cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictive Accuracy of Quarterly and Annual Aggregate Saving Functions

Abstract Aggregate saving functions have been grouped into several models which have similar theoretical underpinnings. They are then tested under criteria pertaining to their predictive accuracy and their economic reasonableness. It is found that saving is predicted much more accurately when it includes net investment in consumer durables (i.e., “use value” saving, D S) as opposed to when it is defined as only personal saving (S). In predicting D S, the functions which use current income and lagged consumption perform best. In predicting S, the functions which perform best are those which include liquid assets in addition to current income and lagged consumption.
alpha-Isopropylmalate synthase from yeast. A zinc metalloenzyme.

Abstract Highly purified α-isopropylmalate synthase (3-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-carboxyvalerate 2-oxo-3-methylbutyrate-lysase (CoA-acetylating), EC 4.1.3.12) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is inactivated by various chelating agents. Atomic absorption spectrometry indicates that the enzyme contains approx. four gatoms of zinc per dimer of molecular weight of 130 000. Dialysis against ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid at an initial concentration of 0.1 mM reduces the zinc content to about two gatoms of zinc per dimer. While such enzyme remains active, it has altered kinetic properties and is stimulated by Mn2+, in contrast to untreated enzyme. Dialysis against ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid at an initial concentration of 50 mM reduces the zinc content by more than 80% and causes almost complete loss of enzymatic activity. Activity can be restored by the addition of Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, or Cd2+.
Decoupling of modes for the elastic wave equation in media of limited smoothness

We establish a decoupling result for the P and S waves of linear, isotropic elasticity, in the setting of twice-differentiable Lame parameters. Precisely, we show that the P↔S components of the wave propagation operator are regularizing of order one on L 2 data, by establishing the diagonalization of the elastic system modulo a L 2-bounded operator. Effecting the diagonalization in the setting of twice-differentiable coefficients depends upon the symbol of the conjugation operator having a particular structure.
Interaction of Waves of Current and Polarization

The system considered here is a polarizable semiconductor through which a current is flowing in response to an externally applied electric field. Phenomenological equations relating the charge density, polarization, electric and magnetic fields, and atomic displacements in such a system are described. It is shown that a traveling wave of small amplitude oscillations of these quantities satisfies the equations when the frequency $\ensuremath{\omega}$ and propagation vector q satisfy a certain dispersion relation which is derived. For some choices of system parameters the dispersion relation admits solutions in which $\ensuremath{\omega}$ is real and q is complex with real and imaginary parts of opposite sign, suggesting the possibility that the system might support amplifying waves. Examples are given in which the parameters are as nearly as possible those appropriate to a crystal of indium antimonide. Some of the parameters which must be assigned depend on the drift velocity of the electrons, and it is difficult to determine appropriate values or ranges of values for them in the interesting region of large drift velocities.
Cross-gender Violence Perpetration and Victimization Among Early Adolescents and Associations with Attitudes Toward Dating Conflict

This study examined gender differences in cross-gender violence perpetration and victimization (ranging from mild, e.g., push, to severe, e.g., assault with a knife or gun) and attitudes toward dating conflict, among an urban sample of 601 early adolescents (78% African-American). Comparisons across gender groups for cross-gender (e.g., female-to-male) violence perpetration and victimization indicated higher levels of perpetration for girls and higher levels of victimization for boys. Girls also reported higher levels of verbal and physical violence toward partners with regard to attitudes toward dating conflict. A path model was specified and indicated that cross-gender violence perpetration, harsh parenting, peer deviance, low family income, and neighborhood hazards accounted for significant variation in attitudes toward dating conflict. Findings were discussed regarding the need to identify developmental precursors of dating violence in early adolescence and to focus prevention efforts on components (e.g., social skills, coping strategies) necessary to prevent the onset and escalation of adolescent dating violence.
Comparison of CT- or ultrasound-guided drainage with concomitant intravenous antibiotics vs. intravenous antibiotics alone in the management of tubo-ovarian abscesses

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of treatment of tubo-ovarian abscesses by imaging-guided drainage and antibiotics vs. intravenous antibiotics alone. Methods A retrospective chart review of all patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of tubo-ovarian abscess was performed. Patients were categorized into two groups. The first group consisted of subjects treated with intravenous antibiotics alone. Patients in the second group had primary image-guided drainage with concomitant intravenous antibiotics. Treatment failures in the primary antibiotics group underwent salvage drainage when feasible. The primary outcome of interest was complete response. Secondary outcomes included need for additional treatment, duration of resolution of fever, total length of hospital stay, and complication rates. We also evaluated the effectiveness of secondary drainage in patients who failed primary antibiotic therapy alone. Results A total of 58 patients were included in the study. Fifty patients were treated primarily with intravenous antibiotics; eight patients had primary drainage, which was guided by ultrasound in all cases. Complete response was noted in 29 (58%) patients treated with antibiotics alone. All eight (100%) patients in the primary drainage group responded to treatment. Of the 21 treatment failures with primary antibiotics, two underwent surgery and 19 (90.5%) had salvage drainage with either ultrasound or computed tomographic guidance; 18 of 19 salvage drainages led to complete recovery. Subjects in the primary drainage group required shorter hospital stays and showed more rapid resolution of fever. No significant morbidity was noted as a consequence of drainage procedures. A higher failure rate for secondary drainage was noted in older patients, those with larger tubo-ovarian abscesses, and those with a history of pelvic inflammatory disease. Conclusion Drainage of tubo-ovarian abscesses with concomitant intravenous antibiotics is an effective and safe treatment for the primary or secondary treatment of tubo-ovarian abscesses. Copyright © 2006 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Maturation of the human cochlear amplifier: distortion product otoacoustic emission suppression tuning curves recorded at low and high primary tone levels.

