cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image-based clustering and connected component labeling for rapid automated left and right ventricular endocardial volume extraction and segmentation in full cardiac cycle multi-frame MRI images of cardiac patients.

A rapid method for left and right ventricular endocardial volume segmentation and clinical cardiac parameter calculation from MRI images of cardiac patients is presented. The clinical motivation is providing cardiologists a tool for assessing the cardiac function in a patient through the left ventricular endocardial volume’s ejection fraction. A new method combining adapted fuzzy membership-based c-means pixel clustering and connected regions component labeling is used for automatic segmentation of the left and right ventricular endocardial volumes. This proposed pixel clustering with labeling approach avoids manual initialization or user intervention and does not require specifying the region of interest. This method fully automatically extracts the left and right ventricular endocardial volumes and avoids manual tracing on all MRI image frames in the complete cardiac cycle from systole to diastole. The average computational processing time per frame is 0.6 s, making it much more efficient than deformable methods, which need several iterations for the evolution of the snake or contour. Accuracy of the automated method presented herein was validated against manual tracing-based extraction, performed with the guidance of cardiac experts, on several MRI frames. Dice coefficients between the proposed automatic versus manual traced ventricular endocardial volume segmentations were observed to be 0.9781 ± 0.0070 (for left ventricular endocardial volume) and 0.9819 ± 0.0058 (for right ventricular endocardial volume), and the Pearson correlation coefficients were observed to be 0.9655 ± 0.0206 (for left ventricular endocardial volume) and 0.9870 ± 0.0131 (for right ventricular endocardial volume).
Arrays of Janus-Type Magnetoelectric Nanowires for Passive Magnetic Field Sensing

The increasing ubiquity of sensors in IoT devices and consumer electronics demands the development of high performance, low power sensors, which can be integrated on chip with existing semiconductor technology. Magnetoelectrics, materials in which an applied magnetic field induces an electrical polarization, could offer passive magnetic field sensing capability using minimal power. Here, novel magnetoelectric nanowire arrays are fabricated which produce magnetoelectric coefficients 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than their thin film analogs are presented with $1910\pm 100\ \text{mV cm}^{-1}\ \text{Oe}^{-1}$ and $2241 \pm 528\text{mV cm}^{-1}\ \text{Oe}^{-1}$ observed at 1 kHz in barium titanate-cobalt ferrite and lead zirconate titanate-nickel zinc ferrite, respectively. Magnetoelectric nanowires are fabricated with a Janus, morphology where a magnetostrictive and piezoelectric phase couple along the longitudinal axis of the nanowire are fabricated via sol gel electrospinning combined with a controlled calcination process. Nanowire arrays are formed using dielectrophoresis. Magnetoelectric and magnetic field sensitivity results from arrays formed from both barium titanate and cobalt ferrite and lead zirconate titanate and nickel zinc ferrite are presented.
Generalized Perturbation Theory with Derivative Operators for Power Density Investigations in Nuclear Reactors

This paper presents an efficient method to analyze variations that nuclear data perturbations induce in one-dimensional power-density distributions. This method is called the Taylor-generalized perturbation theory (Taylor-GPT) method since it is based on (a) use of a Taylor series expansion of the response variation, and (b) use of generalized perturbation theory (GPT) to evaluate the derivative operators that appear as coefficients in this Taylor series. Equations satisfied by the importance functions for the derivatives of the response variations are derived and solved with existing GPT codes. The characteristics of these functions are highlighted analytically. Particular attention is focused on the numerical value and location of the maximum power density. This is because perturbations in system parameters affect not only the value at the maximum, but also the location of this maximum. The Taylor-GPT method can efficiently assess such effects. The practical usefulness of the Taylor-GPT method is illustrated by considering test cases involving a simplified heterogeneous liquid-metal fast breeder reactor model. The results indicate that this method is as accurate as the GPT method, yet requires fewer calculations when investigating space-dependent power density variations.
THREE-BODY K OPERATORS AND UNITARY APPROXIMATIONS: APPLICATION TO MODEL (d, p) AND (d, d) PROCESSES

Publisher Summary This chapter explains three-body K operators and unitary approximations. Three-body systems have been widely used in studies of nuclear reactions, both as model problems from which insight might be gained concerning nuclear reaction mechanisms and as a tool for analyzing specific nuclear reaction data. The need for such studies is evident, because scattering theory can only be applied in approximate form to nuclear reactions, and neither the meaning nor the validity of the approximations so used are generally well understood. This chapter discusses a simple means for introducing unitary-type approximations for the three-body problem. It presents a comparison of the results calculated using a form of this approximation with exact numerical solutions for (d,p) and (d,d) reactions in a 3-body model and discusses the way by which the method can be generalized to introduce similar approximations for use in analyzing actual nuclear reaction data. The unitary approximation method discussed in the chapter was developed for the 3-body problem by Kouri, Levin, and Sandhas.
Foreign and Home Country Innovation by MNCs: Hollowing Out or Strengthening of the Home Base?

