cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning letter identification in peripheral vision.

Performance for a variety of visual tasks improves with practice. The purpose of this study was to determine the nature of the processes underlying perceptual learning of identifying letters in peripheral vision. To do so, we tracked changes in contrast thresholds for identifying single letters presented at 10° in the inferior visual field, over a period of six consecutive days. The letters (26 lowercase Times-Roman letters, subtending 1.7°) were embedded within static two-dimensional Gaussian luminance noise, with rms contrast ranging from 0% (no noise) to 20%. We also measured the observers’ response consistency using a double-pass method on days 1, 3 and 6, by testing two additional blocks on each of these days at luminance noise of 3% and 20%. These additional blocks were the exact replicates of the corresponding block at the same noise contrast that was tested on the same day. We analyzed our results using both the linear amplifier model (LAM) and the perceptual template model (PTM). Our results showed that following six days of training, the overall reduction (improvement across all noise levels) in contrast threshold for our seven observers averaged 21.6% (range: 17.2–31%). Despite fundamental differences between LAM and PTM, both models show that learning leads to an improvement of the perceptual template (filter) such that the template is more capable of extracting the crucial information from the signal. Results from both the PTM analysis and the double-pass experiment imply that the stimulus-dependent component of the internal noise does not change with learning.
A modular monolayer coating enables cell targeting by luminescent yttria nanoparticles.

Luminescent Eu3+-doped Y2O3 nanoparticles are functionalized for cell targeting using a modular, multisegmented approach based on a phosphonate monolayer platform. The first segment provides hydrolytic stability for the particle−organic interface; the second enables aqueous suspendability; the third is used to bond cell attachment molecules. In vitro imaging experiments showed enhanced cell attachment of activated nanoparticles conjugated with cell attachment peptides compared to control nanoparticles. Peptide-derivatized nanoparticles are not displaced from the cells by their soluble peptide analogue, which suggests strong, polyvalent cell−particle interactions.
Proposing Magnetic Nanoparticle Hyperthermia in Low-Field MRI

This work examines feasibility, practical advantages, and disadvantages of a combined MRI/magnetic particle hyperthermia (MPH) system for cancerous tumor treatment in low perfusion tissue. Although combined MRI/hyperthermia systems have been proposed and constructed, the current proposal differs because the hyperthermia system would be specifically designed to interact with the magnetic nanoparticles injected at the tumor site. The proposal exploits the physical similarities between the magnetic nanoparticles currently employed for MPH and those used as superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) contrast agents in MR imaging. The proposal involves the addition of a rotating magnetic field RF hyper- thermia source perpendicular to the MRI B0 field which operates in a similar manner to the MRI RF excitation fi eld,B1, but at significantly higher frequency and field strength such that the magnetic nanoparticles are forced to rotate in its presence. This rotation is the source of increases in temperature which are of therapeutic benefit in cancer therapy. For rotating magnetic fields with amplitudes much smaller than B0, the nanoparticles' suspension mag- netization rapidly saturates with increasing B0. Therefore, the proposal is best suited to low-field MRI systems when magnetic saturation is incomplete. In addition, careful design of the RF hyperthermia source is required to ensure no physical or RF interference with the B1 field used for MRI excitation. Notwithstanding these caveats, the authors have shown that localized steady-state temperature rises in small spherical tumors of up to 108 Ca re con- ceivable with careful selection of the nanoparticle radius and concentration, RF hyperther- mia field amplitude and frequency. 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 36A: 36-47, 2010.
Immunologic resolution of human chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Abstract To determine the role of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) in the pathogenesis of human chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and its clinical resolution, we evaluated long-term recipients of pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Seventy-one recipients were evaluated, 30 of whom had a history of chronic GVHD, including 16 with active chronic GVHD and 14 with resolved chronic GVHD. There were no significant clinical differences and no differences in the frequency of Tregs (CD4+, CD127−, CD25+) between the recipients with active chronic GVHD and those with resolved chronic GVHD. Using the Miyara/Sakaguchi classification scheme to identify functional Tregs, a decreased frequency of functional resting Tregs (rTregs) was identified in recipients with active chronic GVHD (P = .009 compared with normal donors; P = .001 compared with HSCT recipients without history of chronic GVHD; P = .005 compared with recipients with resolved chronic GVHD). The frequency and number of recent thymic emigrants in rTregs were normal in recipients with resolved chronic GVHD, but persistently decreased in recipients with active chronic GVHD. These results support the hypothesis that the reestablishment of normal numbers of functional rTregs is required for the clinical resolution of chronic GVHD.
Do part–whole relations produce facilitation in the picture–word interference task?