The cochlear amplifier shows level-dependent function and works optimally at low levels. For this reason, manipulation of stimulus level is a route through which the human cochlear amplifier can be investigated in a noninvasive manner. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) evoked as a function of stimulus level provide a tool for exploration of human cochlear amplifier function and, when applied to neonates, for investigation of cochlear maturation. The current experiment generated 2f1−f2 DPOAE ipsilateral suppression tuning curves (STCs) at three primary tone levels and five f2 frequencies in a large group of premature and term neonates and adults. The differences between tuning generated with low- and high-level primary tones was measured to provide a gross estimate of the “tuning enhancement effect” attributed to the cochlear amplifier. Other features of the DPOAE suppression tuning curves were measured as well. Consistent with previous reports, at 1500 and 6000 Hz, STCs were narrower, with a steeper slope on the low-frequency flank of the tuning curve in premature neonates versus adults. Additionally, only DPOAE STCs from adults and term neonates became markedly broader and more shallow when recorded with high-level primary tones. It has been hypothesized that the excessive narrowness of suppression tuning and the absence of a level effect on DPOAE STCs recorded in premature neonates reflects a subtle immaturity in cochlear amplifier function just prior to term birth.
Outcome of patients who were admitted to a new short-stay unit to "rule-out" myocardial infarction.

Abstract For emergency room patients with a low probability of acute myocardial infarction, we established a new short-stay coronary observation unit, a 2-bed nonintensive care unit with telemetry monitoring adjacent to the emergency room. Of 512 consecutive admissions to the coronary observation unit, 425 (83%) were discharged home without evidence of acute myocardial infarction or serious complications (mean length of stay, 1.2 days; median length of stay, 1 day); 87 (17%) were transferred to other hospital beds. The rate of acute myocardial infarction was 3%. No deaths and only 1 serious complication occurred in the coronary observation unit. At 6 month follow-up, the cardiac survival rate was 99% for patients sent home directly from this unit. It is concluded that the coronary observation unit is safe and adequate for ruling out acute myocardial infarction in a defined subset of patients. Short-stay units, however, encourage early discharges which, when premature, may miss patients who are at risk of having complications shortly thereafter. Strategies such as mandatory but expeditious predischarge stress testing to encourage early but not premature discharge may augment the efficiency of coronary observation units.
Conflict measurements: analysis of simultaneous inclusion in roles, values, independence, attitudes, and dyadic adjustment

Abstract A survey of 641 public relations practitioners and journalists showed that the perceived conflict of two professions is their strategic choice. The perceived conflict of two professions can be best illuminated by a bi-level of perceptual differences among agreement, congruency and accuracy between and within subjects of public relations practitioners and journalists in their professional orientation. While the two professions demonstrated their perceptual discrepancies in terms of roles, values, independence, dyadic adjustment and attitudes in conflict, both further revealed a tendency to escalate or minimize the conflict to strategically manage the degree of conflict. This study ultimately proposes a salient indicator to gauge a conflict and further suggest a stratagem for the conflict management in public relations.
Nanoscale Application Specific Integrated Circuits

This fabric update summarizes recent advances for the Nanoscale Application Specific Integrated Circuits (NASICs) nanoscale computing fabric. We provide a brief overview of NASICs, and discuss recent work at all fabric levels. We present advances in device design and optimization including omega gated and junctionless nanowire field effect transistors, methodologies for validation of functionality and parameter variation evaluation, new circuit-level sequencing schemes and performance optimization techniques. We also discuss techniques for defect and parameter variation resilience, ongoing fabrication directions including prototyping and scalable assembly efforts, and directions for the future.
A Cost-Efficiency Approach to the Analysis of Congested Spatial-Interaction Behavior

A new approach is proposed for the analysis of spatial-interaction behavior under conditions of congestion. This approach, which is based on a cost-efficiency principle of interaction behavior, is shown to lead to a new class of exponential probability models for realized spatial-interaction patterns. In addition, these exponential trip-pattern models are shown to yield a natural stochastic generalization of the deterministic ‘user-equilibrium’ models currently employed in the analysis of urban traffic flows. In particular, such user-equilibria now constitute the ‘most probable states' in these new models.
ACP Journal Club. Use of Paroxetine During Tamoxifen Therapy for Breast Cancer Was Associated With Increased Breast-Cancer and All-Cause Mortality

