cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MR imaging of sodium in the human brain with a fast three-dimensional gradient-recalled-echo sequence at 4 T.

Abstract Rationale and Objectives Sodium ions play a vital role in cellular homeostasis and electrochemical activity throughout the human body. However, the in vivo detection of sodium (23Na) with magnetic resonance (MR) techniques is hindered by the fast transverse relaxation, low tissue equivalent concentration, and small gyromagnetic ratio of sodium ions compared with protons (1H). The goals of this study were to acquire MR images of sodium in the whole human brain by using a fast three-dimensional gradient-recalled-echo sequence and to investigate the effect that restrictions on specific absorption ratio have on MR imaging of sodium at 4 T. Materials and Methods A three-dimensional gradient-recalled-echo sequence with short echo time was developed for MR imaging of sodium. Slab encoding was removed and a hard excitation pulse was used. Five healthy human volunteers were examined in a whole-body MR imager with the use of a custom transmit-and-receive birdcage coil. Fields of view were selected to cover the entire brain: 38 × 38 cm in the axial plane, with 24 sections of 5.8 mm each or 12 sections of 1.1 cm each. The in-plane acquisition matrix was 64 × 128, and voxel size was 0.2 cm3. Results Sodium in white matter was depicted with an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio of 20–25. The echo time, and hence the signal-to-noise ratio, was limited by the MR imager's maximum allowable gradient strength. To keep the specific absorption ratio below 3 W/kg (the limit established by the Food and Drug Administration), it was necessary to prolong the repetition time to 30 msec. Conclusion The MR imaging protocol used in this study provided acceptable visualization of sodium in the whole brain in a tolerable total acquisition time of 15 minutes.
Exact Algorithms for Linear Programming over Algebraic Extensions

Abstract. We study the computational complexity of linear programs with coefficients that are real algebraic numbers under a Turing machine model of computation. After reviewing a method for exact representation of algebraic numbers under the Turing model, we show that the fundamental tasks of comparison and arithmetic can be performed in polynomial time. Our technique for establishing polynomial-time algorithms for comparison and arithmetic is distinct from the usual resultant-based approaches, and has the advantage that it provides a natural framework for analysis of the complexity of computational tasks, such as Gaussian elimination, that involve a sequence of arithmetic operations. Our main contribution is to show that a variant of the ellipsoid method can be used to solve linear programming in time polynomial in the encoding size of the problem coefficients and the degree of any algebraic extension that contains those coefficients.
Strained endotaxial nanostructures with high thermoelectric figure of merit

Thermoelectric materials can directly generate electrical power from waste heat but the challenge is in designing efficient, stable and inexpensive systems. Nanostructuring in bulk materials dramatically reduces the thermal conductivity but simultaneously increases the charge carrier scattering, which has a detrimental effect on the carrier mobility. We have experimentally achieved concurrent phonon blocking and charge transmitting via the endotaxial placement of nanocrystals in a thermoelectric material host. Endotaxially arranged SrTe nanocrystals at concentrations as low as 2% were incorporated in a PbTe matrix doped with Na(2)Te. This effectively inhibits the heat flow in the system but does not affect the hole mobility, allowing a large power factor to be achieved. The crystallographic alignment of SrTe and PbTe lattices decouples phonon and electron transport and this allows the system to reach a thermoelectric figure of merit of 1.7 at ~800 K.
Electrically active nanomaterials as improved neural tissue regeneration scaffolds

Numerous biomaterials have provided promising results toward improving the function of injured nervous system tissue. However, significant hurdles, such as delayed or incomplete tissue regeneration, remain toward full functional recovery of nervous system tissue. Because of this continual need for better nervous system biomaterials, more recent approaches to design the next generation of tissue engineering scaffolds for the nervous system have incorporated nanotechnology, or more specifically, nanoscale surface feature dimensions which mimic natural neural tissue. Compared to conventional materials with micron-scale surface dimensions, nanomaterials have exhibited an ability to enhance desirable neural cell activity while minimizing unwanted cell activity, such as reactive astrocyte activity in the central nervous system. The complexity of neural tissue injury and the presence of inhibitory cues as well as the absence of stimulatory cues may require multifaceted treatment approaches with customized biomaterials that nanotechnology can provide. Combinations of stimulatory cues may be used to incorporate nanoscale topographical and chemical or electrical cues in the same scaffold to provide an environment for tissue regeneration that is superior to inert scaffolds. Ongoing research in the field of electrically active nanomaterials includes the fabrication of composite materials with nanoscale, piezoelectric zinc oxide particles embedded into a polymer matrix. Zinc oxide, when mechanically deformed through ultrasound, for example, can theoretically provide an electrical stimulus, a known stimulatory cue for neural tissue regeneration. The combination of nanoscale surface dimensions and electrical activity may provide an enhanced neural tissue regeneration environment; such multifaceted nanotechnology approaches deserve further attention in the neural tissue regeneration field. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2010 2 635–647 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
Immunomodulatory and Antiproliferative Effect of Recombinant Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Interferons on Cultured Human Malignant Squamous Cell Lines, SCL-1 and SW-1271

