cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using battery management systems to augment inter-area oscillation control in wind-integrated power systems

This paper presents a control design for shaping the inter-area oscillations of a wind-integrated power system through coordination between a wind power controller and a controlled battery energy system (BES). We consider a continuum representation of the power system dynamics subject to two point source forcings from wind and battery power, each injected at specified electrical distances along the transfer path. The inter-area oscillation modes of a wind-integrated power system have previously been shown to be highly dependent on the location where wind power is injected, as a result of which a particular injection site may produce a desired spectral response. A wind power controller may be used to achieve the response in an arbitrary location but the effect is limited to small frequency ranges. In the present work, we design co-dependent linear controllers for the wind power and the BES in charging mode, and show that the addition of this controlled BES greatly improves the spectral matching within the inter-area oscillation range. We illustrate the performance of our controllers using power system models inspired by US west coast transfer paths such as the Pacific AC Inter-tie.
An Electronic Energy and Average Power-Factor Meter with Controllable Nonuniform Rate

The first part of the paper describes the design of an electronic watthour meter competitive in price and performance with the electromechanical (Ferraris) type. The circuit uses only integrated circuits (IC's) and passive components in a multiplier low-pass filter voltage to frequency converter (VFC) configuration and satisfies the design criterion. The basic design is then modified to obtain an average power-factor meter.
Galanin receptors in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex of aged Fischer 344 male rats

Galanin (GAL) has been proposed to be an inhibitory modulator of cholinergic memory pathways because it acts within the hippocampus to inhibit the release and antagonize the postsynaptic actions of acetylcholine. Here we have used: 1) slice binding and quantitative autoradiography to assess the density and occupancy of GAL receptors; and 2) in situ hybridization histochemistry to assess expression of the GALR1 receptor subtype in the ventral hippocampus of 3-month-old and 21-month-old Fischer 344 male rats. We detected a small but significant (p ≤ 0.0003) age-related reduction in 125I-GAL binding-site density in the ventral hippocampus and entorhinal cortex under standard binding conditions. Post-hoc analysis indicated that this reduction with age persisted in the CA1 radiatum and entorhinal cortex following GTP-induced desaturation to unmask pre-existent GAL receptors occupied by endogenous ligand. It was not associated with a significant change in peak GALR1 gene expression in the hippocampus. Because a portion of GAL receptors in this region have been postulated to function as presynaptic auto-receptors on cholinergic fiber terminals, the reduction in GAL binding sites with age may be a consequence of age-related alterations in GAL receptor expression by basal forebrain cholinergic neurons which project to the ventral hippocampus.
Sema3A maintains corneal avascularity during development by inhibiting Vegf induced angioblast migration.

Abstract Corneal avascularity is important for optical clarity and normal vision. However, the molecular mechanisms that prevent angioblast migration and vascularization of the developing cornea are not clear. Previously we showed that periocular angioblasts and forming ocular blood vessels avoid the presumptive cornea despite dynamic ingression of neural crest cells. In the current study, we investigate the role of Semaphorin3A (Sema3A), a cell guidance chemorepellent, on angioblast migration and corneal avascularity during development. We show that Sema3A, Vegf, and Nrp1 are expressed in the anterior eye during cornea development. Sema3A mRNA transcripts are expressed at significantly higher levels than Vegf in the lens that is positioned adjacent to the presumptive cornea. Blockade of Sema3A signaling via lens removal or injection of a synthetic Sema3A inhibitor causes ectopic migration of angioblasts into the cornea and results in its subsequent vascularization. In addition, using bead implantation, we demonstrate that exogenous Sema3A protein inhibits Vegf-induced vascularization of the cornea. In agreement with these findings, loss of Sema/Nrp1 signaling in Nrp1Sema− mutant mice results in ectopic angioblasts and vascularization of the embryonic mouse corneas. Altogether, our results reveal Sema3A signaling as an important cue during the establishment of corneal avascularity in both chick and mouse embryos. Our study introduces cornea development as a new model for studying the mechanisms involved in vascular patterning during embryogenesis and it also provides new insights into therapeutic potential for Sema3A in neovascular diseases.
Emergency departments I: the use of simulation to reduce the length of stay in an emergency department

This paper presents a simulation model of the operations in the Emergency Department (ED) at The Cooper Health System. Due to the large amount of variability that can take place within an ED, Cooper Health System sought the use of simulation to help evaluate their operations and possible solutions to their problems. The objective of the model was for Rockwell Automation to create a model which depicts the current operations and evaluate possible alternatives to reduce the length of stay. For construction of the model, data was gathered 24 hours a day over a seven-day period. Every operation performed in the ED was evaluated. The model has yielded results that have saved the hospital considerable time as well as helped to avoid tremendous costs.
The locus of semantic priming in RSVP target search

