cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An ellipsoidal approximation to the Hadamard product of ellipsoids

This paper introduces a computationally efficent outer approximation to the Hadamard, i.e., element-wise, product of two ellipsoids. This element-wise product corresponds to multiplicative uncertainties, which arrive commonly in practice. We consider the case where both ellipsoids describe real numbers and the case in which the ellipsoids correspond to the direct-sum representation of complex numbers.
Study of poliovirus infection of human and monkey cells by indirect immunoferritin technique.

Abstract Primary human amnion, human chorion, and human embryonic kidney, continuous lines of human amnion, human HEp-2, and HeLa, and continuous line monkey BS-C-1 cells were infected with poliovirus type 1, Brunhilde strain at a multiplicity of 20–200 PFU/cell. After aldehyde fixation and digitonin permeabilization, cells were reacted with rabbit antipoliovirus serum followed by ferritin-labeled goat antirabbit globulin. Full and empty particles, ferritin coated by this technique and presumed to represent complete and incomplete progeny virus, were found 3 or more hours after infection: (a) free in the extracellular medium, (b) emerging at the plasma membrane by way of a tubulovacuolar excretory system, (c) free in the cytoplasm near the plasma membrane and among clusters of vesicles, and (d) aligned on fibrils, in the cytoplasm and in cytoplasmic blebs. Fibrils, vesicles, and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum were progressively more heavily coated with ferritin over the 3–6-period of poliovirus protein production, an observation interpreted as demonstrating local accumulations of free viral protein.
Delivery of single accelerated particles

Abstract It is desirable for certain experiments involving accelerators to have the capability of delivering just a single beam particle to the target area. The essential features of such a one-at-a-time facility are discussed. We describe two such facilities which were implemented at high-energy heavy ion accelerators without having to make major structural changes in the existing beam lines or substantially interfering with other accelerator uses. Two accelerator facilities are described which had the capability of delivering a single beam particle particle to the target area. This feature is necessary in certain experiments investigating visual phenomena induced by charged particles, other single particle interactions in biology, and other experiments in which the low intensities of cosmic rays need to be simulated. Both facilities were implemented without having to make structural changes in the existing beam lines or substantially interfering with other accelerator uses.
The role of auxin‐induced peaks of α‐expansin expression during lateral root primordium formation in Pinus taeda

Lateral root primordium (LRP) formation in the four vascular poles of 7- to 10-day-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings was promoted by the auxin α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and occurred closer to the root tip than in the controls. These observations support a role of auxin located within the vascular cylinder in the development of LRP. Adjacent LRP almost never occurred in the same vascular pole, but NAA increased the probability that this would happen by two- to six-fold. Expression of genes for α-expansin was induced by auxin in hypocotyls but occurred spontaneously in primary roots. In situ localization revealed that expansin was expressed in the vascular parenchyma where LRP formed spontaneously in roots, and where adventitious root meristems formed in auxin-treated hypocotyls. Expansin expression was not uniform in the LRP-forming zone of the primary root. The number of cells exhibiting expansin expression longitudinally occurred in distinct peaks, which were more frequent after auxin treatment. These peaks may reflect non-uniform distribution of auxin in the stele or localization of cells with increased sensitivity to auxin. However, LRP were spaced about 10-fold further apart than the peaks of expansin expression. Therefore, localized peak expansin expression did not always predict the location of LRP. We speculate that other factors must interact with locally high auxin concentrations to specify the location of LRP.
Effects of functional group interactions on the bimolecular and dissociation reactions of diols.

The influence of functional group interactions on the bimolecular and dissociation reactions of diols were examined in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Reactions of dimethyl ether ions with diols resulted in formation of (M + H)(+) ions and (M + 13)(+) ions (by net methyne addition). The product distribution depended on the relative separation of the hydroxyl groups within each diol, with the more proximate diols producing the greatest abundance of (M + 13)(+) ions compared to (M + H)(+) ions. The enhancement of the formation of (M + 13)(+) ions is attributed to the capability for electrostatic interactions between the hydroxyl groups and the electropositive methylene group of the methoxymethylene reagent ion. The enhancement is most significant for diols that can adopt five- or to a lesser extent six-membered ring transition states (i.e, any 1,2 or 1,3 diol). Collision-activated dissociation (CAD) techniques, including both sequential activation experiments (MS (n) ) and comparison of CAD spectra for model compounds, suggest that the (M + 13)(+) ions are protonated cyclic diethers.
Toolboxes for Teaching in the Middle Grades: Opportunities to Learn in Two Preparation Pathways

Abstract This research examines the preparation of middle grades social studies teachers by investigating opportunities for learning in 2 social studies methods courses in distinctive teacher education pathways: a specialized middle grades program and a secondary social studies program. The findings suggest that, although both methods course instructors described their central course goal as one of providing a “toolbox” of strategies for their preservice teachers to use in classrooms, the course curricula, assignments, class texts, and class activities in these 2 social studies methods courses provided quite different opportunities for teachers to acquire the tools for these toolboxes. The comparison we describe points to the importance of teacher education programs attending to how curricular emphases, instructional practices, program purposes, and program contexts come together to form a set of learning opportunities for preservice teachers.
Dynamic diffusion model for tracing the real-time potential response of polymeric membrane ion-selective electrodes.