Two different human malignant squamous cell lines (SCL-1 and SW-1271) and normal human foreskin fibroblasts were treated with recombinant human alpha, beta, and gamma interferons. HLA-DR expression was induced in a concentration-dependent fashion only on the SCL-1 cells treated with recombinant human gamma interferon (r-IFN-γ) (10 2 -10 3 U/ml). No HLA-DR expression was observed with alpha or beta interferon on either malignant squamous cell line, nor with gamma interferon on SW-1271 cells. All three interferons reduced the number of malignant cells growing in culture but had no effect on the fibroblasts. There was a concentration-dependent growth-inhibitory response of the malignant cells by the interferons (dose range 1-10 3 U/ml; 7.1 × 10 -12 M to 7.1 × 10 -9 M). The SCL-1 cells were 10 2 more sensitive (based on weight) to the antiproliferative effects of gamma interferon than alpha or beta interferon. A brief (30-min) exposure of the SCL- 1 cells to r-IFN-γ (10 2 and 10 2 U/mI) produced approximately the same inhibition of cell growth as continuous exposure over a 2-week period. The SW-1271 cells were equally sensitive to alpha, beta, and gamma interferons. However, the maximal inhibitory effect on SW-1271 cells was less than that observed for the SCL- 1 cells. combining beta and gamma interferon resulted in cytotoxicity with SCL- 1 cells and additive cytostatic effect on the SW-1271 cells. These additional malignant cell lines with their different sensitivities to alpha, beta, and gamma interferons may prove useful in studying the mechanisms of action of various interferons.
A proposal for the clinical use of flecainide

Effective antiarrhythmic therapy requires a carefully considered approach, including an understanding of the arrhythmia, the underlying cardiac disease and the drug's pharmacokinetics. Flecainide is a new antiarrhythmic drug that may soon be released for general use. Flecainide demonstrates unsurpassed efficacy in chronic ventricular arrhythmias in stable patients and may become a first-choice drug because of its ease of administration, efficacy and favorable tolerance. Twice-daily dosing with 100 to 200 mg usually provides effective therapy. Clinical experience suggests flecainide to be indicated in the treatment of uniform and multiform ventricular premature complexes, coupled ventricular premature complexes, and episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. A lower response rate is observed in preventing induction of sustained ventricular tachycardia, and these patients should be carefully selected. Flecainide is promising in the treatment of supraventricular tachycardias using atrioventricular nodal or extranodal reentrant pathways, although this use is still investigational in the United States. The drug's use for arrhythmias during acute myocardial infarction requires further study. Flecainide possesses modest negative inotropic potential. Proarrhythmic or other adverse reactions have occurred primarily in settings of high drug level, poor ventricular function or refractory, malignant arrhythmias, suggesting caution in these groups.
Row Depth Effects on Vortex Shedding and Turbulent Buffeting Formation

P vortex shedding or buffeting excitations caused by flow passing through finned tube banks have caused acoustic resonance problems in some boilers. The resonance is caused by the coincidence of the natural acoustic frequency with the oscillations in the flow through the tube bundle. When published data failed to adequately correlate the tones, an extensive laboratory test program was undertaken to extend the range of available data.
Nickel-rich magnesiowiistite in Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary spherules crystallized from ultramafic, refractory silicate liquids

We have found trace inclusions of Ni-rich magnesiowastite within grains of magnesioferrite spinel recovered from Cretaceous /Tertiary boundary sediments from DSDP Site 596, South Pacific (23°51.20′S, 169°39.27′W) and DSDP Site 577, North Pacific (3°6.51′N, 157°43.40′E). Measured compositions of these inclusions range from (Mg.85Ni.74Fe,17) O to (Mg.74Ni.09Fe.1.7) O. Coexisting magnesioferrite and magnesiowastite can only crystallize from ultramafic, refractory, Mg-rich liquids with MgSi > 2 (atom ratio). Such liquid compositions cannot form as a result of fractional crystallization and are unknown to occur as a result of terrestrial igneous processes or meteoroid ablation. We infer that these minerals crystallized from liquid droplets that equilibrated with silicate vapor at high temperatures (probably >2300°C), resulting in fractionation of volatile SiO2 from more refractory MgO. The most plausible source of this high-temperature vapor is in the fireball of the major impact event that terminated the Cretaceous.
Emotional Intelligence in Christian Higher Education.