Three experiments used the picture–word interference task to evaluate competing models of lexical access in spoken word production. Both the presence of a part–whole relation and association betwee...
Cornelius of Pakistan: Catholic chief justice of a Muslim state

Abstract This essay is a study of the philosophy of state craft of Pakistan's most eminent Chief Justice — A.R. Cornelius, whose tenure on the Supreme Court was from 1951 to 1968. The analysis is based on a remarkable friendship between Cornelius and the author which started in 1960 when the author was an advisor to the Government of Pakistan. It continued with a series of letters from Cornelius through 1970. These sources are augmented by analysis of hundreds of court decisions, speeches and articles by Cornelius. Cornelius developed a profound admiration for Islam which deepened towards the end of his life. He died in 1991 at the age of 88. As a self‐described ‘Neo‐Thomist’ he synthesized Christian and Islamic values through the medium of natural law. This synthesis is a case study in the compatibility of Islam and Christianity developed not on theological grounds but within the context of jurisprudence. It negates the contention that Islam and the West are necessarily at odds and that their interaction...
An Analysis of the Meaning of the Question Mark Response Category in Attitude Scales.

Although most scaling formats include an intermediate or neutral response category, little research has been devoted to the analysis of the meaning respondents attach to this category. Results obtained from ten different scales, across two types of item formats (Likert and Polar Choice) support the traditional method of scoring the"?" answer. Although the meaning respondents imply when selecting the "?" is not more ambiguous than the meaning implied in the selection of the other response categories, there does exist evidence for the presence of a variety of uses of the "?" including response styles, ambivalence and indifference. Various suggestions are made for further research and alternate methods of approach to the meaning of the question mark response category.
Scaling of Shielded Sliding Discharges for Environmental Applications

Shielded sliding discharges are nanosecond streamer discharges which develop along a dielectric between metal foil electrodes, with one of the foils extended over the entire rear of the dielectric layer. The electrode configuration not only allowed rearranging discharges in parallel due to the decoupling effect of the metal layer, but also to modify the electric field distribution in such a way that components normal to the surface are enhanced, leading to an increased energy density in the discharge plasma. By varying the electrode gap, the applied voltage, and the repetition rate, it is shown that by keeping the average electric field constant, the discharge voltage can be reduced from tens of kV to values on the order of a few kV, but only at the expense of a reduced energy density of the plasma. Varying the repetition rate from 20 to 500 Hz resulted in a slightly reduced energy per pulse, likely caused by residual charges on the dielectric surface. Measurements of the NO conversion to NO2 and ozone synthesis in dry air showed that the conversion is only dependent on the energy density of the discharge plasma. Although reducing the pulse voltage from the tens of kV range to that of few kV, and possibly even lower, causes a reduction in energy density, this loss can be compensated for by increasing the electrode gap area. This and the possibility to form discharge arrays allows generating large volume discharge reactors for environmental applications, at modest pulsed voltages.
PROTOPLASMIC POTENTIALS IN HALICYSTIS : IV. VACUOLAR PERFUSION WITH ARTIFICIAL SAP AND SEA WATER.

Perfusion of the vacuole of living cells of Halicystis is described, the method employing two longitudinally fused capillaries as entrance and exit tubes. Natural sap, artificial sap, and sea water have been successfully perfused, with various additions and deficiencies, within the limits of physiological balance. In H. ovalis the P.D. remains positive and scarcely reduced in value when normal sea water, at pH 8.1, is perfused in the vacuole. In H. Osterhoutii the P.D. reverses in sign when the perfused solution has a higher pH than 6.5. In both cases a large P.D. persists when the solutions are the same on both sides of the protoplasm. In the absence of external gradients, there must be some internal gradient or asymmetry of the protoplasm itself to account for the P.D. Since appreciable currents are produced, there must be some metabolic activity as a source of energy. The higher normal P.D. in H. ovalis is not due to the higher KCl content of its sap (as earlier suggested by the author) since it persists nearly unchanged when sea water is substituted for sap.
The Gulf of Aqaba: Ecological Micropaleontology