Although many studies have analyzed how the foreign employment and manufacturing activities of firms impact their domestic operations, one value chain activity that is noticeably absent in these st...
Wildfire exposure to the wildland urban interface in the western US.

Abstract Predicting wildfire disasters presents a major challenge to the field of risk science, especially when fires propagate long distances through diverse fuel types and complex terrain. A good example is in the western US where large tracts of public lands routinely experience large fires that spread from remote wildlands into developed areas and cause structure loss and fatalities. In this paper we provide the first comprehensive assessment of where public wildlands potentially contribute wildfire exposure to communities in the 11 western US states. We used simulation modeling to map and characterize the composition of the source landscapes (firesheds) and recipient communities in terms of fuels, fire behavior and forest management suitability. The information was used to build a prototype investment prioritization framework that targets highly exposed communities where forest and fuel management activities are feasible. We found that simulated wildfires ignited on national forests can potentially affect about half of the communities in the western US (2560 out of 5118), with 90% of exposure affecting the top 20% of the communities (n = 516). Firesheds within national forests, defined as areas that have the potential to expose communities to fire, were estimated at 35 million ha (62% of the total national forest area), and were almost three times larger than the affected community lands. Large contiguous areas of wildfire transmission were evident on a number of national forests. Only 22% of the fireshed area is forested, fire-adapted, and lies within land management designations that allow mechanical fuels management. The methods demonstrate how cross-boundary exposure can be factored into prioritizing federal investments in hazardous fuels reduction on national forests in concert with community protection measures. The results can also help scale wildfire governance systems to match the geography of risk from large wildfire events, which augments existing assessments that do not explicitly identify the source of risk to communities.
Researching food and housing insecurity among America’s college students: lessons learned and future steps

College and university faculty, staff, and administrators are increasingly aware that their student body is experiencing basic need challenges including food and housing insecurity. As a result, a ...
Using the Google Maps API with highway mapping data as a pedagogical tool: demonstration

Nearly any topic in a data structures or algorithms course will be more interesting to undergraduate students if they can apply what they are learning using real-world data and visualize results in a meaningful way. This demo will show how to use highway data obtained from the Clinched Highway Mapping (CHM) Project [3] to explore graph structures and algorithms and to display results using the Google Maps API [1].
A Data Mining Approach to Understanding Curriculum-Level Factors That Help Students Persist and Graduate

This Research Full Paper describes the analysis of curriculum-level factors that affected the persistence and graduation outcomes of over 4,000 undergraduate students at San Francisco State University. This work addressed four questions: (1) how did the timing of students’ Mathematics courses affect their performance and outcome; (2) whether students who progressed farther through the prescribed foundation course sequences of the university’s long-duration learning community program exhibited higher persistence and graduation rates; (3) what were the most frequently-taken sequences of courses, and whether students who progressed farther through those sequences exhibited higher graduation rates; and (4) whether greater progress was more important than other demographic and academic factors for predicting persistence and graduation. We found that students who took their first non-remedial Math course in the second year showed higher fifth-term and seventh-term persistence than students who took it in the first year. Also, students who progressed farther through their chosen or prescribed sequences consistently exhibited higher persistence and graduation rates. Furthermore, a student’s persistence was a more reliable predictor of graduation than other features. Overall, these findings can potentially inform an institution’s strategies for maximizing persistence and graduation by emphasizing a student’s progress through the curriculum.
Reduction of Saturation Voltage in InGaAs-Channel/lnGaN-Drain Vertical FETs and the role of traps at the InGaAs/lnGaN junction

Wafer-bonded current aperture vertical electron transistors (BAVETs) aim to eliminate the present bottleneck of simultaneously achieving high frequency and high breakdown. BAVETs enable novel transistors with a high mobility III-As (mobility = 12000 cm2 V−1S−1) channel, and a wide-bandgap III-N (breakdown field = 3.3MV.cm-1) drift region. A BAVET device, based on a current aperture vertical electron transistor (CA VET), comprises source contacts to n-doped $\mathrm{In}_{0.53}\mathrm{Ga}_{0.47}\mathrm{As}$ channel, with $\mathrm{I}\mathfrak{n}_{0.52}\mathrm{Al}_{0.48}\mathrm{As}$ as the gate barrier, InGaN/GaN layers for the drift region, and n+GaN as the drain-contact layer (Fig. 1) [1]. The on-state DC performance in a BAVET has been traditionally affected by abnormally high on-current-saturation voltage, $V_{\mathrm{DS}_{-}\mathrm{SAT}}(> 12\mathrm{V})$ (Fig. 2) [2]–[4]. Herein, we investigate the cause of this abnormality and report a significant reduction in $\mathrm{V}_{\mathrm{DS}_{-}\mathrm{SAT}}(5\mathrm{V})$ .
Unpacking educational athletics: An exploratory study of high school athletic directors' critical praxis