Source Citation Kelly CM, Juurlink DN, Gomes T, et al. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and breast cancer mortality in women receiving tamoxifen: a population based cohort study. BMJ. 2010;3...
Cell Cycle Analysis of Retroviral Vector Gene Expression During Early Infection

To examine the pattern of retroviral vector gene expression during early stages of infection, a Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV)-based vector that transcribes the simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen (Tag) gene from the viral long terminal repeat (LTR) was used to infect proliferating rodent fibroblasts. At various times after infection, cells were fixed and stained for Tag by indirect immunofluorescence, and for DNA using propidium iodide. Tag immunofluorescence and DNA content were both quantified by flow cytometry. The results showed that Tag expression was first detected exclusively in the late G1 and early S phases of the cell cycle, approximately 12 h postinfection. The infection was synchronous in that Tag-expressing cells detected at 12 h, in late G1 and early S, moved as a discrete population through S phase, into the G2 + M phases of the cell cycle and then back into G1 during the next 8-10 h. The presence of a synchronous Tag-expressing cell population suggests that, at time of infection, cells in certain phases of the cell cycle were more susceptible to infection than cells in other phases. This may be related to synchronizing events that must occur before viral genes are expressed in infected cells; one such event may be integration of viral DNA into cellular chromosomes (i.e., provirus formation) that requires cells to pass through an M phase.
Broodstock management of Crassostrea gigas: Environmental influences on broodstock conditioning

Abstract Maximum larval survival is realized when broodstock are in an optimum stage of gonadal development and the efficiency of larval culture may be substantially improved by using only optimally conditioned broodstock. The conditioning requirement to bring broodstock into this optimum stage is dependent upon the stage of gonadal development at the commencement of conditioning and upon the rate of conditioning. The stage of gonadal development at the commencement of conditioning may be determined directly or inferred by understanding the annual cycle of gonadal development occurring in the broodstock. The rate of conditioning, on the other hand, is regulated by the conditioning environment. In the present study, we have observed the influence of three components of the conditioning environment: temperature, salinity, and supplemental feeding on the rate of gonadal development during hatchery conditioning of broodstock. The rate of gonadal development is a function of temperature intensity and time rather than accumulated thermal exposure. Salinity exerted a negative influence on the rate of development in oysters conditioned at salinity levels below 30 parts per thousand (ppt). Furthermore, when oysters conditioned at 20 ppt relative to 30 ppt were spawned and the larvae were reared under standardized hatchery conditions, larval survival was markedly reduced in the former. Fecundity of broodstock was 60% greater when fed an algal food supplement of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana relative to starved controls, although the rate of gonadal development and gamete viability was not significantly different. Using these empirically determined functions, a simplistic quatitative model may be employed to predict broodstock conditioning requirements in order to increase the proportion of optimally conditioned brood oysters.
The effects of schedules of training upon the development of a conditioned reinforcer

One hundred twenty children were employed in a free operant situation to determine the effects of training schedules upon the establishment of a conditioned reinforcer. The variables employed were reinforcement schedule, the presence or absence of a light stimulus during training and the presence or absence of a light stimulus during extinction. There was no evidence that pairing of a neutral stimulus with primary reinforcement under a continuous or intermittent schedule facilitated its development as a conditioned reinforcer. The results indicate that the schedule of reinforcement during training is the major determinant of number of responses during extinction.
Reversible Grade 4 Hyperbilirubinemia in a Patient with UGT1A1 7/7 Genotype Treated with Irinotecan and Cetuximab

Abstract Irinotecan-induced gastrointestinal toxicities are common and typically present in the form of diarrhea or nausea and vomiting. However, severe hyperbilirubinemia (grade 3/4) has not been previously reported in association with this chemotherapeutic agent. We report a case of prolonged grade 4 hyperbilirubinemia after a single dose of irinotecan at 125 mg/m 2 . This severe toxicity was attributed to a UGT1A1 7/7 genotype and resolved to grade 2 after 8 weeks of supportive care. This case outlines the possibility of severe hepatic toxicity with moderate doses of irinotecan in patients with a UGT1A1 7/7 genotype. Despite the severity and prolonged duration of the associated irinotecan-induced hepatic toxicity, the management of similar cases should focus on intensive supportive measures because the toxicity is likely to resolve eventually.
The role of written language in the rehabilitation process of brain injury and aphasia: the memory of the movement in the reacquisition of language.

