cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A continuous-time sigma-delta ADC with tunable pass-band for multi-standard applications

In this paper, we present a tunable continuous-time band-pass sigma-delta (ΣΔ) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Our design is suitable for multi-standard multi-user applications. Additionally, the tunability advantage enhances the obtainable resolution while reducing the power consumption by only operating in the desired bandwidth from the reserved bandwidth required for ADC's application. Our simulation results demonstrate that a relatively high SNR can be obtained using the designed ΣΔ ADC. We provide an implementation of the designed ADC using Gm-C circuits with 0.18μm IBM CMOS technology. The circuit operates with 8MHz clock frequency and achieves 57.6dB Signal to Noise and Distortion Ratio (SNDR) with 20KHz bandwidth. At the mentioned clock frequency and 1.5V supply level, the circuit consumes less than 1mW power. Our HSPICE simulation results are in very good agreement with our simulated model based on second order modified all-pass transfer functions. The effective number of bits obtained from our implemented ADC was observed to be ENOB=9.28 bits.
Neurotransmitter inhibition of neuronal calcium currents by changes in channel voltage dependence

The voltage-dependent calcium current of many neurons is depressed by transmitters such as noradrenaline, GABA, and kappa-opiate agonists. This modulation probably constitutes a major mechanism of presynaptic inhibition. Although recent work has implicated GTP-binding proteins in the mechanism of current inhibition, it is still unknown how the activation of those proteins alters the operation of the channels. In their initial description of the phenomenon, Dunlap and Fischbach proposed that noradrenaline acts by somehow reducing the number of functions calcium channels in the cell. By contrast with this hypothesis, I have found that inhibition of Ca2+ current is primarily due to a transmitter-induced change in the voltage-dependence with which channels are opened. Transmitters profoundly alter the voltage-dependence of channel activation, but there is little or no change in the number of functional channels activated by very large depolarizations. There is also little effect on the voltage-dependence of inactivation.
Elasticity effects on cavitation in a squeeze film damper undergoing non-centered circular whirl

Elasticity of the liner and its effects on cavitation were numerically determined for a squeeze film damper subjected to dynamic loading. The loading was manifested as a prescribed motion of the rotor undergoing noncentered circular whirl. The boundary conditions were implemented using Elrod's algorithm which conserves lineal mass flux through the moving cavitation bubble as well as the oil film region of the damper. Computational movies were used to analyze the rapidly changing pressures and vapor bubble dynamics throughout the dynamic cycle for various flexibilities in the damper liner. The effects of liner elasticity on cavitation were only noticeable for the intermediate and high values of viscosity used in this study.
Noninvasive Diffuse Optical Measurement for Monitoring Hemodynamic Response of Radiation Treatment in Head and Neck Tumors

This study further explores the feasibility of diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) to measure hemodynamic responses of head and neck tumors during the chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Glycosidases in cancer and invasion.

Glycosidases have been demonstrated to be elevated in the interstitial fluid of tumors, sera of animals and patients with tumors, and in some tumor tissue as compared to normal adjacent tissue. Elevations of serum β-N-acetylglucosaminidase and β-glucuronidase most commonly have been found to occur and these enzymes have been shown to be secreted into the extracellular medium by many different tumor cell types in vitro. The mechanism of cellular release of these hydrolytic enzymes probably involves tumor lysosomal exocytosis. Increased tumor glycosidase levels may promote increased tumor cell shedding from primary tumors, local invasion and perhaps be responsible directly, or indirectly for structural changes in tumor cell surface glycoconjugates. These cell surface changes could facilitate tumor cell thrombus formation, secondary site implantation and attachment in the microcirculation to endothelial cells and/or subendothelial basement membrane components.
Proteasome inhibitors induce intracellular protein aggregation and cell death by an oxygen-dependent mechanism

Clone 9 liver cells incubated under aerobic conditions with the proteasome inhibitors lactacystin, clastro lactacystin β-lactone, and tri-leucine vinyl sulfone, in the absence of an obvious oxidative challenge, underwent oxidative protein modifications, such as loss of solubility, formation of aggregates (predominantly by disulfide bridges), and increased carbonyl formation, similar to those seen with hydrogen peroxide treatment. These alterations were accompanied by modification of cell morphology and loss of cell viability. Remarkably, almost all of these modifications were prevented when cell incubation with proteasome inhibitors was performed under a 3% oxygen atmosphere instead of the 21% oxygen routinely used in cell culture experiments. Our results suggest an oxygen-dependent mechanism for the protein oxidation, protein aggregation, cellular dysfunction, and apoptosis induced by proteasome inhibitors.
A Monte Carlo Comparison Study of the Power of the Analysis of Covariance, Simple Difference, and Residual Change Scores in Testing Two-Wave Data.