Micropaleontological studies in the main are concerned with only one fossil group, and more often than not, micropaleontologists are specialists in the extreme. Only rarely does a group of micropaleontologists get together to bring their combined efforts to bear on a particularly interesting or intractable problem. In this volume the authors have summarized and integrated in one place the very considerable work done, more or less independently, by some 60 scientists from 10 institutions over a period of 12 years on various aspects of ecology, microbiology, and micropaleontology of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea. The book is well organized and profusely (and aptly) illustrated. The short introductory chapter (A) gives the background for the 12-year effort, a list of participants and their institutional affiliations, and a note on organization entitled “Purpose of the Book.” A second short chapter (B) entitled “Synopsis” might also have been called an extended abstract.
λRNA Internal Standards Quantify Sensitivity and Amplification Efficiency of Mammalian Gene Expression Profiling

There is an increasing interest in being able to document simultaneous levels of multiple mRNAs from limited amounts of mammalian tissue. The combination of amplified antisense RNA (aRNA) and reverse Northern blot analysis is one technology that allows the measurement of relative levels of multiple mRNAs. However, potential problems exist with this approach, such as (i) unknown amplification efficiencies and sensitivity of detection, (ii) an inherent 3′ bias of amplified products and (iii) crosshybridization of homologous mRNAs with the gene targets. Each of these potential problems was addressed experimentally by the use of poly(A) RNA internal standards synthesized from lambda phage (λ) DNA. The results showed detection levels of as few as 10 copies of the poly(A) RNA internal standards. The internal standards aid in the optimization of reaction conditions and also reduce dependence on traditional “housekeeping” genes whose mRNA levels might or might not change. The overall results of these experiments ...
Unusual Thresholds and Isotope Effects in Al + + H2/D2/HD Reactions

Ab initio quantum chemistry is used to generate a three-dimensional reactive potential-energy surface for the collision of 1S Al+ ions with ∑g H2 molecules. This surface, in a tessellated and locally interpolated form, is used to generate forces for classical trajectory simulations of the 3.98 eV endothermic Al+ + H2 f AlH+ + H reactions with initial conditions appropriate to a thermal H2 sample and an Al+ beam of specified center of mass collision kinetic energies in the 3-20 eV range. Our findings indicate that the reaction occurs not on (or near) the collinear path, which has no barrier above the reaction endothermicity, but via a near-C2V insertive path which spontaneously breaks C2V symmetry via second-order Jahn-Teller distortion to permit flux to evolve to AlH+ + H products. The strong propensity to “avoid” the collinear path and to follow a higherenergy route is caused, at long range, by the ion-quadrupole interaction between Al+ and H2 and, at shorter range, by favorable overlap between the H2 σu and Al+ 3p obitals. Examination of a large number of trajectories shows clearly that reactive collisions (1) lose much of their initial kinetic energy to the repulsive ionmolecule interfragment potential as the closed-shell Al+ and H2 approach, (2) transfer significant energy to the H-H stretching coordinate, thus weakening the H-H bond, (3) convert initial H2 rotational motion as well as Al+ to H2 collisional angular momentum into rotational angular momentum of the HAlH+ complex, “locking” the H2 moiety into the insertive near-C2V geometry about which twisting motion occurs, and (4) allow the Al+ ion to form a new bond with whichever H atom is nearest it when the system crosses into regions of the energy surface where the H-Al-H asymmetric stretch mode becomes second-order JahnTeller unstable, thus allowing fragmentation into AlH+ + H. These findings, combined with considerations of kinematic factors that distinguish among H2, D2, and HD, allow us to explain certain unusual threshold and isotope effects seen in the experimental reaction cross-section data on these reactions.
Mueller matrix roots algorithm and computational considerations.

Recently, an order-independent Mueller matrix decomposition was proposed in an effort to elucidate the nine depolarization degrees of freedom [Handbook of Optics, Vol. 1 of Mueller Matrices (2009)]. This paper addresses the critical computational issues involved in applying this Mueller matrix roots decomposition, along with a review of the principal matrix root and common methods for its calculation. The calculation of the pth matrix root is optimized around p = 105 for a 53 digit binary double precision calculation. A matrix roots algorithm is provided which incorporates these computational results. It is applied to a statistically significant number of randomly generated physical Mueller matrices in order to gain insight on the typical ranges of the depolarizing Matrix roots parameters. Computational techniques are proposed which allow singular Mueller matrices and Mueller matrices with a half-wave of retardance to be evaluated with the matrix roots decomposition.
Cloning, sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli of a cytochrome P450 gene from Cunninghamella elegans.