This qualitative case study describes the use of written language over a period of two years, with a young adult who sustained brain injury and as a result has expressive and receptive aphasia. The study demonstrates the ways in which written language can enhance the development of the expression of thoughts. The “memory of the movement” strategy enabled him to initiate ideation and restore his language. One of the powerful aspects of the research was the natural choice of mediating his thoughts through the writing of poetry. The importance of this research is the encouragement of holistic and interdisciplinary approaches to promote the language rehabilitation process of individuals who have aphasia.
SUPERSTRINGS AND QUANTUM GRAVITY

It is suggested that the quantum geometry of asymptotically locally Euclidean spaces underlies the dynamics of superstrings moving on Calabi-Yau manifolds. In particular, it is pointed out that solving the Wheeler-DeWitt equation is akin to using a neural network to color maps on a Riemann surface. In the infrared limit such map colorings are formally equivalent to Calabi-Yau vacua for superstrings.
Ultra-intense laser neutron generation through efficient deuteron acceleration

Experiments at the HERCULES laser facility, originally reported by C. Zulick, et al in Applied Physics Letters (2013), have produced neutron beams with energies up to 16:8(+/- 0:3) MeV using Li-7(3)(d,n)(4)Be-8 reactions. These efficient deuteron reactions required the selective acceleration of deuterons through the introduction of a deuterated plastic or cryogenically frozen D2O layer on the surface of a thin film target. It was shown that a optimized frozen D2O layer, formed in situ, yielded the highest efficiency deuteron acceleration with deuterons constituting over 99% of the accelerated light ions. The deuteron signal was optimized with respect to the delay between the heavy water deposition and laser pulse arrival, as well as the temperature of the target. A total conversion efficiency of laser energy to neutron energy of 1(+/- 0:5) x 10(-5) was obtained. The simulated neutron signal was found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental spectra. The scattering of neutrons through shielding and target materials was investigated with MCNPX and determined to have a small effect on the observed neutron energies.
Dispersion in C6H6 and C6D6

Abstract The dispersion of the velocity of sound for C6H6 and C6D6 has been measured using Brillouin scattering techniques. Theoretical examination shows that the observed dispersions can be accounted for by considering relaxation processes involving the entire vibrational specific heats.
Phenylbutazone blocks the cytokine response following a high-intensity incremental exercise challenge in horses

This study tested the hypothesis that phenylbutazone would block the exercise-induced increase in cytokine markers of inflammation in blood. Blood samples were obtained from unfit Standardbred mares (age 10 ± 4 years, ~500 kg) before and after three different trials (standing control (CON), n = 9; exercise with phenylbutazone (EX-bute), n = 9; and exercise with water, n = 9). Comparisons were made for data collected in three trials, one where each horse underwent an incremental exercise test (graded exercise test (GXT)) where they were administered water as a placebo, a GXT following phenylbutazone administration (2 g given orally 2 h before the GXT) or standing parallel control where they stood quietly in stalls. During the GXT, horses ran on a treadmill (1 m s − 1 increases each min until fatigue, 6% grade). Blood samples were obtained 30 min before exercise, immediately after exercise and at 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 24 h post-GXT or at matched time points during the parallel control trials. Samples were analysed using real-time PCR for measurement of mRNA expression of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 in samples collected during all three trials, and for IL-1 and IL-10 in samples collected for the CON and EX-bute trials. Data were analysed using ANOVA for repeated measures, and where appropriate, post hoc separation of means utilized the Student–Newman–Keuls test. The null hypothesis was rejected when P P >0.05) in IL-1, IL-6, IFN-γ or TNF-α during CON or following phenylbutazone administration. During the water trial, exercise resulted in significant increases in IFN-γ, IL-1 and TNF-α. It was concluded that high-intensity exercise results in a transient increase in the expression of inflammatory cytokines in blood that is blocked when phenylbutazone is administered to horses.
Dizirconium Complexes Supported by Preorganized Binucleating Bis(amidinates)

Several new dizirconium complexes have been prepared using preorganized bis(amidinate) ligands featuring rigid 9,9-dimethylxanthene backbones. Reaction of the bis(amidine) iPrLXanH2 with 2 equiv of Zr(NMe2)4 forms the hexa(amido) derivative iPrLXanZr2(NMe2)6 (1) in good yield. In a similar reaction, the unsymmetrical bis(amidine) tBu,EtLXanH2 reacts with Zr(NMe2)4 to form tBu,EtLXanZr2(NMe2)6 (2) as a 9:1 mixture of C2- and Cs-symmetrical rotational diastereomers. At elevated temperatures the two diastereomers interconvert, and the C2-form is slightly preferred thermodynamically (ca. 0.3 kcal/mol). Metathesis reaction of iPrLXanLi2 with 2 equiv of CpZrCl3 affords the mixed amidinate-cyclopentadienyl anion derivative iPrLXanZr2Cp2Cl4 (3) in good yield. Solutions of 3 are readily converted to the σ-alkyl derivatives iPrLXanZr2Cp2Me4 (4) and iPrLXanZr2Cp2(CH2SiMe3)4 (5) by treatment with dialkylmagnesium and organolithium reagents. At slightly elevated temperatures, solutions of 5 react with H2 to form yello...
1361 EFFECT OF WATER BALANCE ON CLINICAL OUTCOME IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT (LBW) INFANTS

