cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Packing convex bodies in the plane with density greater than 3/4

By an argument of a topological nature, the Theorem whose proof has just been completed can be somewhat strengthened. Since the collection of affine equivalence classes of all convex plane bodies of area 1 is a compact set, and since the function assigning to each such equivalence class the minimum area of a p-hexagon containing a representative of that class is continuou s,there exists a minimum value for that function, taken on a specific element of that compact set. Let us denote that minimum value by Δ. We have proved in this \(\Delta \frac{3}{4}\) (namely \(d = \Delta ^{ - 1} \)) such that every convex body can be packed in the plane with density at least d. The value of A remains unknown.
PROLONGED MAINTENANCE OF SPIROCHETES AND FILTRABLE VIRUSES IN THE FROZEN STATE

1. Observations are reported on the virulence of various types of spirochetes and filtrable viruses after storage at – 787deg;C. for periods up to 3 years. 2. Five specimens of Treponema pallidum belonging to 4 different strains, and 7 specimens of T. pertenue belonging to 5 different strains were tested after storage for approximately 3 years. With one exception each specimen contained actively motile treponemes, and all specimens were highly pathogenic for rabbits. Many other specimens of these spirochetes stored for shorter periods were also tested with similar results. 3. Relapsing fever spirochetes tested after storage from 6 months to 1 year showed active motility and were virulent for mice. 4. Leptospira icterohemorrhagiae was found to be actively motile after storage for 5, 6, and 10 months. The spirochete of rat bite fever, Spirillum minus, was virulent for mice after storage for 1 year. 5. The virus of human influenza, PR8 strain, tested after storage for approximately 3 years was fatal to mice in essentially the same dilution as was the same lot of material before freezing. Similar results were obtained upon testing the virus of meningopneumonitis after storage for 3 years. The virus of lymphogranuloma inguinale was pathogenic for mice after storage for 10 months.
Na-Déné and Positional Analysis of Categories†

LANGUAGES may be classified together because of structural similarities without regard to any possible historical relationship between them; this is typology. They may be classified together because they share a number of features and are found in the same area; the similarities are presumed to be the result of diffusion in large part. This is what Trubetskoy termed classification as Sprachbunde. Finally, languages may be classified together because they are believed to have diverged from a common ancestral form of speech; this is genetic classification. All three kinds of classification are of great potential interest to the student of human culture. The special interest of genetic classification is that where there was once linguistic unity, it can be inferred that there was once cultural unity as well. In American anthropology, however, there is still no agreement on the criteria for genetic linguistic classification. The validity of establishing major stocks on the basis, at least in part, of morphological correspondences has been hotly contested. In the late nineteenth century Daniel Brinton (1891) included morphological facts in classifying American languages, while John Wesley Powell (1891) rigorously excluded them, relying on vocabulary facts alone. In this century, Sapir (1929) included morphological correspondences in establishing broad genetic groups, while the later Boas (1920, 1929) and the early Kroeber (1903, 1911, 1913) distrusted morphological resemblances unless accompanied by numerous lexical resemblances as well. This position essentially duplicated that of Powell, for lexical resemblances remained the necessary and sufficient criterion of genetic relationship. An occasional exception came in reasoning that if lexical and morphological resemblances seemed to point to different classifications, neither could be said to show genetic relationship, and diffusion would be invoked to account for both. Rowe has recently demanded the use of lexical evidence alone (Rowe 1954; Lackner and Rowe 1955). Recent statements by Newman (1954:628) and McQuown (1955:502) take the position that only lexical cognates supported by phonetic correspondences are valid proof of genetic relationship, while Hoijer (1941, 1954b:637-638), Bergsland (1951), Swadesh (1951), and Kroeber (1919, 1955) follow Brinton and Sapir in accepting morphological evidence as well. In the development of American anthropology this divergence of opinion on method has become linked with a particular question of fact: are Haida, Tlingit, and the Athapaskan stock genetically related? Is Na-D6ne, Sapir's term for the three, an historical reality? Discussions of Na-Den6 have turned largely on differing views of the general problem of method; conversely, discussions of the problem of method have turned frequently to Na-Dene as a test case. Thus the history of one is not fully understood apart from the history of the other, and new light on one is likely to illuminate both.
Early streptozotocin diabetes and hunger

The initial effect of streptozotocin diabetes is not hyperphagia, but reduced food intake. Diabetic hyperphagia reaches maximum only after many days. Utilization of body fat may account for the delayed appearance of diabetic hyperphagia; this effect may be mediated by plasma fat metabolites. Plasma levels of free fatty acids (FFAs), ketone bodies, and glycerol are greatly elevated following STZ treatment, but return nearly to normal as diabetic hyperphagia appears.
Dimensional and formation analysis of a restorative ceramic and how it works.