Abstract Objectives Given the salience and popularity of interscholastic athletics, whether high school sport serves as a site for inclusive, empowering experiences for youth participants has significant implications. This study examined how U.S. high school athletic directors think about and navigate (i.e., praxis) broader social issues in their work with student-athletes and coaches to promote youth development. Design A cultural praxis framework informed qualitative study design consisting of semi-structured interviews with 16 athletic directors from various high school community contexts within one Midwestern state. Method Reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with high school athletic directors employed a semantic (explicit, surface level) and latent (implicit, interpretative) focus (Braun & Clarke, 2019; Braun, Clarke, & Weate, 2016). Results Semantic analyses indicated that athletic directors used various strategies to navigate matters that arose in their work with student-athletes and coaches. Relevant issues were contextually situated and emerged as (in)congruent with their context. Latent analyses shed light on assumptions that ADs made about student-athlete development and demonstrated that sport leaders' critical praxis varied along a continuum. Conclusion Future research is needed to more systematically examine how athletic directors engage in a (critical) praxis; student-athletes’ perspectives on the relevance of certain social issues and efficacy of administrators' praxis; and, developmental initiatives to empower youth and adult leaders in athletics.
A proactive risk assessment by utilizing ‘Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis’ (HFMEA) for safe implementation of peripheral nerve catheters in pediatric patients

Introduction: In 2011, Nationwide Children’s Hospital began using peripheral nerve catheters (PNC) to provide postoperative analgesia to patients undergoing select orthopedic and abdominal surgeries. While PNCs provide a significant improvement in the quality of care that our patients receive, introducing this new technology and process within our hospital presents an inherent risk. Methodology: In order to assure that our patients received the safest care, we assembled a multi-disciplinary team to complete a proactive risk assessment by utilizing Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (HFMEA). HFMEA was designed by the VA National Center for Patient Safety to identify potential failure modes within systems, and to study the consequences the failure modes have on customers. The result of this process identified and evaluated 96 failure modes and therefore 19 specific interventions were developed and deployed. Conclusion: The HFMEA process gives us confidence that new pain management techniques and their related processes can be safely and effectively implemented in order to provide the safest and highest quality care to our patients. Key words:;; ;; Citation: Bhalla T, Dairo OO, Martin D, Wrona S, Fetzer M, Taghon T, Tobias JD. A proactive risk assessment by utilizing ‘Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis’ (HFMEA) for safe implementation of peripheral nerve catheters in pediatric patients. Anaesth Pain & Intensive Care 2014;18(1):21-24
Hubble Bubble Trouble: The Need for Education About and Regulation of Hookah Smoking

Abstract A Middle Eastern tradition, hookah smoking involves burning flavored tobacco heated by charcoal, creating smoke that is filtered through water and ingested through the mouth using a hose. Hookah lounges are increasingly locating around college campuses in the United States, and websites offering hookah paraphernalia target U.S. high school and college students. In two studies involving interviews with college-age hookah smokers and analysis of website marketing practices, the authors investigate consumer beliefs and attitudes toward hookah smoking and the way it is portrayed online. The findings indicate that it is a social phenomenon, with young people introducing peers to the practice and websites promoting shared consumption experiences. Contrary to medical evidence, young people believe smoking sweetened tobacco through a hookah is nonaddictive and safer than cigarettes. Hookah lounges often are exempt from age restriction laws because many double as cafes and other eating establishments. Tra...
Empirical Evidence: Market Structure

Our final chapter on the empirical evidence for XE theory will be concerned with market structure, or the degree of product market competition facing the firm or industry. The chapter will also create three classifications of articles. The first focuses on output and input ratios, and measures X-inefficiency in one of three ways: (1) by relative output (actual versus potential output); (2) by actual input ratios deviating from their cost-minimizing values; and (3) by desired versus actual versus profit- maximizing capacity utilization rates. The second group focuses on profits, while the third reports several X-efficiency effects of price-fixing behavior.
Background fluctuations in heavy ion jet reconstruction

Abstract We present a new study by the STAR Collaboration of background fluctuations in jet reconstruction in heavy ion collisions.
Studies on Escherichia coli sex factors: III. Covalently closed F'Lac DNA molecules☆☆☆

Abstract A fraction of F'Lac DNA has been found which sediments three to four times more rapidly in alkali and which bands in cesium chloride-ethidium bromide at a higher density than the major portion of the material. The rapid sedimentation coefficient and the higher density are eliminated if one single-strand break is introduced by X-irradiation. Hence it is concluded that this fraction consists of covalently closed circles.
Creating a Proactive Obsolescence Management System Framework through the Systems Engineering Continuum