The clinical effects of fluid inputs designed to maintain different degrees of negative water balance during the first 5 days of life were determined prospectively in 68 LBW infants. AGA infants with birth weights of 750-1500 g were matched for birth weight (BW) in 250 g increments, RDS or no RDS, asphyxiated or not, and inborn or outborn. Each infant was randomized to either Group I -- fluids managed to allow 1-2% loss of BW per day to a maximum loss of 8-10%, or Group II -- fluids managed to allow 3-5% loss of BW per day to a maximum loss of 13-15%. The mean 5 day cumulative fluid input in Group II was 230 ml/kg less than in Group I, yet Group II lost only 45 g/kg more than did Group I (8% of BW lost in Group I vs 12.5% of BW lost in Group II, p 0.20) in incidence of clinically significant PDA, intracranial hemorrhage, BPD, NEC, hypernatremia, excesive weight loss (>20% BW), mortality, time on O2 or ventilator, or time to discharge. Group II had a higher incidence of hypoglycemia (serum glu<40mg%) than Group I (12/34 vs 1/34, p<0.001). Hypoglycemia occured only in infants receiving less than 5mg/kg/min glucose for at least 2 days. We conclude that fluid input in LBW infants can be flexible to allow 1-5% loss of BW per day to a maximum loss of 8-15% during the first five days of life, as long as more than 5mg/kg/min of glucose is provided.
Preliminary evidence that acute long-chain omega-3 supplementation reduces cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress: a randomized and placebo controlled trial.

Abstract Objective Exaggerated cardiovascular reactivity predicts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Some evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids improve cardiovascular function. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of an acute low dose of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids on young, healthy individuals. Methods Participants ( n = 34) were randomly assigned to either 21-days of omega-3 fatty acids (1.4 g EPA and DHA) or matched placebo. Cardiovascular measurements were obtained in the laboratory during baseline and during a standard mental arithmetic task, where participants were instructed to engage in serial subtractions by 17s from a four-digit number and cardiovascular reactivity to the task was calculated. Results Mean arterial pressure reactivity was significantly reduced by supplementation ( F (1,32) = 5. 12, p = .03, η 2 = .144) but not by placebo. Conclusion Supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce cardiovascular reactivity to stress.
The Value of a Finance Journal Publication

The empirical analysis examines the salary and publication records of 311 finance professors at public research universities to calculate the worth of a top finance journal article. Within rank, salary regressions provide measures of the direct returns of a journal publication, while probit models consider the indirect returns that result from promotion. Ultimately, the analysis uses a reduced form salary equation to measure both the direct and indirect effects of publishing a journal article. Depending on professorial rank, the present value of the first top finance journal article is between $19,493 and $33,754, with the additional result of large returns to subsequent publications. "WHAT IS A JOURNAL publication worth?" has long been a question of interest to academics in the finance and economics profession. Perhaps it is the desire to value assets, the need to examine personal economic decisions, or simply intellectual curiosity that motivates the many studies that exist. Whatever the reason, economists continue to investigate the marginal contribution to a professor's salary of publishing one more article in a refereed journal. The extant empirical research typically uses multiple linear regression analysis to examine a publication's marginal contribution to salary. Regression results in studies by Bertin and Zivney (1992) and DeLorme, Hill, and Wood (1979) support a positive relation between a professor's salary and the number of publications. In an attempt to capture diminishing marginal returns, Tuckman and Leahey (1975) first estimated a salary regression inodel with dummy variables for different publication ranges (i.e., 1-2 publications, 3-4 publications, 5-10 publications, etc.). They fit an incremental salary curve to the estimated publication range coefficients and then used the nonlinear function to evaluate average and marginal returns. A second important contribution to the literature by Tuckman and Leahey is their observation that a journal publication has both a direct and indirect
Fate of coliphage during wastewater treatment by water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Abstract This study examined the survival of indigenous coliphages (serving as indicators of viral pollution) during operation of a field-scale (1140 m 3 day −1 ) water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes ) treatment system in San Diego, CA. At a hydraulic residence time of 4.4 days, about 20% of the indigenous coliphages could be recovered after flow through the water hyacinth pond. The decay rates of coliphages in stagnant mesocosms with the water hyacinth plant ( k = −0.015 h −1 ) and in wastewater incubated in dialysis bags suspended in the pond ( k = −0.019 h − ) were both greater than the value for coliphage decay in the operational water hyacinth system ( k = −0.014 h −1 ), indicating that filtration/adsorption of coliphage by the root matrix is not a major contributor to coliphage reduction. Coliphage decay in mesocosms without plants was more rapid ( k = −0.024 h −1 ) than in planted mesocosms ( k = −0.015 h −1 ) and covered mesocosms ( k = −0.011 h −1 ). These results suggest the important role of sunlight in coliphage inactivation, and reflect the fact that coliphage decay in the presence of the plant is slower than the natural decay rate in wastewater without plants.
State-of-the-art and open problems in stabilizing platforms for pointing and tracking

