cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CC-NET: Image Complexity Guided Network Compression for Biomedical Image Segmentation

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for biomedical image analysis are often of very large size, resulting in high memory requirement and high latency of operations. Searching for an acceptable compressed representation of the base CNN for a specific imaging application typically involves a series of time-consuming training/validation experiments to achieve a good compromise between network size and accuracy. To address this challenge, we propose CC-Net, a new image complexity-guided CNN compression scheme for biomedical image segmentation. Given a CNN model, CCNet predicts the final accuracy of networks of different sizes based on the average image complexity computed from the training data. It then selects a multiplicative factor for producing a desired network with acceptable network accuracy and size. Experiments show that CC-Net is effective for generating compressed segmentation networks, retaining up to $\approx 95$% of the base network segmentation accuracy and utilizing only $\approx 0.1$% of trainable parameters of the full-sized networks in the best case.
Mem-models and state event location algorithm for a prototypical aerospace system

This paper presents a suite of dynamic models enhanced by mem-models. A prototypical pogo stick model might mimic a space hopper or a segmented telescope mirror actuator, while an extension of that prototype could simulate the terramechanics problem of a deformable soil model interacting with a penetrator. The inclusion of mem-models, including memristor and memcapacitor models, introduces an increased level of fidelity and a new and effective means of modeling memory effects and path dependence of nonlinear interacting dynamical systems. This challenging class of problems, which involves non-smooth dynamical systems posed as differential-algebraic equations, is formulated here as a hybrid dynamical system with both continuous and discrete states, and a state event location algorithm is successfully applied to track discontinuous changes in the system states.
An integrin-binding array platform identifies αvβ8 and α5β1 integrins on rat primary cortical neurons to support their survival and growth.

Abstract Background Integrins are the major cell adhesion receptors expressed in almost all cell types connecting the extracellular matrix with cell cytoskeletons and transducing bi-directional signals across cell membranes. In the central nervous system (CNS), integrins are pivotal for CNS cell migration, differentiation, neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis in both physiological and pathological conditions. Here we studied the effect of different integrin biding peptides for growth and development of primary cortical neurons in vitro. New method Rat primary cortical neurons were cultured in an integrin-binding array platform, which contains immobilized varying short synthetic peptides that bind to 16 individual types of integrin on a 48-well cell culture plate. After cultured for 7 days, cells were fixed and processed for immunostaining with neuronal markers. The overall neuronal growth and neurite outgrowths were quantified. Results We found that binding peptides for integrin αvβ8, α5β1 and α3β1 particularly the former two provided superior condition for neuronal growth, survival and maturation. Moreover, optimal neurite outgrowth was observed when neurons were cultured in 3-dimension using injectable hydrogel along with binding peptide for αvβ8 or α5β1 integrins. Comparison with existing method For primary neuronal culture, poly-D-lysine coating is conventional method to support cell attachment. Our study has demonstrated that selected integrin binding peptides provide greater support for the growth of cultured primary neurons. Conclusion These data suggest that integrin αvβ8 and α5β1 are conducive for survival, growth and maturation of primary cortical neurons. This information could be utilized in designing combinational biomaterial and cell-based therapy for neural regeneration following brain injury.
Abstract 14861: Premature Menopause and Mid-life Subclinical Atherosclerosis: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

Introduction: Women who experience premature menopause are known to have higher rates of long-term atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Specifically, menopause prior to age of 40 years h...
Racialized Anti-Statism and the Failure of the American State

How well do we understand the political moment in which we find ourselves in the wake of the Trump presidency? The United States has long failed to keep up with its democratic peers on a wide range of social outcomes but the struggle to keep a pandemic at bay, coupled with increases in social violence and new uprisings over state violence have exposed the failures of the American state in a stark manner. While research on political attitudes continues to offer crucial insights into what Americans want from government and how race, class, and gender are formative dimensions of public opinion, we know considerably less about how these attitudes intersect with the highly fragmented and decentralized nature of U.S. political institutions. In this essay, I offer a framework for understanding our current moment through the lens of racialized anti-statism and state failure. I focus on the intersection of two reinforcing and overlapping features of the U.S. political system: the highly fragmented, veto-laden structure of American politics and the persistence of anti-egalitarian movements. By situating our analysis at this intersection, we observe the convergence of racial and economic power in an anti-statist alliance that undermines American state-building, even when large majorities of Americans favor it.
A refundable tax credit for children: Self-interest-based and morally based arguments