With commercial and military systems becoming more complex, using more sophisticated products, complex processes, and specialized people and having longer system life cycles, it is essential that organizations have a systematic approach to managing systems from an Obsolescence Management System perspective. This paper presents a new systems engineering architecture framework, House of Systems Engineering HoSE, and shows how its constructs can be applied to support the building of a proactive Obsolescence Management System framework. We first provide a brief overview of the HoSE, including the systems engineering aspects and the systems architecture methodology used in the HoSE. Next, we discuss the 2-dimensional Obsolescence Management System framework based on the HoSE. Finally, a case study is performed to justify the framework. The case study results suggest that the framework is beneficial in finding gaps in an Obsolescence Management Plan. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 17
On Magnetic Field Amplification in Gamma-Ray Burst Sources

Magnetic fields play a dual role in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). First, GRB and afterglow spectra (the latter interpreted as emission from external shocks) imply synchrotron radiation in a magnetic field that is a significant fraction of equipartition with the particle energy density. Second, magnetized rotators with $\sim 10^{15}$ Gauss field may power GRB by transporting Poynting flux to large distances where it dissipates and also drives an external shock. The field amplification at external shocks and in the engine involve separate processes. External shock fields are likely either seeded by a pre-GRB wind, or are amplified by two-stream plasma instabilities with MHD turbulence playing a subsequent role. In the engine, the large scale fields are likely produced by MHD helical dynamos, since flux accretion cannot easily compete with turbulent diffusion, and because structures must be large enough to rise to coronae before diffusing. Why helical dynamos are feasible, and their relation to the magnetorotational instability are among the points discussed.
Repeated Intratracheal Challenge with Particulate Antigen Modulates Murine Lung Cytokines

When lungs of experimental animals are repeatedly challenged with Ag, pulmonary inflammation wanes via unknown mechanisms. We hypothesized that changes in the balance of lung cytokines are responsible for immune down-regulation to repeated Ag challenge. We used intratracheal (IT) challenge of primed C57BL/6 mice with SRBC and on various days after single (1IT) or triple (3IT) challenge counted lung inflammatory cells and measured whole-lung cytokine mRNA and protein concentrations using RT-PCR and ELISA. We found that lung lymphocyte numbers and parenchymal lung inflammation decreased significantly at days 6 and 9 after final Ag challenge in 3IT mice compared with 1IT mice. Lungs of 3IT mice showed the following changes in relative mRNA expression: an earlier peak in IL-10, decreased IL-1beta, and a change from a Th2 response in 1IT mice to a Th1 response in 3IT mice (with pronounced increases in IL-12, IL-18, and IFN-gamma and decreased IL-4, IL-13, and IL-5). Similar types of changes were seen in whole-lung protein concentrations for TNF-alpha, IL-10, IL-12 p40, IFN-gamma, and IL-4. Additionally, mRNA expression of the endothelial selectins CD62E and CD62P decreased and lung lymphocyte apoptosis increased in the 3IT group. Thus, physiologic down-regulation of the pulmonary immune response to repeated Ag exposure is characterized by increased anti- and decreased proinflammatory cytokines that accompanies Th1 polarization. Similar mechanisms may act to minimize chronic lung inflammation in the majority of normal humans who do not develop progressive lung pathology when repeatedly exposed to inhaled or aspirated environmental Ags.
The experimental study of charged meniscuses

Experimental data on the forms and electrical characteristics of charged meniscuses of water, ethyl alcohol, glycerin, and castor oil depending on the applied high voltage are presented. It is shown that the field effect on the meniscus is determined not only by the liquid’s conductivity, viscosity, and surface tension but also by the distribution of the field and space charge in the air.
Permeability Changes Associated with the Action Potential in Procaine-Treated Crayfish Abdominal Muscle Fibers

Permeability changes associated with prolonged action potentials have been analyzed in procaine-treated crayfish abdominal muscle fibers. The effect of external Ca indicates that the increase in membrane conductance observed during the rising phase of the action potential is primarily due to a permeability increase for Ca. A remnant of the permeability increase may cause the succeeding plateau as shown by its high conductance and by the effect of low Mn. A delayed increase in conductance precedes the termination of the plateau phase. This is due to a delayed increase in permeability, probably for K, that is observed when depolarizing electrogenesis is eliminated. High external Ca reduces the action potential duration, the falling phase starting at a higher depolarization. These changes may be related to an earlier onset of the delayed increase in permeability, induced by a larger inside positivity in the presence of higher Ca. No "anomalous rectification" is seen in early or late I-V curves for small depolarizations. Ba may replace Ca in its role in depolarizing electrogenesis, and the first action potential induced in Ba saline has a large overshoot and a long duration. In higher Ba salines, action potentials are greatly prolonged. Long term soaking in Rb-containing or K-free saline also augments and prolongs the action potential. These changes are assumed to be related to depression of the K permeability of the membrane.
Eigenvector saddlepoints and zero properties of the eigenpolynomial factors