In-Ceram ceramic appears to use conventional powder/liquid processing techniques to form the coping substructure; however, the process results in a near net-shape restoration with minimal sintering shrinkage. Scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, particle size classification, and linear dimensional changes during sintering were used to analyze In-Ceram ceramic. In-Ceram ceramic had a minimal linear shrinkage of 0.21% after the sintering of the alumina powder. This shrinkage can be readily compensated for by the expansion of conventioal gypsum products and should result in acceptable clinical fits for In-Ceram ceramic restorations. Theories and explanations were described to account for the near net-shape and high strength of In-Ceram. Continuous interpenetrating phase composite technologies were used to create a substantial increase in strength. Future applications of this technology are encouraging.
Childhood obesity: Susceptibility, cause, and management

Il n'existe pas de solutions faciles ou definitives aux problemes que pose l'obesite. Cependant les progres recents ont considerablement ameliore leur comprehension et fait avancer les possibilites therapeutiques. Divers facteurs de predisposition (deficit des mecanismes de dissipation des exces d'apports energetiques) ont ete distingues des causes memes de l'obesite. L'environnement a une forte influence, notamment le role de la famille, dont il faut tenir compte dans le choix therapeutique. Il ne s'agit plus d'un probleme sans espoir
Effects of systematic phase errors on phase only correlation

The performance of phase-only optical correlators is usually reduced if the filter-plane phase differs from that prescribed for the classical matched filter. Current spatial light modulators, which frequently produce less than 2π phase modulation, and interface circuits, which quantize or incorrectly amplify signals placed on the spatial light modulator, both can produce systematic phase errors. We examine these effects using a model of correlation-peak amplitude as a function of phase error. The correlation peak is reasonably approximated as the product of an average of unity-amplitude error phasors multiplied by the average amplitude across the filter plane. The trends predicted by this new model compare favorably with computer simulations that use gray-scale images.
Optimal location of a single service center of certain types

Hakimi has considered the problem of finding an optimal location for a single service center, such as a hospital or a police station. He used a graph theoretic model to represent the region being serviced. The communities are represented by the nodes while the road network is represented by the ares of the graph. In his work, the objective is one of minimizing the maximum of the shortest distances between the vertices and the service center. In the present work, the region being serviced is represented by a convex polygon and communities are spread over the entire region. The objective is to minimize the maximum of Euclidian distances between the service center and any point in the polygon. Two methods of solution presented are (i) a geometric method, and (ii) a quadratic programming formulation. Of these, the geometric method is simpler and more efficient. It is seen that for a class of problems, the geometric method is well suited and very efficient while the graph theoretic method, in general, will give only approximate solutions in spite of the increased efforts involved. But, for a different class of problems, the graph theoretic approach will be more appropriate while the geometric method will provide only approximate solutions though with ease. Finally, some feasible applications of importance are outlined and a few meaningful extensions are indicated.
Age, Tenure, and Work Perceptions as Predictors of Reactions to Performance Feedback

Summary Two large samples (n = 683, n = 833) of public service employees were used to investigate differences in reaction to performance feedback and their relation to individual demographic and perceptual variables. Stepwise regression was used to measure the incremental impact of the relevant variables. The results support the notion that many work-related perceptions vary consistently with performance feedback reactions. The strongest predictor of feedback reactions was a measure of vertical dyad linkage. Role conflict, role clarity, and multiple measures of competence had lesser, but still significant, effects. Age, tenure on the job, and tenure in the organization failed to show hypothesized relationships to reactions to performance feedback.
Queer Youth Experiences with Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Sexuality Education: “I can't get married so where does that leave me?”

Abstinence-only-until-marriage sexuality education has received increasing attention vis-a-vis policy, funding, and research. Despite large sums of federal money to develop, implement, and to some extent, assess abstinence-only education, virtually no studies have looked to assess the experiences of such a curriculum for gay and bisexual male youth. This qualitative study explores narratives from semi-structured interviews of eight self-identified gay and bisexual males who received an abstinence-only-until-marriage sexuality education. Their voices lend empirical evidence to the often cited but undocumented negative gay and bisexual male youth experiences with an abstinence-only sexuality education. These young men recount stories of silence, risk, hostility, and resiliency.
Seeing the forest for the trees

"Approximate first, and worry later," says author Sanjoy Mahajan. "Otherwise you never start, and you can never learn that the approximations would have been accurate enough—if only you had gathered the courage to make them." The Art of Insight in Science and Engineering acts a step-by-step guide that enables the reader to tackle fundamental scientific problems through simple back-of-the-envelope calculations. Reviewer Sybil Derrible praises Mahajan9s approach to thinking "beyond the equation", and suggests that students, researchers, and teachers will all find value in the reasoning tools described in the book.
On prediction error in functional linear regression

We consider a regression setting where the response is a scalar and the predictor is a random function. Many fields of applications are concerned with such data, for example chemometrics. When researchers are faced with the estimation of a functional (infinite dimensional) coefficient, they reduce the dimension by projecting the weight function onto a lower dimensional space. We derive an upper bound for the mean squared error of prediction when the choice of the lower dimensional space is guided by the smoothness of the regression function.
Vortex unbinding and layer decoupling in a quasi-two-dimensional superconductor.