This study compares the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), difference score, and residual change score methods in testing the group effect for pretest–posttest data in terms of statistical power and ...
Utilities in Highway Right-of-Way: Data Needs and Modeling

Each year, thousands of new utilities are installed within the rights-of-way (ROWs) of highway facilities nationwide. With the proliferation of utilities within their ROWs, it is becoming increasingly difficult for transportation agencies not only to allow more utilities but also to deliver and manage their own transportation systems in a timely and efficient manner. A geographically referenced prototype model that ties the locations of utility facilities to a state highway network and that associates the positional data with details of utility facility ownership, service or commodity type, infrastructure size, material, and other pertinent characteristics is described. The inventory model can accommodate a variety of utility-related processes within a transportation agency, including utility permits, joint use agreements, and deliverables from subsurface utility engineering contracts. Common sources of utility facility data at a transportation agency are reviewed, and a geographic information system mode...
Constraint-based wrapper specification and verification for cooperative information systems

In this paper, we propose the use of semistructured constraints in wrappers to mitigate the impact of poor extraction accuracy on Cooperative Information System (CIS) data quality. Wrappers are a critical element of CISs whenever the constituent information systems publish semistructured text such as forms, reports, and memos rather than structured databases. The accuracy of CIS data that stem from text depends upon the wrappers as well as the accuracy of the underlying sources. Wrapper specification is the process of defining patterns (i.e. regular expressions) to extract information from semistructured text. Wrapper verification is the process of ensuring extraction accuracy--that the extracted information faithfully reflects the underlying source. We focus on the problem of extraction accuracy. We use constraints on semistructured data for both wrapper specification and verification. Consequently, we perform extraction and verification simultaneously. We apply the concept to wrappers for a Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) CIS of arbitration decisions. UDRP decisions are currently distributed across arbitration authorities on three continents. The accuracy of data extracted using constraint-based specification and verification is measured by Type I and Type II errors.
Out of Mind, Out of Sight: Unexpected Scene Elements Frequently Go Unnoticed Until Primed

The human visual system employs a sophisticated set of strategies for scanning the environment and directing attention to stimuli that can be expected given the context and a person’s past experience. Although these strategies enable us to navigate a very complex physical and social environment, they can also cause highly salient, but unexpected stimuli to go completely unnoticed. To examine the generality of this phenomenon, we conducted eight studies that included 15 different experimental conditions and 1,577 participants in all. These studies revealed that a large majority of participants do not report having seen a woman in the center of an urban scene who was photographed in midair as she was committing suicide. Despite seeing the scene repeatedly, 46 % of all participants failed to report seeing a central figure and only 4.8 % reported seeing a falling person. Frequency of noticing the suicidal woman was highest for participants who read a narrative priming story that increased the extent to which she was schematically congruent with the scene. In contrast to this robust effect of inattentional blindness, a majority of participants reported seeing other peripheral objects in the visual scene that were equally difficult to detect, yet more consistent with the scene. Follow-up qualitative analyses revealed that participants reported seeing many elements that were not actually present, but which could have been expected given the overall context of the scene. Together, these findings demonstrate the robustness of inattentional blindness and highlight the specificity with which different visual primes may increase noticing behavior.
Evolution of the molecular weight distribution and linear viscoelastic rheological properties during the reactive extrusion of polypropylene

Homogeneous and nonhomogeneous reactive extrusion of polypropylene is modeled using random chain scission statistics coupled with the double reptation mixing rule. In this manner, the evolution of both the molecular weight distribution and the linear viscoelastic material properties is quantitatively predicted for the reactive extrusion-pelletization process. Dispersion in the level of random chain scission has little impact on the MFI for a given average level of chain scission ; however, dispersion does generate a marked increase in the recoverable compliance (melt elasticity) relative to the ideal homogeneous random chain scission case. Methods to quantitatively determine the degree of cracking dispersion in processing equipment are identified. Quality control issues such as blending materials of known linear viscoelastic properties to obtain a desired property set is considered in the context of known empirical relations consistent with the double reptation model. Simple mixing rules for the melt flow index and the steady-state recoverable compliance involving only single component MFI and J e information are derived. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Methods for Planning Repeated Measures Degradation Studies

Repeated measures degradation studies are used to assess product or component reliability when there are few or even no failures expected during a study. Such studies are often used to assess the shelf life of materials, components, and products. We show how to evaluate the properties of proposed test plans. Such evaluations are needed to identify statistically efficient tests. We consider test plans for applications where parameters related to the degradation distribution or the related lifetime distribution are to be estimated. We use the approximate large-sample variance–covariance matrix of the parameters of a mixed effects linear regression model for repeated measures degradation data to assess the effect of sample size (number of units and number of measurements within the units) on estimation precision of both degradation and failure-time distribution quantiles. We also illustrate the complementary use of simulation-based methods for evaluating and comparing test plans. These test-planning methods ...
Organizational expectations: What the top expects of those in the middle