This paper explores the importance of emotional intelligence in Christian higher education. Specifically, it addresses possible implications between emotional intelligence skills and success in the areas of learning, mental health, and career preparation. The paper addresses the following questions: Is there a positive relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement? Does emotional intelligence provide tools that enable students to conquer depression, chronic anger, and burnout? Is emotional intelligence necessary to ensure the students’ later success at work? One of the primary tasks students engage in during the college years is managing emotions (Chickering, 1969). Therefore, this paper examines emotional intelligence skills such as self-awareness, managing emotions, motivation, empathy, and social intelligence (Goleman, 1995). A biblical reflection is also presented.
Beefcake versus cheesecake in the 1990s: Sexist portrayals of both genders in television commercials

After nearly three decades, the issue of gender portrayals in advertising continues to generate debate among scholars and practitioners alike. The literature chronicles a tradition of sex stereotyping, attractive caricatures, and gender‐specific product‐model relations. Amidst concerns that such protrayals fulfill hegemonic functions, the present study investigates the extent to which sexism is used in television advertising, focusing on male as well as female portrayals. Content analysis of advertising from one week's worth of major network television programming (n = 505) confirms general trends noted in the literature. Both women and men were depicted largely in stereotypical “traditional”; roles, though women were twice as likely to be shown as “cheesecake”; than men were as “beefcake.”; This seems inconsistent with research on prime‐time television since 1980, an era when women were afforded more respect, intelligence, and independence. Yet men were no more likely than women to be presented in stereo...
Wildcat Strikes in U.S. Manufacturing, 1960-1977

Using data from theBureau of Labor Statistics: Historical File, a model of wildcat strike incidence is estimated. The model supports the hypothesis that the incidence of wildcat strikes is related to the underlying relationship between the parties. In addition, national economic and political trends, industry-specific factors, and firm-specific factors have an impact on strike activity.
A sub-audio time delay circuit

Through the use of an electronic differential analyzer arranged to give a sixth-order approximation of the Laplace shift operator, it is possible to reproduce an input signal and delay it T seconds when the highest angular frequency present in the input signal does not exceed 12/T. Inaccuracy due to nonlinear phase shift is less than 2% under these conditions. This device requires only linear computing elements, and will permit delays of seconds within a finite frequency spectrum. An application to a closed loop industrial control problem is cited and other applications are suggested.
Relevance Ranking and Hit Description in Math Search

As math becomes available in digital libraries and on the Web, math search has been receiving some research attention. To be effective and useful, math search systems must not only recognize math symbols and structures in queries and contents, but also present the search hits in a form that enables the user to identify quickly the truly relevant hits. To meet the latter requirement, the hits must be sorted according to domain-appropriate relevance criteria, and each hit ought to be accompanied with a query-relevant brief description, or summary, of its target. In conventional text information retrieval systems, hits are ranked using relevance metrics that rely mostly on keyword frequencies and document sizes. Such metrics are inadequate in math search. Therefore, new relevance mea- sures must be defined, which take into account math-specific factors. In this paper, new relevance metrics are defined for math search, methods for com- puting and implementing them are discussed, and comparative performance evaluation results are presented. Query-relevant hit-summary generation is another factor that enables users to quickly determine the relevance of the presented hits. Hit titles ac- companied by several leading sentences from the target document are often inadequate to convey to the user the relevant contents of the hit. This paper presents alternative query-relevant hit-summary generation methods, outlines implementation strategies, and presents performance evaluation results. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000). 68N99.
Frequency of unilateral and bilateral mesial temporal sclerosis in primary and secondary epilepsy: A forensic autopsy study

Controversy exists regarding the pathogenetic relationship of mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) to epileptogenesis. Some investigators view hippocampal sclerosis as the primary cause of temporal lobe epilepsy, whereas others interpret the changes to be the result of chronic seizure activity. The present autopsy-based study attempts to clarify the etiologic relationship between mesial temporal sclerosis and epilepsy. To investigate the assumption that bilateral MTS is more likely to be the result of chronic seizure activity associated with a seizure focus outside the hippocampus, two subject groups were identified. The first group comprised 43 patients who had no extrahippocampal pathology and were classified as having primary epilepsy. The second group comprised 35 patients who, had identifiable extrahippocampal pathology and were classified as having secondary epilepsy. Fifteen of the 35 cases of secondary epilepsy also had MTS; seven of these were unilateral and eight were bilateral. Of the 43 cases with primary epilepsy, only one had MTS, and it was unilateral. Significantly more cases of primary epilepsy than secondary epilepsy had no MTS (p < 0.001), suggesting that both unilateral and bilateral forms of MTS occur with greater frequency in subjects with seizure foci outside the hippocampus. These results also suggest that unilaterality of MTS does not exclude an extrahippocampal cause.
Guidelines to avoid personnel contamination by infective agents in research laboratories that use human tissues

The personnel in laboratories that utilize tissue and fluids from humans and other primates are at risk for infection with agents, including the viruses causing hepatitis, AIDS, and other infective agents such as mycobacteria tuberculosis. To minimize the chance of infection of laboratory personnel, carefully organized policies and procedures to minimize exposure to infective agents must be established in research laboratories. We outline some of the approaches of hospital clinical laboratories which have proved most effective in minimizing transmission of infections from samples to laboratory personnel. Also, we discuss simple considerations important in the use and in the selection of safety equipment. These guidelines and references to other safety information are provided to aid research laboratories in establishing safety procedures that will minimize chances of personnel contamination with infective agents from research samples.
Design of GaN HEMT Transistor Based Amplifiers for 5 - 6 GHz WiMAX Applications