At what stage does semantic priming affect accuracy in target search? In two experiments, participants viewed two streams of stimuli, each including a target word among distractors. Stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) between the targets (T1 and T2) ranged from 53 to 213 msec. A word semantically related to one or neither of the targets preceded each trial. In Experiment 1, participants were instructed to report both targets. Although more primed than unprimed targets were reported, there was no cost for unprimed words. A strong interaction between SOA and T1 versus T2 was found, but priming did not interact with either variable. In Experiment 2, only related targets were reported. Performance was similar to that for primed targets in Experiment 1. Semantic priming does not seem to modulate how attentional resources are initially allocated between targets, but instead affects a later stage of processing, the point at which a target word reaches lexical identification.
M-VAC or MVC for the treatment of advanced transitional cell carcinoma: metastatic, induction, and adjuvant.

The cisplatin- based combination chemotherapy regimens of M- VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, cisplatin) or MVC (methotrexate, vincristine, cisplatin) were given to 25 patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma, 13 with locally advanced bladder cancer, and 10 as adjuvant therapy after radical surgery. Toxicity was significant with two deaths. Forty- eight percent of the patients with metastatic disease had a complete (20%) or partial (28%) response. Survival was only improved if a CR was achieved. Nine of 13 patients given M- VAC/MVC as neoadjuvant therapy underwent cystectomy and six are free of disease (mean 31 months). Three of the four patients who did not have radical surgery are also free of disease. These regimens appear to be superior to cisplatin alone. In the overall response evaluation, however, toxicity is greater.
Results on incremental stability for a class of hybrid systems

Incremental stability is the notion that the distance between every pair of solutions to the system has stable behavior and approaches zero asymptotically. This paper introduces this notion for a class of hybrid systems. In particular, we define incremental stability as well as incremental partial stability, and study their properties. The approach used to derive our results consists of recasting the incremental stability problem as a set stabilization problem, for which the tools for asymptotic stability of hybrid systems are applicable. In particular, we propose an auxiliary hybrid system to study the stability of the diagonal set, which relates to incremental stability of the original system. The proposed notions are illustrated in examples throughout the paper.
Reduced survival in women after valve surgery for aortic regurgitationEffect of aortic enlargement and late aortic rupture

Abstract Objective: We sought to investigate the relationship of female sex, aortic pathology, and left ventricular function to outcome after an operation for aortic regurgitation. Methods: One hundred nine women underwent aortic valve replacement (n = 92) or repair (n = 17) for pure aortic regurgitation between 1985 and 1996. Mean follow-up was 5.7 ± 2.6 years. New York Heart Association functional class III-IV symptoms were present in 70 patients, whereas left ventricular function was normal in 60 patients. Ascending aortic diameter in 97% exceeded the 90th percentile for a size-matched healthy population. A concomitant aortic operation was performed by means of root replacement in 31 patients and by means of interposition graft in 28 patients. Of 50 patients undergoing isolated valve procedures, 19 had aortas of 4.0 cm or larger. Results: At 5 and 10 years, survival was 78% and 44%, respectively. Fatal aortic rupture occurred in 13 patients, and 2 others underwent emergency operations for impending aortic rupture, for a total of 15 late aortic events. Freedom from aortic events was 87% and 76% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Risk factors for aortic events were older age ( P = .07) and increasing ascending aortic diameter indexed to body surface area ( P = .03) in women who had not undergone replacement of the ascending aorta. Rupture location was at the ascending aorta in 71% without ascending replacement and the descending aorta in 62% with ascending grafts. Conclusion: In women, late survival after an operation for aortic regurgitation is importantly decreased by coexisting aortic pathology with subsequent aortic rupture. Aortic replacement at the time of a valve operation should be considered on the basis of indexed aortic size. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;119:1205-15)
Availability of addiction medications in private health plans

Health plans have implemented cost sharing and administrative controls to constrain escalating prescription expenditures. These policies may impact physicians' prescribing and patients' use of these medications. Important clinical advances in the pharmacological treatment of addiction highlight the need to examine how pharmacy benefits consider medications for substance dependence. The extent of restrictions influencing the availability of these medications to consumers is unknown. We use nationally representative survey data to examine the extent and stringency of private health plans' management of naltrexone and disulfiram for alcohol dependence, and buprenorphine for opiate dependence. Thirty-one percent of insurance products excluded buprenorphine from formularies, whereas 55% placed it on the highest cost-sharing tier. Generic naltrexone is the only substance dependence medication that is both rarely excluded from formularies and usually placed on a lower cost-sharing tier. These findings demonstrate that pharmacy benefits have an impact on access to medications for substance abuse.
The NC16A domain of collagen XVII plays a role in triple helix assembly and stability.