As a manager in User Services there is a constant demand on your talents and time. Believe it or not, managers higher up in the organization know that you cannot do all of them. They may not tell you, but they know — they know because they're faced with the same dilemma. Several years ago there was a “tongue-in-cheek” book on management that proposed that a manager was similar to a monkey attempting to shinny up a flag pole. The higher up either goes, the more exposed there rear ends are. Your boss' future and success are dependent on all those who work for her/him.The conflicting demands of being a manager in computer services are a cause for stress and anxiety. If you can't do everything that is expected of you, what should you do? There are three simple rules that can make your job easier. The rules are: Thou shall not surprise thy bossThou shalt not do anything your subordinates can doThou shalt not subvert thy bosses' priorities
Treatment of Anxiety and Depression in a Patient with Brugada Syndrome

Background. Brugada syndrome is rare and has been a clinically diagnosable entity since 1992. Its clinical manifestations are highly variable, and while some patients remain asymptomatic, others endure sudden cardiac death. Initial presenting symptoms may include palpitations, seizures, syncope, and nocturnal agonal respiration. The diagnosis of Brugada syndrome relies on both clinical findings and characteristic ECG patterns that occur spontaneously or are induced by usage of sodium-channel blocking agents. Aims of Case Report. Many psychiatrists may be unaware of the possibility of medical cocontributing etiologies to physical symptoms of anxiety and depression. We present a case of a patient who was treated psychiatrically for anxiety and panic attacks and who was subsequently diagnosed with Brugada syndrome and treated medically with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), the only treatment option demonstrated to be effective. Her psychiatric symptoms predated her diagnosis of Brugada syndrome by at least fifteen years. Conclusion. The patient's eventual diagnosis of Brugada syndrome altered the course of her psychopharmacologic medication management and illustrates the utility of a psychosomatic approach to psychiatric symptom management.
Cost, quality, and environments tradeoffs for printed circuit board assembly

ABSTRACT After exhausting all “pollution prevention pays” opportunities, further efforts towards environmental protection often engender some type of cost to the manufacturer. Then, designers must weigh tradeoffs between environmental impacts and equally pressing needs to reduce costs, improve product quality, and reduce cycle time: all while meeting customer demands, which are the driving force behind the design process. Although there is a growing market for “green” products as customers' desire to be environmentally responsible increases, it is extremely difficult to accurately assess the customer's actual willingness to pay for environmental protection. This paper first briefly reviews methods for assessing customer preferences. Then, it presents a decision model for use by design engineers to assist in making these tradeoffs between cost, quality, and environmental impact in which customer preferences can be reflected in weighting factors assigned by the design engineer. Qualitative HOQ information i...
Contributions of the Siberian shelf polynyas to the Arctic Ocean intermediate and deep water

To investigate the role of Siberian Shelf polynyas in water mass formation, and that of Whalers Bay in the cooling of the West Spitsbergen Current, satellite observations from the Nimbus 7 scanning multichannel microwave radiometer are used to determine the size and location of polynyas for November-March, 1978-1982. If salt contributes only to the Arctic Intermediate Water, the results show that the continental shelves can produce 20-60 percent of this water. Alternatively, if the salt contributes only to the deep water of the Eurasian Basin, then without consideration of the mixing of the bottom water with the Greenland and Norwegian Sea water, the contribution from the shelves yields a renewal time of about 100 years. These results imply that there is insufficient water produced in the shelf polynyas to perform all of the roles that have historically been assigned to it.
Emotion contagion moderates the relationship between emotionally-negative families and abnormal eating behavior.

Objective: To reconcile empirical inconsistencies in the relationship between emotionally-negative families and daughters’ abnormal eating, we hypothesized a critical moderating variable: daughters’ vulnerability to emotion contagion. Method: A nonclinical sample of undergraduate females (N 5 92) was recruited via an advertisement and completed self-report measures validated for assessing: families’ expressive negativity, daughters’ susceptibility to emotion contagion, dietary restraint, and disinhibition, eating attitudes, and several control variables (interpersonal orientation, alexithymia, and the big five personality traits: extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, neuroticism, and
Non-chemical dielectric barrier discharge treatment as a method of insect control

Summary form only given. The migration of insects due to trade of agricultural commodities and human travel is a significant problem in many countries. Limiting the migration of insect pests is commonly done with chemical pesticides. Concerns about resistance to chemical pesticides as well as their environmental impact has stimulated an evaluation of alternative pest control methods. Non-chemical dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) treatment of insects in a low density (10/sup 6/-10/sup 8/ cm/sup -3/), low temperature (1-2 eV) discharge has proven effective in significantly reducing the population of the key insects studied. The insects are directly exposed to a wide gap (>3 cm) helium discharge with current densities on the order of 0.1 mA/sub RMS//cm/sup 2/. Direct measurement of chemical species and ambient gas temperature shows the DBD treatment to be effective when the chemically reactive species are suppressed by helium, and when the ambient gas temperature of the discharge is below 40/spl deg/C. However, the treatment is more rapid when the ambient gas temperature is elevated. The study has shown the treatment does not always induce mortality instantly, but mortality occurs over a 24 hr-72 hr period after treatment.
Spelling via semantics and phonology: exploring the effects of age, Alzheimer's disease, and primary semantic impairment