2.5 and 5 Watt average power (15 and 30 Watt peak power) GaN HEMT amplifiers for WiMAX signal protocols have been designed and fabricated for use in the 5.5 to 5.8 GHz band. The 2.5 Watt PA produces 11 dB of gain and the 5 Watt PA produces 10 dB of gain with EVMs less than 2.5% at the respective average power with drain efficiencies greater than 26% at average power. A design methodology for optimizing linear performance is described for these two transistors and resultant amplifiers.
Photonic bandpass filter employing frustrated total internal reflection and guided-mode resonance

A new type of bandpass filter is presented. This filter employs frustrated total internal reflection near a resonant periodic waveguide structure. The sideband transmittance can be controlled by changing the thickness of the frustrating layer. Numerical results indicate that high efficiency, narrow linewidth, and low sideband transmittance can be achieved.
Ray tracing software application in VIP lamp design

In our contribution we demonstrate a wide variety of ray tracing software applications for the design of VIP short-arc discharge video projection lamps. On the basis of simulations we derive design rules for the lamp itself and for its optical environment. Light Tools software acts as a means to understand the collection efficiency of a VIP lamp with an elliptical reflector and as an instrument to prove the conclusions.
Versatile Decorative Halftoning

This paper describes a flexible tool for decorative halftoning. Decorative halftoning produces a picture that can be seen simultaneously on two levels: either as an overall image or as a grid of much smaller motif images. The tool presented here is flexible: any small image can be used as a motif. When the motif is a black-and-white image, this tool improves on other techniques, which cannot handle all such images: they are restricted to motif images that can be reduced to a skeleton of curved lines. Even for such images, the tool described here retains more spatial detail from the overall image.
Visual Design Principles: An Empirical Study of Design Lore

Many books, designers, and design educators talk about visual design principles such as balance, contrast, and alignment, but with little consistency. This study uses empirical methods to explore the lore surrounding design principles. The study took the form of two stages: a quantitative literature review to determine what design principles are mentioned most often in discourse on design, and a card sorting exercise to explore the relationships designers, design educators, and design students saw among the most common design principles. Along with the card sorting exercise, I used pre- and post-exercise surveys to gauge how participants felt and thought about design principles and their use in design practice.
Reactions and diffusion between an Al film and a Ti substrate

The reaction between a 0.5 to 1.0 micron Al film and a thick Ti substrate to form TiAl3 occurs very rapidly on heating to 635 °C and causes the Al to be confined to the surface region. After heating to 900 °C, Ti3Al is formed with little release of Al into α-Ti. Further annealing at 900 °C eventually causes the Ti3Al phase to decompose and a substantial amount of Al is released into α-Ti. The interdiffusion coefficient for Al in α-Ti at 900 °C was found to increase by less than one order of magnitude as Al is varied from 0 to 20 at. pct. These data were obtained from the (101) X-ray diffraction intensity band using polycrystalline samples. Improvements in the analysis of X-ray diffraction data for the determination of composition profiles are discussed.
Microflora in colorectal cancer: A friend to fear

Activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling by microbes in the intestine promotes tumor growth in genetically susceptible mice. Inactivation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK), a molecule downstream of TLR signaling, may offer a route to preventing colorectal cancer (pages 665–670).
Primary care--will it survive?

Dr. Thomas Bodenheimer writes that primary care is facing a confluence of factors that could spell disaster. Patients are increasingly dissatisfied, many primary care physicians are unhappy, and fewer and fewer U.S. medical students are choosing to enter the field.
Camptocormia in Parkinson's disease: definition, epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment modalities

Camptocormia is an axial postural deformity characterised by abnormal thoracolumbar spinal flexion. The symptom usually presents while standing, walking or exercising and is alleviated while sitting, lying in a recumbent position, standing against a wall or using walking support. There is no consensus on the degree of thoracolumbar flexion to define camptocormia. However, most authors usually use an arbitrary number of at least 45° flexion of the thoracolumbar spine when the individual is standing or walking. Aetiologies of camptocormia are heterogeneous, and Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of its many causes. The prevalence of camptocormia in PD ranges from 3% to 18%. Central and peripheral mechanisms might both contribute to its pathogenesis. Although there is no established consensus for treatment of camptocormia in PD, there are non-pharmacological, pharmacological and surgical approaches that can be used.
Tight-binding g-factor calculations of CdSe nanostructures