Abstract This paper argues that children are a special subgroup of society in that they represent an opportunity gain for the whole society. Self-interested individuals acting atomistically are not motivated to contribute optimally, if they contribute at all, to the realization of this social opportunity. Neo-classical economic theory handles societal opportunities as public goods, giving the government a positive role. But, it can be argued that financing of a public good by means of general taxation, violates the public good argument. Such a financing method requires, in addition to the public goods argument, a moral or merit good argument. This paper attempts to provide such an argument. It will also be argued that the current method of providing child support in the U.S. is defective.
Brain connectivity alterations during sleep by closed-loop transcranial neurostimulation predict metamemory sensitivity

Metamemory involves the ability to correctly judge the accuracy of our memories. The retrieval of memories can be improved using transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) during sleep, but evidence for improvements to metamemory sensitivity is limited. Applying tES can enhance sleep-dependent memory consolidation, which along with metamemory requires the coordination of activity across distributed neural systems, suggesting that examining functional connectivity is important for understanding these processes. Nevertheless, little research has examined how functional connectivity modulations relate to overnight changes in metamemory sensitivity. Here, we developed a closed-loop short-duration tES method, time-locked to up-states of ongoing slow-wave oscillations, to cue specific memory replays in humans. We measured electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence changes following stimulation pulses, and characterized network alterations with graph theoretic metrics. Using machine learning techniques, we show that pulsed tES elicited network changes in multiple frequency bands, including increased connectivity in the theta band and increased efficiency in the spindle band. Additionally, stimulation-induced changes in beta-band path length were predictive of overnight changes in metamemory sensitivity. These findings add new insights into the growing literature investigating increases in memory performance through brain stimulation during sleep, and highlight the importance of examining functional connectivity to explain its effects.
Continuous pricing algorithms for airline RM: revenue gains and competitive impacts

Traditionally, airlines have been limited to a set of fixed fare classes and, in turn, price points, to distribute their fare products. The advent of IATA’s new distribution capability (NDC) will soon enable airlines to quote any fare from a continuous range. In theory, such continuous pricing could increase revenues by extracting more of the consumer surplus, through its ability to offer more granular fares, closer to the customer’s willingness-to-pay (WTP). In this article, we describe several algorithms that lead to the quotation of a single fare from a continuous range. These algorithms either rely on traditional fare classes for the purpose of forecasting and optimization (class-based), or completely abandon the notion of fare classes, instead assuming different WTP distributions within each booking period prior to departure (classless). We describe how these algorithms build upon and differ from their traditional RM counterparts. Performance of these heuristics is then benchmarked against traditional class-based RM, and competitive impacts are analyzed when continuous pricing is adopted by one airline asymmetrically or both airlines symmetrically in a hypothetical 2-carrier network in the passenger origin–destination simulator (PODS). We find that continuous pricing is generally revenue-positive, and the revenue gains can be as high as 2.0% for the first-mover and reach up to 1.2% when both airlines adopt the new method. In addition, we show that these gains depend on the number of fare classes in the traditional fare structure used as a baseline, and that they are smaller under lower demand-to-capacity ratios.
Analysis of periodic laminated fiber-reinforced composite beams in free vibration:

The dynamic behavior of solid structures is an important aspect that must be considered in the design phase to ensure that the designed structure will have desired response under external excitatio...
Maximum parsimony reconciliation in the DTLOR model.

BACKGROUND Analyses of microbial evolution often use reconciliation methods. However, the standard duplication-transfer-loss (DTL) model does not account for the fact that species trees are often not fully sampled and thus, from the perspective of reconciliation, a gene family may enter the species tree from the outside. Moreover, within the genome, genes are often rearranged, causing them to move to new syntenic regions. RESULTS We extend the DTL model to account for two events that commonly arise in the evolution of microbes: origin of a gene from outside the sampled species tree and rearrangement of gene syntenic regions. We describe an efficient algorithm for maximum parsimony reconciliation in this new DTLOR model and then show how it can be extended to account for non-binary gene trees to handle uncertainty in gene tree topologies. Finally, we describe preliminary experimental results from the integration of our algorithm into the existing xenoGI tool for reconstructing the histories of genomic islands in closely related bacteria. CONCLUSIONS Reconciliation in the DTLOR model can offer new insights into the evolution of microbes that is not currently possible under the DTL model.
Dietary and Lifestyle Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction Strategies in Pro-inflammatory Diseases

Systemic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions including psoriasis, inflammatory arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, and human immunodeficiency virus create a predisposition to early onset atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. In this chapter, we discuss the impact systemic inflammation has on the development of atherosclerosis with a specific emphasis on pro-inflammatory and autoimmune conditions and how dietary and lifestyle modification may help mitigate cardiovascular risk. Given the breadth of the topic at hand, it is not possible for this chapter to be all encompassing, but rather we aim to provide a general framework on how to approach cardiovascular risk stratification in pro-inflammatory populations, with special emphasis on the role of dietary and lifestyle modifications.
Zoledronic acid-induced symmetrical drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema (SDRIFE).