Spelling performance across a common set of stimuli was examined in young adults, healthy older adults, individuals with early stage dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT), and four individuals with a primary semantic impairment (PSI). The stimuli included homophones and low-frequency sound-to-spelling consistent (i.e. words with more predictable spellings) and inconsistent words (i.e. words with less predictable spellings). The results indicate that when spelling homophonic words (spelling/pleIn/ as plane versus plain), younger adults and to a greater extent individuals with PSI placed relatively more emphasis on phonological information (i.e. spell the word based on sound-to-spelling principles) whereas healthy older adults and individuals with DAT placed relatively more emphasis on semantic information (i.e. spell the word based on the dominant usage). For non-homophonic words, large consistency effects (spelling plaid as plad) were observed for both individuals with DAT and individuals with PSI. It is proposed that the decrease in accuracy for inconsistent words has different bases in DAT and PSI. We propose that deficits in attentional control (i.e. selection) underlie performance in DAT whereas disruption of semantic representations underlies performance in PSI.
Elucidating the Substrate Preference of the Bi-Functional Repressor-Protease LexA

The rise of drug resistance in bacteria is a growing problem, and poses a formidable medical and scientific challenge. Mutations - the driving force behind evolution and drug-resistance - have long been thought to arise spontaneously in bacteria, leading to the pessimistic view that the rise of drug resistance is inevitable. However, the acquisition of mutations is in fact a regulated process, in part tied to the bacterial stress response or SOS pathway.The key regulatory protein governing the SOS pathway is the bi-functional repressor protease, LexA. In its basal state, LexA represses genes involved in the SOS response (SOS genes). When stimulated following genotoxic stress, LexA auto-proteolyzes via a serine protease mechanism at an internal cleavage region. Self-cleavage leads to de-repression of SOS genes, activating pro-mutagenic pathways, such as genetic recombination and error-prone DNA replication. This increased mutation rate, in turn, can promote the development of drug resistance under stress.Here we employ structural modeling, saturation mutagenesis, and kinetics to systematically elucidate substrate preference of the LexA enzyme in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our studies elucidate the key determinants for substrate recognition and demonstrate that overall, LexA is a relatively tolerant protease. Furthermore, this study reveals positions in the LexA protein that are amenable for labeling with fluorescent probes, which can be used for conformational studies and inhibitor screens. Understanding the enzymes that regulate mutation can lead to insights about the evolution of bacteria and potentially open up new avenues for combating the rise of drug resistance
Uncertain Effects of Rosiglitazone on the Risk for Myocardial Infarction and Cardiovascular Death

Diamond and colleagues discuss the recent, widely publicized meta-analysis of 42 clinical trials, which concluded that rosiglitazone was associated with an approximately 43% increased risk for myoc...
Structural basis of plasticity in protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B substrate recognition.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) displays a preference for peptides containing acidic as well as aromatic/aliphatic residues immediately NH(2)-terminal to phosphotyrosine. The structure of PTP1B bound with DADEpYL-NH(2) (EGFR(988)(-)(993)) offers a structural explanation for PTP1B's preference for acidic residues [Jia, Z., Barford, D., Flint, A. J., and Tonks, N. K. (1995) Science 268, 1754-1758]. We report here the crystal structures of PTP1B in complex with Ac-ELEFpYMDYE-NH(2) (PTP1B.Con) and Ac-DAD(Bpa)pYLIPQQG (PTP1B.Bpa) determined to 1.8 and 1.9 A resolution, respectively. A structural analysis of PTP1B.Con and PTP1B.Bpa shows how aromatic/aliphatic residues at the -1 and -3 positions of peptide substrates are accommodated by PTP1B. A comparison of the structures of PTP1B.Con and PTP1B.Bpa with that of PTP1B.EGFR(988)(-)(993) reveals the structural basis for the plasticity of PTP1B substrate recognition. PTP1B is able to bind phosphopeptides by utilizing common interactions involving the aromatic ring and phosphate moiety of phosphotyrosine itself, two conserved hydrogen bonds between the Asp48 carboxylate side chain and the main chain nitrogens of the pTyr and residue 1, and a third between the main chain nitrogen of Arg47 and the main chain carbonyl of residue -2. The ability of PTP1B to accommodate both acidic and hydrophobic residues immediately NH(2)-terminal to pTyr appears to be conferred upon PTP1B by a single residue, Arg47. Depending on the nature of the NH(2)-terminal amino acids, the side chain of Arg47 can adopt one of two different conformations, generating two sets of distinct peptide binding surfaces. When an acidic residue is positioned at position -1, a preference for a second acidic residue is also observed at position -2. However, when a large hydrophobic group occupies position -1, Arg47 adopts a new conformation so that it can participate in hydrophobic interactions with both positions -1 and -3.
Radical, reformist, and garden-variety neoliberal: coming to terms with urban agriculture's contradictions