Abstract For the eigenproblem AP = λBP , in which A and B are of a class of Hermitian matrices which includes correlation matrices, it is shown that the eigenvectors are saddlepoints in a “factored” space. As a result, each eigenvector can be characterized as the solution to a min-max (max-min) optimization problem. For the case when matrices A and B are real, the factored space is shown to be real also. In the process of arriving at these results, some interesting properties of eigenpolynomial zeros are proved.
High-yield GaN nanowire synthesis and field-effect transistor fabrication

This letter describes a simple way to grow high-quality GaN nanowires in a specific area. The relationship between catalyst formation and nanowire growth was addressed. High-yield gallium nitride nanowire field-effect transistors were demonstrated successfully using a prealigned process: Ni catalysts with a diameter of 200 nm were deposited selectively at predetermined positions. GaN nanowires were then grown by vapor-liquid-solid mechanism in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor. Fabricated GaN nanowire FETs showed a high current density along with good saturation and pinch-off characteristics.
Apparent central nervous system depression in infants after the use of topical brimonidine

Abstract PURPOSE: To report two cases in which topical brimonidine resulted in apparent central nervous system depression and unresponsiveness in an infant. METHODS: Review of two patients. An 11-day-old infant became lethargic and apneic after a single drop of brimonidine. These symptoms were reproduced after a second administration of brimonidine. A 5-month-old infant became lethargic and poorly responsive after receiving 1 drop of brimonidine in each eye. RESULTS: The first patient required admission to the hospital for medical stabilization. He recovered without sequelae. The second patient recovered spontaneously approximately 2.5 hours after administration of brimonidine. CONCLUSIONS: Topical brimonidine may be associated with central nervous system depression in infants. The use of brimonidine is not recommended in these patients until further data are available.
Leaded gasoline abuse: the role of tetraethyl lead

Volatile substance abuse is practised worldwide however reports of the abuse of leaded gasoline have been limited to northern Canada, southwestern USA and the Australian Outback. Chronic, heavy abuse of leaded gasoline results in an encephalopathy, cerebellar and corticospinal symptoms and signs, dementia, mental status alterations, and persistent organic psychosis. Much of this is due to the hydrocarbons of gasoline while the tetraethyl lead contributes to the altered mental status and is responsible for the persistent psychosis. Lead chelation therapy is not rational and has not been shown to benefit these patients.
Walkability and residential suburbs: a multidisciplinary perspective

This study develops a nuanced understanding of issues related to suburban design and walkability, which have received increased attention over the last two decades. It examines a broad range of environmental health, transportation and design/planning studies. The study argues that published empirical research relied on statistical tools that measured the design ingredients rather than the morphological and spatial structures that enhance walkability. The qualitative design aspects of built environments were hardly translated to quantifiable variables in much of the reviewed empirical research. This paper highlights configurational and space syntax dynamics that complement the current understanding of neighborhood design and walkability. It opens the door for further cross disciplinary research aimed at understanding and potentially optimizing the relationship between urban form and pedestrian movement.
The finite difference time domain algorithm applied to ferrite media

A time integration scheme is presented to simulate electromagnetic wave propagation in a ferrite medium. A stable, non-dissipative, second-order scheme is achieved using both central differences and averages by considering the torque equation of motion for electron precession in conjunction with Maxwell's equations. Also presented is an error analysis which accounts for an electromagnetic wave propagating in an unbounded numerical ferrite grid that is homogeneous and fully saturated. The approach is validated using a shorted stripline with ferrite loading.
Placebo response to interventional pain procedures and effect on patient outcome

Considerable debate exists over the effectiveness of numerous procedures performed in current interventional pain practice. Our goal was to review all current prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trials pertaining to the most commonly performed interventional pain procedures and to present these results in the form of a comprehensive review article. A review of the literature was performed with extensive PubMed searches and no date restrictions. A review of various reference sections within articles was also done. All prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trials acquired that pertained to the most commonly performed intervention pain medicine techniques were included in the review. Lumbar and transforaminal epidural steroid injections appear superior to placebo. Radiofrequency denervation and steroid injections for sacroiliac joint pain appear superior to placebo. Radiofrequency denervation for lumbar and cervical facetogenic pain appears superior to placebo. Intradiscal electrothermal therapy for discogenic low back pain may be more effective than placebo in a select group of patients. Alcohol neurolytic celiac plexus block appears superior to placebo in the treatment of pancreatic cancer pain. Current data do not support superiority over placebo for lumbar facet joint steroid injections, lumbar intradiscal steroid therapy, or vertebroplasty for treatment of osteoporotic fractures. A continued lack of prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trials pertaining to interventional pain medicine still persists. The above results can only serve as a guide in current practice, as only tentative conclusions can be reached based on the current data.
The Law of Impeachment in the United States.