Collagen XVII/BP180 is a transmembrane constituent of the epidermal anchoring complex. To study the role of its non-collagenous linker domain, NC16A, in protein assembly and stability, we analyzed the following recombinant proteins: the collagen XVII extracellular domain with or without NC16A, and a pair of truncated proteins comprising the COL15-NC15 stretch expressed with or without NC16A. All four proteins were found to exist as stable collagen triple helices; however, the two missing NC16A exhibited melting temperatures significantly lower than their NC16A-containing counterparts. Protein refolding experiments revealed that the rate of triple helix assembly of the collagen model peptide GPP10 is greatly increased by the addition of an upstream NC16A domain. In summary, the NC16A linker domain of collagen XVII exhibits a positive effect on both the rate of assembly and the stability of the adjoining collagen structure.
Holistic Nurses' Examinations: Past, Present, Future

Social and professional paradigm shifts of the 1990s moved holistic nursing into the mainstream of health care, resulting in the need for national certification of Holistic Nurses. Given the assumptions that certification examinations are based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities prerequisite for competent practice in a given specialty, and that the certification credential tells the public and peers that the certificant has such knowledge, The American Holistic Nurses Association's Leadership Council (AHNA-LC) initiated certification processes in 1994. On the request of AHNA-LC, the American Holistic Nurses' Certification Corporation (AHNCC) assumed these responsibilities in April, 1997. Since then, AHNCC has overseen the revision of the first certification process for holistic nursing prepared at the baccalaureate level and development of a second one designed for holistic nurses prepared in graduate nursing programs. This article describe these developmental processes.
Importance of columnar grains in dictating hot ductility of steels

AbstractThe hot ductility of an as cast austenitic stainless steel slab having a coarse columnar grain structure emanating from the surface to the interior has been established in the temperature range 700–1000°C. Tensile specimens were taken in three directions, namely, parallel and transverse to the casting direction in a plane close to the top surface of the slab, and in the through thickness direction. The average dimensions of the columnar grains in these directions were 1, 2, and 8 mm, respectively. The ductility was highest in the through thickness direction and lowest parallel to the casting direction, this being the direction of stressing during the straightening operation in continuous casting. For the lowest ductility failures, the cracks were always intergranular. These observations can be explained in terms of the crack size being related to the grain size perpendicular to the tensile axis, this being greatest for samples tested parallel to the casting direction. In this direction, cracks can...
EFFICIENT DYNAMIC LOOKUP FOR BURSTY ACCESS PATTERNS

Internet (IP) packet forwarding is typically done by finding the longest prefix in a router table that matches the packet's destination address. Although significant effort has been devoted to the development of data structures for static and dynamic router-tables for random packet-access-patterns, considerably less effort has been expended in the development of such structures for bursty access-patterns (i.e., streams of packets in which destination addresses repeat frequently within localized windows of packets). In this paper, we first formulate a variant, ACRBT (alternative collection of red-black trees), of the CRBT (collection of red-black trees) data structure proposed earlier for dynamic router-tables. By replacing the red-black trees used in the ACRBT with splay trees, we obtain the CST (collection of splay trees) structure in which search, insert, and delete take O(log n) amortized time per operation, where n is the number of prefixes in the router table. By replacing the front end of the CST with biased skip lists, we obtain the BSLPT (biased skip lists with prefix trees) structure in which search, insert, and delete take O(log n) expected time. The CST and BSLPT structures are designed so as to perform much better when the access pattern is bursty than when it is not. Experimental results using real IPv4 routing databases and synthetically generated search sequences as well as trace sequences are presented. For extremely bursty access patterns, the CST structure is best. Otherwise, the ACRBT is recommended. Our experiments also indicate that a supernode implementation of the ACRBT usually has better search performance than does the traditional one-element-per-node implementation.
Expression of rod and cone visual pigments in goldfish and zebrafish: A rhodopsin-like gene is expressed in cones

The primary purpose of the present study was to determine whether a rhodopsin-like gene, which has been postulated to represent the green cone pigment in several species, is in fact expressed in cone photoreceptors instead of rods. The expression patterns of rod opsin and blue and red cone opsins were also examined in both goldfish and zebrafish retinas using colorimetric in situ hybridization. The results demonstrate that the rhodopsin-like gene is expressed in green cones, as predicted. A subset of small cones that do not hybridize with these cRNA probes are tentatively identified as ultraviolet receptors. The results also demonstrate that opsin message in cones is restricted to the perinuclear region, whereas in rods, it is both perinuclear and adjacent to the ellipsoid.
Home gardens as a source of the green peach aphid and virus diseases in Idaho

The green peach aphid,Myzus persicae Sulz. enters the certified seed potato producing areas of Idaho on vegetable and flower transplants used by home gardeners. These aphids multiply on the transplants and on other hosts in or near the gardens and winged forms produced fly to certified seed potato fields and initiate colonies. These winged aphids may carry leafroll virus from gardens to potato fields or spread the virus from source plants in potato fields. A four-year survey shows that home garden plantings of Russet Burbank potatoes are a common source of leafroll in the seed potato areas.
Detecting breast microcalcifications using super-resolution ultrasound imaging: a clinical study