For many activists and scholars, urban agriculture in the Global North has become synonymous with sustainable food systems, standing in opposition to the dominant industrial agri-food system. At the same time, critical social scientists increasingly argue that urban agriculture programs, by filling the void left by the "rolling back" of the social safety net, underwrite neoliberalization. I argue that such contradictions are central to urban agriculture. Drawing on existing literature and fieldwork in Oakland, California, I explain how urban agriculture arises from a protective counter-movement, while at the same time entrenching the neoliberal organization of contemporary urban political economies through its entanglement with multiple processes of neoliberalization. By focusing on one interpretation or the other, however, rather than understanding such contradictions as internal and inherent, we risk undermining urban agriculture's transformative potential. Coming to terms with its internal contradictions can help better position urban agriculture within a coordinated efforts for structural change, rather than promoting farming in cities as an end unto itself, one of many means to an end rather than an end unto itself.
Health literacy predicts medication adherence

Vision and reading comprehension would seem to be important determinants of medication adherence. We assessed whether vision, reading, and health literacy predict medication adherence in 242 adults (> 18 years of age) with cardiovascular disease. Adherence was assessed as the percent of drug taken during six months to one year using electronic monitors. Vision was tested using the Snellen test (score range: 1 to 100). Ability to read was assessed using a previously validated instrument (range: 0 to 2). Health literacy was assessed using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (range: 0 to 36). Higher scores indicate better performance on all assessments. Patients were 60 ± 11 years of age, 73% female, 63% African-American, and had 11 ± 2 years of education Mean adherence was 68% ± 27%, vision 64 ± 18, and reading 1.6 ± 0.6. The health literacy score was 27 ± 11 with 74% of patients classified as having adequate health literacy. Univariate predictors of adherence included higher health literacy score (p = 0.005) or literacy level (adequate vs. inadequate, p = 0.001). In the multiple variable model controlling for demographic factors, health literacy score significantly (p = 0.007) predicted medication adherence. Health literacy is a predictor of adherence in patients with cardiovascular disease. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P76–P76; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.288
Engineering leadership helping high school students make career choices

Earlier this year, the Wall Street journal reported that enrollments in engineering schools had decreased by 17% since the early 1980s. Since 1980, enrollments in Arizona State University engineering, technology and construction programs have increased more than 24%. For 15 years, we have hosted an engineering and technology leadership conference for high school students and teachers to introduce them to the university, our academic programs, and engineering careers. The program offers many opportunities to reach out to prospective students, to maintain a referral network with feeder schools, to provide mentoring opportunities for current and prospective students, and to enhance the public's perception of engineers.
A New Subterranean Aquatic Beetle from Texas (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae-Hydroporinae)

The 1st blind, depigmented, aquifer-adapted water beetle of the family Dytiscidae is described from North America. Haideoporus texanus Young and Longley (n. genus, n. sp.) is superficially similar to Morimotoa phreatica Ueno from Japan, but differs in possessing minute, apparently nonfunctional eyes, and in sensory setal vestiture and structure of the tarsi and external male genitalia. The remarkable similarity of the fore and middle coxae and the relationship of the prosternal process to the metasternum among Haideoporus, Morimotoa , and Siettitia (a cave-adapted genus from southern France) is thought to be due to convergence as an adaptation to subterranean life parallel to the condition seen in many cave carabids (Coleoptera: Carabidae). The world fauna of subterranean aquatic beetles and the associates of Haideoporus are discussed.
META‐ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FIVE‐FACTOR MODEL OF PERSONALITY AND HOLLAND'S OCCUPATIONAL TYPES

The purpose of this study is to examine the nature and magnitude of the relationship between 2 widely accepted models for classifying individual differences–the 5-factor model of personality and Holland's RI-ASEC occupational types. Based on extensive meta-analyses, our results illustrate that there are meaningful relations between some FFM personality dimensions and some RIASEC types. The strongest relationships were obtained between the RIASEC types of enterprising and artistic with the FFM personality dimensions of Extraversion and Openness to Experience, p= .41 and .39, respectively. Three other RIASEC types had moderate correlations with at least 1 FFM personality trait. In contrast, the realistic type was not related to any FFM personality traits. Multiple regression analyses in which each RIASEC type is regressed on the FFM scores (based on meta-analytic estimates), revealed a multiple R of .11 for realistic, .26 for investigative, .42 for artistic, .31 for social, .47 for enterprising, and .27 for conventional types. The overall conclusion from the study is that although FFM personality traits and RIASEC types are related, they are not merely substitutes for each other.
Non-invasive measurement of solute permeability of rat pial microvessels