Stabilized platforms are required for two needs: (1) isolating vibrating machinery from a precision bus, and (2) quieting and precisely pointing a payload attached to a noisy, coarsely pointed bus. The early technology was based on platforms with simple passive struts, distributed in some geometry between the bus and the payload. Passive isolators have since improved. Also, active struts have augmented and sometimes replaced passive struts. To date, most research in this field has been concentrated on developing struts, so strut technology is becoming relatively mature. However, several struts are needed to support the payload, so the complex interactions between struts is critical, especially when performing pointing and tracking. Pertinent issues include: supporting the payload; making the struts function in unison in as many axes as possible; fault tolerance; control over a large range of bandwidth, stroke and load. Efforts at different sites are continuing relatively independently and, so far, very little attention has been given to developing optimization methods for matching platform design to applications. In this presentation, we will discuss the state-of-the-art platforms developed to deal with specific applications and present an overview of the performance characteristics of these different platforms. Using these models, we formulate various applications, and problems arising from these applications, that are not addressed by the existing technology. These problems deal with the geometry of the platform, control, DOF, and fault tolerance concerns.
Quantitative Assessment of Brainstem Development in Joubert Syndrome and Dandy-Walker Syndrome

Key features of Joubert syndrome include developmental delay, hypotonia, hyperpnea and apnea, oculomotor apraxia, and the presence of the molar tooth sign on axial imaging through the brainstem isthmus--the junction of the pons and mesencephalon. Interestingly, 1 in 10 patients with Joubert syndrome has abnormal cerebrospinal fluid collections misdiagnosed as Dandy-Walker variants. Because of important differences in patient management, genetic counseling, and prognosis between these conditions, we undertook a study to determine if the brainstem isthmus is normal in Dandy-Walker syndrome. Using standard landmarks, we evaluated development of the isthmus in normal subjects and in subjects with Joubert syndrome and Dandy-Walker syndrome. Four of five brainstem measures increased with age in normal subjects. In subjects with Joubert syndrome, the depth and length of the interpeduncular fossa were increased, and the width of the isthmus was decreased. In subjects with Dandy-Walker syndrome, the width of the brainstem isthmus was normal, and the molar tooth sign was absent. Although the pons can be hypoplastic in Dandy-Walker syndrome, we conclude that the pontomesencephalic junction is normal. Thus, the molar tooth sign can effectively distinguish between Joubert and Dandy-Walker syndromes. Genetic heterogeneity or epigenetic factors may account for abnormal cerebrospinal fluid collections in some cases of Joubert syndrome.
α1-antitrypsin deficiency

Summary α1-antitrypsin deficiency is a genetic disorder that affects about one in 2000–5000 individuals. It is clinically characterised by liver disease and early-onset emphysema. Although α1 antitrypsin is mainly produced in the liver, its main function is to protect the lung against proteolytic damage from neutrophil elastase. The most frequent mutation that causes severe α1-antitrypsin deficiency arises in the SERPINA 1 gene and gives rise to the Z allele. This mutation reduces concentrations in serum of α1 antitrypsin by retaining polymerised molecules within hepatocytes: an amount below the serum protective threshold of 11 μmol/L increases risk for emphysema. In addition to the usual treatments for emphysema, infusion of purified α1 antitrypsin from pooled human plasma represents a specific treatment and raises the concentrations in serum and epithelial-lining fluid above the protective threshold. Evidence suggests that this approach is safe, slows the decline of lung function, could reduce infection rates, and might enhance survival. However, uncertainty about the cost-effectiveness of this expensive treatment remains.
Descriptive Statistics for Nonparametric Models. III. Dispersion

Measures of dispersion are defined as functionals satisfying certain equivariance and order conditions. In the main part of the paper attention is restricted to symmetric distributions. Different measures are compared in terms of asymptotic relative efficiency, i.e., the inverse ratio of their standardized variances. The efficiency of a trimmed to the untrimmed standard deviation turns out not to have a positive lower bound even over the family of Tukey models. Positive lower bounds for the efficiency (over the family of all symmetric distributions for which the measures are defined) exist if the trimmed standard deviations are replaced by pth power deviations. However, these latter measures are no longer robust, although for p <2 they are more robust than the standard deviation. The results of the paper suggest that a positive bound to the efficiency may be incompatible with robustness but that trimmed standard deviations and pth power deviations for p = 1 or 1.5 are quite satisfactory in practice.
Late Quaternary herpetofauna of the Central Great Lakes region, U.S.A.: Zoogeographical and paleoecological implications