The Land\'e g factors for CdSe quantum dots and rods are investigated within the framework of the semiempirical tight-binding method. We describe methods for treating both the n-doped and neutral nanostructures, and then apply these to a selection of nanocrystals of variable size and shape, focusing on approximately spherical dots and rods of differing aspect ratio. For the negatively charged n-doped systems, we observe that the g factors for near-spherical CdSe dots are approximately independent of size, but show strong shape dependence as one axis of the quantum dot is extended to form rodlike structures. In particular, there is a discontinuity in the magnitude of the g factor and a transition from anisotropic to isotropic g factor tensor at aspect ratio $\ensuremath{\sim}1.3.$ For the neutral systems, we analyze the electron g factor of both the conduction- and valence-band electrons. We find that the behavior of the electron g factor in the neutral nanocrystals is generally similar to that in the n-doped case, showing the same strong shape dependence and discontinuity in magnitude and anisotropy. In smaller systems the g factor value is dependent on the details of the surface model. Comparison with recent measurements of g factors for CdSe nanocrystals suggests that the shape-dependent transition may be responsible for the observations of anomalous numbers of g factors at certain nanocrystal sizes.
gener: a server-based analysis of pollen pool structure

The server-based program gener performs the two-generation analysis of pollen flow for data consisting of mother/offspring arrays using genetic markers. The gener program decomposes the genetic variance sampled by maternal individuals within and among pollen pool components of genetic variance and is accessible from http://dyerlab.bio.vcu.edu. These estimates are used to construct the test statistic, Φft, whose significance is tested via permutation. The Φft statistic can subsequently be used to quantify genetic effective pollen donor population size (Nep), effective mating area and dispersal distance. Furthermore, the gener program can calculate Φft values for all pairs of substrata within the data set.
Can personality disorders in chronic pain patients be accurately measured

W eisberg and Keefe have eloquently directed our attention to the importance of personality disorders (PDs) to chronic pain (CP), and to the lack of research in this area. As they point out, at issue are: What is the prevalence of PDs within CP patients?, Is this prevalence greater than in the general population?, and How does it compare to the prevalence in psychiatric populations? Since the early CP/PD studies presented by Weisberg and Keefe, there has been a significant amount of psychiatric research on the topic of PDs. Most of this research is relevant to the identification and measurement of PDs within CP patients. Psychiatric research data indicate that the prevalence of PDs will vary substantially across studies according to the type of structured interview or tool used, threshold criteria for interview items, and variation in the prevalence of PD across settings [40]. The settings issue is extremely important, as is demonstrated by the following examples of PD prevalence data: 5.9% of a random community sample [37]; 23% of middle-aged inner-city men [4]; 42% of medical patients referred to a behavioral medicine clinic; 51% of psychiatric outpatients [20]; and 79% of psychiatric inpatients with nonpsychotic axis I diagnoses [30]. According to the data presented by Weisberg and Keefe and others [5,21], the prevalence range of PDs among CP patients is between 37% and 66%. Thus, comparing these figures to the psychiatric literature data given above, one can conclude that the prevalence of PDs within CP patients is above that of the general population but is
The fractional weak discrepancy of a partially ordered set

In this paper we introduce the notion of the fractional weak discrepancy of a poset, building on previous work on weak discrepancy in [J.G. Gimbel and A.N. Trenk, On the weakness of an ordered set, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 11 (1998) 655-663; P.J. Tanenbaum, A.N. Trenk, P.C. Fishburn, Linear discrepancy and weak discrepancy of partially ordered sets, ORDER 18 (2001) 201-225; A.N. Trenk, On k-weak orders: recognition and a tolerance result, Discrete Math. 181 (1998) 223-237]. The fractional weak discrepancywd"F(P) of a poset P=(V,@?) is the minimum nonnegative k for which there exists a function f:V->R satisfying (1) if a@?b then f(a)+1=
Physician adherence to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force mammography guidelines.

Abstract Background In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines for screening mammography changed significantly, and are now in direct conflict with screening guidelines of other major national organizations. The extent to which physicians in different primary care specialties adhere to current USPSTF guidelines is unknown. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey completed by 316 physicians in internal medicine, family medicine (FM), and gynecology (GYN) from February to April 2012. Survey items assessed respondents' breast cancer screening recommendations in women of different ages at average risk for breast cancer. We used descriptive statistics to generate response distribution for survey items, and logistic regression models to compare responses among specialties. Findings The response rate was 55.0% (316/575). A majority of providers in internal medicine (65%), FM (64%), and GYN (92%) recommended breast cancer screening starting at age 40 versus 50. A majority of providers in internal medicine (77%), FM (74%), and GYN (98%) recommended annual versus biennial screening. Gynecologists were significantly more likely than both internists and family physicians to recommend initial mammography at age 40 ( p ≤ .0001) and yearly mammography ( p = .0003). There were no other differences by respondent demographic. Conclusions Primary care providers, especially gynecologists, have not implemented USPSTF guidelines. The extent to which these findings may be driven by patient versus provider preferences should be explored. These findings suggest that patients are likely to receive conflicting breast cancer screening recommendations from different providers.
Aberrant functional organization and maturation in early-onset psychosis: evidence from magnetoencephalography.