Imaging breast microcalcifications is crucial for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. It is challenging for current clinical ultrasound to image breast microcalcifications. However, new imaging techniques using data acquired with a synthetic-aperture ultrasound system have the potential to significantly improve ultrasound imaging. We recently developed a super-resolution ultrasound imaging method termed the phase-coherent multiple-signal classification (PC-MUSIC). This signal subspace method accounts for the phase response of transducer elements to improve image resolution. In this paper, we investigate the clinical feasibility of our super-resolution ultrasound imaging method for detecting breast microcalcifications. We use our custom-built, real-time synthetic-aperture ultrasound system to acquire breast ultrasound data for 40 patients whose mammograms show the presence of breast microcalcifications. We apply our super-resolution ultrasound imaging method to the patient data, and produce clear images of breast calcifications. Our super-resolution ultrasound PC-MUSIC imaging with synthetic-aperture ultrasound data can provide a new imaging modality for detecting breast microcalcifications in clinic without using ionizing radiation.
Fourier transform technique with frequency filtering for antireflection coating design

A new, very simple AR coating synthesis method is further developed and compared to a recent `quasi-optimal' technique. A remarkable resemblance is found in the results. The reason for this similarity is given and the performance of both approaches is discussed.
Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells: stimulation by angiotensin II and calcium ionophores, inhibition by cyclic AMP and calmodulin antagonists.

The specific activity of the Na+/K+/Cl− cotransporter was assayed by measuring the initial rates of furosemide-inhibitable86Rb+ influx and efflux. The presence of all three ions in the external medium was essential for cotransport activity. In cultured smooth muscle cells furosemide and bumetanide inhibited influx by 50% at 5 and 0.2 μm, respectively. The dependence of furosemide-inhibitable86Rb+ influx on external Na+ and K+ was hyperbolic with apparentKm values of 46 and 4mm, respectively. The dependence on Cl− was sigmoidal. Assuming a stoichiometry of 1∶1∶2 for Na+/K+/Cl−, aKm of 78mm was obtained for Cl−. In quiescent smooth muscle cells cotransport activity was approximately equal to Na+ pump activity with each pathway accounting for 30% of total86Rb+ influx. Growing muscle cells had approximately 3 times higher cotransport activity than quiescent ones. Na+ pump activity was not significantly different in the gorwing and quiescent cultures. Angiotensin II (ANG) stimulated cotransport activity as did two calcium-transporting ionophores, A23187 and ionomycin. The removal of external Ca2+ prevented A23187, but not ANG, from stimulating the cotransporter. Calmodulin antagonists selectively inhibited86Rb+ influx via the cotransporter. Beta-adrenoreceptor stimulation with isoproterenol, like other treatments which increase cAMP, inhibited cotransport activity. Cultured porcine endothelial cells had 3 times higher cotransport activity than growing muscle cells. Calmodulin antagonists inhibited cotransport activity, but agents which increase cAMP or calcium had no effect on cotransport activity in the endothelial cells.
Evaluating a digital video library web interface

In late 2001, a web-based interface to public domain videos from NASA and other U.S. government agencies was prototyped using Informedia [3] processing. This interface, as shown in Figure 1, was evaluated as a course project required for CMU’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) Master’s Program. This report outlines the evaluation process and summarizes a few findings, to illustrate the utility of applying HCI methods during a prototyping development phase.
Early administration of intracoronary verapamil improves myocardial perfusion during percutaneous coronary interventions for acute myocardial infarction.

Background Intracoronary calcium-channel blockers administered in the event of no reflow during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have been shown to improve myocardial perfusion. Study objective To evaluate the effects of the administration of intracoronary verapamil before the occurrence of no reflow during direct PCI. Design and setting Single-center, nonrandomized, prospective study with a retrospective control group. Patients and methods From September 2001 to December 2003, 50 consecutive patients with AMI were prospectively enrolled for intracoronary verapamil treatment. Intracoronary verapamil was administered immediately prior to balloon inflation and at short intervals during the procedure thereafter. Retrospectively, 50 consecutive AMI patients who had undergone direct PCI and had not received intracoronary calcium-channel blockers were enrolled as control subjects. Patients with cardiogenic shock or platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor were excluded. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade, corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC), and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) were assessed prior to and following PCI by two independent cardiologists blinded to the procedures. Results The two groups had similar baseline and postprocedural angiographic characteristics, although the patients who been administered verapamil received more stent implantations than the control subjects (84% vs 60%, p = 0.008). Postprocedural TIMI flow Conclusions Early administration of intracoronary verapamil during direct PCI improves postprocedural myocardial perfusion, as evaluated by TMPG.
Breast and cervical cancer screening practices among Hispanic women in the United States and Puerto Rico, 1998-1999.