The patient is a 60-year-old female with invasive ductal carcinoma of left breast, Estrogen Receptor/Progesterone Receptor positive, Human Epidermal Growth factor 2 (HER2) negative, status post left mastectomy and chemoradiation in 2014. The patient is currently being treated for metastatic disease
Forever foreign? Is there a future for Chinese people in Africa?

Chinese migration to Africa has been limited both in size and scope until relatively recently. It was only in the late 1990s and the 2000s that significant numbers of Chinese migrants began arrivin...
Two-Dimensional Solute Transport

This paper develops approximate solutions to a two-dimensional solute transport problem for either continuous or step inputs. The basic idea is to recognize that solute transport is mainly the result of two processes that can be treated independently, convection with the water flow and mixing by diffusion. Convection is treated exactly using the method of characteristics, and diffusion is accounted for with the method of singular perturbations. The integrals involved are no longer taken along vertical lines, as in one-dimensional problems, but now become contour integrals. This does not change the structure of the solution, it just makes the calculations more elaborate, and in some situations numerical algorithms are required to evaluate these integrals. Nevertheless, this method proves to be faster and less cumbersome than traditional difference and finite element schemes.
Oxygen-defect flux pinning, anomalous magnetization and intra-grain granularity in YBa 2 Cu 3 0 7–δ

The anomalous magnetization characteristic, intra-grain granularity and the magnitude of the flux pinning in single crystals of YBa2Cu307–δ are shown to be intimately linked. As the nominal oxygen deficiency δ decreases towards zero, the flux pinning declines and the crystals lose their explicitly granular signature. As δ is seldom specifically controlled at levels below ˜0.05 in even the most carefully made materials, small oxygen deficiencies may contribute significantly to both the flux pinning and the weak-link properties.
A model of gaze for the purpose of emotional expression in virtual embodied agents

Currently, state of the art virtual agents lack the ability to display emotion as seen in actual humans, or even in hand-animated characters. One reason for the emotional inexpressiveness of virtual agents is the lack of emotionally expressive gaze manner. For virtual agents to express emotion that observers can empathize with, they need to generate gaze - including eye, head, and torso movement - to arbitrary targets, while displaying arbitrary emotional states. Our previous work [18] describes the Gaze Warping Transformation, a method of generating emotionally expressive head and torso movement during gaze shifts that is derived from human movement data. Through an evaluation, it was shown that applying different transformations to the same gaze shift could modify the affective state perceived when the transformed gaze shift was viewed by a human observer. In this paper we propose a model of realistic, emotionally expressive gaze that builds upon the Gaze Warping Transformation by improving the transformation implementation, and by adding a model of eye movement drawn from the visual neuroscience literature. We describe how to generate a gaze to an arbitrary target, while displaying an arbitrary emotional behavior. Finally, we propose an evaluation to determine what emotions human observers will attribute to the generated gaze shifts. Once this work is completed, virtual agents will have access to a new channel for emotionally expressive behavior.
Diagnosing metabolic acidosis in the critically ill: bridging the anion gap, Stewart, and base excess methods

Metabolic acid–base disorders are common in critically ill patients. Clinicians may have difficulty recognizing their presence when multiple metabolic acid–base derangements are present in a single patient. Clinicians should be able to identify the components of complex metabolic acid–base disorders since metabolic acidoses due to unmeasured anions are associated with increased mortality in critically ill patients. This review presents the derivation of three commonly used methods of acid–base analysis, which include the anion gap, Stewart physiochemical, and modified base excess. Clinical examples are also provided to demonstrate the subtleties of the different methods and to demonstrate their application to real patient data. A comparison of these methods shows that each one is equally adept at identifying a metabolic acidosis due to unmeasured anions; however, the Stewart physiochemical and the modified base excess methods better evaluate complex metabolic acid–base disorders. While all three methods correctly identify metabolic acidosis due to unmeasured anions, which is a predictor of mortality, it remains unclear if further delineation of complex metabolic acid–base disorders using the Stewart physiochemical or the modified base excess methods is clinically beneficial.
The Group Tour Operator: An Analysis of NTA Membership:

The National Tour Association (NTA) is the largest trade association in the escorted group tour industry. Members of this association represent a major share of the group motorcoach travel business...
Improving Performance of Structured-Memory, Data-Intensive Applications on Multi-core Platforms via a Space-Filling Curve Memory Layout