Abstract Studies of the location of somatosensory and auditory cortical responses have shown anomalous hemispheric asymmetries in a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders. To date, abnormal asymmetries in the somatosensory region have shown greater specificity, being reported only in psychotic adults. This study examines the functional organization of the somatosensory cortices using magnetoencephalography in adolescents with childhood-onset psychotic disorders. Eighteen young outpatients with history of psychotic illness and 15 healthy adolescents participated. Both groups underwent stimulation of the index finger as magnetoencephalography was acquired from the contralateral hemisphere. Neural generators of the M50 somatosensory response were modeled using an equivalent current dipole for each hemisphere, and later investigated for systematic variation with diagnosis. Consistent with adult psychosis data, adolescent patients showed hemispheric symmetry in the anterior–posterior dimension. In controls, a reversed pattern of hemispheric asymmetry was observed relative to previous findings in normal adults [Reite, M., Teale, P., Rojas, D.C., Benkers, T.L., Carlson, J., 2003. Anomalous somatosensory cortical localization in schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry 160, 2148–2153], but trend-level correlations suggested source location became more adult-like during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Source parameters also exhibited robust inter-hemispheric correlations only in adolescent controls. In sum, source locations, patterns of cerebral lateralization, and inter-hemispheric correlations all distinguish patients from their normally developing cohort. These findings suggest aberrant maturation underlies the reduction in cerebral laterality associated with psychosis.
Cardiac active principles in blood plasma.

A study of isolated frog hearts suggests that the amphibian heart is provided normally with a substance that maintains contractility and that disappears slowly from the heart during perfusion with saline solution. A search for substances that might fulfill this role in the frog heart has led to the isolation of many materials that have some degree of cardiotonic activity, but no conclusion can yet be reached about which, if any, of these substances is present in. the intact frog heart. The search has led, however, to the discovery of 2 substances of mammalian origin that are as potent as the cardiac glycosides with respect to their inotropic action on frog heart. One of these is a phospholipid called lysolecithin, the other is a system of 3 plasma globulins called "cardioglobulin A, B, and C." The concentration of cardioglobulin C in man is increased in essential hypertension and aortic stenosis, 2 unrelated conditions that have in common the development of increased left ventricular isometric tension in ...
Economic Analysis of End-of-Life Computer Systems in Educational Institutions

In this paper we address the operational and economical aspects of EOL computer systems at educational institutions. To this end we present an actual case study of a major university in Boston and provide an economical analysis of different options such as disposal, disassembly, recycling, reuse and re-sale of these systems. We recommend a new procedure that will improve the collection and handling processes leading to a structured decision making methodology.
Unsuspected periventricular leukomalacia in children with strabismus: a case series

. Purpose: We report a case series of seven patients who presented with strabismus and no apparent known neurological deficit. Methods: A retrospective review of notes was performed on all patients presenting at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital (Alder Hey) with strabismus, in whom subsequent investigation revealed the presence of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Results: All seven patients presented with esotropia. One patient also had dissociated vertical deviation. A history of premature birth was elicited in six cases; however, one patient had been born at 42 weeks. Apparently uncomplicated routine surgery produced unexpectedly poor results. Conclusions: Patients with undiagnosed PVL may present to the ophthalmologist with strabismus and no other apparent neurological abnormality. Where it is suspected that the patient may have suffered a significant hypoxic-ischaemic event, the ophthalmologist should have a low threshold for investigating with magnetic resonance imaging, particularly if the patient shows unexpected outcomes following appropriate treatment. Patients and parents should be counselled on possible suboptimal results prior to the offer of surgical correction of strabismus.
Robust Stability Analysis of “Unstructured” Convex Combinations of Matrices With Applications

This paper presents new insight into the robust stability analysis of families of matrices described by convex combinations of Hurwitz stable 'vertex' matrices. Significant new insight is provided that removes many misconceptions that currently prevail in this problem formulation. In this connection, careful distinction is made between 'Structured' and 'Unstructured' convex combinations of matrices. The convex combinations arising from an uncertain matrix with interval parameters is labeled as 'structured' convex combinations whereas the convex combinations of 'user specified' Hurwitz stable vertex matrices are labeled as 'unstructured' convex combinations. It is clearly shown that the convex combination property in matrix case is dictated more by the nature of the 'vertex' matrices rather than by simply assigning values to the coefficients of the combination. From this analysis, it is clearly established that 'structured' and 'unstructured' convex combinations are two entirely different problem formulations and one is not a special case of the other as it is currently believed. Thus even the solution algorithms for checking the stability of these matrix families are different. After establishing this distinction, this paper then concentrates on the 'unstructured' case and provides a 'vertex solution' to a specific three vertex convex combination problem. The algorithm is illustrated with several examples. This contribution suggests that there is still considerable research needed to appreciably enhance the knowledge base in the important area of robust stability analysis of matrix families which arise in various applications.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Repetitive acidosis protects the ischemic heart: implications for mechanisms in preconditioned hearts.