To quantify the permeability of rat pial microvessels, we measured the apparent microvessel permeability (P) to various sized solutes. Rats (SD, 250-300 g) were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital given subcutaneously and kept warm on a heating pad. The pial microcirculation was observed by a high numerical aperture objective lens through a section of frontoparietal bones thinned with a high-speed micro-grinder (revised method from Easton et al., 1997). During the measurement, the surface of the brain was constantly superfused with 37 degrees Celsius artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Sodium fluorescein (MW 376, Stokes radius 0.45 nm) with concentration 0.5 mg/ml or FITC-dextran (MW 4000, Stokes radius 1.8 nm) with concentration 1 mg/ml in 1% BSA mammalian Ringer, was introduced into the cerebral circulation via the ipsilateral carotid artery by a syringe pump at a constant rate of 3 ml/min. P was determined using a quantitative fluorescence imaging and analyzing method. The mean P to sodium fluorescein for 10 vessels was 1.31 (plusmn0.36 SD) times 10-6 cm/s. This value is about one-twentieth of that found in rat mesenteric microvessels, 2.6 times 10-5 cm/s (Fu and Shen, 2004). The mean P to FITC-Dextran for 5 vessels was 0.41 (plusmn 0.29 SD) times 10-6 cm/s.
lrgpr: interactive linear mixed model analysis of genome-wide association studies with composite hypothesis testing and regression diagnostics in R

Summary: The linear mixed model is the state-of-the-art method to account for the confounding effects of kinship and population structure in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Current implementations test the effect of one or more genetic markers while including prespecified covariates such as sex. Here we develop an efficient implementation of the linear mixed model that allows composite hypothesis tests to consider genotype interactions with variables such as other genotypes, environment, sex or ancestry. Our R package, lrgpr, allows interactive model fitting and examination of regression diagnostics to facilitate exploratory data analysis in the context of the linear mixed model. By leveraging parallel and out-of-core computing for datasets too large to fit in main memory, lrgpr is applicable to large GWAS datasets and next-generation sequencing data. Availability and implementation: lrgpr is an R package available from lrgpr.r-forge.r-project.org Contact: gabriel.hoffman@mssm.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Approximate Bisimulations for Constrained Linear Systems

In this paper, inspired by exact notions of bi-simulation equivalence for discrete-event and continuous-time systems, we establish approximate bi-simulation equivalence for linear systems with internal but bounded disturbances. This is achieved by developing a theory of approximation for transition systems with observation metrics, which require that the distance between system observations is and remains arbitrarily close in the presence of nondeterministic evolution. Our notion of approximate bisimulation naturally reduces to exact bisimulation when the distance between the observations is zero. Approximate bisimulation relations are then characterized by a class of Lyapunov-like functions which are called bisimulation functions. For the class of linear systems with constrained disturbances, we obtain computable characterizations of bisimulation functions in terms of linear matrix inequalities, set inclusions, and optimal values of static games. We illustrate our framework in the context of safety verification.
The efficient algorithms for achieving Euclidean distance transformation

Euclidean distance transformation (EDT) is used to convert a digital binary image consisting of object (foreground) and nonobject (background) pixels into another image where each pixel has a value of the minimum Euclidean distance from nonobject pixels. In this paper, the improved iterative erosion algorithm is proposed to avoid the redundant calculations in the iterative erosion algorithm. Furthermore, to avoid the iterative operations, the two-scan-based algorithm by a deriving approach is developed for achieving EDT correctly and efficiently in a constant time. Besides, we discover when obstacles appear in the image, many algorithms cannot achieve the correct EDT except our two-scan-based algorithm. Moreover, the two-scan-based algorithm does not require the additional cost of preprocessing or relative-coordinates recording.
Transmit beamforming for a large reconfigurable antenna array

Many space-time transmission schemes have been proposed recently to exploit the high channel capacity from the MIMO communication systems. However, algorithms for a large antenna array (LAA) remain an open research problem. The standard channel estimation and space-time modulation schemes are not practical for LAAs due to high implementation complexity. In this paper, we propose a novel transmit beamforming scheme based on a reconfigurable LAA. Compared to the traditional schemes, our new scheme requires a much smaller number of radio frequency (RF) chains, yet it still enjoys the high performance offered from the LAA. Based on a reconfigurable LAA, we present a pilot assisted round robin channel estimation algorithm. With this estimation algorithm, the tracking of the fading channel is significantly simplified at the mobile station. We then introduce an adaptive transmit beamforming algorithm based on relative channel phase feedback at the transmitter. For a time varying Rayleigh fading channel, we investigate the system SNR as a function of the latency of the round robin channel estimation and derive the optimal training duration for given mobile speed. Finally, numerical simulations show that the proposed scheme accomplishes superior performance for various kinds of time varying Rayleigh fading channels. Overall, the proposed system enjoys good performance, high flexibility, low cost as well as low power consumption at both the base station and mobile station
G.E.D. in 3 Voices