Abstract Late Quaternary herpetological records from the Central Great Lakes States of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio allow for reflections on reinvasion of herpetological species into previously uninhabitable areas, as well as some comments on paleoclimate. Advances of the Wisconsinan Laurentide ice sheet obliterated herpetological habitat in all of Michigan as well as much of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio; it also restricted herpetological habitat in the southern parts of the three latter states. By about 15-14 ka BP a rich herpetofauna, similar to the one that occurs in the area today, and suggesting a moderate climate, occurred in southwestern Indiana. Turtle faunas in central Indiana (13-12 ka BP) and west-central Ohio (11-10 ka BP) suggest that warm summer climates existed in those areas at the time. On the other hand authentic reptile records are unknown from the Pleistocene of Michigan, and considering the pollen record, that state probably had a much colder climate during postglacial Late Wisconsinan times. A well-developed turtle fauna associated with temperate deciduous forest occurred in southern Michigan about 6 ka BP, and a rich herpetofauna, similar to the one that occurs in the area today, occurred in southwestern Indiana about 4 ka BP. This evidence suggests the possibility that the herpetological reinvasion of the Central Great Lakes region might have been nearly complete by Mid-Holocene times.
A Bittersweet Modification: O-GlcNAc and Cardiac Dysfunction

See related article, pages 1006–1013 Data from the Framingham Study indicate that cardiac dysfunction in diabetic patients may occur without documented cardiovascular disease.1 Given the profound metabolic disturbance underlying diabetes, such dysfunction may not be surprising. Although it would be tempting to ascribe such dysfunction to simple energetic disturbances, a study in the current issue of Circulation Research 2 suggests a specific and rather unusual suspect in cardiac biology. The inability to handle glucose properly is a hallmark of diabetes. Of course, during any dialogue of glucose handling, discussants often focus on glycolysis or glycogen storage. Although up to 99% of intracellular glucose is destined for such fates, a small fraction (1% to 5%) of intracellular glucose is diverted to the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway which culminates in the formation of low millimolar levels of cytoplasmic uridine diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc). Cells use cytoplasmic stores of UDP-GlcNAc for a variety of cell processes, but the present discussion focuses on one particular function: beta O -linkage of GlcNAc ( O -GlcNAc) to intracellular proteins. Unlike Golgi-mediated cotranslational modifications associated with the serial N -linkage of sugars, the O -linkage of GlcNAc occurs posttranslationally and is highly dynamic.3 There are 2 known enzymes regulating the presence of O -GlcNAc on proteins. Using UDP-GlcNAc as …
pH-regulated gene expression in Salmonella: Genetic analysis of aniG and cloning of the earA regulator.

Summary The recently described aniG locus exhibits a series of unique regulatory features. The gene is exogenously coinduced by acid and D-mannose, its expression is maximal under anaerobiosis, and the system is regulated in an unusual manner by cyclic AMP. The external acid regulatory locus, earA, is a repressor protein that mediates the acid and mannose control of aniG. The earA locus was cloned and found to code for a 33 K protein associated with membrane- and soluble fractions. A second locus, earB, was located immediately upstream from earA. The earB locus or its product interferes with the repression of aniG by EarA. Mutations in crp and cya were found to prevent transcription of aniG but only in an earA+ background. Analysis of an earA-cat fusion established that crp does not affect earA expression. While the physiological role of aniG/earA is unclear, this system serves as a model for external pH-regulated gene expression. The present data indicate that it is used to sense the presence of mannose in an acidic extracellular environment. This is particularly intriguing in that the system is not involved in the utilization of mannose as a carbon source.
Energy-Efficient Cooperative Communication Based on Power Control and Selective Single-Relay in Wireless Sensor Networks

Cooperative communication with single relay selection is a simple but effective communication scheme for energy-constrained networks. In this paper, we propose a novel selective single-relay cooperative scheme, combining selective-relay cooperative communication with physical-layer power control. Based on the MAC-layer RTS-CTS signaling, a set of potential relays compute individually the required transmission power to participate in the cooperative communication, and compete within a window of fixed length. The "best" relay is selected in a distributed fashion with minimum signaling overhead. We derive power-control solutions corresponding to two policies on relay selection: one is to minimize the energy consumption per data packet, and the other is to maximize the network lifetime. Our numerical and simulation results confirm that the proposed scheme achieves significant energy savings and prolongs the network lifetime considerably.
Efficiency of simulated annealing for peptides with increasing geometrical restrictions