Abstract A polyclonal antibody against microsomes of a fungus, Cunninghamella elegans, was used to screen a C. elegans cDNA library. A cDNA clone, containing an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 389 amino acids (aa), was obtained. GenBank comparison (BLAST) showed that the protein was closely related to P450 because a heme-binding region, which is highly conserved in all P450 sequences, was found in the ORF protein. Using an oligo probe designed from this C. elegans heme-binding region to rescreen the cDNA library, we obtained three new clones. Sequence comparison showed that the three clones, with different length cDNA inserts, were from the same mRNA of the C. elegans P450 gene. One clone had the full C. elegans P450 gene, encoding 473 aa with a molecular mass of 54 958.60, whereas the 389 was a part of the 473 aa without the N-terminal. The entire C. elegans P450 gene was successfully subcloned and overexpressed in a plasmid–Escherichia coli system (pQE30). Immunostaining with three antibodies (CYP1A1, CYP2E1, and CYP3A1) against mammalian P450 enzymes and benzidine staining for hemoproteins showed positive results for the recombinant protein expressed in E. coli. A phylogenetic tree was constructed by comparison of other fungal P450s to the C. elegans sequence. The C. elegans P450 clustered close to the cyp51 family and was named cyp509A1 by the International Committee on the Nomenclature for Cytochrome P450 Enzymes.
An iron-regulated outer-membrane protein specific to Bordetella bronchiseptica and homologous to ferric siderophore receptors

The bfrA (Bordetella bronchiseptica ferric iron repressed outer-membrane protein) gene was cloned from Bordetella bronchiseptica by screening a library of TnphoA insertion mutants for iron-repressed fusions to phoA. The bfrA gene encoded an 80 kDa outer-membrane protein with a high level of amino acid sequence identity to several bacterial proteins belonging to the family of Ton B-dependent outer-membrane receptors. BfrA was especially homologous to Cir of Escherichia coli, IrgA of Vibrio cholerae and to three previously characterized ferric enterobactin receptors. DNA hybridization results indicated that bfrA was not present in other Bordetella species. Expression of the bfrA gene was induced by low iron availability from a promoter overlapped by a sequence resembling a consensus Fur-binding sequence, and bfrA expression was derepressed in a B. bronchiseptica fur mutant. Utilization of the Bordetella siderophore alcaligin and the exogenous siderophore enterobactin was unaffected in bfrA mutants. Upon attempting to find the specificity of BfrA, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine (DHBS) was shown to be utilized in a bfeA (Bordetella ferric enterobactin receptor gene)-dependent manner by B. bronchiseptica and B. pertussis. In addition, the hydroxamate siderophores ferrichrome and desferrioxamine B, and the iron source haemin were shown to be utilized independently of bfeA and bfrA in B. bronchiseptica and B. pertussis.
Guaranteed Transient Performance with L1 Adaptive Controller for Systems with Unknown Time-varying Parameters and Bounded Disturbances: Part I

This paper presents a novel adaptive control methodology for uncertain systems with time-varying unknown parameters and time-varying bounded disturbances. The adaptive controller ensures uniformly bounded transient and asymptotic tracking for system's both signals, input and output, simultaneously. The performance bounds can be systematically improved by increasing the adaptation rate. Simulations of a robotic arm with time-varying friction verify the theoretical findings.
Robust passive and active efflux of cellular cholesterol to a designer functional mimic of high density lipoprotein

The ability of HDL to support macrophage cholesterol efflux is an integral part of its atheroprotective action. Augmenting this ability, especially when HDL cholesterol efflux capacity from macrophages is poor, represents a promising therapeutic strategy. One approach to enhancing macrophage cholesterol efflux is infusing blood with HDL mimics. Previously, we reported the synthesis of a functional mimic of HDL (fmHDL) that consists of a gold nanoparticle template, a phospholipid bilayer, and apo A-I. In this work, we characterize the ability of fmHDL to support the well-established pathways of cellular cholesterol efflux from model cell lines and primary macrophages. fmHDL received cell cholesterol by unmediated (aqueous) and ABCG1- and scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI)-mediated diffusion. Furthermore, the fmHDL holoparticle accepted cholesterol and phospholipid by the ABCA1 pathway. These results demonstrate that fmHDL supports all the cholesterol efflux pathways available to native HDL and thus, represents a promising infusible therapeutic for enhancing macrophage cholesterol efflux. fmHDL accepts cholesterol from cells by all known pathways of cholesterol efflux: unmediated, ABCG1- and SR-BI-mediated diffusion, and through ABCA1.
Partial DNA sequencing of Douglas-fir cDNAs used for RFLP mapping