A numerical solution for the prediction of the time-dependent potential response of a polymeric-based ion-selective electrode (ISE) is presented. The model addresses short- and middle-term potential drifts that are dependent on changes in concentration gradients in the aqueous sample and organic membrane phase. This work has important implications for the understanding of the real-time response behavior of potentiometric sensors with low detection limits and with nonclassical super-Nernstian response slopes. As a model system, the initial exposure of membranes containing the well-examined silver ionophore O,O‘ ‘-bis[2-(methylthio)ethyl]-tert-butylcalix[4]arene was monitored, and the large observed potential drifts were compared to theoretical predictions. The model is based on an approximate solution of the diffusion equation for both aqueous and organic diffusion layers using a numerical scheme (finite difference in time and finite elements in space). The model may be evaluated on the basis of experiment...
Urbanization and a threatened freshwater mussel: evidence from landscape scale studies

The inflated heelsplitter, Potamilus inflatus, a federally listed freshwater bivalve, has been eradicated from northern portions of its range in the Amite River in Louisiana, USA. We hypothesized that the remaining populations of Potamilus inflatus in the southern part of the Amite River are being affected by increased urbanization of the watershed caused by growth of the surrounding Baton Rouge metropolitan area. Comparison of catch per unit effort in 2007 with a study conducted in 1994 indicated a significant drop in CPUE from 1.76 heelsplitters per site to 0.87. The size distribution of heelsplitters also had decreased in mean shell length from 116 to 97 mm, owing either to dislodgement of larger individuals in spates, or die-offs of larger males. Logistic regression suggested that site variables like substrate type and current velocity were not as important as landscape scale variables in predicting heelsplitter presence at a site. Heelsplitter presence was positively related to the amount of wetland riparian forest, and negatively related to the amount of residential development at the reach (1 km upstream) scale. Our results are significant because we show (1) that statistical models of GIS-based land use can predict the distribution of threatened mussel species, and that (2) conservation of endangered freshwater mussels will require more emphasis on the integrity of the riparian corridor.
Letter Regarding the Article by Xue et al, “Functional Integration of Electrically Active Cardiac Derivatives From Genetically Engineered Human Embryonic Stem Cells With Quiescent Recipient Ventricular Cardiomyocytes”

To the Editor: The article by Xue et al1 on human embryonic stem cell-derived pacemakers illustrates that embryonic stem cells differentiated into spontaneously beating cardiocytes may function as biological pacemakers and mentions a potential limitation: The intrinsic pacemaker rate was slower than desirable. They suggest that incorporating HCN pacemaker channel genes might achieve more desirable rates, an idea consistent with our published results using HCN2 in gene- and adult human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC)-based therapies.2–4 However, certain of the comments by Xue et al misinterpret our own work on HCN-loaded hMSCs. They state that “…these modified, undifferentiated, human mesenchymal stem cells are incapable of pacing quiescent cells because the former are neither electrically active nor genuine cardiac cells” (p 19). This statement suggests a misunderstanding of the rationale and underlying biophysics of the hMSC experiments. In fact, generation of pacemaker activity does not require delivery of an “excitable differentiated cardiac cell,” but only that the delivered cell (1) carry sufficient pacemaker current and (2) make gap junctions; thus, the hMSC-myocyte pair should behave as a pacemaker unit entirely equivalent to a single heart cell with substantial if. We clearly demonstrated both …
Domain Specific Reconfigurable Processing Core Architecture for Digital Filtering Applications

This paper presents a reconfigurable processing core architecture targeted for digital filtering applications. The architecture can be configured to execute linear phase FIR filter, DLMS adaptive FIR filter, (I)FFT, and 2D-(I)DCT with high performance and low energy consumption by reducing heavy routing resources used extensively in other reconfigurable architectures. The pipeline depth of the multipliers in the processing core is locally controlled so that power consumption is reduced by minimizing unnecessary register switching is saved. We have shown that the proposed processing core consumes less energy and has better or comparable performance than that of the existing reconfigurable architectures proposed in academia and industry, that have been tailored for these applications. The circuit is designed in 0.35-?m CMOS processing technology with 3.3 V supply voltage.
Bibliotherapy for young children

This paper presents a new conceptualization of bibliotherapy and discusses its therapeutic applications with young children (ages two to seven). An annotated bibliography of useful books is included.
Modulation of Lingual Lipase Development by Glucocorticoid in the Rat