Background. Results from recent studies suggest that Hispanic women in the United States may underuse cancer screening tests and face important barriers to screening. Methods. We examined the breast and cervical cancer screening practices of Hispanic women in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico from 1998 through 1999 by using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Results. About 68.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 66.3 to 70.1%) of 7,253 women in this sample aged 40 years or older had received a mammogram in the past 2 years. About 81.4% (95% CI = 80.3 to 82.5%) of 12,350 women aged 18 years or older who had not undergone a hysterectomy had received a Papanicolaou test in the past 3 years. Women with lower incomes and those with less education were less likely to be screened. Women who had seen a physician in the past year and those with health insurance coverage were much more likely to have been screened. For example, among those Hispanic women aged 40 years or older who had any health insurance coverage (n = 6,063), 72.7% (95% CI 70.7–74.6%) had had a mammogram in the past 2 years compared with only 54.8% (95% CI 48.7–61.0%) of women without health insurance coverage (n = 1,184). Conclusions. These results underscore the need for continued efforts to ensure that Hispanic women who are medically underserved have access to cancer screening services.
Proasthmatic effects and mechanisms of action of the dust mite allergen, Der p 1, in airway smooth muscle.

Background House dust mite allergen exposure is a key risk factor for the development of allergic asthma. Beyond provoking immune cell-mediated allergic responses, house dust mite allergens were recently shown to exert direct effects on airway structural cells secondary to their intrinsic protease activities. Objective This study tested the hypothesis that house dust mite allergen exposure can produce changes in airway responsiveness through a direct effect on airway smooth muscle (ASM). Methods Isolated rabbit ASM tissues were exposed to the house dust mite allergen, Der p 1, and induced changes in ASM responsiveness and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were examined under different experimental conditions. Results The observations demonstrated the following: (1) Der p 1 exposure elicited enhanced constrictor responses and impaired relaxation responses in the ASM tissues, (2) these proasthmatic-like effects of Der p 1 were attributed to its intrinsic cysteine protease activity, and (3) the induced changes in ASM responsiveness were associated with activation of both the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and the p38 MAPK signaling pathways. Additionally, specific blockade of ERK1/2 signaling was found to prevent the Der p 1–induced changes in ASM responsiveness, whereas inhibition of p38 MAPK signaling enhanced the proasthmatic-like action of Der p 1, with the latter effect a result of augmented activation of ERK1/2. Conclusion These findings are the first to demonstrate that the dust mite allergen, Der p 1, can directly elicit changes in ASM responsiveness that are associated with activation of MAPK signaling, wherein proasthmatic effects induced by Der p 1 are attributed to activation of ERK1/2, whereas coactivation of p38 MAPK exerts a homeostatic action by negatively regulating ERK1/2 signaling.
Measurement of stress based upon universal relations in acoustoelasticity

A new approach to ultrasonic measurement of stress was proposed recently by Man and Lu. That approach is based on universal relations that result from material symmetry in an acoustoelastic theory applicable to plastically deformed bodies for which superimposed ultrasonic waves can be taken as elastic. When applicable, the Man-Lu approach circumvents the two main difficulties of the acoustic-birefringence method, namely those of unknown initial texture and plastic deformation. An experiment was performed to verify a new universal relation derived by Man and Lu in their earlier work. Plastic strain was developed during the test. The results were in basic accord with the prediction of the theory.
Clinical application of HPV typing in cervical cancer

Certain human papaillomavirus (HPV) types are major risk factors for the development of cervical neoplasia. The value of HPV DNA testing in the management of patients with disease and in population screening is a subject of controversy. Since the introduction of molecular biology into the HPV field, there have been rapid advances and improvements in HPV diagnosis. The various molecular diagnostic methods for detection of HPV DNA (dot blot hybridization, Southern blot hybridization, in situ hybridization, Hybrid Capture Test, and polymerase chain reaction; PCR) could be selected by taking into consideration some factors such as characteristics of sample, sensitivity of HPV test and expenses. The HPV DNA testing would be a clinically useful diagnostic method, when used in conjunction with the Pap smear in population screening or in conjunction with cytology and colposcopy to identify the women infected with high-risk HPVs or women who had equivocal cervical lesions. Despite the confusion, a multitude of reports demonstrate that HPV DNA testing has the clinical utility, and future investigations should be directed at more accurately delineating its role in human health care.
Animal models of gastrointestinal and liver diseases. Animal models of visceral pain: pathophysiology, translational relevance, and challenges