Many data-intensive algorithms -- particularly in visualization, image processing, and data analysis -- operate on structured data, that is, data organized in multidimensional arrays. While many of these algorithms are quite numerically intensive, by and large, their performance is limited by the cost of memory accesses. As we move towards the exascale regime of computing, one central research challenge is finding ways to minimize data movement through the memory hierarchy, particularly within a node in a shared-memory parallel setting. We study the effects that an alternative in-memory data layout format has in terms of runtime performance gains resulting from reducing the amount of data moved through the memory hierarchy. We focus the study on shared-memory parallel implementations of two algorithms common in visualization and analysis: a stencil-based convolution kernel, which uses a structured memory access pattern, and ray casting volume rendering, which uses a semi-structured memory access pattern. The question we study is to better understand to what degree an alternative memory layout, when used by these key algorithms, will result in improved runtime performance and memory system utilization. Our approach uses a layout based on a Z-order (Morton-order) space-filling curve data organization, and we measure and report runtime and various metrics and counters associated with memory system utilization. Our results show nearly uniform improved runtime performance and improved utilization of the memory hierarchy across varying levels of concurrency the applications we tested. This approach is complementary to other memory optimization strategies like cache blocking, but may also be more general and widely applicable to a diverse set of applications.
EFFECT OF l-CYSTINE ON INITIATION OF ANAEROBIC GROWTH OF ESCHERICHIA COLI AND AEROBACTER AEROGENES

Abstract Gorini, Luigi (Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.). Effect of l-cystine on initiation of anaerobic growth of Escherichia coli and Aerobacter aerogenes. J. Bacteriol. 82:305–312. 1961.—Under anaerobic conditions Escherichia coli and Aerobacter aerogenes, inoculated in a mineral-citrate-glucose medium at densities up to 106 bacteria per ml, exhibit a long lag, or fail to initiate growth at all. Growth is initiated rapidly if the medium is supplemented with various SH or SS compounds. Of these the most active is l-cystine, which is fully effective at 1 to 2 μm. In a heavily seeded semisolid medium without cystine, turbidity rapidly appears at the aerobic surface and then slowly extends throughout the anaerobic region of the culture. This finding implies that a sufficiently dense anaerobically growing culture creates conditions in the medium which eliminate the requirement for cystine. The nature of this effect on the medium has not been determined, but certain possibilities (pH, pCO2) have been eliminated. The anaerobic cystine requirement becomes more pronounced in the presence of Cu++, at concentrations far lower than those required for inhibition under aerobic conditions. While it is possible that cystine is acting by complexing the toxic metal ion, it seems more likely that l-cystine is an essential metabolite, poorly produced under anaerobic conditions, and that the marked toxicity of Cu++ under anaerobic conditions depends on its complexing of cystine.
Measurement of 127I concentration in thyroid tissue by x-ray fluorescence.

X-ray fluorescence was used to determine the iodine content of surgically removed thyroids that had been preoperatively scanned with /sup 131/I. Iodine concentrations were determined for tissues classified as normal, papillary- follicular carcinoma, chronic thyroiditis, and colloid nodules of adenomatous thyroids. The iodine concentration of these thyroid states varied, with carcinomatous tissue having the lowest concentration and normal tissue the highest. There was considerable overlap among the various pathological states. Nodules showing increased /sup 131/I activity on the presurgical thyroid scan contained no more iodide than normal tissue, while nodules showing decreased /sup 131/I activity contained considerably less iodine. The residual /sup 131/I from the presurgical dose showed a distribution similar to the distribution of stable iodine. The iodine concentration of normal thyroid tissue obtained from autopsy specimens was determined to be about 2.5 times greater than the levels reported in the older literature. (auth)
Substance Use to Cope with Stigma in Healthcare Among U.S. Female-to-Male Trans Masculine Adults

Abstract Purpose: Enacted and anticipated stigma exist within healthcare settings for transgender people, but research has yet to examine the effects of these forms of stigma on the substance use behaviors of female-to-male (FTM) trans masculine people. Methods: Data were analyzed from the cross-sectional U.S. National Transgender Discrimination Survey, a convenience sample of transgender adults purposively sampled in 2008. Trans masculine respondents (n=2,578) were identified using a two-step method: Step 1, Assigned birth sex; Step 2, Current gender identity. A gender minority stress model of substance use was tested to examine the relation of enacted and anticipated stigma with substance use to cope with mistreatment. Results: Overall, 14.1% of the sample reported having been refused care by a provider (enacted stigma), 32.8% reported delaying needed medical care when sick/injured, and 39.1% delayed routine preventive care (anticipated stigma). Having been refused care was significantly associated with...
Experimental investigation of ground plane size on a high-gain antenna configuration

Dipole antennas exhibit a high-gain effect when covered by a high dielectric constant superstrate. This paper quantifies the effect of the ground plane size and demonstrates that the behavior of the antenna cannot be considered independently. It is found that the antenna acts as a cavity resonator (from the standpoint of the internal fields). Experimental results demonstrate that the high-gain effect shifts in frequency as a function of the ground plane's radius.
Economic value of dispensing home-based preoperative chlorhexidine bathing cloths to prevent surgical site infection.