When the Fathers were framing the Constitution of the United States they sought at every turn to safeguard the interests of the people and at the same time secure to officials a reasonable degree of independence. This solicitude was especially manifest in the case of judicial officers, whose terms were made to run during good behavior. Impeachment was the method adopted to determine what constituted misbehavior. Chief Justice Marshall early laid down the principle that terms otherwise undefined in the Constitution were used in the sense which was well known and accepted at the time the Constitution was written. Impeachment was adopted and adapted from the English practice. To understand our own law, then, it is necessary to know what the English law of impeachment, the lex et consuetudo parliamenti, was at the time of its adoption and in what way it was modified or changed in being adopted.
Eine chemische Denksportaufgabe: die Totalsynthese von Gelsemin

Die Totalsynthese von Gelsemin und 21-Oxogelsemin ist auf mehreren Wegen moglich. In diesem Aufsatz werden die zentralen Elemente der unterschiedlichen Synthesestrategien zusammengefasst und die Ansatze zum Aufbau des Bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-Kerns, zur Einfuhrung des quartaren Bruckenkopf-Kohlenstoffatoms C20 bei der Bildung der Pyrrolidineinheit, zum Aufbau des Oxindol-Rests und zum Ringschluss des Tetrahydropyranrings diskutiert.
Broadcasting delay-constrained traffic over unreliable wireless links with network coding

There is increasing demand for using wireless networks for applications that generate packets with strict per-packet delay constraints. In addition to delay constraints, such applications also have various traffic patterns and require guarantees on throughputs of packets that are delivered within their delay constraints. Furthermore, a mechanism for serving delay-constrained traffic needs to specifically consider the unreliable nature of wireless links, which may differ from link to link. Also, as it is usually infeasible to gather feedback information from all clients after each transmission, broadcasting delay-constrained traffic requires addressing the challenge of the lack of feedback information. We study a model that jointly considers the application requirements on traffic patterns, delay constraints, and throughput requirements, as well as wireless limitations, including the unreliable wireless links and the lack of feedback information. Based on this model, we develop a general framework for designing feasibility-optimal broadcasting policies that applies to systems with various network coding mechanisms. We demonstrate the usage of this framework by designing policies for three different kinds of systems: one that does not use network coding, one that employs XOR coding, and the last that allows the usage of linear coding.
Frame loss visibility modeling of stereoscopic video for H.264/AVC-MVC

We develop a visibility model which can predict the visibility of frame losses in compressed 3D video. The 3D video is encoded using the MVC (multiview coding) extension of the H.264/AVC standard. Frame losses both in the left view (base view) and right view (enhancement view) of the stereoscopic video are considered. A subjective test is conducted to identify which types of frame losses are perceptually noticeable. Several features are extracted from the encoded frames, and then support vector machines are employed to build visibility models based on these features. Results show that our model can predict the visibility of frame losses in stereoscopic video with good accuracy.
Music, Noise-Exclusion, and Learning

CHILDREN WITH LANGUAGE-BASED LEARNING disorders show impaired processing of speech in challenging listening environments, suggesting a noise-exclusion deficit. Musical expertise induces neuroplastic changes throughout the nervous system, including sharpening of early sensory processing, improved linguistic ability, working memory, and source segregation——skills known to be crucial for speech in noise perception. Here we argue for the usefulness of music as an auditory training approach to improve speech perception in noise in individuals with broad noise-exclusion deficits.
Role for α-Dystrobrevin in the Pathogenesis of Dystrophin-Dependent Muscular Dystrophies

*Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA †Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75235, USA ‡Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA §Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, SUNY Syracuse, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA ¶Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA #e-mail: grady@a1.kids.wustl.edu
The Social Responsibilities of a Public Entrepreneur

Reinventing Government (ReGo) and the Contract With America (CWA) pose critical problems for the profession, as well as an agenda too limited to capture the social responsibilities facing public administrators today. The public manager's significance is obscured by a ReGo definition of entrepreneurship primarily concerned with efficiency and by a curious separation of politics from administration. CWA poses a legitimate question as to the appropriate size of government, but it overemphasizes downsizing at the expense of rethinking effective governance. Public administrators must now turn to a more proactive definition of public entrepreneurship and address an alternative agenda that focuses on governance issues.
New guidelines: What to do about an unexpected positive tuberculin skin test

The 2000 recommendations for tuberculosis testing from the American Thoracic Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advocate a shift in focus from screening the general population to testing only patients at increased risk of developing tuberculosis.
Honey bee foragers as sensory units of their colonies