Visceral pain describes pain emanating from the thoracic, pelvic, or abdominal organs. In contrast to somatic pain, visceral pain is generally vague, poorly localized, and characterized by hypersensitivity to a stimulus such as organ distension. Animal models have played a pivotal role in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of visceral pain. This review focuses on animal models of visceral pain and their translational relevance. In addition, the challenges of using animal models to develop novel therapeutic approaches to treat visceral pain will be discussed.
Coherence Dynamics in Photosynthesis: Protein Protection of Excitonic Coherence

The role of quantum coherence in promoting the efficiency of the initial stages of photosynthesis is an open and intriguing question. We performed a two-color photon echo experiment on a bacterial reaction center that enabled direct visualization of the coherence dynamics in the reaction center. The data revealed long-lasting coherence between two electronic states that are formed by mixing of the bacteriopheophytin and accessory bacteriochlorophyll excited states. This coherence can only be explained by strong correlation between the protein-induced fluctuations in the transition energy of neighboring chromophores. Our results suggest that correlated protein environments preserve electronic coherence in photosynthetic complexes and allow the excitation to move coherently in space, enabling highly efficient energy harvesting and trapping in photosynthesis.
Model evolution: An incremental approach to non-rigid structure from motion

In this paper, we present a new framework for non-rigid structure from motion (NRSFM) that simultaneously addresses three significant challenges: severe occlusion, perspective camera projection, and large non-linear deformation. We introduce a concept called a model graph, which greatly reduces the computational cost of discovering groups of input images that depict consistent 3D shapes. A 3D model is constructed for each input image by traversing the model graph along multiple evolutionary paths. A compressive shape representation is constructed, which (1) consolidates the multiple 3D models for each image reconstructed during model evolution and (2) reduces the number of models needed to represent the input image set. Assuming feature correspondences are known, we demonstrate our algorithm on both real and synthetic data sets that exemplify all three aforementioned challenges.
Nonplanar aromatic compounds. Part 10: A strategy for the synthesis of aromatic belts-all wrapped up or down the tubes?

A strategy for the synthesis of cyclophenacene-type aromatic belts (or armchair nanotube segments) that relies upon a valence isomerization/dehydrogenation reaction is de- scribed, and progress toward achieving this goal is presented.
A formal basis for design process planning and management

In this paper we present a design formalism that allows for a complete and general characterization of design disciplines and for a unified representation of arbitrarily complex design processes. This formalism has been used as the basis for the development of several prototype CAD meta-tools that offer effective design process planning and management services.
Older people who report loneliness have increased risk of mortality and functional decline

Commentary on: Perissinotto CM, Stijacic Cenzer I, Covinsky KE. Loneliness in older persons: a predictor of functional decline and death. Arch Intern Med 2012;172:1078–84.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Prevalence rates of loneliness have been reported to be as high as 17% in samples of older adults in the USA.1 Historically, scientists viewed loneliness as a social phenomenon. Recently, loneliness has been reconceptualised as a biopsychosocial stressor that contributes … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DArchives%2Bof%2BInternal%2BMedicine%26rft.stitle%253DArch%2BIntern%2BMed%26rft.aulast%253DPerissinotto%26rft.auinit1%253DC.%2BM.%26rft.volume%253D172%26rft.issue%253D14%26rft.spage%253D1078%26rft.epage%253D1083%26rft.atitle%253DLoneliness%2Bin%2Bolder%2Bpersons%253A%2Ba%2Bpredictor%2Bof%2Bfunctional%2Bdecline%2Band%2Bdeath.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1001%252Farchinternmed.2012.1993%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22710744%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1001/archinternmed.2012.1993&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=22710744&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F16%2F3%2F95.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000306582000006&link_type=ISI
Enamel Microsampling Technique for Assessing Fluoride Uptake from Topical Fluoride Treatments In Vitro

A handpiece driven by an electric motor and with a pressure gauge and a preset timer was found to be a satisfactory tool for the in vitro and in vivo microsampling of enamel fluoride in the first 1 to 2 micrometer layer of enamel.
Distribution of lipase among components of a water extract of rennet casein.

Abstract Diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DEAE) and Sephadex G-25 chromatographic techniques were used to investigate the distribution of milk lipase activity among the components of casein by their application to a water extract of rennet casein, in which the specific lipase activity was approximately 11 times greater than that of skimmilk. The eight fractions obtained from the casein extract by an eight-step gradient DEAE-cellulose ion exchange procedure and the three fractions obtained by Sephadex G-25 Gel filtration exhibited lipase activity. For the DEAE-cellulose method, seven of the eight fractions had specific activities greater than that of the original skimmilk, with Fraction 7 exhibiting specific lipase activity approximating a 1,000-fold increase. For the Sephadex G-25 fractions, and in comparison to the original skimmilk, the relative specific activities of the first fraction were about twice as great, and the specific activities of the second and third fractions were 50–150 times greater than skimmilk. The concentration of lipase was increased three to six-fold in Sephadex Fractions 2 and 3 when the extract of rennet casein was frozen, dried, then reconstituted prior to Sephadex gel filtration. Fractionation by either DEAE-cellulose or Sephadex-25 gave lipase activity equivalent to about 160% of the original activity in the water extract of casein.
Social Control of MNCs: An Institutional Perspective

