cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Half integer approximations for the partial sums of the harmonic series

Abstract Let S n denote the n th partial sum of the harmonic series. An asymptotic approximation for S n is obtained in terms of the half integer variable n + 1 2 , including bounds for the remainder. Improved estimates of the Comtet function for the harmonic series are obtained as a consequence.
Do governors get what they want?: An alternative examination of the line-item veto

This paper reconsiders the impact of the governor's line-item veto on the state budget process. The governor's ability to obtain his or her most desired budget measures item veto effectiveness, rather than a smaller expenditure budget. The percentage difference between the final state budget and the governor's original budget request over fiscal years 1983–1989 is examined. The empirical results indicate that under certain political situations the line-item veto authority enhances the governor's ability to obtain his or her desired budget.
Formation of the Oblique Spindle in Dividing Guard Mother Cells of Allium

Microtubule organization in dividing guard mother cells ofAllium cepa was investigated using tubulin immunofluorescence, in order to determine when the spindle assumes its characteristic oblique orientation. The prophase spindle is transverse, perpendicular to the preprophase band and the future cell plate. Its orientation then shifts, until the majority of spindles are oblique by late metaphase. These observations show that the early spindle conforms to positional information determining the division plane, but becomes oblique during later stages of division, perhaps in response to space constraints.
Teoremi di punto fisso sulle sfere

Si presentano risultati classici e recenti riguardanti la teoria dei punti fissi sulle sfere. Si discutono quindi alcuni problemi aperti o risolti da poco.
Sensitivity of Bow-Echo Simulation to Microphysical Parameterizations

AbstractThe sensitivity of a case study bow-echo simulation to eight different microphysical schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting model was tested, with a focus on graupel parameter characteristics. The graupel parameter in one scheme was modified to have a larger mean size and faster fall speed to represent hail (“hail like”). The goal of the study was to measure the sensitivity of five parameters that are important to operational forecasters to graupel properties: timing of bowing development, system speed, wind gusts, system areal coverage, and accumulated precipitation.The time each system initiated bowing varied by as much as 105 min. Simulations containing graupel with smaller mean size and slower fall speed (“graupel like”) bowed earlier due to increased microphysical cooling and stronger cold pools. These same systems had reduced precipitation efficiency, producing a peak storm-total accumulation of 36 mm, compared to a hail-like peak value of 237 mm, and observed a peak value of 53 mm....
The influence of NH4 +‐N vs. NO3 ‐‐n nutrition on root reductant release by fe‐stressed sorghum 1

Abstract The effect of NH4 + ‐N on root reduction capacity developed during Fe stress was investigated in plants grown in a CaCO3 buffered nutrient solution. After a 3‐day period of Fe stress, reduction capacity was not increased by the presence of NH4 + ‐N in the growth medium or in the extracting solution. Since reductant degradation over time was pH dependent, experiments measuring root reductant release into nutrient solution would be confounded by treatments with different solution pH values. In an unbuffered nutrient solution a differential NH4 + uptake due to the cultivar would affect solution pH and interfere with a reliable interpretation of reductant measurements.
Opportunism in Memory: Preparing for Chance Encounters

Recognizing opportunities to achieve pending goals is an important cognitive ability. But when and how do we recognize that a current situation is especially suited to resuming a past goal? The predictive encoding model suggests pending goals are encoded into memory in association with anticipated environmental features. Optimally, these features are (a) necessary for successful goal satisfaction, (b) distinctive preconditions for expecting a plan to achieve the goal, and (c) described so as to be readily identified in the environment. Later, ordinary perception of features in the environment leads to automatic recognition of opportunities already prepared in memory. Evidence from experimental studies supports this theory, and demonstrates that general preparation can produce apparently novel opportunism. These findings suggest ways to facilitate the recognition of opportunities to satisfy pending goals.
Van Der Waals Density Functional Study Of Co2 Binding In Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.085410
A UHF SiGe push-pull quartz MEMS oscillator

Compact oscillators at UHF frequencies and below are challenging for IC designers because of the large size of the passive components, particularly the inductors. An integrated SiGe push-pull sustaining circuit fabricated in the IBM 7WL process eliminates the need for inductors. Combining this circuit with and an external quartz resonator allowed the development of 708 MHz and 744 MHz fundamental mode oscillators. The lowest phase noise achieved was -103 dBc/Hz at a 1 kHz offset for the 708 MHz oscillator. Oscillator total power consumption is <;20 mW.
Folded-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs-GaAs lasers with low-threshold current density and high efficiency

Folded-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs-GaAs lasers (FCSELs) that employ high-quality internal 45/spl deg/ deflectors are demonstrated with low-threshold current density and high efficiency. A simplified process involving a stop etch to position the surface emitting output mirror close to the waveguide and ion-beam-etching (IBE) to form the 45/spl deg/ deflecting mirror is presented. FCSELs (cavity length 800 /spl mu/m) with two 45/spl deg/ deflectors, are obtained with threshold current density as low as 112.5 A/cm/sup 2/ and surface-emission external quantum efficiency as high as 65% (0.82 W/A). The additional loss contributed by the folded-cavity design is estimated as 4.2 cm/sup -1/. >
Atmospheric entry of Mars-return nuclear-powered vehicles due to accidental termination of operations