The role of thermal vortices in the absence of applied magnetic fields is studied theoretically for anisotropic layered superconductors such as the high-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ cuprates. Using a quasi-two-dimensional model and a real-space renormalization-group approach, the vortices are found to Josephson-decouple the superconducting layers slightly above ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. The results are consistent with recent experiments and Monte Carlo simulations.
Conservation and evaluation of natural enemies in IPM systems for Bemisia tabaci

Abstract Conservation biological control emphasizes the preservation and enhancement of natural enemies and is the cornerstone of all approaches to biological control. This review critically examines recent and current research efforts in conservation biological control by predators and parasitoids of Bemisia tabaci worldwide. A large number of natural enemy species have been identified from many agricultural systems. Further research has demonstrated that these natural enemies may act along with other mortality agents to inflict high levels of mortality on populations of B. tabaci. Less effort has been placed on determining the factors constraining or potentially enhancing biological control. The widespread use of broad-spectrum insecticides in many crops has severely hampered the contribution of predators and parasitoids to pest suppression. However, the arsenal of selective insecticides has grown in the past decade and their increased usage may permit the true integration of biological control into IPM systems. The effects of species interactions (e.g., intraguild predation) and host-plant attributes on disruption of biological control are poorly understood in most systems. Research in the area of habitat manipulation and enhancement is minimal. Very little research has addressed the evaluation of natural enemy effects on B. tabaci population dynamics in any system. As a result our ability to predict and exploit these effects for pest suppression are limited. Problems in estimating and interpreting parasitism are highlighted. Recent life table studies of B. tabaci in Arizona cotton are summarized to demonstrate how integration of natural enemies with use of selective insecticides resulted in the development of an efficient pest management system. Avenues for future research are discussed that may enhance the use of conservation biological control as a key tactic in IPM of B. tabaci.
Deoxyribonuclease-labile infective units from adenovirus.

Diathylaminoathyl Dextran erhoht die Infektion menschlicher Krebszellen (Stamm KB) mit hitzebehandelten (70 °C, 20 sec) menschlichen Adenoviren, Typ 1, stark. Inkubation dieser hitzebehandelten Viren mit Desoxyribonuklease, Trypsin oder MgCl2 (nicht mit Ribonuklease oder spezifischem Antiserum) konnte die Infektiositat leicht beseitigen.
Some relations between the structure of the ice-solution interface and the free growth rate of ice crystals in supercooled aqueous solutions

Abstract An experimental method was devised to determine the rate at which ice crystals grow freely in supercooled water and in dilute aqueous solutions of various salts. The solutions had concentrations between 10 −5 and 10 −1 moles liter −1 and were investigated at bath supercoolings between 0.5° and 20°C. It was found that the growth rate of ice crystals varied approximately with the square of the bath supercooling. Dissolved salts affected the growth rate of ice crystals in a systematic manner. At concentrations larger than 10 −2 moles liter −1 all salts reduced the growth rate below the one in pure water by an amount which depended on the type of salt in solution. At concentrations smaller than 10 −2 moles liter −1 some salts did not affect the growth rate whereas others increased it over and above the one in pure water. It was concluded that at low solute concentration the growth rate of ice in aqueous solutions is limited by the rate of dissipation of latent heat. As the solute concentration increases, the rate of diffusion of solute atoms away from the interface becomes increasingly important. At concentrations larger than 10 −2 moles liter −1 the growth rate reflects in a systematic manner the freezing point lowering effects associated with the poor mass transfer conditions which prevail in a stagnant system. Some of the observations are discussed in terms of the effect of the dissolved salts on the growth kinetics.
The Oedipus Complex, Antigone, and Electra: The Woman as Hero and Victim

This paper reinterprets the structural interpretation of Greek mythology presented by Leach and Levi-Strauss from a feminist perspective. The reinterpretation approaches the Oedipus myth and Freud's analysis of it from the perspective of Antigone, daughter of Oedipus and a hero of Sophoclean tragedy. Ancient Greek tragedy allowed a few mythic women the role of hero, although women in ancient Greek society were confined to the domestic sphere. The paper discusses Antigone, Electra, and other mythic women in their relations to family and the public domain. The interpretation of Greek mythology differs from previous ones but is not inconsistent with them, [mythology, gender roles, Oedipus complex, myth and social structure, structuralism]
PEIRCE ON EDUCATION: DISCUSSION OF PEIRCE'S DEFINITION OF A UNIVERSITY