In this piece, the author experiments with re-presenting particular stories through poetic texts that contextualize and honor difference in experience between GED students and instructors. These poetic re-presentations stem from an ongoing study that explores (a) adult basic education instructors’ perceptions of their pedagogy and interaction with their students, and (b) adult student experiences in GED classes as well as perceptions of their instructors. The poems are constructed entirely from the words of the participants to capture the tenor of self-disclosure and experience that was shared with the author and to draw the reader toward these experiences. The poems are written in three columns, representing three voices—two students and one instructor. The author hopes that as the reader moves along the text in a weaving pattern, one voice is not privileged over the others as similar and divergent views are expressed.
Closing the Classroom Door and the Achievement Gap Teach for America Alumni Teachers’ Appropriation of Arizona Language Policy

This qualitative study explored Teach for America (TFA) alumni teachers’ discourse on Arizona language policy, conducted with eight teachers in the Phoenix metropolitan area who received their professional teacher preparation from TFA, a national organization that uses alternative paths to certification to place teachers in low-income schools. During the 2009-2010 school year, we investigated how TFA alumni teachers described the state-mandated English-only language policy, which requires all labeled English language learners (ELLs) to enroll in English language development (ELD) classrooms for 4 hr of daily skill-based English instruction. In addition to their open evaluation and critique of the language policy, teachers’ discourse revealed language policy appropriation, as the teachers tweaked and stretched the language policy directives to match their ideology, pedagogy, and classroom context. Findings from our discourse analysis of the interview data demonstrate that the teachers’ discourse reflected ...
In Vitro Evaluation of a Semisynthetic Derivative of Gentamicin B (SCH 21420)

The activities of Sch 21420 and amikacin were compared in vitro against 448 clinical bacterial isolates and against 82 gentamicin-resistant isolates of gram-negative bacilli. At 1 μg/ml, Sch 21420 was more active than amikacin against most Enterobacteriaceae but less active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Activity of these antibiotics against gentamicin-resistant organisms varied according to the species examined.
Analytic Approximation Techniques

In the treatment of integral equations analytic approximation techniques such as variational principle or a method of successive approximations are used. The mathematical relationship of these approximations is investigated and the conditions under which they should give equivalent results are revealed. (auth)
International Infrastructure: Neglected at Our Peril

This paper describes the constellation of factors affecting infrastructure investments and utility operations. Independent regulatory commissions exercise most direct control over two factors: governance (agency design and processes) and regulatory policies (or incentives). Other factors are generally outside the regulatory domain but may influence or be influenced by regulatory governance and policies. These other factors include institutional conditions, national experience, perceptions of risk, and industry conditions - as they affect the structure, behavior, and performance of utilities. In addition, corporate governance determines the way private and public suppliers provide information and respond to incentives. Ultimately, the legitimacy and credibility of the regulatory system depends on how closely infrastructure performance matches realistic national objectives. Weak performance does not bode well for global security in the future.
Effects of long-term increases in plasma ANP on angiotensin II-induced hypertension.

In vitro studies have suggested that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a potent antagonist of the vasoconstrictor actions of angiotensin II (ANG II). The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term effects of physiological increases in circulating levels of ANP on arterial pressure (AP) regulation in conscious dogs (n = 9) with ANG II-induced hypertension. Infusion of ANG II at a rate of 10 ng.kg-1.min-1 for 7 days increased AP from 85 +/- 3 to 133 +/- 4 mmHg. This increase in AP was associated with an increase in total peripheral resistance (TPR) and a decrease in cardiac output (CO). After 7 days of ANG II infusion, ANP103-126 was then infused simultaneously at a rate of 20 ng.kg-1.min-1 for 7 days. Plasma levels of ANP increased from 59 +/- 15 to 285 +/- 28 pg/ml. Increasing plasma ANP levels for 7 days had no significant long-term effect on AP (133 +/- 4 vs. 125 +/- 6 mmHg), TPR, or CO. There were also no significant changes in glomerular filtration rate or sodium excretion during the 7 days of ANP infusion. These data indicate that long-term increases in circulating levels of ANP have minimal chronic hypotensive effects in dogs with ANG II hypertension. In addition, the results from this study suggest that physiological increases in plasma ANP do not exhibit long-term antagonistic effects toward the vasoconstrictor actions of ANG II.
Perceived Dominance in Young Heterosexual Couples in Relation to Sex, Context, and Frequency of Arguing