Forager honey bees function not only as gatherers of food for their colonies, but also as sensory units shaped by natural selection to gather information regarding the location and profitability of forage sites. They transmit this information to colony members by means of waggle dances. To investigate the way bees transduce the stimulus of nectar-source profitability into the response of number of waggle runs, I performed experiments in which bees were stimulated with a sucrose solution feeder of known profitability and their dance responses were videorecorded. The results suggest that several attributes of this transduction process are adaptations to enhance a bee's effectiveness in reporting on a forage site. (1) Bees register the profitability of a nectar source not by sensing the energy gain per foraging trip or the rate of energy gain per trip, but evidently by sensing the energetic efficiency of their foraging. Perhaps this criterion of nectar-source profitability has been favored by natural selection because the foraging gains of honey bees are typically limited by energy expenditure rather than time availability. (2) There is a linear relationship between the stimulus of energetic efficiency of foraging and the response of number of waggle runs per dance. Such a simple stimulus-response function appears adequate because the range of suprathreshold stimuli (max/min ratio of about 10) is far smaller than the range of responses (max/min ratio of about 100). Although all bees show a linear stimulus-response function, there are large differences among individuals in both the response threshold and the slope of the stimulus-response function. This variation gives the colony a broader dynamic range in responding to food sources than if all bees had identical thresholds of dance response. (3) There is little or no adaptation in the dance response to a strong stimulus (tonic response). Thus each dancing bee reports on the current level of profitability of her forage site rather than the changes in its profitability. This seems appropriate since presumably it is the current profitability of a forage site, not the change in its profitability, which determines a site's attractiveness to other bees. (4) The level of forage-site quality that is the threshold for dancing is tuned by the bees in relation to forage availability. Bees operate with a lower dance threshold when forage is sparse than when it is abundant. Thus a colony utilizes input about a wide range of forage sites when food is scarce, but filters out input about low-reward sites when food is plentiful. (5) A dancing bee does not present her information in one spot within the hive but instead distributes it over much of the dance floor. Consequently, the dances for different forage sites are mixed together on the dance floor. This helps each bee following the dances to take a random sample of the dance information, which is appropriate for the foraging strategy of a honey bee colony since it is evidently designed to allocate foragers among forage sites in proportion to their profitability.
Fertility Restoration of the Sorghum A3 Male-Sterile Cytoplasm through a Sporophytic Mechanism Derived from Sudangrass

Fertility restoration of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] lines carrying the IS1112C (A3 group) male-sterile cytoplasm has been documented as a two-gene gametophytic mechanism involving complementary action of restoring alleles designated Rf3 and Rf4, as derived from IS1112C. Fertility restoration capability has also been reported from sudangrass (S. bicolor subsp. drummondii) populations. We describe characteristics of a fertility restoration system derived from sudangrass, in which male-sterile individuals were observed at high frequency in backcross and F 2 -F 3 segregating populations. Segregation analyses were consistent with a sporophytic restoration system involving two complementary genes. Pollen iodine staining in fertile progeny indicated that the restorers were not efficacious, and fertility was decreased in progeny of backcrosses. Silencing of restoring alleles through paramutation might be operative in these examples. Sudangrass-derived fertility restoration did not involve enhanced transcript processing of the chimeric mitochondrial open reading frame orf107. Thus male sterility induced by the A3 cytoplasm can be restored through different mechanisms.
Adaptive steering control of a farm tractor with varying yaw rate properties

This paper presents a novel application of a model reference adaptive control (MRAC) system to control the lateral position of a farm tractor tracking a straight path. Farm tractors can be configured with various implements, and the tractor yaw rate dynamics vary with each implement. It is desired that the lateral position response of the farm tractor remain consistent with respect to different implement configurations. Therefore, a MRAC system is implemented on the farm tractor to compensate for yaw rate plant variations by adapting the feed-forward yaw rate controller. Simulation results of the algorithm are shown that display poor performance due to neglected steering actuator dynamics and saturation. Modifications are made to the algorithm to account for the steering actuator properties, and more simulated results are presented that display ideal performance. Finally, the MRAC algorithm is implemented on a John Deere 8420 farm tractor, and experimental results are presented. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Disaster risk management for critical infrastructure: a services-based viewpoint

It is necessary to protect critical infrastructure and key resources from the effects of a disaster in order to maintain continuity of both public services and private enterprise. Since many of the critical resources are themselves privately owned and operated, however, they are often subject to the same market pressures that force businesses to concentrate on improving the efficiency of their operations at the possible expense of guarding against potential disruptions to those operations. Under these circumstances, the process of designing an effective (and acceptable) disaster mitigation plan for critical infrastructure resources requires a shared understanding of both the business aspects and the technical aspects of different mitigation alternatives. This paper examines the decision-making process behind such disaster mitigation planning from a services standpoint and discusses how taking such a viewpoint can provide a more effective approach to sustainable disaster risk reduction.
Mensurative approach to examine potential interactions between age-0 yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) and bluegill ( Lepomis macrochirus )