The entry of nuclear reactors into Earth's atmosphere resulting from an accidental or inadvertent abort of a space vehicle powered by nuclear-thermal rockets is investigated. The study is made for a typical piloted Mars mission vehicle incapacitated by an accident or malfunction during the Earth-arrival phase of the Mars-return journey due to simultaneous, multiple failures of its component systems. A single accident/abort scenario resulting in three entry possibilities is considered for a nominal hyperbolic in-bound approach velocity of 8 km/sec. The most severe case involving a direct entry is then analyzed over a broad range of approach velocities extending to 12 km/sec to include sprint-type missions. The results indicate that the severe surface heating, stagnation pressures, and g-loads are greater than 150 kW/sq cm, 300 atm, and 800-g, respectively. The wall heat transfer rate exceeds the value that can be accommodated by a carbon heatshield through radiation equilibrium prior to sublimation at 5500 K. These conditions are beyond our previous experience in crew safety, structural design, and thermal protection.
EMPLOYMENT TRENDS OF YOUNG MOTHERS AND THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF BABIES IN THE UNITED STATES

The central concept of microeconomic theories of fertility is opportunity cost—the product of wife’s employment lost due to childbearing and the value of her employment. This paper presents a model for analyzing opportunity cost using panel data. The average loss of employment attributable to a second- or higher-order birth, calculated at around age 2, is over 400 hours per year. This time cost represents an income loss of about $1050 in 1969 dollars. Time cost is independent of such demographic factors as birth order and age of oldest sibling. Neither does time cost depend on husband’s wage rate or wife’s education or potential wage rate. This indicates that many microeconomic models of fertility have been seriously misspecified. The paper also compares results from static and dynamic models, explores possible problems due to simultaneity bias, investigates the relationship between changes in employment (including time cost) and initial employment level, and identifies the difficulties of theorizing about opportunity cost.
Canonical forms for nonlinear systems

The Hunt-Su linearization theorem for single input systems utilizes the feedback group, a subgroup of Gl(2,R). The classical Goursat-Von Weber theorem may be viewed as a "linearization" theorem utilizing all of Gl(2,R). A first goal is to show the relationship between These two theorems. The feedback group preserves parameterization of solutions. If one is interested only in preserving orbits, one can extend the feedback group to the feedback/reparameterization (or F/R) group which contains the feedback group but is properly contained in Gl(2,R). Conditions for linearization via the F/R group are given.
Ocean Floor Sediment as a Repository Barrier: Comparative Diffusion Data for Selected Radionuclides in Sediments from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Effective diffusion coefficients for selected radionuclides have been measured in ocean floor sediments to provide data for the assessment of barrier effectiveness in subseabed repositories for nuclear waste. The sediments tested include illite-rich and smectite-rich red clays from the mid plate gyre region of the Pacific Ocean, reducing sediment from the continental shelf of the northwest coast of North America, and Atlantic Ocean sediments from the Southern Nares Abyssal Plain and the Great Meteor East region. Results show extremely small effective diffusion coefficients with values less than 10/sup -14/ m/sup 2/s/sup -1/ for plutonium, americium, curium, thorium, and tin. Radionuclides with high diffusion coefficients of approximately 10/sup -10/ m/sup 2/s/sup -/ include the anionic species pertechnetate, TcO/sub 4//sup -/, iodide, I/sup -/, and selenite, SO/sub 3//sup -2/. Uranyl(VI) and neptunyl(V) ions, which are stable in solution, have diffusion coefficients around 10/sup -12/m/sup 2/s/sup -1/. The diffusion behavior of most radionuclides is similar in the oxygenated Pacific sediments and in the anoxic sediments from the Atlantic. An exception is neptunium, which is immobilized by Great Meteor East sediment, but has high mobility in Southern Nares Abyssal Plain sediment. Under stagnant conditions a 30 m thick sediment layer forms an effective geologicmore » barrier isolating radionuclides in a subseabed repository from the biosphere.« less
Determination of severity of valvular aortic stenosis by Doppler echocardiography and relation of findings to clinical outcome and agreement with hemodynamic measurements determined at cardiac catheterization.