Repetitive brief ischemic episodes (ischemic preconditioning, PC) result in transient intracellular acidosis and protect the heart from subsequent ischemic injury, potentially through a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanism. We hypothesized that repetitive brief acidification of the heart without concomitant ischemia would also protect the heart from ischemic injury via a PKC-dependent mechanism. Isolated rat hearts underwent 30 min of global ischemia following control perfusion (CTL), or after PC or repetitive acidosis (RA), in the presence of absence of chelerythrine, a specific PKC inhibitor. Intracellular pH, PCr and ATP were measured using31P NMR spectroscopy, while intracellular sodium [Na]i was measured using23Na spectroscopy. Na,K-ATPase activity was measured prior to ischemia and on reperfusion. Both PC and RA resulted in transient acidification prior to ischemia. Ischemic injury, as assessed by creatinine kinase (CK) release on reperfusion, was reduced in both the PC and RA hearts [63±14 and 16±4 IU/g dry weight (dw) respectively,v705±72 IU/gdw for controlP<0.001], and was associated with improved functional recovery on reperfusion. PC and RA each significantly reduced Na,K-ATPase activity prior to ischemia (8.18±0.47 and 7.76±0.54μmol ADP/h/mg protein) when compared to control (11.05±0.54μmol ADP/h/mg proteinP<0.05), limited the rate of ATP depletion during ischemia, and resulted in more rapid normalization of [Na]i on reperfusion. Chelerythrine resulted in intermediate CK release in PC and RA hearts (443±48 and 375±72 IU/gdw,P<0.001vPC,P<0.01vcontrol), but did not alter the rate of ATP depletion or [Na]i kinetics in either PC or RA hearts. PC and RA each protect the ischemic heart, having in common ATP preservation during ischemia and more rapid normalization of [Na]i on reperfusion. These effects, not modulated by protein kinase C, are consistent with the hypothesis that ATP preservation during ischemia provides enhanced substrate for sodium efflux via the Na,K-ATPase on reperfusion.
Task allocation with executable coalitions in multirobot tasks

In our prior work, we proposed the IQ-ASyMTRe architecture with a measure of information quality to reason about forming coalitions in multirobot tasks. The formed coalitions are guaranteed to be executable, given the current configurations of the robots and environment. A cost and a quality measure are associated with each coalition to further determine its utility for the task. In this paper, we show that IQ-ASyMTRe-like architectures can be utilized to significantly reduce the overall complexity of task allocation by considering only executable coalitions. For implementation, we apply a layering technique such that most existing methods for task allocation can be easily incorporated. Furthermore, we introduce a general process to address situations in which no executable coalitions are available for certain tasks, and integrate it with IQ-ASyMTRe to achieve more autonomy. Such an approach is able to autonomously decompose unsatisfied preconditions of the required task behaviors into satisfiable components, in order to generate partial order plans for them accordingly. We show how this process can be implemented using a market-based approach. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate these techniques.
Phylogenetic analysis of segment 10 from African horsesickness virus and cognate genes from other orbiviruses

Utilizing the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedure, we have synthesized full-length copies of segment 10 from African horsesickness virus (AHSV) serotypes 1, 4 and 8. The genes were cloned, sequenced and compared with the sequence of the cognate gene from AHSV serotypes 3 and 9. Sequences were analyzed to assess evolutionary relationships among serotypes using cladistics. Based on this analysis the data support a close relationship between serotypes 4 and 9 and between serotypes 1 and 8 and a closer relationship of serotype 3 to the 4 and 9 group.
How to obtain more compactable channel routing solutions

The authors present several powerful techniques which allow them to generate efficiently channel routing solutions which are beneficial to further compaction. These techniques can be applied to straight-track compaction as well as to contour-routing compaction and produce very encouraging results. In particular, for D.N. Deutsch's (1985) Difficult Example, they obtained straight-track routing solution with an area 7% less than the best known result after straight-track compaction. The router generated a routing solution using less area than reported results of all well known routers after contour-routing compaction. >
DDDAMS-Based Dispatch Control in Power Networks☆

Electricity networks need robust decision making mechanisms that enable the system to respond swiftly and effectively to any type of disruption or anomaly in order to ensure reliable electricity flow. Electricity load dispatch is concerned with the production of reliable electricity at the lowest costs, both monetary and environmental, within the limitations of the considered network. In this study, we propose a novel DDDAMS-based economic load dispatching framework for the efficient and reliable real-time dispatching of electricity under uncertainty. The proposed framework includes 1) a database fed from electrical and environmental sensors of a power grid, 2) an algorithm for online state estimation of the considered electrical network using particle filtering, 3) an algorithm for effective culling and fidelity selection in simulation considering the trade-off between computational requirements, and the environmental and economic costs attained by the dispatch, and 4) data driven simulation for mimicking the system response and generating a dispatch configuration which minimizes the total operational and environmental costs of the system, without posing security risks to the energy network. Components of the proposed framework are first validated separately through synthetic experimentation, and then the entirety of the proposed approach is successfully demonstrated for different scenarios in a modified version of the IEEE-30 bus test system where sources of distributed generation have been added. The experiments reveal that the proposed work premises significant improvement in the functional performance of the electricity networks while reducing the cost of dynamic computations.
EXTROVERT: Improving comprehension to innovate across disciplines