ABSTRACT: Lingual lipase in the rat is present in the neonatal period and undergoes developmental increase during postnatal life. To evaluate the role of glucocorticoid in the control of lingual lipase during development, suckling rats were adrenalectomized at d 10 and various hormone replacements were performed. Adrenalectomy abolished the developmental increase of lingual lipase. Low doses of dexamethasone (0.2 and 0.5 μg/100 g body wt) restored the lingual lipase to near normal level in adrenalectomized animals. High doses of dexamethasone (20 μg/100 g body wt), when given to similarly adrenalectomized animals, however, led to a reduction of lingual lipase levels. Inhibition by dexamethasone is through the action of the hormone inasmuch as the coadministration of RU38486, a glucocorticoid type II receptor antagonist, completely abolished the inhibitory action. Inhibition is also steroid specific, with dexamethasone and triamcinolone acetonide being more effective. The results suggest a unique bimodal regulation of lingual lipase by dexamethasone in the rat serous glands. Because of the possible importance of lingual lipase as an alternative enzyme for fat digestion in neonates, the inhibitory action of high doses of glucocorticoid on lingual lipase development may have important implications. The use of steroidal compounds in the hastening of long maturation and treatment of inflammatory disease might conceivably compromise their lingual lipase development, hence their capacities of fat digestion and malabsorption in the same period.
Mechanism of Product Specificity of AdoMet Methylation Catalyzed by Lysine Methyltransferases : Transcriptional Factor p53 Methylation by Histone Lysine Methyltransferase SET7/9

The catalysis by SET7/9 histone lysine methyltransferase of AdoMet N-methylation of the transcriptional factor p53-Lys4-NH2 has been investigated with particular attention paid to the means of product specificity. After formation of the SET7/9·p53-Lys4-NH3+·AdoMet complex, the following events occur: (i) the appearance of a water channel, (ii) a depronation of p53-Lys4-NH3+ via this water channel into the aqueous solvent, and (iii) AdoMet methylation of p53-Lys4-NH2 to form p53-Lys4-N(Me)H2+. The formation of a water channel does not occur on formation of the SET7/9·p53-Lys4-NH3+, SET7/9·p53-Lys4-N(Me)H2+·AdoHcy, or SET7/9·p53-Lys4-N(Me)H2+·AdoMet complex. Without a water channel, the substrate p53-Lys4-N(Me)H is not available because the proton dissociation p53-Lys4-N(Me)H2+ → p53-Lys4-N(Me)H + H+ does not occur. The lack of formation of a water channel is due to the positioning of the methyl substituent of the SET7/9·p53-Lys4-N(Me)H2+·AdoMet complex. By quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics, the compute...
Influence of dry matter intake, dry matter digestibility, and feeding behavior on body weight gain of beef steers,,

This study was conducted to determine the relative contribution of feeding behavior, DMI, apparent DM digestibility (DMD), and passage rate on variation in BW gain. One hundred forty-three crossbred steers were used in this study to determine the factors that contribute to variation in BW gain. Steers were 304 ± 1 d of age and had an initial BW of 338 ± 3 kg. Steers had ad libitum access to feed, and fresh feed was offered twice daily at 0800 and 1500 h. Individual feed intake and BW gains were determined for 106 d. Titanium dioxide was used as an external marker to estimate apparent DMD and passage rate. A multiple-regression analysis was used to determine the relative contribution of initial BW, feed intake, feed- ing behaviors, digestibility, and passage rate to variance in BW gain, and a path analysis was conducted to deter- mine direct and indirect relationships of the variables. In the regression analysis, initial BW and DMI accounted for 33% of the variation in BW gain. Substituting meal events and meal size for DMI did not increase the amount of variance in BW gain (27%) accounted for by the regres- sion model. There was a slight increase in the variance in BW gain (35%) when apparent DMD was added to initial BW and DMI. When meal events and meal size were sub- stituted for DMI, there was a decrease (30%) in variance accounted for in BW gain. The regression coefficient for the passage rate did not differ from zero (P = 0.63) when the passage rate was substituted for apparent DMD in the regression model that also included initial BW and DMI, nor did it differ from zero (P = 0.39) in the model that sub- stitutes meal events and meal size for DMI. Three models were used in the path analysis. For all 3 models there was a positive correlation (P < 0.001) between DMI and BW gain but not between apparent DMD and BW gain. In all 3 models there was a significant correlation between meal size, meal events, and initial BW on DMI (P < 0.001). Results of both the regression and path analyses suggest that both apparent DMD and passage rate accounted for small proportions of the variance, suggesting that they are minor contributors toward variance in BW gain among cattle fed the same concentrate diet.
Maps of hydrogen isotopes at low altitudes in the inner zone from SAMPEX observations.