Objective. To estimate the economic value of dispensing preoperative home-based chlorhexidine bathing cloth kits to orthopedic patients to prevent surgical site infection (SSI).Methods. A stochastic decision-analytic computer simulation model was developed from the hospital’s perspective depicting the decision of whether to dispense the kits preoperatively to orthopedic patients. We varied patient age, cloth cost, SSI-attributable excess length of stay, cost per bed-day, patient compliance with the regimen, and cloth antimicrobial efficacy to determine which variables were the most significant drivers of the model’s outcomes.Results. When all other variables remained at baseline and cloth efficacy was at least 50%, patient compliance only had to be half of baseline (baseline mean, 15.3%; range, 8.23%–20.0%) for chlorhexidine cloths to remain the dominant strategy (ie, less costly and providing better health outcomes). When cloth efficacy fell to 10%, 1.5 times the baseline bathing compliance also afforded...
High-Temperature D.T.A. and X-Ray Diffraction Studies of Reactions

Several reactions which take place in clay minerals at elevated temperatures were investigated by D.T.A. and continuous high-temperature X-ray diffraction. The combination of these techniques was used to examine the energy changes and phase transformations that occur in kaolinite, halloysite, illite, and montmorillonite at temperatures up to 1450°C. Diffraction data obtained from these minerals as they were heated are used to interpret the nature of the structural transitions, and new phase developments in two-layer type clay minerals are compared with similar developments in three-layer type clays. Continuous diffraction is used to detect changes that take place in the firing history of a clay in which small amounts of chemical impurities or other mineralizing substances are present or have been added. Several chemical impurities were added to each of the clays to determine their ability to either enhance or retard structural transition and new mineral development upon firing. The effects which these additives have on predicted structural changes are illustrated and are interpreted in lieu of chemical and structural requirements.
Using anthropometric indicators for Mexicans in the United States and Mexico to understand the selection of migrants and the “hispanic paradox”

Abstract Anthropometric measures including height provide an indication of childhood health that allows exploration of relationships between early life circumstances and adult health. Height can also be used to provide some indication of how early life health is related to selection of migrants and the Hispanic paradox in the United States. This article joins information on persons of Mexican nativity ages 50 and older in the United States collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV (NHANES IV 1999–2002) with a national sample of persons of the same age living in Mexico from the Mexican Health and Aging Survey (MHAS 2001) to examine relationships between height, education, migration, and late‐life health. Mexican immigrants to the United States are selected for greater height and a high school, rather than higher or lower, education. Return migrants from the United States to Mexico are shorter than those who stay. Height is related to a number of indicators of adult health. Result...
Phenotypic plasticity in brook charr: changes in caudal fin induced by water flow

In the field, juvenile brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis inhabiting high-velocity water were found to have larger caudal fins and more slender bodies than those inhabiting low-velocity water. Young-of-the-year S. fontinalis were reared in either a high- or low-velocity treatment for 16 weeks and their morphology was measured bi-weekly. From the second to fourth weeks of the experiment onwards, fish reared in the high-velocity treatment had larger maximum caudal fin heights and deeper caudal peduncles than fish reared in the low-velocity treatment. This study demonstrated that the morphological variation in caudal area exhibited by wild juvenile brook charr from microhabitats differing in water velocity could be a consequence of phenotypic plasticity in response to hydrological conditions.
Endothelial Estrogen Receptor Isoforms and Cardiovascular Disease

Rapid, nongenomic vascular cell and tissue responses to estrogen have been demonstrated for more than a decade. Although the pendulum continues to swing, accumulating evidence, both clinical and pre-clinical, support favorable effects of ovarian steroid hormones in the vascular system. These effects are mediated both by classical steroid hormone receptor-mediated transcriptional modulation, and largely by endothelial plasma membrane-associated estrogen receptor (ER)α, which when engaged triggers a signaling cascade resulting in release of cardioprotective nitric oxide (NO). In addition to full-length ERα (ER66), an N-terminus truncated ERα isoform, ER46, plays a key role in these rapid endothelial responses to 17β-estradiol (E2). We have recently determined that ER46 can be a Type I integral transmembrane molecule. In this review, we discuss ER isoforms, rapid E2-stimulated signaling in the endothelium, the importance of the ER46 transmembrane orientation, and the clinical context of this rapid endothelial signaling.
Classification and consequences of complex lead perovskite ferroelectrics with regard to B-site cation order