Abstract To determine the relation of Doppler findings to clinical outcome and the agreement between Doppler and cardiac catheterization in the assessment of aortic stenosis (AS) severity, 510 consecutive patients with suspected AS studied in our laboratory were analyzed. Adequate echocardiographic and Doppler examinations were obtained in 498 patients or 98% of the population. Clinical data were available for analysis in 497 patients. In 160 patients, Doppler demonstrated an aortic valve area ≤0.75 cm2 or a peak jet velocity ≥4.5 m/s consistent with critical AS. In the subgroup with cardiac catheterization (n = 105), Doppler was 97% accurate. Aortic valve replacement or balloon valvuloplasty was performed in 109 patients, 106 of whom were symptomatic. Noncritical AS was detected by Doppler in 327 patients, with 95% accuracy in the subgroup with cardiac catheterization (n = 133). Aortic valve replacement was performed in 15 patients with symptoms of AS and with valve areas assessed by Doppler to be between 0.76 and 0.80 cm2 or with peak jet velocities >3.5 m/ s. In 20 patients, aortic valve replacement was performed because of moderate to severe aortic regurgitation, and in 11 elderly (>70 years old) patients with valve areas between 0.80 and 1.0 cm2, valve replacement was performed at the time of coronary artery bypass surgery in an attempt to prevent the need for a repeat surgical procedure in the future. These observations allow the following conclusions. In the symptomatic patient with critical or near critical AS by Doppler, cardiac catheterization does not provide additional information beyond that provided by Doppler. In these patients, the procedure could be limited to coronary arteriography when indicated. Likewise, the asymptomatic patient with noncritical AS by Doppler can be followed noninvasively without catheterization to monitor the progression of AS. In a subgroup of patients with noncritical AS by Doppler in whom symptoms and physical findings suggest significant AS, cardiac catheterization may still be indicated to confirm or exclude the presence of significant stenosis. Overall, Doppler echocardiography is highly accurate in the assessment of AS severity and its use should allow for a more conservative application of cardiac catheterization in these patients.
Agarose Gel Investigation of Quantum Dots Conjugated With Short ssDNA

Herein, we investigate the migration distance of quantum-dot-functionalized complexes in electrophoresis. The quantitative study of these moving particles in an electrophoretic environment is modeled using an extended Smoluchowski equation. An extended Smoluchowski equation is proposed to addressed the Dm to Ln(N) plot slope variation issue present in previous work and agreement between experiment and theory is found. The procedures underlying this work then discusses the potential of using agarose electrophoresis as a mean of monitoring the composition of nano-complexes consisting of quantum dots functionalized with differing numbers of DNA molecules.
Shifting Ground: Emerging Global Corporate-Governance Standards and the Rise of Fiduciary Capitalism:

In this paper we examine the long-term interests that large institutional owners (for example, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, Hermes, and the Universities Superannuation Scheme) have in the development of global corporate governance standards, especially as governance standards increasingly become intertwined with other standards and regime parameters involved in the globalization debates. We argue that institutional owners have a unique perspective and voice with which to contribute to the formulation of global standards in a variety of areas on the basis of their long-term financial interests. This conclusion is supported by an analytic review of the current state of global corporate governance, including multilateral initiatives (for example, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Bank); an analysis of significant institutional investors, the role of various rating agencies (for example, Fitch, Moody's), the International Corporate Governance Network,...
Cool Indonesian throughflow as a consequence of restricted surface layer flow

Approximately 10 million m3 x s(-1) of water flow from the Pacific Ocean into the Indian Ocean through the Indonesian seas. Within the Makassar Strait, the primary pathway of the flow, the Indonesian throughflow is far cooler than estimated earlier, as pointed out recently on the basis of ocean current and temperature measurements. Here we analyse ocean current and stratification data along with satellite-derived wind measurements, and find that during the boreal winter monsoon, the wind drives buoyant, low-salinity Java Sea surface water into the southern Makassar Strait, creating a northward pressure gradient in the surface layer of the strait. This surface layer 'freshwater plug' inhibits the warm surface water from the Pacific Ocean from flowing southward into the Indian Ocean, leading to a cooler Indian Ocean sea surface, which in turn may weaken the Asian monsoon. The summer wind reversal eliminates the obstructing pressure gradient, by transferring more-saline Banda Sea surface water into the southern Makassar Strait. The coupling of the southeast Asian freshwater budget to the Pacific and Indian Ocean surface temperatures by the proposed mechanism may represent an important negative feedback within the climate system.
Dynamical response of the nuclear “pasta” in neutron star crusts

The nuclear pasta---a novel state of matter having nucleons arranged in a variety of complex shapes---is expected to be found in the crust of neutron stars and in core-collapse supernovae at subnuclear densities of about ${10}^{14}$ g/cm${}^{3}$. Owing to frustration, a phenomenon that emerges from the competition between short-range nuclear attraction and long-range Coulomb repulsion, the nuclear pasta displays a preponderance of unique low-energy excitations. These excitations could have a strong impact on many transport properties, such as neutrino propagation through stellar environments. The excitation spectrum of the nuclear pasta is computed via a molecular-dynamics simulation involving up to 100,000 nucleons. The dynamic response of the pasta displays a classical plasma oscillation in the 1- to 2-MeV region. In addition, substantial strength is found at low energies. Yet this low-energy strength is missing from a simple ion model containing a single-representative heavy nucleus. The low-energy strength observed in the dynamic response of the pasta is likely to be a density wave involving the internal degrees of freedom of the clusters.
Semantic relationship and the learning of syntactic word pairs in children