The PET instrument aboard the SAMPEX satellite has provided us with long-term intra-calibrated observations of geomagnetically trapped protons and deuterons in the inner zone, suitable for use in constraining the low-altitude portions of radiation belt models being developed as successors to AP-8. These observations have been summarized elsewhere (Looper et al., 1996). Here we report a detection of geomagnetically-trapped tritium at energies from 14 to 35 MeV/nuc below L = 1.2, at about 1/8 the flux of deuterium previously reported at that location and at similar energy per nucleon. We also demonstrate the utility of the SAMPEX/PET observations for measuring the east-west anisotropy in the trapped particle flux at low altitudes, which is due to displacement of particle gyrocenters from the position of observation in a region of strong flux gradients. This anisotropy is implicitly ignored in omnidirectional radiation-flux models, but it can be important to mission planners considering how to distribute shielding over the surface of oriented spacecraft in low Earth orbit.
Computational Analysis Reveals a Successive Adaptation of Multiple Inositol Polyphosphate Phosphatase 1 in Higher Organisms Through Evolution

Multiple inositol polyphosphate phosphatase 1 (Minpp1) in higher organisms dephosphorylates InsP6, the most abundant inositol phosphate. It also dephosphorylates less phosphorylated InsP5 and InsP4 and more phosphorylated InsP7 or InsP8. Minpp1 is classified as a member of the histidine acid phosphatase super family of proteins with functional resemblance to phytases found in lower organisms. This study took a bioinformatics approach to explore the extent of evolutionary diversification in Minpp1 structure and function in order to understand its physiological relevance in higher organisms. The human Minpp1 amino acid (AA) sequence was BLAST searched against available national protein databases. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Minpp1 was widely distributed from lower to higher organisms. Further, we have identified that there exist four isoforms of Minpp1. Multiple computational tools were used to identify key functional motifs and their conservation among various species. Analyses showed that certain motifs predominant in higher organisms were absent in lower organisms. Variation in AA sequences within motifs was also analyzed. We found that there is diversification of key motifs and thus their functions present in Minpp1 from lower organisms to higher organisms. Another interesting result of this analysis was the presence of a glucose-1-phosphate interaction site in Minpp1; the functional significance of which has yet to be determined experimentally. The overall findings of our study point to an evolutionary adaptability of Minpp1 functions from lower to higher life forms.
Isolation of high-molecular-weight nucleic acids for copy number analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract The Nucleogen DEAE 4000-10 high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column was shown to isolate tRNA, rRNA, and DNA from crude cell lysates in the presence of a denaturant. Chromosomal DNA and plasmid DNA coeluted and retention was independent of size. An HPLC technique for plasmid copy number determination was then developed, verified, and optimized. The assay was successfully applied to a recombinant yeast system. Similar results were obtained earlier for recombinant Escherichia coli . The copy number can be calculated from the ratio of plasmid DNA to rRNA, then calculated to a per-cell basis using literature and measured constants. Chromosomal DNA coeluted with plasmid DNA and so was removed prior to analysis. For recombinant systems were the rRNA content is not constant, the plasmid area along with cell concentration can be used to calculate plasmid copy number. Nucleic acids′ responses were linear, and plasmid copy number results using peak ratios had a low percent standard deviation. Errors increased when the absolute plasmid area was used to calculate plasmid copy number.
From Component SNR to System SFR

A methodology that enables the projection of system performance from component characteristics is presented in this study. Equalized signal-to-noise ratio (eSNR), which refers to the SNR seen by the sequence detector, is a metric that can link component parametrics to Viterbi BER. Orthogonal breakdown of eSNR into contributions from head noise, transition noise, remanence noise, nonlinear distortion and adjacent track interference allows all the disturbances to be weighted properly at the system level. Sector-based BER together with the channel transfer function can further project sector failure rate up to the maximum number of low density parity check iterations without stressing the recording condition. Anticipated system performance from component improvement is readily predictable based on this approach.
Growth of phages λ and φX174 under PIban protein control in the absence of host dnaB function

Abstract The absence of dnaB product in dnaB ::Tn 10 insertion mutants was exploited to examine the ability of coliphages λ and φX174 to use the dnaB analog protein ( ban ) of phage P1. A dnaB ::Tn 10 (P1 bac ) lysogen grew at 37° but not at 25° and did not support growth of λ at any temperature. Progeny phage were produced if λ infection was at high multiplicities and this production was shown to be dependent on recombination. In contrast to λ, φX174 utilized ban efficiently at all temperatures including 25°. If the level of ban was increased by using P1 bac crr lysogens, the host survived at 25° and λ also grew though the latent period was extended and the rate of phage production was greatly reduced. It was also shown that mutant dnaB 252, which is defective for initiation of chromosome replication, severely restricted φX174 growth at 42° and was somewhat restrictive even at 30°. Kinetic experiments demonstrated that the block to φX174 growth in this mutant was complete at 5 min after infection but by 20 min postinfection the dnaB function was no longer required.
Using TRIM5α as an HIV therapeutic: the alpha gene?

Introduction: As HIV continues to spread worldwide, new therapies which have the potential to treat and cure infected patients need to be developed. The results observed with the “Berlin patient” who received a bone marrow transplant with HIV-resistant hematopoietic stem cells highlight the potential of HIV gene therapy to be used as an alternative treatment. With the discovery of TRIM5α, an HIV inhibitor and species-specific restriction factor, a new molecule can be evaluated as an HIV gene therapeutic. Nonhuman primate TRIM5α orthologs restrict HIV infection, whereas human TRIM5α does not. However, upon genetic modification, variations to human TRIM5α have been made which are capable of potent HIV restriction. Areas covered: This review seeks to cover the discovery and biology of various HIV-restrictive nonhuman primate TRIM5α orthologs, modifications made to human TRIM5α to enable HIV restriction, and the use of these molecules in an HIV gene therapy setting. Expert opinion: Engineered human TRIM5α mol...
In defense of psychological territory.