I write this short essay in response to Peirce, as a feminist, pragmatist, and cultural studies scholar, in the hope that it will help to bring feminism and pragmatism together. I suggest that Peirce offers marginalized and colonized people a way to argue for the importance of their input, with his theory of fallibilism, even if he still claims a position of privilege. He also offers assistance through his concept of “a community of inquirers.” It is curious that Peirce’s definition of a university argues for a split between theory and practice that his earlier work sought to heal. Peirce opened a door to help diverse scholars be able to enter the university, and find a way to address issues of power, with his youthful connecting of theory to practice, that his more senior position draws our attention away from and seeks to hold off. Fortunately, it is too late. Peirce’s youthful pragmatism has been developed in important ways by other scholars and now serves as an example of a way to do philosophy that does connect theory to practice and does seek to address real problems in diverse peoples lives, and help to find solutions that effect change.
Phase structure of QCD at high temperature with massive quarks and finite quark density: A Z(3) paradigm

Abstract The confinement/deconfinement phase transition in SU(3) lattice gauge theories at high temperatures is analogous to that of the Z(3) gauge theories. We study various Z(3) gauge-matter theories that result from replacing the gauge group SU(3) with its center Z(3). We include large-mass fermions in the Wilson formulation and allow a chemical potential. We show that in the limit of strong coupling and high temperature the (3 + 1)-dimensional theory becomes a three state, three-dimensional Potts model with uniform external fields of real and imaginary strengths related to the fermion mass and chemical potential. By studying the phase structure of the q = 3, d = 3 Potts model with external fields we argue that the confinement/deconfinement phase transition is first order, but highly sensitive to external fields, and that it does not occur at “strong coupling” in a Z(3) gauge theory if there is a light enough fermion present. We discuss the consequences of this result for QCD.
The travel time of radioactive wastes in natural waters

Radio isotopes discharged into natural waters (1) precipitate and settle, (2) adsorb on suspended and fixed surfaces, (3) enter the biologic cycle, or (4) in solution move with the flowing, mixing water itself. I n the course of its life a single nuclide may shift with more or less freedom back and forth among these alternates. The paper deals with phenomena related to the fourth alternative. Natural waters and the substances carried in solution move and mix in response to complex forces of gravity, wind, tide, density, impact, shear, and inertia. Past studies of mixing and movement are drawn on to depict the time and space distribution of radioactive contaminates in natural waters. Tracer studies offer means for evaluating mixing and travel time which may in turn be used to forecast the fate of wastes continuously disposed of in water.
Growth and Characterization of Synthetic Iron-Bearing Olivine

Single crystals of olivine were grown at 0.1 MPa total pressure in a floating-zone image furnace. Composition of crystals grown ranged from 67 mol% forsterite to 90 mol% forsterite. Improvements in the crystal growth technique allowed growth of large crystals (0.005 m diameter, 0.070 m length) with very low dislocation density, no visible bubbles, and no cracks. The most significant improvement was the addition of a platinum-wound resistance heater internal to the image furnace. This heater provided the dual improvements of better control over oxygen fugacity from a CO/CO2 gas mix and alteration of the crystal growth interface resulting in a significant reduction in crystal defects. No subgrain boundaries have been observed in crystals growth here and dislocation densities on the order of 108-109 m-2 have been achieved. Iron concentration is nearly uniform across the diameter (0.005 m) of crystals and varies approximately 5 mol% along the crystal length (0.040 to 0.050 m).
Variegated translocation mosaicism in human skin fibroblast cultures

The term “variegated translocation mosaicism” is used to describe the repeated occurrence, within cultures of human skin fibroblasts, of a multiplicity of chromosomal rearrangements. With respect to t
Cellular and molecular alterations in human epithelial cells transformed by high LET radiation.

Abstract An understanding of the radiobiological effects of high LET radiation is essential for human risk estimation and radiation protection. In the present study, we show that a single, 30 cGy dose of 150 keV/μm 4 He ions can malignantly transform human papillomavirus immortalized human bronchial epithelial [BEP2D] cells. Transformed cells produce progressively growing tumors in nude mice. The transformation frequency by the single dose of alpha particles is estimated to be approximately 4 X10 −7 . Based on the average cross-sectional area of BEP2D cells, it can be calculated that a mean traversal of 1.4 particles per cell is sufficient to induce tumorigenic conversion of these cells 3 to 4 months post-irradiation. Tumorigenic BEP2D cells overexpress mutated p53 tumor suppressor oncoproteins in addition to the cell cycle control gene cyclin D1 and D2. This model provides an opportunity to study the cellular and molecular changes at the various stages in radiation carcinogenesis involving human cells.
Evaluating the efficacy of land snail survey techniques in Hawaii: Implications for conservation throughout the Pacific