From a number of studies on ferroelectric and related materials based on complex lead perovskites [Pb(Bx′B1−x″)O3], it is apparent that the B-site cation order influences the crystallography, phase transitions, and other physical properties. A classification of complex lead perovskites is presented based on the relative scale of long-range cation order. In particular, we discuss the implications of cation order in relation to relaxor and normal ferroelectric behavior.
Male circumcision for prevention of HIV transmission

I have a few concerns about the methods use in the randomised trial of the eff ect of circumcision of HIV-infected men on HIV transmission to female partners (July 18, p 229). At the time the partners of these HIV-positive men were enrolled in the trial, they were HIV-free. It seems somewhat unethical to enrol HIV-free individuals in a trial where there is a looming possibility of having sexual intercourse with HIV-diagnosed partners. I realise that the participants were educated on condom use and sexual risk reduction. But it would seem irrational to do a detailed trial such as this one, having used immense resources (including time and money), and not expect to see “results” (ie, new HIV infections in the partners). Had the men practised completely safe sex as instructed, there would have been no results to report. To better make my point, this trial seems to be reliant on the fact that there is a very good chance that there will be unsafe sexual practices between these men and their partners during the trial, thereby increasing the risk of HIV transmission to these partners who were initially HIV-free. Personally, I believe this is an unethical basis for a clinical trial. As physicians, I feel we should be doing our best to do no harm to patients, rather than compensating them for engaging in a clinical trial where the expectation is that some would acquire HIV.
Growth of Fern Embryos in Sterile Culture

IN recent years, advances in the field of embryo culture have made possible the successful growth of a number of plant species which would not otherwise have been propagated1. These cultural experiments have also enriched considerably our understanding of the physiological and morphological aspects of early plant development2,3. Even though considerable information is available from this work on the cultural requirements of embryos, up to the present time it has not been possible to maintain very young, globular plant embryos (30–85µ) in vitro 4.
Another Look at Tenure Choice, Inflation, and Taxes

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of inflation on the demand for housing. The first part of the paper presents a theoretical model that identifies the effects of inflation on the after-tax cost of housing and the choice between rental and owner-occupied housing. The second part discusses the results of a simulation model that measures the effect of inflation on the aggregate demand for housing, the aggregate homeownership rate, and the price of housing. The paper concludes that while inflation can be expected to increase the aggregate demand for housing and the price of housing relative to the general price level, inflation should ultimately lead to lower rates of homeownership. A corollary that is probably more relevant today is that lower inflation rates should reduce the real value of the housing stock and increase the homeownership rate. The paper also contains forecasts of the impact of the Tax Reform Act (TRA) of 1986 upon housing demand and the probability of homeownership for a variety of households.
New and improved strategies for optical protection in mixed-line-rate WDM networks

Employing Mixed Line Rates (MLR) in optical WDM networks enables new paradigms for protection at lightpath level. We design transparent MLR networks with dedicated protection and achieve significant cost reduction.
Generalized phase-matching condition for nondegenerate four-wave mixing

The coupled-probe, conjugate, and pump differential equations are solved in the undepleted pump approximation when the pumps are of unequal frequencies. In the usual analysis the two pump wave vectors satisfy k1 + k2 = 0, so that the conjugate and probe wave vectors satisfy kp + kc = 0. The vector phase matching then consists of two one-dimensional problems. However, the unequal pump frequencies require a true two-dimensional analysis, since the pump wave vectors do not sum to zero separately from the probe/conjugate fields. This then requires the inclusion of a transverse dimension in the differential equations. The net result is that the direction of the maximum conjugate intensity, usually determined by the phase-match condition Δk = 0, is instead determined by the generalized condition kc · Δk = 0, where Δk = k1 + k2 − kp − kc. This new phase-matching condition is quadratic in kc, leading to two peaks in the conjugate reflection coefficient.
Quantile Regression via an MM Algorithm

Abstract Quantile regression is an increasingly popular method for estimating the quantiles of a distribution conditional on the values of covariates. Regression quantiles are robust against the influence of outliers and, taken several at a time, they give a more complete picture of the conditional distribution than a single estimate of the center. This article first presents an iterative algorithm for finding sample quantiles without sorting and then explores a generalization of the algorithm to nonlinear quantile regression. Our quantile regression algorithm is termed an MM, or majorize—minimize, algorithm because it entails majorizing the objective function by a quadratic function followed by minimizing that quadratic. The algorithm is conceptually simple and easy to code, and our numerical tests suggest that it is computationally competitive with a recent interior point algorithm for most problems.
A Miniature Prototype Hybrid Intraoperative Probe for Ovarian Cancer Detection