DNA sequences from 87 Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) cDNA RFLP probes were determined. Sequences were submitted to the GenBank dbEST database and searched for similarity against nucleotide and protein databases using the BLASTn and BLASTx programs. Twenty-one sequences (24%) were assigned putative functions; 18 of which were from plant species. Six sequences aligned with conifer genes, including genes from Douglas-fir. Similarities among the 87 sequences were revealed by analyses with FASTA, suggesting either redundancy or isoforms of the same gene. Assignment of putative functions to anonymous cDNA mapped markers will increase the understanding of structural gene organization of the Douglas-fir genome.
Use of Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis, Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Typing, and Automated Ribotyping To Assess Genomic Variability among Strains of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae

We compared 75 nontypeable (NT) Haemophilus influenzae isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR, and automated ribotyping. PFGE was the most discriminatory of the techniques. ERIC-PCR provides a useful screen but should not replace other techniques as the sole method to group NT H. influenzae strains.
ANOMALOUS DIMENSIONS IN TURBULENCE

A time-independent field theoretical framework for turbulence is suggested, based upon a variational principle for a stationary solution of the Fokker—Planck equation. We obtain a functional equation for the effective Action of this spatial field theory and investigate its general properties and some numerical solutions. The equation is completely universal, and allows for the scale invariant solutions in the inertial range. The critical indices are not fixed at the kinematical level, but rather should be found from certain eigenvalue conditions, as in the field theory of critical phenomena. Unlike the Wyld field theory, there are no divergences in our Feynman integrals, due to some magic cancellations. The simplest possible Gaussian approximation yields crude but still reasonable results (there are deviations from Kolmogorov scaling in 3 dimensions, but at 2.7544 dimensions it would be exact). Our approach allows us to study some new problems, such as spontaneous parity breaking in 3d turbulence. It turns out that with the appropriate helicity term added to the velocity correlation function, logarithmic infrared divergences arise in our field theory which effectively eliminates these terms. In order to build a quantitative theory of turbulence, one should consider more sophisticated Ansatz for the effective Action, which would require serious numerical work.
Reproduction, larviculture and early development of the Bluebanded goby, Lythrypnus dalli, an emerging model organism for studies in evolutionary developmental biology and sexual plasticity

The Bluebanded goby, Lythrypnus dalli, is a popular ornamental aquarium species and a key organism for the study of several fundamental biological questions, most notably reversible sex change in adults. To maximize the tractability of this species as an emerging model system, it is essential to have an optimized propagation system and a detailed developmental staging scheme. One limitation to the larviculture of L. dalli is the relatively small size of the larvae, which makes the transition from yolk to feeding challenging. We developed a protocol and successfully reared three generations of L. dalli in the laboratory. The protocol contains several key innovations for the rearing of diminutive fish larvae, including tank design and co-culturing of microalgae (Isochrysis galbana) with copepods (Parvocalanus sp.) in the larval rearing tanks. In addition, we describe the embryonic and larval development of L. dalli under controlled conditions and in comparison with the model organism Danio rerio. We found that at 21°C L. dalli larvae hatch in 4 days, reach flexion in 18–25 days and are sexually mature by 3 months. Overall, the embryonic development of L. dalli is remarkably similar to D. rerio with several striking differences, including the position and shape of the blastomere, size of the neuromasts and corresponding cupula, and relative timing of pigmentation and brain subdivision. The ability to rear this species in captivity is a valuable tool that could be utilized for a variety of similarly diminutive species and to address a greater breadth and depth of biological questions.
Neural cell type-specific responses to glycomimetic functionalized collagen