Simulated annealing (SA) is a popular global minimizer that can conveniently be applied to complex macromolecular systems. Thus, a molecular dynamics or a Monte Carlo simulation starts at high temperature, which is decreased gradually, and the system is expected to reach the low-energy region on the potential energy surface of the molecule. However, in many cases this process is not efficient. Alternatively, the low-energy region can be reached more effectively by minimizing the energy of selected molecular structures generated along the simulation pathway. The efficiency of SA to locate energy-minimized structures within 5 kcal/mol above the global energy minimum is studied as applied to three peptide models with increasing geometrical restrictions: (1) The linear pentapeptide Leu-enkephalin described by the ECEPP potential, (2) a cyclic hexapeptide described by the GROMOS force field energy EGRO alone, and (3) the same cyclic peptide with EGRO combined with a restraining potential based on 31 proton–proton restraints obtained from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. The efficiency of SA is compared to that of the Monte Carlo minimization (MCM) method of Li and Scheraga, and to our local torsional deformations (LTD) method for the conformational search of cyclic molecules. The results for the linear peptide show that SA provides a relatively weak guidance towards the most stable energy region; as expected, this guidance increases for the cyclic peptide and the cyclic peptide with NMR restraints. However, in general, MCM and LTD are significantly more efficient than SA as generators of low-energy minimized structures. This suggests that LTD might provide a better search tool than SA in structure determination of protein regions for which a relatively small number of restraints are provided by NMR. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 20: 1659–1670, 1999
Reducing edge effects and improving position resolution in position sensitive NaI(TI) detectors

Large two-dimensional position-sensitive NaI(Tl) crystals used in positron emission tomographs and elsewhere normally have gaps or inactive, unusable areas at the edges. Experiments aimed at reducing these edge effects were performed. Unencapsulated crystals were used to test the feasibility of optically coupling crystals together to decrease gap size. Other experiments tried to increase the sampling of the scintillation light at the edges in order to obtain better position sensitivity. Work was also performed to treat the edges to reduce unwanted reflections and increase the position sensitive area. Finally, experiments aimed at improving the position resolution throughout the crystal as well as at the edges were performed. >
Unraveling the Wacker oxidation mechanisms.

The mechanisms for the aqueous PdCl2 mediated olefin oxidation reaction (the Wacker process) have been studied with density functional theory, with special emphasis on determining competitive pathways that explain the product distribution's dependence on reaction conditions. Surprisingly, our results indicate that the previously suggested inner-sphere rate-determining step for this process is incompatible with the experimental observations. We describe three key steps, all with barriers between 22.7 and 23.3 kcal/mol. These results, together with literature experimental data, were used to construct a model that explains the observations in the Wacker process. We find that the rate-determining step under low [Cl^-] conditions is not hydroxypalladation as generally believed, but intermolecular isomerization after a lower-energy water-catalyzed internal nucleophilic attack. The pathway under high [Cl^-] leading to anti-addition aldehyde products is only accessible when CuCl_2 is available to selectively stabilize associative chloride exchange. The controversial switch in mechanisms is caused by both this selective stabilization from CuCl_2, and the prerequisite dissociation of Cl^- prior to internal attack. Finally, we suggest that the previously published rate expression for the Wacker process under high [Cl^-] is incomplete and should be replaced with a two-term expression, featuring one term first-order and one term second- (or higher) order in [CuCl_2].
Gap closure in a cold metal halide lamp

The breakdown of a cold metal halide lamp has been investigated using a two-dimensional, plasma transport model. Images are presented of the electron density during the trigger and sustain voltage pulses. Charging of the sidewalls of the lamp are, found to be important during gap closure.
Effect of layer thickness variations in a distributed-Bragg-reflector mirror on the phase of the reflected light.

We present an analytical derivation of the phase change of the reflection coefficient of a distributed-Bragg-reflector mirror when the thickness of a layer in the mirror changes. These phase changes are additive, as has been verified by an exact numerical calculation using transmission matrices. Such a phase change will affect the lasing wavelength of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and the center wavelength of various integrated Bragg devices.
Does prior coronary bypass surgery present a unique risk for reoperative valve surgery

Background Prior coronary surgery has been associated with a higher incidence of adverse outcomes after reoperative cardiac surgery compared with previous valve surgery. It is unclear whether this association is primarily due to greater patient comorbidity or the technical challenges posed by mediastinal reentry and operation in the setting of previous bypass grafts. This study was therefore designed to examine whether previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a significant risk factor for adverse outcomes after reoperative cardiac surgery. Methods From a prospective database of 1,093 consecutive adults who underwent reoperative cardiac surgery between 2000 and 2010, 363 patients undergoing isolated reoperative valve surgery were divided according to whether or not the previous surgery included CABG (group I, n = 133) or not (group II, n = 230). Propensity-adjusted multivariate analysis was performed in order to determine independent predictors of any morbidity or mortality, or decreased survival. Results Patients in group I were more likely to be elderly ( p p = 0.04), low ejection fractions ( p = 0.001), and comorbidities of cerebrovascular disease ( p = 0.04), peripheral vascular disease ( p = 0.003), and diabetes ( p p = 0.4) or in survival ( p = 0.4). Conclusions A history of CABG does not appear to present a unique risk in reoperative valve surgery. The major determinant of adverse outcomes is morbidity, not prior bypass grafts.
Implementing Federal Credit Reform: Challenges Facing Public Sector Financial Managers

This articles discusses the budgetary accounting framework instituted by the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990. It identifies challenges facing credit agency managers who will be responsible for implementing new credit reform budgetary accounting systems, as envisioned by the legislation and the Office of Management and Budget's revised credit apportionment and budget execution instructions.