KARL POLANYI'S MODEL OF SOCIAL ECONOMICS has provided anthropology with a rich social and human perspective on economic activity. This article applies social economics to understanding business corporation activity, and explores the potential of the model for understanding and controlling multinational corporation activity, [economic anthropology, business, multinational corporations]
Combined effects of allelochemicals, prey availability, and supplemental plant material on growth of a generalist insect predator

We examined the effects of the presence of plant allelochemicals in prey diet, prey availability and supplemental plant material on the growth of the generalist predator Podisus maculiventris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). We tested two different nymphal stages of this predator. Third to fourth instar nymphs and fifth instar nymphs were fed a diet of prey (Manduca sexta larvae, Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) without allelochemicals in their diet or prey fed maximal levels of allelochemicals (tomatine, rutin and chlorogenic acid) found in their host plant (Lycopersicon esculentum). The nymphs were fed prey ad libitum, once every three days, or once every five days. They were given either no supplemental plant material or a 2 cm slice of green bean pod (Phaseolus vulgaris). We also conducted another experiment with fifth instar nymphs using the same conditions, except that mean levels of allelochemicals found in the host plant were fed to prey instead of maximal levels and the prey were provided either once a day or once every five days. For all experiments, prey scarcity depressed developmental rate, weight gain and relative growth rate. Overall, there was no negative effect of allelochemicals in the diet of the prey on these variables when predators were supplied with an excess of prey, but allelochemicals in the prey diet negatively affected these predators when prey were scarce. The addition of plant material to the diet of third to fourth instar nymphs did not have any effect on developmental rate, final dry weight, or relative growth rate. However, for fifth instar nymphs, the addition of plant material negatively affected these variables. Thus, the addition of plant material to the diet of the nymphs did not alleviate the negative effects of prey scarcity or allelochemicals in prey diet.
High-order integral equation methods for problems of scattering by bumps and cavities on half-planes.

This paper presents high-order integral equation methods for the evaluation of electromagnetic wave scattering by dielectric bumps and dielectric cavities on perfectly conducting or dielectric half-planes. In detail, the algorithms introduced in this paper apply to eight classical scattering problems, namely, scattering by a dielectric bump on a perfectly conducting or a dielectric half-plane, and scattering by a filled, overfilled, or void dielectric cavity on a perfectly conducting or a dielectric half-plane. In all cases field representations based on single-layer potentials for appropriately chosen Green functions are used. The numerical far fields and near fields exhibit excellent convergence as discretizations are refined—even at and around points where singular fields and infinite currents exist.
A Field Experiment on Legislators’ Home Styles: Service versus Policy

We conducted a field experiment involving roughly 1,000 letters sent by actual individuals to nearly 500 different legislative offices in order to test whether legislative offices prioritize service over policy in their home style. We find strong evidence that both state and federal legislative offices are more responsive to service requests than they are to policy requests. This pattern is consistent with the desire of legislators to gain leeway with their constituents in order to pursue their own policy goals. We also find that at the federal level Democrats prioritize service over policy more than Republicans and at the state level legislators who won by larger margins are more likely to prioritize service over policy. Finally, our results suggest that the decision to prioritize service occurs in how the office is structured. Among other things this suggests that legislators may be microtargeting less than is often supposed.
Cortical Brain Development in Schizophrenia: Insights From Neuroimaging Studies in Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia

Childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS; defined as onset by age 12 years) is rare, difficult to diagnose, and represents a severe and chronic phenotype of the adult-onset illness. A study of childhood-onset psychoses has been ongoing at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) since 1990, where children with COS and severe atypical psychoses (provisionally labeled “multidimensionally impaired” or MDI by the NIMH team) are studied prospectively along with all first-degree relatives. COS subjects have robust cortical gray matter (GM) loss during adolescence, which appears to be an exaggeration of the normal cortical GM developmental pattern and eventually mimics the pattern seen in adult-onset cases as the children become young adults. These cortical GM changes in COS are diagnostically specific and seemingly unrelated to the effects of medications. Furthermore, the cortical GM loss is also shared by healthy full siblings of COS probands suggesting a genetic influence on the abnormal brain development.
Administrative Candidacy: A Process of New-Role Learning--Part I.