Abstract The present study examined the influence of semantic consistency (meaningfulness) and anomaly on the learning of three types of syntactic pairs. The results showed that meaningful pairs are learned with fewer errors than anomalous pairs. The difference between meaningful and anomalous pairs increased from kindergarten to grades 1 and 3. This was interpreted as a manifestation of the development of the semantic system. However, there was a decrease between the meaningful and anomalous pairs from grade 3 to grade 5. Meaningful noun-verb and adjective-noun phrases were learned with fewer errors than verb-noun phrases. No differences were found among types of phrases for the anomalous pairs.
Supervisor Workplace Stress and Abusive Supervision: The Buffering Effect of Exercise

We examine how supervisor stress is associated with employee-rated abusive supervision. In addition, we test the premise that higher levels of physical exercise by supervisors can buffer the negative effects of stress on their relationship with their subordinates. A matched sample of 98 employed individuals and their direct supervisors was used to test our hypotheses. Results suggest that increased levels of supervisor-reported stress are related to the increased experience of employee-rated abusive supervision. We also find that the relationship between supervisor stress and abusive behavior can be diminished when supervisors engage in moderate levels of physical exercise. While the current economic conditions and a host of other trying workplace factors mean that supervisors are likely to experience workplace stress, we found evidence that they do not necessarily have to transfer these frustrations onto those they supervise. Our study supports a link between supervisor stress and employee perceptions of abusive supervision, but this is a link that can be loosened if supervisors engage in moderate levels of physical exercise. The results of this study add to the modest number of antecedents to abusive supervision that have been discovered in existing research. In addition, this is the first study to examine how exercise can buffer the relationship between supervisor stress and employee perceptions of abusive supervision.
Differences between pancreatropic nitrosamine carcinogens and N-nitrosodimethylamine in methylating DNA in various tissues of hamsters and rats.

Abstract N-Nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP) and N-nitroso(2-hydroxypropyl) (2-oxypropyl)amine (HPOP) induce pancreatic tumors in the Syrian hamster. BOP and HPOP target the kidneys, esophagus and upper respiratory system in rats, but the pancreas of this species is resistant to the above carcinogens. On the other hand, N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) induces hepatic and kidney tumors in the rat, and tumors of the liver and upper respiratory system in the hamster, but it is not known to affect the pancreas of either species. At equimolar doses, ratios of DMN versus BOP or HPOP mediated methylation in hamster liver DNA are 1.6 and 8.1, respectively. Respective ratios in the rat liver are 1.1 and 6.5. However, in both species equitoxic doses of BOP, HPOP and DMN induce similar levels of N7-methylguanine (N7-MeG) in hepatic DNA. At such doses methylation of kidney DNA is 24 and 14 times more extensive in BOP and HPOP than in DMN-treated hamsters. Similarly, ratios of N7-MeG in the pancreas of BOP and HPOP vs. DMN-treated hamsters are 10 and 5, respectively, while in the lung this ratio is 2.2 for both carcinogens. Levels of O6-methylguanine (O6-MeG) in the DNA of extrahepatic tissues are substantially greater in hamsters treated with BOP or HPOP than in those treated with an equitoxic dose of DMN. In rats, equitoxic doses of BOP and DMN induce similar levels of N7-MeG and O6-MeG in hepatic, kidney and lung DNA. However, levels of these adducts in pancreatic DNA are 2 times greater following BOP than DMN administration. Ratios of N7-MeG in pancreas, lung and kidney in HPOP vs. DMN-treated rats are 2.1, 2.7 and 2.1, respectively. Repair of O6-MeG is more effective in rat than in hamster liver, however in other tissues this is not always the case. Levels of O6-MeG in the pancreas of rats are reduced to half of their initial value between 40 and 50 h following the administration of 10, 50 or 20 mg/kg DMN, HPOP or BOP, respectively. However, half-lives for the repair of O6-MeG in hamster pancreas are 28, 62 and > 120 h at the respective doses of the above carcinogens. Since the above doses of DMN, HPOP and BOP induce 7, 19 and 41 nmol O6-MeG/mmol of guanine respectively in the hamster pancreas, it is suggested that the rate of repair could be a function of the initial concentration of this adduct. Differences between DMN and BOP or HPOP in methylating pancreatic DNA are sufficient to distinguish the latter two nitrosamines as pancreatic carcinogens for the hamster.
Tandem mass spectrometry of small, multiply charged oligonucleotides.