This study used a theoretical framework derived from evolutionary biology and animal research to investigate dominance in heterosexual couples of young adults. We operationalized dominance as decision-making power and hypothesized that there would be agreement within couples as to who is dominant and who is subordinate, and that dominance would be consistent across different contexts. We also investigated variation in the sex of the dominant individual and in the strength of dominance across couples. Study participants were 140 young men and women (including 19 heterosexual couples in which both partners were tested), most of whom were college students. Overall couple dominance and dominance strength were assessed with a single-item self-report questionnaire. An additional 40-item questionnaire was used to investigate dominance and amount of arguing in different aspects of romantic relationships. Among the 19 couples, there was a significant agreement in the assessment of dominance between partners. Furthermore, among all study participants, assessments of couple dominance were consistent with perceived asymmetries in decision-making with regard to joint leisure activities, couple intimacy, and division of roles. Couples without clear dominance (egalitarian) generally argued less often than couples with strong or weak dominance. Men were more likely to be dominant than women. Overall, the principles underlying dominance in human heterosexual couples appear to be similar to those operating in nonhuman primates. Evolutionary and comparative theories of dominance could provide a valid framework for future studies of human couple dominance, in which both physiological and fitness correlates of dominance and subordination could be investigated.
Death by Overlaying and Wedging: A 15-Year Retrospective Study

Overlaying, the accidental death by smothering caused by a larger individual sleeping on top of an infant, is a cause of death that has been documented for centuries. The hazard of death has been reported to be greater in infants less than 5 months of age but may occur in children up to the age of 2 years. When an adult or older child rolls on top of an infant, mechanical asphyxia results. The face may be pressed into the mattress or into the body of the sleeping adult or older child. The infant's air may be expressed, and he or she is unable to cry due to pressure on the thorax and the inability to inhale. Some pathologists and investigators believe that the victims of overlaying have no pertinent physical findings at autopsy and that any injury is indicative of inflicted trauma. Others believe that one may see contusions and abrasions from overlaying in and of itself. Wedging is another form of accidental mechanical asphyxia that may have negative autopsy findings. The prevalence of bruising, contusions, or facial and ocular petechiae is not clear. The author reviewed all pediatric forensic cases referred for autopsy to the Forensic Section of the Medical University of South Carolina/Medical Examiners' Office over the past 15 years, from 1985 to 1999. Of these, all cases of overlaying, cases listed as undetermined sudden infant death syndrome versus overlaying, and wedging were included. The cases were analyzed as to victims' age, sex, race, location/bedding, bed-sharer, and whether the bed-sharer was known to have ingested drugs or alcohol before sleep. Postmortem physical findings were also reviewed, particularly for documentation of contusions, abrasions, or facial or ocular petechiae. By clarifying not only the victim, bed-sharer, and scenario but also the presence or absence of physical findings in cases of overlaying, wedging, and other accidental asphyxia, we can better categorize these cases.
Egg Traps for the Navel Orangeworm, Paramyelois transitella (Walker)

Egg traps were used to study populations of the navel orangeworm, Paramyelois transitella (Walker) in almond orchards in the San Joaquin Valley of California in 1974 and 1975. Seasonal variations in moth emergence and flight as indicated by egg laying patterns were readily identified in both years. Egg deposition curves closely followed ♂ moth flight patterns during the early season but did not correlate as well from midsummer through fall. Differences in moth and egg populations could be detected with egg traps in orchards that received varying levels of post-harvest sanitation. Sticky traps baited with the egg trap attractant showed a sex ratio of responding navel orangeworm moths of ca. 11 ♀:1 ♂. Attractant odors given off by the egg trap bait are not specific for navel orangeworm but also attract the raisin moth, Cadra figulilella (Gregson). However, only eggs of navel orangeworm were found on the egg traps in the field.
Human type II collagen induced autoimmune inner ear lesions in guinea pigs

Guinea pigs were immunized with human type I, type II or type III collagen. Inner ear lesions were induced in some guinea pigs by immunizing them with human type II collagen. Histopathologic changes included endolymphatic hydrops, organ of Corti lesions and endolymphatic duct contained a large number of inflammatory cells. These histologic changes resembled those observed in patient with Meniere's disease. We didn't discover any inner ear lesions in guinea pigs by immunizing them with human type I and type III collagen, although their serum antibody titers were high and antibody presented in perilymph. Immunohistochemical study showed the presence of type II collagen in the cochlea tissues--spiral ligament, basilar membrane, tectorial membrane, spiral limb and Rosenthal's canal. We didn't discover type I and type III collagen in these area.
Consumer Responses to Slice-of-Life Versus Slice-of-Death Advertising Appeals: Exploring the Role of Polysemy, Branding, and Culture

ABSTRACTPrior research has not verified the theoretical or practical value of slice-of-life and slice-of-death advertising appeals in relation to advertising and branding constructs like advertising polysemy and consumer-based brand equity. The authors make conceptual, measurement, and managerial contributions to this research issue dealing with slice of life versus death advertising appeals. Across three studies, the authors measure, evaluate, compare, and contrast slice-of-life and slice-of-death (SOL/D) advertising appeals across British and American cultures. The authors demonstrate the interrelationships of SOL/D appeals with advertising polysemy, consumer-based brand equity, cultural differences in advertising attitudes, and purchase intentions. From a measurement perspective, the authors develop and validate parsimonious measures of slice-of-life and slice-of-death (SOL/D) advertising appeals. Furthermore, they test the assumptions that underlie these appeals for United States and British customers...