128 subjects won or lost to a confederate on sex-appropriate or inappropriate tasks. Sex of confederate, subject, and experimenter was also varied factorially. Defense of intellectual territory was operationalized as shock administered to the confederate in an aggression paradigm following loss at a sex-appropriate task. The concept received support for male subjects having male experimenters. An association of masculinity with the differentiation of aggressive response was also noted.
The Hatfields and the McCoys

The Hatfield-McCoy feud has long been the most famous vendetta of the southern Appalachians. Over the years it has become encrusted with myth and error. Scores of writers have produced accounts of it, but few have made any real effort to separate fact from fiction. Novelists, motion picture producers, television script writers, and others have sensationalised events that needed no embellishment. Using court records, public documents, official correspondence, and other documentary evident, Otis K. Rice presents an account that frees, as much as possible, fact from fiction, event from legend. He weighs the evidence carefully, avoiding the partisanship and the attitude of condescension and condemnation that have characterised many of the writings concerning the feud. He sets the feud in the social, political, economic, and cultural context of eastern Kentucky and southwestern West Virginia in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. By examining the legacy of the Civil War, the weakness of institutions such as the church and education system, the exaggerated importance of family, the impotence of the law, and the isolation of the mountain folk, Rice gives new meaning to the origins and progress of the feud. These conditions help explain why the Hatfield and McCoy families, which have produced so many fine citizens, could engage in such a bitter and prolonged vendetta.
Polyethers with Reactive Side Chains—Hydroxy Polyethers

Abstract The author' work on preparing polyethers with reactive side chains is reviewed with emphasis on hydroxy polyethers. High molecular weight hydroxy polyethers were prepared by polymerizing epoxides containing a hydroxyl group protected with an appropriate group such as SiMe3 and then removing it by hydrolysis. Atactic and isotactic polyglycidol were made in this way using coordination catalysts. The isotactic polymer was found to be unusual since it did not crystallize readily from the melt and was relatively low melting (60°C). Poly(cis-1,4-dihydroxy-2,3-epoxybutane), PDHEB, was prepared, preferably from the cyclic acetone ketal which polymerized with i-Bu3Al-0.7H2o cationic catalyst at −78°C to a moderate molecular weight (ηinh up to 0.7) atactic polymer. This polymer is readily hydrolyzed with aqueous HCl treatment to atactic, amorphous, water-soluble PDHEB with a Tg of 80°C. PDHEB is melt stable to 200°C and can be molded to give brittle, clear films which readily pick up 5–10% H2O from the atm...
The adsorption force theory of frost heaving

Abstract Presented in this paper are the theorization of a traditional concept of the mechanics of frost heaving, as well as a critical review of the recent developments in this field. The key to the theorization is the following: (1) the film water adsorbed on soil particles can build up an internal solid-like stress, and (2) the flow of film water is different from the conventionally accepted flow of pore water. It is expected that modern continuum mechanics will, in the future, improve the theory of film water which, in this paper, has been formulated by use of the classical method. The freezing film water, trying to retrieve the loss of its thickness to the frozen ice, generates a suction force that draws water to the freezing front where the frost-heaving pressure pushes up the overburden. The temperature of the freezing film water that has generated the solid-like stress, is lower than the temperature of the freezing pore water. This distribution of freezing temperatures in the region of film and pore waters explains the observation that the freezing front causing frost heaving is not a planar surface but a three-dimensional zone diffused in the direction of heat transfer. Frost-heaving pressure can be derived as part of the solution of the boundary-value problem of the frost-heaving differential equations.
Existentialism in Counseling: THE HUMANIST VIEW

Certain philosophical issues which appear to be of paramount importance to the counselor are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the humanism of existentialism and client-centered counseling as compared with the determinism of the behavioral sciences. Phenomenology is considered to be potentially either existential or deterministic. Other aspects of existentialism and determinism that are closely examined are reality, freedom, religion, and values. Both reality and values are viewed in a phenomenal sense, and as a part of the perceptual field of the individual; they are thus relative and dependent on each individual's particular perception. Freedom of the individual is considered to be the basic thread which permeates all views of existentialism. Some doubt is expressed as to the future of the freedom of man if man must see himself as a determined person living in a determined world. The relationship between existentialism and psychotherapy is examined.
Detection and tracking of oil slicks on sun-glittered visible and near infrared satellite imagery