Multiply charged anions derived from electrospray ionization of the sodium salts of various small oligonucleotides (n = 4−8) have been subjected to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in a quadrupole ion trap. All ions were observed to dissociate with high efficiencies even under conditions not ordinarily conducive for the observance of high MS/MS efficiency. Large fractions of the total product ion signal could be attributed to single-cleavage reactions with the parent ion charge shared among the two product ions in various combinations. In every case, the most facile reaction was observed to be the loss of the adenine anion. This reaction was then observed to be followed by cleavage of the 3′ C–O bond of phosphodiester linkage of the sugar from which the adenine had been lost.
Estimation of Subsample Delays for Computer Control Systems

A new method is described for estimating input time delays in linear plants. The method is based on discrete-time domain identification of such delays, and provides direct estimates in real-time. For computer control systems, the delay is allowed to be a noninteger multiple of the sampling period. Both input (actuator) delays and subsample (computational) delays can be estimated. The identification algorithm is based on a recursive Gaussian-Newton prediction error search technique. A simulation study indicating fast convergence for a second order delayed system is included.
New family of tilings of three-dimensional Euclidean space by tetrahedra and octahedra

Abstract It is well known that two regular tetrahedra can be combined with a single regular octahedron to tile (complete fill) three-dimensional Euclidean space . This structure was called the “octet truss” by Buckminster Fuller. It was believed that such a tiling, which is the Delaunay tessellation of the face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice, and its closely related stacking variants, are the only tessellations of that involve two different regular polyhedra. Here we identify and analyze a unique family comprised of a noncountably infinite number of periodic tilings of whose smallest repeat tiling unit consists of one regular octahedron and six smaller regular tetrahedra. We first derive an extreme member of this unique tiling family by showing that the “holes” in the optimal lattice packing of octahedra, obtained by Minkowski over a century ago, are congruent tetrahedra. This tiling has 694 distinct concave (i.e., nonconvex) repeat units, 24 of which possess central symmetry, and hence is distinctly different and combinatorically richer than the fcc tetrahedra-octahedra tiling, which only has two distinct tiling units. Then we construct a one-parameter family of octahedron packings that continuously spans from the fcc to the optimal lattice packing of octahedra. We show that the “holes” in these packings, except for the two extreme cases, are tetrahedra of two sizes, leading to a family of periodic tilings with units composed four small tetrahedra and two large tetrahedra that contact an octahedron. These tilings generally possess 2,068 distinct concave tiling units, 62 of which are centrally symmetric.
Summative scales for measuring community satisfaction

Results of this study indicate that pen and paper questionnaire procedures can be successfully adapted to random digit dialing telephone interview methods. Further, the study produced a reliable instrument for measuring attitudes about how residents perceive their communities as a place to live.
Confronting and resolving an ethical dilemma associated with a practice based evaluation using observational methodology of health information technology.

As the adoption of health information technology (HIT) has escalated, efforts to evaluate its uptake have increased. The evaluation of HIT often requires direct observation of health care practitioners interacting with the system. When in the field, the evaluator who is not a trained health care provider may observe suboptimal use of the technology. If evaluators have plans to share the results of the evaluation at the conclusion of the study, they face a decision point about whether to disclose interim results and the implications of doing so. To provide HIT evaluators with guidance about what issues to weigh when observing the implementation of HIT, this paper presents a study of an actual case and discusses the following considerations: whether the evaluation of HIT is considered to be human subject research; if the evaluation is human subject research, whether the Institutional Review Board will consider it exempt from review or subjected to expedited or full review; and how interim disclosure to the clinic management impacts the research study. The recommendations to evaluators include use of a protocol for interim disclosures to patients, clinicians, and/or clinical management for both quality assurance initiatives and human subjects research.
Spatially addressed deposition and imaging of biochemically active bead microstructures by scanning electrochemical microscopy.

A new procedure is described to deposit paramagnetic beads on surfaces to form microscopic agglomerates. By using surface-modified beads, microscopic structures with defined biochemical activity are formed. The shape and size of agglomerates were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the biochemical activity was mapped with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). This approach is demonstrated using beads modified with anti-mouse antibodies (Ab). After allowing them to react with a conjugate of mouse IgG and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the beads were deposited as agglomerates of well-defined size and shape. The biochemical activity was recorded in the generation−collection SECM mode by oxidizing 4-aminophenol formed in the ALP-catalyzed hydrolysis of 4-aminophenyl phosphate at the surface of the beads. The signal height correlated with both the amount of beads present in one agglomerate and the proportion of Ab binding sites saturated with the ALP−mouse IgG conjugate. The feedback mo...
Structure-from-Motion reconstruction based on weighted Hamming descriptors

We propose a pipelined methods to reduce memory consumption of large-scale Structure-from-Motion reconstruction with the use of unsorted images extracted from photo collection websites. Recent research is able to reconstruct cities based on extracted images from photo collection websites. SIFT feature is used to find the correspondences between two images. For the large-scale reconstruction with unsorted images, the system needs to store all the descriptors and feature points information in memory to search for correspondences. As each SIFT descriptor is a 128 dimensional real-value vector, storing all the descriptors would consume a significant amount of memory. Based on this limitation, we project the high dimensional features into a low-dimensional space using a learned projection matrix. After projection, the distance of the descriptors belonging to the same point in 3D space is decreased; the distance of the descriptors belonging to the different points is increased. Furthermore, we learn a mapping function, which maps the real-value descriptor into binary code. As Hamming descriptors contain only two value options per bit and the length of the descriptor is limited, there are usually multiple descriptors having the same Hamming distance to the query descriptor. In dealing with this problem, we give different weights to each dimension and rank each bit of the Hamming descriptor based on each dimensions discriminant power; this contributes to reduce the ambiguity in matching the descriptors. The experiments show that our method achieves dense reconstruction results with less than 10 percent of the original memory consumption.
Improved diagnosis of breast implant rupture with sonographic findings and artificial neural networks.