We demonstrate a novel prototype intraoperative probe combining Optical Coherence Tomography and positron detection in investigating normal and abnormal ovarian tissues ex-vivo. Also a miniature probe has been made and its performance has been demonstrated.
Photochemotherapy beyond psoriasis

Photochemotherapy involves the therapeutic use of nonionizing radiation in combination with a photosensitizing chemical to trigger a photochemical reaction that mediates a beneficial effect. The successful introduction and widespread use of psoralen photochemotherapy (PUVA) in the management of psoriasis was the chief stimulus for recent interest in the therapeutic use of nonionizing radiation in various other dermatoses. This article discusses the expanding spectrum of diseases responding to PUVA therapy. More than 30 conditions such as atopic dermatitis, mycosis fungoides, vitiligo, the photodermatoses, chronic graft-versus-host disease, and granuloma annulare have been successfully treated with oral psoralen photochemotherapy. Various mechanisms of response to treatment are discussed including photoimmunologic effects, selective cytotoxicity, alterations of cell function, and stimulation of melanocytes. Finally, the limitations to the use of PUVA therapy are identified and its future use in other cutaneous and systemic diseases are discussed.
Image Intensifiers and the Scotoscope

There exist at present several types of electronic image intensifiers, including the multistage intensifier image tube and the intensifier orthicon, which are useful for night vision. Furthermore, advances are being made in this class of device. High sensitivity in a low light level telescope or scotoscope requires that it employ a large diameter objective and an intensifier with a large cathode having high quantum efficiency.
Perceptual mapping of citrus juices using projective mapping and profiling data from culinary professionals and consumers

Projective mapping, also known as the nappe map technique is a method proposed for gathering similarity data in which panelists are directed to place products on a two dimensional surface. Two groups of participants, experienced chefs and consumers, performed this task and traditional attribute scaling. Ten fresh squeezed citrus juices and one commercial juice were judged along with two duplicates for a total of 13 products. Nappe map data were analyzed using multifactor analysis (MFA) and generalized procrustes analysis (GPA). Scaling data were analyzed using MFA, GPA, and principle components analysis (PCA). Configurations were generally similar, with juices differentiated by an axis opposing sweet, orange, floral and fruity characteristics against grapefruit, bitter and sour notes. A textural (pith vs. smooth) axis was also evident in some plots. Nappe configurations were similar, especially comparing GPA and MFA analyses within a group. Comparisons of configurations between groups were less similar, as shown by lower Rv coefficients. Configurations showed a good correspondence of scaled attribute results to nappe results for the consumers, but less so for the chefs, suggesting different criteria for the chefs in the nappe and scaling tasks. The nappe method may uncover perceptions not captured by traditional scaling and PCA especially for groups such as chefs, who may have more idiosyncratic perceptions of the critical sensory attributes.
Gender and the Education-Employment Paradox in Ethnic and Religious Contexts: The Case of Arab Americans:

Education is weakly related to employment for some groups of U.S. women. As such, it may be less of a resource for reducing gender inequality than commonly believed. Drawing on ethnographic field n...
The v-myc oncogene.

v-myc is the viral homolog of c-myc transduced by several acute transforming retroviruses, many of which encode this gene as a Gag-Myc fusion protein. The v-myc oncogene can transform several lineages of mammalian and avian cells either alone or in cooperation with other oncogenes. While the Gag portion of the Gag-Myc fusion protein and the nuclear localization signal each appear to be dispensable for transformation, the N- and C-termini of the Myc sequence have been found to be essential for transformation. All v-myc genes contain point mutations which seem to confer a greater potency to v-myc in the process of transformation, proliferation, and apoptosis. In v-myc-transformed myelomonocytic cells, secondary events occur, such as the expression of colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) which play a critical role in immortalization and subsequent tumor progression. Inhibition of the autocrine loop of CSF-1 was found to induce apoptosis in the immortalized cells. While overexpression of v-Myc blocks terminal differentiation of hematopoietic cells, this is not sufficient to block the differentiation of certain neural and skeletal muscle cells. Recent developments on the effects of v-myc on cell growth, transformation, differentiation and apoptosis are discussed in this review.
Contrasting styles of Hurricane Irene washover sedimentation on three east coast barrier islands: Cape Lookout, North Carolina; Assateague Island, Virginia; and Fire Island, New York