Terrestrial micromolluscs (snails with an adult maximum shell dimension <5 mm) constitute a considerable proportion of the land snail fauna of the Pacific. However, micromolluscs are often underestimated in biological surveys because of size bias. It has been argued that visual searches are preferable on Pacific islands because: (1) size biases are limited based on the understanding that most native Pacific island land snails are very small, and (2) amount of labor is less than other methods such as soil surveys and adequate for inventory purposes (though not for abundance assessments). To test whether visual surveys and soil surveys were accurately recording all taxa, land snail inventories were completed in three forest reserves (5 sampling sites in each) on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Visual surveys involved 30-min visual search in a 10 m2 site; soil surveys involved sieving leaf litter and topsoil from four 0.3 m2 quadrats and extracting snails with the aid of a microscope. The data indicate a size and microhabitat bias associated with both techniques. Visual surveys consistently collected large arboreal and litter-dwelling species but missed a significant portion of micromolluscs, while soil surveys collected micromolluscs but missed larger snails. Because of such biases, employing both methods is critical for collecting all taxa at a survey location. As such, we recommend that future land snail surveys on Pacific Islands incorporate both survey techniques. Obtaining a complete inventory is critical if we are to understand species distributions and patterns of diversity and make well-informed conservation recommendations.
Planned and unplanned halogenations in route to selected oroidin alkaloids

Abstract Highly diastereoselective, substrate-controlled, halogenation/ring contraction sequences delivered the naturally occurring chlorinated and unnatural brominated and iodinated axinellamine core structure. An unexpected azide displacement of the chlorinated cyclopentane, which proceeded with retention of stereochemistry, suggested a modification of the Scheuer/Kinnel proposal that may account for the related natural product massadine. Two unsuccessful routes to access the stereochemistry proposed for palau'amine were SN2 displacement of the bromo- and iodocyclopentane with excess chloride anion and an intramolecular directed chlorination pathway. Finally, an unexpected chlorination during our phakellstatin synthesis proceeded with retention of stereochemistry during tosylation possibly resulting from neighboring group participation.
Regeneration of rat sciatic nerve across a LactoSorb bioresorbable conduit with interposed short-segment nerve grafts

Object. This study was conducted to evaluate peripheral nerve regeneration through a conduit composed of a bioresorbable material (LactoSorb). Methods. Sprague—Dawley rats weighing approximately 250 g were randomized into five groups. A 20-mm-long sciatic nerve gap was created, then it was bridged by a reverse nerve autograft (Group I), an empty silicone tube (Group II), a silicone tube containing a short (2-mm) interposed nerve segment (Group III), an empty LactoSorb conduit (Group IV), or a LactoSorb conduit containing a 2-mm interposed nerve segment (Group V). The intact sciatic nerve served as the control in each animal. At 16 weeks postoperatively, no nerve regeneration was observed through either the empty silicone tube or the empty LactoSorb conduit. There was regeneration in all animals receiving the reverse autograft as well as in all animals receiving the silicone or LactoSorb conduit containing the 2-mm interposed nerve segment. Effective regeneration was assessed based on histological, electro...
A CD4 Domain 1 CC′ Loop Peptide Analogue Enhances Engraftment in a Murine Model of Bone Marrow Transplantation with Sublethal Conditioning

Abstract Host CD4+ T cells that survive sublethal or even lethal preconditioning regimens can participate in the process of hematopoietic stem cell graft rejection, particularly when the transplantations are performed across a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II barrier. To enhance donor marrow engraftment, we tested the efficacy of a small synthetic cyclic heptapeptide, 802-2 (CNSNQIC), which was designed to closely mimic the CD4 domain 1 CC′ surface loop, theoretically involved in CD4/MHC class II complex oligomerization and subsequent CD4+ T-cell activation. Previously, this peptide was found to have inhibitory activity in murine models for CD4+ T cell–dependent graft-versus-host disease and skin allograft rejection. Herein, we used the MHC class II-–disparate bm12 → B6-CD45.1 sublethal irradiation transplantation model to test the possibility that the 802-2 peptide could enhance the engraftment of donor T cell–depleted bone marrow (ATBM). Sublethally irradiated B6-CD45.1 mice that received bm12 ATBM in combination with the 802-2 peptide demonstrated increased donor marrow cell engraftment as compared with mice that received ATBM alone; this suggests that the 802-2 peptide may be useful as an immunomodulating agent to overcome MHC class II mismatch barriers in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Differences in the amino acid compositions of the subunits of succinate dehydrogenase

Abstract The subunits of highly purified succinate dehydrogenase preparations were isolated by SDS electrophoresis and their amino acid compositions determined. The subunits differ so widely in composition that the larger subunit probably could not be derived from a dimerization of the smaller one.
Solvophobic Theory and Normalized Free Energies of Nonpolar Substances in Reversed Phase Chromatography