Rationale and Objectives. The authors evaluated the use of sonographic findings combined with artificial neural networks as an aid to the diagnosis of breast implant rupture. Materials and Methods. From a database of 78 breast implants that were evaluated prospectively with sonography and then surgically removed, sonographic findings and surgical results were used to train and test backpropagation and radial basis function artificial neural networks by using the leave-one-out method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to compare the performance of the different neural networks with that of the radiologists involved. Results. By using the ROC area index as a measure of performance, the artificial neural network (A z = 0.8744) outperformed the radiologists (A z = 0.8057), although not by a statistically significant difference ( P = .09). The best-performing network used, in addition to the sonographic findings, the diagnosis of the radiologists as an input. This network (A z = 0.9245) outperformed both the radiologists and the “unaided” networks by a statistically significant margin ( P = .02 for radiologists, P = .04 for the unaided network). The network performed remarkably well in those cases in which the radiologists classified the implant as indeterminate, predicting the correct diagnosis in 23 of 25 cases (92%). Conclusion. The results suggest that artificial neural networks in tandem with the unaided radiologic diagnosis can improve the accuracy rate in the detection of implant rupture based on sonographic findings. This “team” approach provided the best results.
Defect formation in graphite during low energy Ne+ bombardment

Abstract A method has been developed for determination of ion induced displacement threshold energies and defect production rates. Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) are used to measure the damage induced by a 40–150 eV Ne + ion beam at low ion doses ( 15 ions/cm 2 ) on a graphite sample. The threshold energy for defect production in graphite is found to be E d = 35.8 ± 1 eV and the defect production rate varies from 0–4.7 defects/ion over the range of 35–150 eV Ne + .
ASCORBIC ACID GLYCATION OF LENS PROTEINS PRODUCES UVA SENSITIZERS SIMILAR TO THOSE IN HUMAN LENS

Soluble calf lens proteins were extensively glycated during a 4 week incubation with ascorbic acid in the presence of oxygen. Amino acid analysis of the dialyzed proteins removed at weekly intervals showed an increasing loss of lysine, arginine and histidine, consistent with the extensive protein cross-linking observed. Irradiation of the dialyzed samples with UVA light (1.0 kJ/cm2 total illumination through a 338 nm cutoff filter) caused an increasing loss of tryptophan, an additional loss of histidine and the production of micromolar concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. No alteration in amino acid content and no photolytic effects were seen in proteins incubated without ascorbic acid or in proteins incubated with glucose for 4 weeks. The rate of hydrogen peroxide formation was linear with each glycated sample with a maximum production of 25 nmol/mg protein illuminated. The possibility that the sensitizer activity was due to an ascorbate-induced oxidation of tryptophan was eliminated by the presence of a heavy metal ion chelator during the incubation and by showing equivalent effects with ascorbate-incubated ribonuclease A, which is devoid of tryptophan. The ascorbate-incubated samples displayed increasing absorbance at wavelengths above 300 nm and increasing fluorescence (340/430) as glycation proceeded. The spectra of the 4 week glycated proteins were identical to those obtained with a solubilized water-insoluble fraction from human lens, which is known to have UVA sensitizer activity. The incubation of lens proteins with dehydroascorbic acid or L-threose, but not fructose, produced equivalent glycation, protein crosslinking and sensitizer activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Tacrolimus and Lopinavir/Ritonavir Interaction in Liver Transplantation

OBJECTIVE:To report an interaction between tacrolimus and the protease inhibitor combination lopinavir/ritonavir in a liver transplant patient.CASE SUMMARY:A 48-year-old white male liver transplant recipient receiving tacrolimus 5 mg twice daily for immunosuppression started highly active antiretroviral therapy for his HIV-positive status. Three days after initiation of lopinavir/ritonavir, the tacrolimus concentration rose sharply to toxic levels. Subsequent tacrolimus doses were withheld until tacrolimus concentrations normalized over 15 days. The tacrolimus dose was reestablished at a much lower dose, 0.5 mg once weekly. An objective causality assessment revealed that the adverse event was highly probable.DISCUSSION:Tacrolimus is metabolized in the liver via CYP3A4. Protease inhibitors are known to inhibit CYP3A4 and have been documented to increase tacrolimus concentrations, putting the patient at risk of developing nephrotoxic and/or neurotoxic symptoms. In this case, concomitant use of lopinavir/rit...
Altered contractility and [Ca2+]i homeostasis in phospholemman-deficient murine myocytes: role of Na+/Ca2+ exchange

Phospholemman (PLM) regulates contractility and Ca2+ homeostasis in cardiac myocytes. We characterized excitation-contraction coupling in myocytes isolated from PLM-deficient mice backbred to a pur...
The longitudinal association between multiple substance use discrepancies and marital satisfaction.