Despite their noted functional role, glycans have had limited therapeutic use due to difficulties in synthesis and quick degradation in vivo. The recent discovery of glycomimetics has provided new opportunities for their application. In this study, we have functionalized type I collagen with peptide mimics of two glycans: (1) polysialic acid (PSA) and (2) an epitope first discovered on human natural killer cells (HNK-1). These glycans and their glycomimetic counterparts have been shown to be important regulators of repair following injury through their unique and phenotypically specific effects on neural behavior. We show that these molecules retain their bioactivity following functionalization to the collagen backbone. Grafted HNK-1 encouraged motor neuron outgrowth, while grafted PSA encouraged sensory and motor neuron outgrowth and enhanced Schwann cell proliferation and process extension. These data support the potential of glycomimetic-functionalized collagen as a biomaterial strategy to increase the efficiency of synaptic reconnection following nervous system injury.
Time domain unsteady incompressible cascade airfoil theory for helicopter rotors in hover

A detailed derivation of a finite-time arbitrary-motion incompressible cascade theory is presented for both Laplace and frequency domains. The generalized cascade lift deficiency function is shown to be consistent with the generalized Theodorsen's lift deficiency function when the wake spacing approaches infinity or when the reduced frequency tends to infinity; it also yields a correct value for the zero reduced frequency limit. Efficient numerical procedures are presented for the evaluation of the cascade lift deficiency function. Numerical examples comparing the cascade lift deficiency function with Loewy's (1957) rotary-wing lift deficiency function in frequency domain are presented. Pade approximants of the cascade lift deficiency function are constructed using a Bode plot approach that allows for complex poles. A general-purpose optimization program is used to determine the coefficients of the approximant.
Opioid Withdrawal Presenting as Stridor

Following the prolonged administration of opioids for sedation in the PICU, tolerance and physical dependency may occur. In patients who have become tolerant, physical signs of withdrawal may occur...
Tungsten as a CMOS compatible catalyst for the Metal-assisted Chemical Etching of silicon to create 2D and 3D nanostructures

This paper demonstrates the use of tungsten as a viable, low cost catalyst for Metal-assisted Chemical Etching (MaCE) of silicon to create high aspect ratio nanostructures in silicon. The effect of etchant composition and etching time is reported along with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) images confirming that tungsten acted as a catalyst for MaCE.
Weighted ℓ 1 minimization for sparse recovery with prior information

In this paper we study the compressed sensing problem of recovering a sparse signal from a system of underdetermined linear equations when we have prior information about the probability of each entry of the unknown signal being nonzero. In particular, we focus on a model where the entries of the unknown vector fall into two sets, each with a different probability of being nonzero. We propose a weighted l 1 minimization recovery algorithm and analyze its performance using a Grassman angle approach. We compute explicitly the relationship between the system parameters (the weights, the number of measurements, the size of the two sets, the probabilities of being non-zero) so that an iid random Gaussian measurement matrix along with weighted l 1 minimization recovers almost all such sparse signals with overwhelming probability as the problem dimension increases. This allows us to compute the optimal weights. We also provide simulations to demonstrate the advantages of the method over conventional l 1 optimization.
Application-driven design automation for microprocessor design

The authors present an overview of the application-driven design automation system (ADAS) for microprocessor design. ADAS accepts a specification of the instruction set architecture as input, and produces both layout specified in Caltech Intermediate Form, and a reorder table for the language compiler as output. The system spans language design, compiler design, instruction set design, microarchitecture, and VLSI implementation. Another goal of the project is to determine the feasibility of applying formal methodology to design automation and the usefulness of formal syntax and semantics in defining the meaning of specifications. The system implementation on a real industrial example, the TDY-43 processor, is discussed. >
Multiplicative infinite loop space theory

In [22], Thomason and I gave a synthesis which combined the different existing infinite loop space theories into a single coherent whole. In particular, we proved that, up to equivalence, there is only one sensible way to pass from space level input data to spectrum level output. In [21], I elaborated the additive theory by showing how to incorporate into it a theory of pairings. This explained how to pass from space level pairing data to pairings of spectra. The input data there was as general as would be likely to find use, and the output, while deduced using one particular infinite loop space machine, automatically applied to all machines by virtue of the uniqueness theorem. We shall here obtain a comparably complete multiplicative infinite loop space theory, The idea is to start with input data consisting of ring spaces up to all possible htgher coherence homotopies and to obtain output consisting of ring spectra with enriched internal structure. Applications of such internal structure abound, both in infinite loop space theory and its applications to geometric topology [5,14, IS] and in stable homotopy theory [3,16]. We shall explain the notion of a ‘category of ring operators’ I in Section 1 and the notion of a F-space in Section 2. We shall see that this notion includes as special cases both the (V, Y)-spaces that were the input of the E, ring theory in [14] and the SLY&paces that provide the simplest input for a Segal style development of multiplicative infinite loop space theory. On a technical note, we shall define 8_spaces with a cofibration condition, but we shall see in Appendix C that the cofibration condition results in little loss of generality. We shall also see that if f and .X are categories of ring operators which are equivalent in a suitable sense, then the categories of T-spaces and of .X-spaces are equivalent. All of this is precisely parallel to the additive theory in (221. The main applications start with categories with products @ and @ which satisfy the axioms for a commutative ring up to coherent natural isomorphism. Making as many diagrams as possible commute strictly, one arrives at the notion of a bipermutative category. We shall show in Section 3 that bipermutative categories functorially
Searching for stimulus-driven shifts of attention