A simplified version of the solvophobic theory is employed to reexamine a large set of retention data with nonpolar and weakly polar eluites in reversed phase chromatography (RPC) to test certain predictions by the theory and to clarify further the roles of the mobile and the stationary phase in the retention process. The free energy of retention in RPC is expressed in terms of the nonpolar surface area of the eluite, the pertinent interfacial tensions, and the energetics of eluite−stationary phase interactions in the gas phase. Within this framework changes in retention free energy per unit water accessible nonpolar surface area are evaluated in the entire range of the organic modifier concentration by using thermodynamic data for the retention of nonpolar eluites on alkyl silica bonded phase in gas chromatography and for the transfer of nonpolar solutes from the hydroorganic solvent to the gas phase. The normalized retention free energy parameters thus obtained according to the theory are in excellent a...
Subtype-dependent postnatal development of direction- and orientation-selective retinal ganglion cells in mice

The direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) and orientation-selective ganglion cells (OSGCs) encode the directional and the orientational information of a moving object, respectively. It is uncl...
Pairwise comparison dynamics for games with continuous strategy space

Abstract This paper studies pairwise comparison dynamics for population games with continuous strategy space. We show that the pairwise comparison dynamic is well-defined if certain mild Lipschitz continuity conditions are satisfied. We establish Nash stationarity and positive correlation for pairwise comparison dynamics. Finally, we prove global convergence and local stability under general deterministic evolutionary dynamics in potential games, and global asymptotic stability under pairwise comparison dynamics in contractive games.
Pharmacogenetics in Heart Failure Trials

There is ongoing research into potential pharmacogenetic targets in heart failure. Several challenges exist despite the potential benefits, and questions remain on the level of evidence needed to support product approval or labeling. High annual mortality, high morbidity, and heterogeneity of response to treatment underscore the need for predictability of response in this patient population. Although prime time testing and application of pharmacogenetics is not currently being used in heart failure, we believe this treatment approach is not too distant. The data are supportive, and further research is warranted to strengthen the approach.
FDTD modeling of isotropic dispersive magnetic materials

Numerical analysis using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm with a piecewise linear recursive convolution (PLRC) procedure for linear isotropic dispersive magnetic materials is presented. The frequency dependence of susceptibility used for this algorithm is represented in Debye, narrowband Lorentzian, and wideband Lorentzian forms, depending on the ratio of the resonance frequency and the resonance line width. Some numerical examples along with measurements are provided.
A convex hull approach for the reliability-based design optimization of nonlinear transient dynamic problems

Nonlinear problems such as transient dynamic problems exhibit structural responses that can be discontinuous due to numerous bifurcations. This hinders gradient-based or response surface-based optimization. This paper proposes a novel approach to split the design space into regions where the response is continuous. This makes traditional optimization viable. A convex hull approach is adopted to isolate the points corresponding to unwanted bifurcations in the design space. The proposed approach is applied to a tube impacting a rigid wall representing a transient dynamic problem. Since nonlinear behavior is highly sensitive to small variations in design, reliability-based design optimization is performed. The proposed method provides the designer an optimal design with a prescribed dynamic behavior.
Measuring the Spatial Focus of Migration Patterns

The changing territorial concentration of migration flows is of interest to many geographers, yet we still do not have a widely accepted index of spatial focus. The much used index of migration efficiency has been shown to be an inadequate index of such spatial concentration, and two candidates have been suggested to replace it: the Gini index and the coefficient of variation. Both are examined in this paper, and a comparative assessment is offered. Data from the 1970, 1980, and 1990 censuses are used to illustrate the two measures. An examination of the findings reveals that the coefficient of variation measure indicates higher levels of spatial focus than does the Gini index for states with highly concentrated flows.
Novel ultra-high dielectric constant polymer based composite for embedded capacitor application

Embedded capacitor technology can increase the silicon efficiency of the electronic packaging, improve electrical performance, and reduce electronic assembly cost compared with traditional discrete capacitor technology. Developing a suitable material that satisfies electrical, reliability and processing requirements is one of the major challenges of incorporating capacitors into a printed wiring board (PWB) for demanding wireless, RF portable telecommunication products. A novel epoxy-based composite with ultra high dielectric constant (/spl epsi//sub r//spl sim/1000) has been developed in this work. The previous record of /spl epsi//sub r/=150 was only recently reported. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest k value of the polymer-based composite ever reported. High dielectric constant is obtained by increasing the concentration of conductive filler close to but not exceed the percolation threshold within the polymer matrix. This novel ultra high k material also has low dielectric loss (< 0.02), good adhesion and perfect multi-chip-module laminate (MCM-L) process compatibility. This novel composite is the perfect material candidate for the integral embedded capacitor applications for next generation electronic products.
Material Properties Analysis of Structural Members in Pumpkin Balloons