The use of the visible and near infrared (VNIR) bands of MODIS and MERIS imaging sensors acquired in sunglint conditions to reveal smoothed regions such as those affected by oil pollution is investigated. The underlying physical mechanism that enables oil slick detection is based on the modification of the surface slope distribution composing the wind-roughened sea due to the action of mineral oils. The role of sunglint as the chief mechanism that allows the imaging of oil slick features with VNIR wavelengths is assessed for selected case studies in the Mediterranean Sea. The high rate of acquisition and the frequent occurrence of MODIS and MERIS imagery affected by sunglint, especially in low-latitude seas, can thus significantly contribute to increase the actual oil slick detection capability offered by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. We also show how the combined observations from any of the microwave and optical sensors permit the slick to be followed during its movement. Finally, a simulation...
Calcium-Calmodulin Regulation of Connexin43 Involves a Cytoplasmic Loop Domain

Connexin43 (Cx43) is widely expressed throughout the mammalian body and is the predominant gap junction protein in the ventricular myocardium. Cx43 was recently reported to contain a calmodulin (CaM) binding site on its cytoplasmic loop (CL) domain near its third transmembrane domain (Zhou et al., JBC 282: 35005-17, 2007). Intracellular calcium (Cai)-dependent regulation of cardiac and Cx43 gap junctions has also been reported, but the function of this putative CaM-binding site has never been directly examined. In dual whole cell patch clamp experiments, murine neuro2a (N2a)-Cx43 cell gap junctional conductance (gj) declined by 95% within 10 min (n=3) during bath perfusion with 1 μM ionomycin + 1.8 mM external Ca2+ (Cao). Cx43 gj declined by only 20% in nominally zero Cao (n=5). This Ca2+-dependent uncoupling was demonstrated to be CaM-dependent by acute (10-15 min) pretreatment with 2 μM calmidazolium, wherein Cx43 gj declined by < 10% within 10 min (n=4). To directly test for the involvement of the Cx43 amino acid residue #136-158 domain in this Ca2+/CaM-dependent gap junction uncoupling process, 1 μM peptides were added to both whole cell patch pipettes and the 1 μM ionomycin/1.8 mM Cao perfusion experiments were repeated. The Cx43 #136-158 sequence mimetic peptide (Kd(CaM) = 860 nM) effectively prevented the Cx43 gj decline (< 3%, n=4) whereas a scrambled sequence peptide control failed to prevent the Ca2+-induced rundown of Cx43 gj (<90%, n=3). These data unequivocally demonstrate that influx of external Ca2+ induces closure of Cx43 gap junctions in a CaM-dependent process involving the Cx43 residue #136-158 CL domain. This process has significant implications for the modulation of cardiac gj by Cai and the “healing-over” of infarcted myocardium. Supported by NIH grants GM62999 & EY-05684 to JJY and HL-042220 to RDV.
Multigrid-sinc methods

A Galerkin method using Whittaker cardinal or ''sinc'' functions as basis functions is described for the solution of boundary value problems. When the solution is analytic in the interior of the domain, the error of approximation using 2N + 1 points is O(e^-^@c^N^^^1^^^2) even if derivatives of the solution are singular at the boundaries. A multigrid method with overall complexity O(NlogN) is used to solve the discrete equations. This paper contains a description of the multigrid-sinc algorithm along with some preliminary numerical results for two-point boundary value problems.
Physics Basis of a Fusion Development Facility Utilizing the Tokamak Approach

The objective of the Fusion Development Facility (FDF) under consideration is to carry forward advanced tokamak physics for optimization of fusion reactors and enable development of fusion’s energy...
A test of two interventions to improve compliance with scheduled mammography appointments.

Failure to attend scheduled appointments for mammography results in missed opportunities for breast cancer screening. We tested interventions to decrease mammography appointment failure among women attending the medicine clinic at a public teaching hospital. Consecutive women with mammography orders from October 1992 to November 1993 (970 women undergoing 1,072 mammograms) were assigned to one of three comparison groups: usual care, mailed reminder, and mailed reminder plus nurse counseling. The appointment failure rates were 25.5% in the usual care group, 20.3% in the mailed reminder group, and 19.7% in the special intervention group (p=.13). We conclude that mailed reminders modestly improve mammography appointment keeping by about 5%, and that nurse counseling has little additional effect.
Current and future issues concerning FMS scheduling

Abstract The competitive challenge facing the American manufacturing sector is to overcome the tradeoff between flexibility and efficiency. The development of automated systems, such as flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), has helped in this endeavor, Appropriate scheduling schemes must be established to maximize the performance of these systems. The objective of this paper is to analyze FMS scheduling research and predict the issues of future FMS scheduling problems. A classification framework helps identify FMS types, types of scheduling schemes, and helps to define interactions between these categories. FMS vendors, users, and researchers should find this effort useful.
A Reflexive Model for Teaching Instructional Design