AIMS The objective of this work was to examine the relation between patterns of substance use among newly married couples and marital satisfaction over time. In particular, this work examined if differences between husbands’ and wives’ heavy alcohol use and cigarette smoking, rather than simply use per se, predicted decreases in marital satisfaction over the first seven years of marriage.
Coordination and cooperation in asymmetric commons dilemmas

In this paper we discuss laboratory experiments that address the problem of self-governance in an asymmetric commons dilemma. Small-scale irrigation sys- tems that provide food for hundreds of millions of people around the world are prob- ably the most common example of such dilemmas. Here, we formulate an abstract dilemma in which subjects make both a decision about investment in the provision of infrastructure associated with the use of a resource and about how much to extract from the common-pool resource made available by this infrastructure. The impact of inherent asymmetry in irrigation systems on the provision of a resource and the im- pact of communication on the capacity of the group to solve the two-level commons dilemma of cooperation and coordination based on the analysis of the experimental data are discussed.
The effective capacity of a time division downlink scheduling system

A wireless communication system where a common base station (BS) is scheduled to transmit information to mobile users on a time division (TD) basis, under quality of service (QoS) constraints is considered. The quality of service requirement is specified in terms of the asymptotic decay rate of the buffer occupancy. The effective capacity of this system is characterized and the optimal scheduling scheme which achieves the boundary of the effective capacity region is found. It is further shown that the optimal scheduling scheme without quality of service constraints and the opportunistic scheduling schemes fall out as special cases of a more generalized class of scheduling schemes derived in this paper.
Effect of Sodium Chloride Particle Size and Shape on Nonelectrostatic and Electrostatic Coating of Popcorn

ABSTRACT: Sodium chloride of different shapes (hollow pyramid, crushed flake, cube, and porous cube) and sizes (50-200 mesh) were applied by nonelectrostatic and electrostatic powder coating to popcorn coated with 1.2 to 3.3% soybean oil. Electrostatic coating was more efficient than nonelectrostatic in all cases. The smaller the particles, the higher the coating efficiency for both electrostatic and nonelectrostatic coating. Crushed flake and hollow pyramid were more efficient than cube and porous cube shapes. Coating efficiency improved as the oil content increased for nonelectrostatic but not electrostatic coating. Use of electrostatic coating can reduce waste and provide a more efficient coating method by decreasing seasoning or oil needed to reach the target level.
Purification and Properties of ArfI, an α-l-Arabinofuranosidase from Cytophaga xylanolytica

An α-l-arabinofuranosidase (α-l-arabinofuranoside arabinofuranohydrolase [EC 3.2.1.55]; referred to below as ArfI) from Cytophaga xylanolytica XM3 was purified 85-fold by anion-exchange and hydrophobic interaction column chromatography. The native enzyme had a pI of 6.1 and an apparent molecular mass of 160 to 210 kDa, and it appeared to be a trimer or tetramer consisting of 56-kDa subunits. With p-nitrophenyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside as the substrate, the enzyme exhibited a Km of 0.504 mM and a Vmax of 319 μmol · min−1 · mg of protein−1, and it had optimum activity at pH 5.8 and 45°C. ArfI was relatively stable over a pH range of 4 to 10 and at temperatures up to 45°C, and it retained nearly full activity when stored at 4°C for periods as long as 24 months. The enzyme also released arabinose from 4-methylumbelliferyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside, as well as from rye, wheat, corn cob, and oat spelt arabinoxylans and sugar beet arabinan, but not from arabinogalactan. ArfI showed no hydrolytic activity toward a range of p-nitrophenyl- or 4-methylumbelliferyl-glycosides other than arabinoside, for which it was entirely specific for the α-l-furanoside configuration. ArfI interacted synergistically with three partially purified endoxylanase fractions from C. xylanolytica in hydrolyzing rye arabinoxylan. However, cell fractionation studies revealed that ArfI was largely, if not entirely, cytoplasmic, so its activity in vivo is probably most relevant to hydrolysis of arabinose-containing oligosaccharides small enough to pass through the cytoplasmic membrane. Antibodies prepared against purified ArfI also cross-reacted with arabinofuranosidases from other freshwater and marine strains of C. xylanolytica, as well as with some proteins that did not possess arabinofuranosidase activity. To our knowledge, this is the first α-l-arabinofuranosidase to be purified and characterized from any gliding bacterium.
Probiotic and technological properties of Lactobacillus spp. strains from the human stomach in the search for potential candidates against gastric microbial dysbiosis