The efficient design, service-life qualification, and reliability predictions for lightweight aerospace structures require careful mechanical properties analysis of candidate structural materials. The demand for high-quality laboratory data is particularly acute when the candidate material or the structural design has little history. The pumpkin-shaped super-pressure balloon presents both challenges. Its design utilizes load members (tendons) extending from apex to base around the gas envelope to achieve a lightweight structure. The candidate tendon material is highly weight-efficient braided HM cord. Previous mechanical properties studies of Zylon have focused on fiber and yarn, and industrial use of the material in tensile applications is limited. For high-performance polymers, a carefully plamed and executed properties analysis scheme is required to ensure the data are relevant to the desired application. Because no directly-applicable testing standard was available, a protocol was developed based on guidelines fiom professional and industry organizations. Due to the liquid-crystalline nature of the polymer, the cord is very stiff, creeps very little, and does not yield. Therefore, the key material property for this application is the breaking strength. The pretension load and gauge length were found to have negligible effect on the measured breaking strength over the ranges investigated. Strain rate was found to have no effect on breaking strength, within the range of rates suggested by the standards organizations. However, at the lower rate more similar to ULDB operations, the strength was reduced. The breaking strength increased when the experiment temperature was decreased from ambient to 183K which is the lowest temperature ULDB is expected to experience. The measured strength under all test conditions was well below that resulting from direct scale-up of fiber strength based on the manufacturers data. This expected result is due to the effects of the braiding process and material ageing.
Adapting multimedia Internet content for universal access

Content delivery over the Internet needs to address both the multimedia nature of the content and the capabilities of the diverse client platforms the content is being delivered to. We present a system that adapts multimedia Web documents to optimally match the capabilities of the client device requesting it. This system has two key components. 1) A representation scheme called the InfoPyramid that provides a multimodal, multiresolution representation hierarchy for multimedia. 2) A customizer that selects the best content representation to meet the client capabilities while delivering the most value. We model the selection process as a resource allocation problem in a generalized rate distortion framework. In this framework, we address the issue of both multiple media types in a Web document and multiple resource types at the client. We extend this framework to allow prioritization on the content items in a Web document. We illustrate our content adaptation technique with a web server that adapts multimedia news stories to clients as diverse as workstations, PDA's and cellular phones.
Intracellular calcium strongly potentiates agonist-activated TRPC5 channels

TRPC5 is a calcium (Ca2+)-permeable nonselective cation channel expressed in several brain regions, including the hippocampus, cerebellum, and amygdala. Although TRPC5 is activated by receptors coupled to phospholipase C, the precise signaling pathway and modulatory signals remain poorly defined. We find that during continuous agonist activation, heterologously expressed TRPC5 currents are potentiated in a voltage-dependent manner (∼5-fold at positive potentials and ∼25-fold at negative potentials). The reversal potential, doubly rectifying current–voltage relation, and permeability to large cations such as N-methyl-d-glucamine remain unchanged during this potentiation. The TRPC5 current potentiation depends on extracellular Ca2+: replacement by Ba2+ or Mg2+ abolishes it, whereas the addition of 10 mM Ca2+ accelerates it. The site of action for Ca2+ is intracellular, as simultaneous fura-2 imaging and patch clamp recordings indicate that potentiation is triggered at ∼1 µM [Ca2+]. This potentiation is prevented when intracellular Ca2+ is tightly buffered, but it is promoted when recording with internal solutions containing elevated [Ca2+]. In cell-attached and excised inside-out single-channel recordings, increases in internal [Ca2+] led to an ∼10–20-fold increase in channel open probability, whereas single-channel conductance was unchanged. Ca2+-dependent potentiation should result in TRPC5 channel activation preferentially during periods of repetitive firing or coincident neurotransmitter receptor activation.
Exploiting Standard Deviation of CPI to Evaluate Architectural Time-Predictability

Time-predictability of computing is critical for hard real-time and safety-critical systems. However, currently there is no metric available to quantitatively evaluate time-predictability, a feature crucial to the design of time-predictable processors. This paper first proposes the concept of architectural time-predictability, which separates the time variation due to hardware architectural/microarchitectural design from that due to software. We then propose the standard deviation of clock cycles per instruction (CPI), a new metric, to measure architectural time-predictability. Our experiments confirm that the standard deviation of CPI is an effective metric to evaluate and compare architectural time-predictability for different processors. Category: Embedded computing
The cycle of form and function in cardiac valvulogenesis

The formation and remodeling of the embryonic valves is a complex and dynamic process that occurs within a constantly changing hemodynamic environment. Defects in embryonic and fetal valve remodeling are the leading cause of congenital heart defects, yet very little is known about how fibrous leaflet tissue is created from amorphous gelatinous masses called cushions. Microenvironmental cues such as mechanical forces and extracellular matrix composition play major roles in cell differentiation, but almost all research efforts in valvulogenesis center around genetics and molecular approaches. This review summarizes what is known about the dynamic mechanical and extracellular matrix microenvironment of the atrioventricular and semilunar valves during embryonic development and their possible guidance roles. A variety of new computational tools and sophisticated experimental techniques are progressing that enable precise microenvironmental alterations that are critical to complement genetic gain and loss of function approaches. Studies at the interface of mechanical and genetic signaling in embryonic valvulogenesis will likely pay significant dividends, not only in terms of increasing our mechanistic understanding, but also lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for patients with congenital valve abnormalities.
Restoration of DWI Data Using a Rician LMMSE Estimator