Although there are numerous models to practive instructional design (ID), few instructional models to teach instructional design have been documented. This article documents a five-year study of two instructors who collaborated on formally studying their teaching of a master's level instructional design course. A reflexive instructional approach was used, in which the teachers examined their teaching while students were being prompted to reflect on their learning of instructional design through a course-long ID project. In this article we summarize our views on learning, teaching, and instructional design. A design and development framework from developmental research (Richey & Nelson, 1996) was used to describe our teaching in terms of the design decisions, model implementation, and model evaluation across six deliveries of the ID course from 1994–1998.
Reduced memory architecture for CORDIC-based FFT

In this paper, a new pipelined, reduced memory CORDIC-based architecture is presented for any radix size FFT. A multi-bank memory structure and the corresponding addressing scheme are used to realize the parallel and in-place data accesses. The proposed memory-reduced CORDIC algorithm eliminates the need for storing twiddle factors and angles, resulting in significant area savings with no negative impact on performance. As a case study, the radix-2 and radix-4 FFT algorithms have been implemented on FPGA hardware. The synthesis results match the theoretical analysis and it can be observed that more than 20% reduction can be achieved in total memory logic.
PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF ULTRATHIN WHITETOPPING INTERSECTIONS ON US-169: ELK RIVER, MINNESOTA

The Minnesota Department of Transportation constructed an ultrathin whitetopping (UTW) project at three consecutive intersections on US-169 at Elk River, Minnesota, to gain more experience with both the design and the performance of UTW. Distinct cracking patterns developed within each test section. The UTW test sections with a 1.2- x 1.2-m (4- x 4-ft) joint pattern included corner breaks and transverse cracks. Corner breaks were the primary distress in the test section with a 1.8- x 1.8-m (6- x 6-ft) joint pattern, although very little cracking was exhibited. The Minnesota Road Research Facility UTW test sections on I-94 allow comparisons of the same UTW design on hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavements with different structural capacities to be made. The strain and deflection measurements emphasize the importance of the support provided by the HMA layer. A reduction in this support occurs when the temperature of the HMA is increased or when the HMA begins to ravel. During evaluations of whether UTW is a viable ...
A nonlinear diffusion theory for particle transport in strong absorbers

Abstract The Minerbo's maximum entropy Eddington factor (MEEF) method is attractive as a low-order approximation to transport theory due to its accuracy and simplicity for handling various degree of anisotropy in radiation fields. However, it has been demonstrated that certain commonly used implicit mesh schemes that have been tried for solving the MEEF equations are numerically unstable and may lead to anomalous solutions. An effective remedy for this numerical difficulty is to derive a nonlinear diffusion approximation from the MEEF description. The resulting nonlinear diffusion equation can be solved by the commonly used implicit mesh schemes and is almost as accurate as the MEEF description. Although primarily developed for time-dependent radiation-hydrodynamics and other high-energy physics problems that involve strong anisotropy of radiation field near radiation wave fronts, the nonlinear diffusion theory is demonstrated to be applicable to a variety of steady state particle transport problems, especially for problems with strong absorption. Overall, it predicts better results than other low-order approximations.
Optimal Bayesian data fusion and low-complexity approximations for distributed DS-CDMA wireless sensor networks in Rayleigh fading

In this paper we propose non-orthogonal communication between sensors and a data fusion center via direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) and investigate the fusion performance in the presence of channel errors due to both multiple-access interference (MAI) and noise. We derive the optimal Bayesian data fusion receiver for such a coherent DS-CDMA based distributed wireless sensor network having a parallel architecture in the presence of Rayleigh fading. It is shown that the complexity of the optimal rule is exponential in the number of local sensors. To provide a low-complexity solution, a class of conceptually simple data fusion receivers that partitions the multi-sensor detection and data fusion into two separate stages are proposed. Several well-known detector structures (joint maximum likelihood (JML), conventional, decorrelator and linear minimum-mean squared error (MMSE)) are considered for the multi-sensor detector at the first stage. The second stage of these receivers perform Bayesian data fusion based on the estimated symbols from the first stage. The performance results indicate that while the conventional detector first stage based receiver performs remarkably close to the optimal fusion receiver in an AWGN noise channel, its performance severely degrades in the presence of Rayleigh fading. In terms of the complexity and performance trade-off, the MMSE first stage based receiver seems to be a good design choice over a wide-range of parameters. It is also observed that the fusion performance is not limited by the channel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as long as it is not too small. On the other hand, for large channel SNR values the optimal fusion performance is limited by the quality of local sensor decisions (or, equivalently, the local SNR).
Symmetries in nonlinear control systems

A concept of symmetry is defined for general nonlinear control systems. It is shown, under various technical conditions, that nonlinear control systems with symmetries admit local and/or global decompositions in terms of lower dimensional subsystems and feedback loops. The structure of the individual subsystems is dependent on the structure of the symmetry group; for example, if the symmetry group is abelian, one of the subsystems is a quadrature. An additional feature of the decomposition is that the state space dimensions of the subsystems sum to the state space dimension of the original system.
Are use case and class diagrams complementary in requirements analysis? An experimental study on use case and class diagrams in UML

