a master-worker fashion, but pose several scheduling challenges. While a number of approaches have been proposed that allocate load to workers in a single round, using multiple rounds improves overlap of computation with communication. Unfortunately, multiround algorithms are difficult to analyze and have thus received only limited attention. In this paper, we answer three open questions in the multiround divisible load scheduling area: 1) how to account for latencies, 2) how to account for heterogeneous platforms, and 3) how many rounds should be used. To answer 1), we derive the first closed-form optimal schedule for a homogeneous platform with both computation and communication latencies, for a given number of rounds. To answer 2) and 3), we present a novel algorithm, UMR. We evaluate UMR in a variety of realistic scenarios.
Vitamins C and E to prevent complications of pregnancy-associated hypertension

Background Oxidative stress has been proposed as a mechanism linking the poor placental perfusion characteristic of preeclampsia with the clinical manifestations of the disorder. We assessed the effects of antioxidant supplementation with vitamins C and E, initiated early in pregnancy, on the risk of serious adverse maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes related to pregnancy-associated hypertension. Methods We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial involving nulliparous women who were at low risk for preeclampsia. Women were randomly assigned to begin daily supplementation with 1000 mg of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E or matching placebo between the 9th and 16th weeks of pregnancy. The primary outcome was severe pregnancy-associated hypertension alone or severe or mild hypertension with elevated liver-enzyme levels, thrombocytopenia, elevated serum creatinine levels, eclamptic seizure, medically indicated preterm birth, fetal-growth restriction, or perinatal death. Results A total of ...
Phosphodiesterases inhibition by Bacilli Calmette-Guérin contributes to decrease asthma in allergic rats.

Phosphodiesterases (PDE) hydrolyse intracellular cAMP and cGMP to inactive 5’ monophosphates. Decreased level of cAMP is involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. We and others have shown that phosphodiesterases were upregulated in the lung of allergic rats, and Bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) induced the production of cAMP in vitro . However, it is unclear how BCG’s effect asthma and whether it is related to PDEs. In this study, BCG was intraperitoneally injected into male Sprague-Dawley rats sensitized and later the rats were challenged with ovabumin/pertusis. The inflammation in lungs was measured. Airway hyperresponsiveness was determined using MedLab software after intravenous methacholine challenge. Furthermore, cAMP level and adenylate cyclase activity in lungs were analyzed by ELISA, phosphodiesterases activities were analyzed by HPLC, while PDEs mRNA levels in lungs was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Administration of BCG significantly attenuated allergen-induced lung inflammatory response and hyper responsiveness as compared with vehicle treatment. Furthermore, the levels of cAMP in lungs were significantly increased in BCG-treated allergic rats. Interestingly, administration of BCG decreased the activity of cAMP-PDE, but not adenylyl cyclase (AC), activity in lungs of animals. Furthermore, pretreatment with BCG significantly decreased the mRNA levels of PDE4A, 4C, 5 and 8, which were induced in lungs of allergic rats. BCG administration attenuated airway inflammatory response and bronchial hyper responsiveness in rats, which are the most important symptoms in asthma. The decreased PDEs mRNA and inhibited cAMP-PDE activities by BCG contribute, at least in part, prevention of allergen-induced airway inflammation and asthma in rats.
The utility of surfers’ wave knowledge for coastal management

Abstract In the face of environmental change, managing coastal resources effectively to benefit coastal stakeholders means understanding both complex coastal processes and the needs of stakeholders. Surfers are a culturally and economically significant group of coastal resource users who, in the act of participating in their sport, can acquire deep knowledge about the coastal environment and about wave resources in particular. As the primary users of wave resources, surfers could contribute substantially to both understanding the resources themselves and supplying locally-relevant data to inform their management. This study investigates the local knowledge of surfers through two surveys of more than one thousand California surfers and promulgates, based on survey data, a formal definition of surfers’ local knowledge as "wave knowledge." In so doing, this study makes the case that wave knowledge can be used to inform coastal management decision-making in those situations where wave resources, and thus the growing stakeholder group of surfers, could possibly be affected.
Calcium Activated Oxygen Evolution

In PSII preparations lacking the 17 and 23 kDa water-soluble polypeptides, Cl− and Ca+2 are required for oxygen evolution (1). The role each of these ions play in oxygen evolution is not understood. There is disagreement in the literature about the dissociation constants (2–5) for each of these ions. The only mechanism previously proposed for the interaction between the ions suggests that they are independent, non-interacting activators (5). Much of the confusion in the literature can be attributed to cationic inhibitors of Ca+2-activated oxygen evolution present during assays. To simplify experimental variables, a summary of the information available on these inhibitors is presented. In the steady state, membranes free of cationic inhibitors function in a rapid equilibrium ordered mechanism where Ca+2 binds prior to chloride. The KCl is 5mM and KCa is 0.03mM.