Abstract Storm surge and wind-driven waves generated by Hurricane Irene, which made landfall on the U.S. east coast on August 27 2011, resulted in overwash of sandy barrier islands from North Carolina to New York State. Overwash has significant impacts on barrier island geomorphology: it represents a sediment pathway into island interiors, a component of island sediment budgets, and can cause considerable aggradation of backshore surfaces, important for potentially offsetting the effects of rising sea level. This study describes the morphology, texture and microfossil content of Hurricane Irene washover deposits at three contrasting barrier island sites: Cape Lookout, North Carolina, Assateague Island, Virginia and Fire Island, New York. At all three sites, run-up overwash occurred, wherein waves were sufficient to overtop parts of the beach system and transport sediment inland. However, at Fire Island, overwash was restricted by a higher elevational threshold to low spots in the beach system coinciding with pre-existing breaches in foredunes. The result was the formation of isolated, thinner, low-volume washover fans. At Assateague Island and Cape Lookout, lower elevational thresholds allowed waves to overtop longer continuous sections of beach systems, resulting in the formation of laterally-continuous, thicker, larger-volume washover terraces. Overall, the deposits lacked consistent trends in thickness and texture (such as thinning and fining inland, reflecting a progressive reduction in overwash competence). Thickness and texture of the deposits were both spatially variable and probably reflect infilling of low points on the former surface and the influence of beach and foredune sediment sources. All the washover deposits were essentially barren of foraminiferal microfossils, supporting the textural evidence that the adjacent beach and foredunes were the predominant sediment sources.
Non-lithographic organization of nickel catalyst for carbon nanofiber synthesis on laser-induced periodic surface structures

We present a non-lithographic technique that produces organized nanoscale nickel catalyst for carbon nanofiber growth on a silicon substrate. This technique involves three consecutive steps: first, the substrate is laser-irradiated to produce a periodic nanorippled structure; second, a thin film of nickel is deposited using glancing-angle ion-beam sputter deposition, followed by heat treatment, and third, a catalytic dc plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process is conducted to produce the vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNF). The nickel catalyst is distributed along the laser-induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) and the Ni particle dimension varies as a function of the location on the LIPSS and is correlated to the nanoripple dimensions. The glancing angle, the distance between the ion beam collimators and the total deposition time all play important roles in determining the final catalyst size and subsequent carbon nanofiber properties. Due to the gradual aspect ratio change of the nanoripples across the sample, Ni catalyst nanoparticles of different dimensions were obtained. After the prescribed three minute PECVD growth, it was observed that, in order for the carbon nanofibers to survive, the nickel catalyst dimension should be larger than a critical value of ~19 nm, below which the Ni is insufficient to sustain carbon nanofiber growth.
Valuation and Financing of Cash Cows and Growth Firms

This paper develops separate trade-off models for the valuation and financing of non-growth firms (cash cows) and growth firms that incorporate tax benefits, bankruptcy costs, and relevant agency costs. Cash cows generally have relatively high leverage, though firm value, leverage, and profitability are all affected by variations in the efficacy of both internal and external governance mechanisms to mitigate agency costs of managerial discretion. For growth firms, where agency costs of debt are relevant, we find that: 1) optimal leverage is generally relatively low; 2) the relationship between optimal leverage and Tobin’s Q is negative and highly convex; and 3) optimal leverage increases with initial profitability. Our analysis helps to explain anomalous results documented in previous empirical tests of trade-off theory, specifically, relationships between leverage and both the market-to-book assets ratio and profitability.
A nonlinear functional approach to LFT model validation

Model validation provides a useful means of assessing the ability of a model to account for a specific experimental observation, and has application to modeling, identification and fault detection. In this paper, we consider a new approach to the model validation problem by deploying quadratic functionals, and more generally nonlinear functionals, to specify noise and dynamical perturbation sets. Specifically, we consider a general linear fractional transformation framework for the model structure, and use constraints involving nonlinear functional inequalities to specify model non-linearities and unknown perturbations, and characteristics of noise and disturbance signals. Sufficient conditions for invalidation of such models are provided in terms of semidefinite programming problems.
Assessment of the Effectiveness of a Pet Facilitated Therapy Program in a Nursing Home Setting

In the past twenty years Pet Facilitated Therapy (PFT) has been used, apparently successfully, with several populations, including nursing home residents. Studies report positive behavior changes as a result of PFT intervention, but little effort has been made to quantify such behavior changes. This study presents the results of a PFT program in a nursing home setting. Results were positive, and were measured using the Patient Social Behavior Scale, designed for this study. Nursing home residents showed an increase of social behaviors from pretest to midpoint and from midpoint to post test, but these behaviors declined four weeks after post test. Although both males and females showed an increase in social behaviors, males' and females' response patterns differed.
THE PAIRWISE SORTING NETWORK

A new sorting network with exactly the same size and depth as the odd-even sorting network is presented. This sorting network is designed using the zero-one principle, and proceeds by first sorting pairs of bits and then sorting the pairs into lexicographic order.