As systems become more complex and ever more tightly integrated, the engineer who must innovate solutions faces an ever-increasing plethora of disciplines to understand. The central problem considered in this paper is how to prepare learners to innovate in such an environment. The context is set in a School of Aerospace Engineering with a large student throughput. The guiding philosophy behind this paper is that the breadth across disciplines, needed for such innovation must be accompanied by uncompromising depth of understanding. Three years of progress are summarized on EXTROVERT, a project designed to build and use resources that help aerospace engineers learn to innovate across disciplines. Experience from several courses and projects is summarized on how engineering student learn using different resources. The approach of this effort is to enable learners to gain confidence in solving problems, using with their own preferences in determining the learning sequence. Concepts implemented include a portal to aerospace engineering centered on conceptual design of flight vehicles, vertical streams of in-depth technical content, engineering case studies of historically significant vehicle systems, a library of solved problems, integrative concept essays, and a module-based assessment approach to measure learning in near real time to provide feedback and modification during the learning process. Assessment has been conducted across a spectrum of courses. Compact e-books have been developed for several subjects including advanced concept development projects. The EXTROVERT resources have been exploited in courses ranging from a freshman engineering introductory course to upperclass and graduate courses. An inspiring metric is in the quantum jump in the capabilities of most of the students, and their very thoughtful reflections on what they have gained. These new capabilities are significant enough to warrant a reconsideration of traditional course structure, in order to facilitate much more student participation and iteration.
Effect of remodelling, stretch and ischaemia on ventricular fibrillation frequency and dynamics in a heart failure model.

Objective : The dynamics of ventricular fibrillation (VF) in the presence of heart failure (HF) are different from those in the normal heart. This has been attributed solely to HF-induced electrophysiologic remodelling. We hypothesized that acute stretch and ischaemia, which are normally present during VF, might contribute significantly to the altered VF dynamics in HF. Methods : HF was induced in eight sheep by rapid ventricular pacing for 4–6 weeks. Eight sheep served as controls. Optical mapping of isolated hearts was performed during VF at low intraventricular pressure (0–5 mm Hg), high pressure (25–30 mm Hg, in six HF and six controls), and at low pressure after 5 min of global ischaemia (six HF, five controls). Maximum dominant frequency (DFmax), singularity point (SP) density and number of SP lasting more than one revolution (rotors) were analyzed. Possible statistical interactions between HF and ischaemia (HF × ischaemia) or stretch (HF × stretch) were evaluated. Results : At low pressure, VF in HF was slower (13% reduction in DFmax) and more organized than in control: 33% less SPs and 74% less rotors with 20% longer life spans. Acute stretch did not affect DFmax but increased SP and rotors density similarly in both groups (no interaction HF × stretch). In controls, ischaemia caused a marked decrease in DFmax, SP density and incidence of rotors. However, in HF animals, the ischaemia-induced decrease in SP density was virtually abolished, indicating a significant interaction HF × ischaemia ( p <0.005). Conclusions : HF remodelling decreases VF rate and increases VF organization. Acute stretch partially reverses these effects by a mechanism that is independent of remodelling. The effects of acute ischaemia on VF dynamics are significantly attenuated in HF compared to normal hearts.
Quantized feedback stabilization of linear systems

This paper addresses feedback stabilization problems for linear time-invariant control systems with saturating quantized measurements. We propose a new control design methodology, which relies on the possibility of changing the sensitivity of the quantizer while the system evolves. The equation that describes the evolution of the sensitivity with time (discrete rather than continuous in most cases) is interconnected with the given system (either continuous or discrete), resulting in a hybrid system. When applied to systems that are stabilizable by linear time-invariant feedback, this approach yields global asymptotic stability.
Knowledge-Based Instruction: Teaching Problem Solving in a Logo Learning Environment

Abstract Three studies are reported which collectively show that five particular problem‐solving strategies can be developed in students explicitly taught those strategies and given practice applying them to solve Logo programming problems. The studies demonstrate the superiority of such intervention over Logo programming practice alone, explicit strategy training with non‐computer‐based practice, and instruction in content areas traditionally prescribed for the teaching and learning of problem solving. The results indicate that problem‐solving strategies will not be developed through Logo programming alone, rather they must be explicitly taught and practiced. Knowledge‐based instruction linking declarative and procedural knowledge is recommended as a means to this end.