Part One of this initial report of a longitudinal study of the organizational socialization of educational administrators offered an analysis of data ordered by the GASing construct and the two related concepts of anticipatory socialization and interpersonal orientation. The data to be analyzed here are ordered using the concepts of situational adjustment and organizational space. A theoretical model interrelating major individual and organizational variables influencing the socialization of administrators during the candidacy portion of their career then builds upon the hypotheses proposed in Part One and Part Two. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the implications these data portend for both training programs and public school systems, calling special attention to the uniqueness of the long‐term serial character of the socialization of educators as an occupational group.
Construction of an obstacle map and its realtime implementation on an Unmanned Ground Vehicle

This paper presents the development of an obstacle mapping system based on the concept of a Probabilistic Threat Exposure Map (PTEM). The paper also discusses the realtime embedded implementation of this obstacle mapping system on a small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) to support realtime obstacle avoidance. These activities are a part of a larger effort to establish a theoretical foundation for autonomous and cooperative multi-UxV guidance solutions in adversarial environments.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Genome Activation Induced by Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Tax Protein Is through Cooperation of NF-κB and Tat

For productive replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in host cells, the viral genome-encoded transactivator Tat and several cellular transcription factors are required for efficient viral gene transcription. However, it remains unclear how the viral genome initiates transcription before Tat is transcribed or when Tat is at suboptimal levels. Here, we utilized the human T-cell leukemia type 1 Tax protein as a molecular tool to investigate the mechanism of viral gene transcription that initiates the early phase of infection of HIV-1. Tax alone does not significantly increase the activity of HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) in T lymphocytes, but it markedly enhanced the replication of an infectious HIV-1 provirus with a truncated nef gene. This enhancement is preferentially mediated by the cooperation of Tax and Tat which is dependent on TAR and duplicated κB cis elements of the HIV-1 LTR as well as the NF-κB activation domain of Tax. Furthermore, phorbol myristate acetate and membrane-targeted HIV-1 Nef also enhanced the LTR activity in the presence of Tat in the TAR- and κB cis element-dependent manner. These data suggest that activated NF-κB can functionally interact with a suboptimal amount of Tat and the HIV-1 LTR for efficient initiation of viral gene transcription.
Debit Card Overdraft Services: Will the Federal Reserve's New Rules Enhance Transparency and Consumer Choice?

While the appearance of debit and credit cards is similar, the attributes have significant differences, particularly when it comes to account overdrafts. This does not suggest that credit cards are somehow superior products, as complaints abound concerning credit card fees. Nevertheless, consumers don’t always appreciate card differences, believing cards are mostly the same. There are real differences when it comes to account overdrafts. This essay supports the opt-in approach of the Federal Reserve's final rules on overdraft services, but cautions against bank practices that undermine transparency. This essay also observes that as payment systems continue to change, the issues associated with developing payment systems may require more frequent attention, suggesting that a Consumer Financial Protection Agency would allow the issues to receive the attention of a primary regulator.
Spin Me Round and Round: The Dizzying Work of Alex Garant

It was the summer before starting a new year in a new school. I was excited for the upcoming semester and was taking full advantage of the break by working on a fresh curriculum and collecting vita...
The Delayed Response of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Lymphocytes to Phytohemagglutinin in Vitro

SummaryThe kinetics of RNA, DNA, and protein synthesis were analyzed in normal and CLL lymphocytes stimulated by PHA in vitro. Normal cultures exhibited maximal increases in lymphocyte nucleic acid and protein synthesis 2 to 3 days after exposure to PHA. Under identical conditions the maximal response on the part of the lymphocytes in CLL cultures occurred between 5 to 7 days. The data suggest that many CLL lymphocytes are capable of responding to PHA but the response is distinctly delayed.
The Fluorescence X-Ray Microprobe at the Advanced Light Source

The fluorescence x-ray microprobe beamline at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) provides a technique to study almost any sample with excellent trace element sensitivity, high spatial resolution and minimal sample damage. During the last two years, the focused spot size has been improved from 2 μm × 4 μm to 1.6 μm × 1 μm using a pair of elliptically-bent multilayer mirrors. Two sets of mirrors have been produced for operation at 8.5 keV and 12.5 keV with a bandpass (ΔE/E) of 4 %. The intensity has also increased by a factor of 20 to over 1 × 10 10 photons/sec by linearly grading the multilayer coating on the mirrors and by operation of the ALS at 1.9 GeV rather than 1.5 GeV. A wide variety of samples have been studied. Some of the materials science samples that have been studied include gallium nitride samples, polycrystalline silicon solar cells, the liner material of a rocket motor and the central germanium core of an optical fiber.
Socialist humanism and the problem of crime

Crime is understood as a problem of human existence. Assumed is the intersubjectivity of social reality, and the need for an interdisciplinary and integrative approach to criminology. Along the way, a consideration of (1) the relativity of things human, (2) the modes of having and being in contemporary society, (3) the interdependence of all things, and (4) the way of peace. The ideas of Erich Fromm are germane to our thinking in the development of a peacemaking criminology.