Despite the status of united modeling language (UML) as the de facto standard for object oriented modeling, it has received controversial reviews. The most controversial diagram in UML is the use case diagram. Some practitioners claim that use case diagrams are not valuable in requirements analysis and some have even argued that use case diagrams should not be part of UML. This research examined the values of use case diagram in interpreting requirements when use case diagrams are used in conjunction with class diagrams. In other words, the study investigated the possible synergetic values and relationships between the use case and class diagrams in the context of requirements analysis. This study used theories from cognitive psychology as its theoretical and conceptual foundation. The data collection utilized the verbal protocol technique in which subjects were asked to think aloud as they interpreted the use case and class diagrams. The results show that the use case diagrams were more completely interpreted than the class diagrams. The presence or absence of one diagram when interpreting another diagram had no effect on the outcome of the interpretation. From the results, we argue that the use case diagrams and class diagrams depict different aspects of the problem domain, they have very little overlap in the information captured, and both are necessary in requirements analysis.
Kinesin-II Is Required for Axonal Transport of Choline Acetyltransferase in Drosophila

KLP64D and KLP68D are members of the kinesin-II family of proteins in Drosophila. Immunostaining for KLP68D and ribonucleic acid in situ hybridization for KLP64D demonstrated their preferential expression in cholinergic neurons. KLP68D was also found to accumulate in cholinergic neurons in axonal obstructions caused by the loss of kinesin light chain. Mutations in the KLP64D gene cause uncoordinated sluggish movement and death, and reduce transport of choline acetyltransferase from cell bodies to the synapse. The inviability of KLP64D mutations can be rescued by expression of mammalian KIF3A. Together, these data suggest that kinesin-II is required for the axonal transport of a soluble enzyme, choline acetyltransferase, in a specific subset of neurons in Drosophila. Furthermore, the data lead to the conclusion that the cargo transport requirements of different classes of neurons may lead to upregulation of specific pathways of axonal transport.
NOAA IOOS national HF radar network data management: Status and Plans

The NOAA IOOS Program has been supporting the development of a national HF radar network data server system with primary nodes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), NOAA National Data Buoy Center and Rutgers University. Five regional data portals have been deployed throughout the US. SIO has designed the data management as a scalable, robust solution to the ingest of the increasing number, now ~100, of HF radars. Near-real-time data quality control, metadata and data delivery standards will be discussed in addition to the overall architecture of the national network.
Morphology and Structure of Maury Channel, Northeast Atlantic Ocean

Maury Channel is a 3,500-km-long, erosional/depositional feature. Originating on the southern slope of the Faeroe-Iceland Ridge at about 64° N., 13° W., the channel follows the deepest axis of Rockall Basin until about 53° N., where it begins a meandering course through several northeast Atlantic fracture zones. The channel finally empties into the northern Iberian Basin. Turbidity currents and overflow boulses of Norwegian Sea deep water are thought to be responsible for the formation of the channel. Strong bottom currents are responsible for keeping the channel “open” south of 53° N. Seismic reflection profiles reveal a characteristic “signature,” indicating deposition of dense turbidite material wherever the channel is encountered.
The Role of Antigen Presenting Cells in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating T cell mediated autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Animal models of MS, such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease (TMEV-IDD) have given light to cellular mechanisms involved in the initiation and progression of this organ-specific autoimmune disease. Within the CNS, antigen presenting cells (APC) such as microglia and astrocytes participate as first line defenders against infections or inflammation. However, during chronic inflammation they can participate in perpetuating the self-destructive environment by secretion of inflammatory factors and/or presentation of myelin epitopes to autoreactive T cells. Dendritic cells (DC) are also participants in the presentation of antigen to T cells, even within the CNS. While the APCs alone are not solely responsible for mediating the destruction to the myelin sheath, they are critical players in perpetuating the inflammatory milieu. This review will highlight relevant studies which have provided insight to the roles played by microglia, DCs and astrocytes in the context of CNS autoimmunity.
Atomic mean-square displacements for 2HMoS2

Abstract We have calculated the temperature dependence of the atomic mean-square displacements (MSD's) for a reasonable harmonic lattice dynamical model considered to be appropriate to 2HMoS2. Thermal expansion effects were estimated in a crude way using previous model calculations and thermal expansion data. Our results are shown to obey the Lindeman melting criterion.
Multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia: a case report.

In the borderland between psychiatry and neurology the clinician occasionally encounters patients with diseases which challenge diagnostic skills and treatment methods.A case is presented in which the coexistence of multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia raises essential questions about the relationship of mind and brain. A young woman with multiple sclerosis developed a clinical picture of schizophrenia in the initial stages of her disease. During sodium amobarbital interviews the patient's mental functioning cleared temporarily, although tranquilizers failed to control disruptive behavior. Electroconvulsive therapy was administered with dramatic improvement of her psychiatric disorder and no worsening of her neurological disease. In the seven years since recovery she has married and raised two healthy children without recurrence of either neurological or psychiatric disorder. While no cause-and-effect relationship can be defined, such cases emphasize the need for further studies of the relationship of cen...