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) populations are often sympatric in the Great Plains region of the U.S.A. and portions of Canada; however, very little attention has been given to potential interactions between these species for available resources, especially during the early life stages. Relationships between age-0 bluegill and yellow perch growth and relative abundance were explored across multiple lakes and years within the Nebraska Sandhill region, USA. In addition, four habitat patch types (open water, Phragmites spp., Typha spp., Scirpus spp.) were sampled for age-0 bluegill and yellow perch, and food habits were examined for each species during August, September, and October of 2009 in one of these lakes. Age-0 yellow perch growth was negatively related to age-0 bluegill relative abundance across a spatiotemporal scale. Age-0 bluegill and yellow perch exhibited similar habitat use (moderate–high overlap), but generally consumed different important and dominant prey taxa (bluegill consumed both macroinvertebrates—56 % and zooplankton—44 %, while yellow perch consumed more zooplankton—66 %), which resulted in low overall diet overlap between species. Previous research indicates that age-0 yellow perch diet ontogeny often results in feeding predominately on macroinvertebrates and positively selecting them (and avoiding zooplankton prey) at sizes observed in our study. Therefore, yellow perch growth rates may be compromised by the presence of bluegill because of the need to consume less energetically profitable prey items such as zooplankton.
6-(2-Alkylimidazol-1-yl)purines undergo regiospecific glycosylation at N9.

Regioselective control of glycosylation of purines at N9 (versus N7) has been a continuing challenge. We now report Lewis acid catalyzed regiospecific glycosylations of 6-(2-alkylimidazol-1-yl)purines at N9. The 6-(2-alkyl)imidazole moiety also functions as a versatile leaving group that can be replaced by nucleophiles (SNAr) and aryl groups (Suzuki cross-coupling).
Enzymatic sulphation of some galactose- containing sphingolipids in developing rat brain.

— Cerebroside sulphotransferase has been found to catalyze the transfer of sulphate from 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to both the α-hydroxy fatty acid galactosylceramides and the nonhydroxy fatty acid galactosylceramides. The sulphotransferase has a higher affinity for the α-hydroxy fatty acid galactosylceramides than for the nonhydroxy fatty acid galactosylceramides and will also use lactosylceramide as an acceptor for the transfer of sulphate from PAPS. A second sulphotransferase, PAPS: psychosine sulphotransferase, is also present in the developing rat brain and will catalyse the transfer of sulphate from PAPS to galactosylsphingosine and lactosylsphingosine. The sulphate moiety was determined to be on the galactose and most likely on the 3′ position giving a proposed structure of: 3-O-SO4-galactosylsphingosine. The possible role of this later pathway in the synthesis of sulphogaiactosylceramide remains to be elucidated.
Dynamic viscoelasticity during sol—gel reactions

Abstract The evolution of viscoelasticity during the gelation reactions of tetraethoxysilane solutions has been monitored from initial reactant mixing through the sol—gel transition with the multiple lumped resonator instrument. Gel points are determined by the observation of a frequency-independent loss tangent at a singular extent of reaction. The frequency dependence of G ′ and G ″ can be compared with recent theoretical models and simulations. Comparisons are made between the results for the chemical gel and the physical gel of gelatin. Again the occurrence of a frequency independent loss tangent corresponds to the macroscopic gel point.
Comments on the Paper Entitled In Situ Studies of Adsorption of Organic Compounds on Platinum Electrodes, by J. O'M. Bockris and K. T. Jeng

Abstract : The paper (1) describes results of experimental and theoretical studies of adsorption of several organic compounds on polycrystalline platinum by the use of radiotracer, ellipsometry and FT-IR techniques. The present comments concern the papers assumptions, research strategy, and methodology. Specific points that will be made below are: (1) since adsorption reversibility was not documented, the application of isotherms for adsorption characterization was not justified; (2) the difference in the roughness factor did not make for a fair comparison of adsorption measurements by various methods employed; (3) in consequence of the choice of hydrochloric acid as the supporting electrolyte, chloride-adsorbate substitution rather than the postulated water-adsorbate exchange, was predominantly observed; (4) adsorption of water and the value of the pzc of platinum affect the testing of testing of the organic adsorbates in a way different from that implied in the discussed work.
Gain Reciprocity in Fiber Optical Parametric Amplifiers

A fiber OPA operating in the small-signal gain regime can exhibit the same gain spectrum when amplifying in either direction. This is true even in the presence of random longitudinal variations of dispersion and birefringence.
Predicting Use of Technologies for Communication and Consumer Needs

Publicity concerning the “Information Superhighway”; has increased public awareness of ISDN (Integrated Systems Digital Networks). But, in gaining a better understanding of public interest in ISDN and the new communication networks, it is useful to assess why many available services have generated so little interest. This paper distinguishes between use of the new technologies for consumer purposes and use in two communications roles — the traditional role of media audiences (receiving and processing messages) and sending messages. Perspectives on diffusion theory, technology needs and communication needs are applied in an analysis of data gathered in a metropolitan area.