This paper introduces and analyzes a linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) estimator using a Rician noise model and its recursive version (RLMMSE) for the restoration of diffusion weighted images. A method to estimate the noise level based on local estimations of mean or variance is used to automatically parametrize the estimator. The restoration performance is evaluated using quality indexes and compared to alternative estimation schemes. The overall scheme is simple, robust, fast, and improves estimations. Filtering diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) with the proposed methodology leads to more accurate tensor estimations. Real and synthetic datasets are analyzed.
Generalized decorrelators for fading channels

An iterative pilot symbol aided detector for random multipath fading channels that does not neglect intersymbol interference (ISI) is studied for a CDMA uplink system with multiple receiver antennas. The algorithm resolves the received signals at each antenna into components corresponding to each path for every user. Estimated components are combined for obtaining the next sequence estimate for all users, and thus no signal energy is lost. Sequence estimation is based on convex set maximization of the likelihood function termed the generalized decorrelator approach. The continuous log-likelihood maximization technique used here is the expectation-maximization approach to parameter estimation for superimposed signals introduced by M. Feder and E. Weinstein (1988). Its resulting solution embodies an iterative non-quantized signal path estimator and an MMSE channel estimator.
Obesity as a susceptibility factor to indoor particulate matter health effects in COPD

Our goal was to investigate whether obesity increases susceptibility to the adverse effects of indoor particulate matter on respiratory morbidity among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Participants with COPD were studied at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Obesity was defined as a body mass index ≥30 kg·m(-2). At each time point, indoor air was sampled for 5-7 days and particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic size ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) and 2.5-10 μm (PM2.5-10) was measured. Respiratory symptoms, health status, rescue medication use, exacerbations, blood biomarkers and exhaled nitric oxide were assessed simultaneously. Of the 84 participants enrolled, 56% were obese and all were former smokers with moderate-to-severe COPD. Obese participants tended to have less severe disease as assessed by Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease stage and fewer pack-years of smoking. There was evidence that obesity modified the effects of indoor PM on COPD respiratory outcomes. Increases in PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 were associated with greater increases in nocturnal symptoms, dyspnoea and rescue medication use among obese versus non-obese participants. The impact of indoor PM on exacerbations, respiratory status and wheeze also tended to be greater among obese versus non-obese participants, as were differences in airway and systemic inflammatory responses to indoor PM. We found evidence that obesity was associated with exaggerated responses to indoor fine and coarse PM exposure among individuals with COPD.
Engagement: Archaeological Design and Engineering

Practice, architectonics, the disposition of materials, instruments, people, the articulation of heterogeneous parts in an assemblage that performs transformative work: we can easily call this engineering—science in action. One of the main topics of this collection of papers is the design of archaeological knowledge. Taking a lead from these papers, let us ask how we might work with the richness of the past, creatively, respecting the qualities of materials and relationships. From these questions, I sketch a few components in the design of knowledge.
“Behold the Man!”: Constructing the Masculinity of Jesus of Nazareth in Mainstream American Film, 1961–2004

Films depicting the life of Jesus of Nazareth appear simple and easily readable, and this understanding of the films as mere dramatic interpretations of the gospels contributes to a lack of attention to issues of social identity. This study addresses the gap in critical inquiry, locating a profound anxiety about gender at the center of these religiously oriented films. Close readings of five mainstream American films reveal that the texts are structured by binary oppositions with other characters that position Jesus as the epitome of a divine masculinity defined against femininity, homosexuality, and hypermasculinity. These binaries are loaded with a discourse of ethnicity that links Jesus’ counterfactual whiteness with notions of masculinity and spiritual goodness. Though the films construct a relatively stable set of prohibitions on Jesus’ masculinity, they leave his gendered persona murky and undefined, providing little guidance about what ideal, transcendent masculinity can or should be.
Low venular shear rates promote leukocyte-dependent recruitment of adherent platelets.

The influence of reductions in venular shear rate on platelet-endothelial (P/E) cell adhesion has not been previously addressed. The objectives of this study were to define the effects of reduction...
The Concept of the ‘Inner Human Being’ ([omicron, accent][epsilon, accent]σω [alpha, accent]νθρωπ[omicron]σ) in the Anthropology of Paul

The paper discusses one of the key concepts of Paul's anthropology, the concept of the ‘inner human being’ (όέσω άνθρωποσ). According to recent contributions by U. Duchrow, T. K. Heckel, C. Markschies and W. Burkert, Paul's concept originated in Plato. The questions still open are: How did the concept get into the hands of Paul? How does Paul interpret the concept in accordance with his own theological anthropology? Answering these two questions is the goal of the paper.