This work characterizes a set of lactobacilli strains isolated from the stomach of healthy humans that might serve as probiotic cultures. Ten different strains were recognized by rep-PCR and PFGE fingerprinting among 19 isolates from gastric biopsies and stomach juice samples. These strains belonged to five species, Lactobacillus gasseri (3), Lactobacillus reuteri (2), Lactobacillus vaginalis (2), Lactobacillus fermentum (2) and Lactobacillus casei (1). All ten strains were subjected to a series of in vitro tests to assess their functional and technological properties, including acid resistance, bile tolerance, adhesion to epithelial gastric cells, production of antimicrobial compounds, inhibition of Helicobacter pylori, antioxidative activity, antibiotic resistance, carbohydrate fermentation, glycosidic activities, and ability to grow in milk. As expected, given their origin, all strains showed good resistance to low pH (3.0), with small reductions in counts after 90 min exposition to this pH. Species- and strain-specific differences were detected in terms of the production of antimicrobials, antagonistic effects toward H. pylori, antioxidative activity and adhesion to gastric epithelial cells. None of the strains showed atypical resistance to a series of 16 antibiotics of clinical and veterinary importance. Two L. reuteri strains were deemed as the most appropriate candidates to be used as potential probiotics against microbial gastric disorders; these showed good survival under gastrointestinal conditions reproduced in vitro, along with strong anti-Helicobacter and antioxidative activities. The two L. reuteri strains further displayed appropriated technological traits for their inclusion as adjunct functional cultures in fermented dairy products.
Periodicity of 3C 273

THE possible periodicity of QSO 3C 273 has been widely discussed1–12. The Lebedev group1–6 has maintained that evidence exists for a nine-year quasiperiodic component of the luminosity whereas the other authors (with the exception of Smith11) have generally held a sceptical point of view. Here I make no independent claims one way or the other; in reviewing the conflicting statements, however, it became apparent that few investigators had a clear idea of the basis for the claims of the Lebedev group. The purpose of this communication is to report the results of an application of the method of the Lebedev group to various versions of the 3C 273 data and to shot noise data. A critical discussion is presented of the claims for periodicity based on this method.
A 24-Year-Old Woman With Abdominal Pain

1. What is (are) this patient’s most significant laboratory finding(s)? 2. How do you explain the patient’s most striking laboratory finding(s)? 3. What are some of the clinical and transfusion medicinerelated implications associated with the presence of this antibody in the patient’s serum? 4. What are the most appropriate actions for the laboratory and clinical staff? 5. Which of this patient’s family members are suitable as blood donors for this patient? 6. How does the D-deletion phenotype occur? 7. What is the antigen specificity of an antibody made by a D-individual sensitized by RhCE-positive red blood cells?
Multi-wavelength Optical Imaging of Human Tumour Xenografts

In vivo optical imaging methods have become a cornerstone of pre-clinical cancer research. Genetically modified cells with fluorescent or bioluminescent reporters allow researchers to non-invasively study tumour proliferation and biochemistry over time. Target-specific fluorescent probes may be used to reveal specific tumour properties such as growth patterns, neovasculature formation, and compartmental probe absorbance. Herein, we demonstrate the simultaneous optical imaging of these tumour properties in a human neuroblastoma model. We used luciferase-positive cancer cells, a neovasculature specific fluorescent probe, and a fluorescent tumour cell target-specific agent, in conjunction with X-ray/CT for anatomical localization. These experiments revealed a detailed map of the tumour progression and biological interactions with imaging agents within the tumour.
Robert Merton's Contributions to the Sociology of Deviance

This paper assesses the theoretical and policy significance of one of Robert Merton's most influential contributions to modern sociology, the anomie or “strain” theory of deviant behavior. The enduring theoretical significance of strain theory lies in its sociological completeness. Strain theory preserves the interconnection between culture and social structure which is neglected or defined away by cultural and control theories of deviance. In its emphasis on socially structured contradictions in the relations of consumption, strain theory is also broadly consistent with and complements more conflict-oriented theories of crime and deviance. A major weakness of Merton's argument is its failure to clearly distinguish the etiological significance of the distribution of opportunities (mobility) and the distribution of outcomes (equality), which has led to misinterpretations of the policy implications of strain theory. Ironically, these problems are revealed through a kind of self-criticism that applies the basic tools of Mertonian functional analysis to strain theory. The paper concludes that, ambiguities notwithstanding, for purposes of theoretical integration and substantive insight, strain theory remains an important sociological perspective on deviance, especially when set in the context of Merton's broader sociological legacy.
Enhanced Oncolytic Activity of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Encoding SV5-F Protein Against Prostate Cancer

Purpose: Vesicular stomatitis virus has been investigated as an oncolytic agent for cancer therapy because it preferentially replicates in tumor but not in normal cells due to the lack of a robust interferon antiviral system in transformed cells. However, wild-type vesicular stomatitis virus can induce a strong systemic immunological response and replicate in the central nervous system, potentially limiting its clinical usefulness. We report the construction of the recombinant, replication restricted vesicular stomatitis virus encoding SV5-F, which can induce syncytial formation with enhanced oncolytic properties against TRAMP-C2 tumors in an immunocompetent mouse model of prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: We constructed the SV5-F recombinant restricted virus vector by replacing the vesicular stomatitis virus G gene with that of the SV5-F transgene to generate rVSV-ΔG-SV5-F. Morphological changes and DNA fragmentation induced by rVSV-ΔG-GFP or rVSV-ΔG-SV5-F were determined by phase contrast microscop...