Several types of dynamic cues (e.g., abrupt onsets, motion) draw attention in visual search tasks even when they are irrelevant. Although these stimuli appear to capture attention in a stimulus-driven fashion, typical visual search tasks might induce an intentional strategy to focus on dynamic events. Because observers can only begin their search when the search display suddenly appears, they might orient to any dynamic display change (Folk, Remington, & Johnston, 1992; Gibson & Kelsey, 1998). If so, the appearance of capture might result from task-induced biases rather than from the properties of the stimulus. In fact, such biases can even create the appearance of stimulus-driven capture by stimuli that typically do not capture attention (Gibson & Kelsey, 1998). The possibility of task-induced, top-down biases plagues the interpretation of all previous studies claiming stimulus-driven attention capture by dynamic stimuli. In two experiments, we attempt to eliminate potential task-induced biases by removing any need to monitor for display changes. In the first experiment, search displays did not change on most trials. In the second experiment, although new search displays appeared on each trial, we ensured that observers never saw the changes, by making them during large saccades. In both cases, dynamic events still received search priority, suggesting that some dynamic stimuli capture attention in a stimulus-driven fashion.
Conversion and Matched Filter Approximations for Serial Minimum-Shift Keyed Modulation

Serial minimum-shift keyed (MSK) modulation, a technique for generating and detecting MSK using series filtering, is ideally suited for high data rate applications provided the required conversion and matched filters can be closely approximated. Lowpass implementations of these filters as parallel inphase- and quadrature-mixer structures are characterized in this paper in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) degradation from ideal and envelope deviation. Several hardware implementation techniques utilizing microwave devices or lumped elements are presented. Optimization of parameter values results in realizations whose SNR degradation is less than 0.5 dB at error probabilities of 10-6.
A 105-GHz, supply-scaled distributed amplifier in 90-nm SiGe BiCMOS

Distributed amplifiers (DAs) feature large bandwidth but relatively low gain and power efficiency. We present a supply-scaling technique to enhance the efficiency of a broadband DA. The presented eight-stage amplifier has a gain of 12 dB over a 3 dB bandwidth from 14-105 GHz and achieves peak output power of 17 dBm at 12.6% power-added efficiency (PAE) at 50 GHz. The DA is designed in a 90-nm SiGe BiCMOS process and occupies an area of 2.65 mm × 0.57 mm. Total dc power consumed is 297 mW.
Differential signaling imposed by BRMS1 as a potential mechanism for differential growth of breast cancer cells

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 483 Metastatic cells grow at ectopic sites; whereas, normal cells are spatially growth restricted. The breast cancer metastasis suppressor-1, BRMS1, allows orthotopic tumor growth but prevents growth at ectopic sites. This observation suggests microenvironment-dependent signaling in BRMS1-expressing cells. For this study, MDA-MB-231/435 (231/435) breast carcinoma cells (lacking endogenous BRMS1) and their BRMS1 transfectants (231BRMS1/435BRMS1) were exposed to epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and downstream activation of AKT(pSer473), p42/p44 MAPK was measured by immunoblotting, and calcium mobilization was measured by ratiometric analysis. 231BRMS1/435BRMS1 cells showed decreased EGF-receptor (EGFR) expression (mRNA and protein) and reduced signaling through PI3K-AKT, but not MAPK. Receptor phosphorylation studies showed that EGFR was equally functional in the vector-control and BRMS1-expressors suggesting receptor downregulation to be a cause of decreased signaling. Calcium signaling through EGFR was reduced concomitant with decreased EGFR expression. Further, downstream activation of both AKT and MAPK through PDGFR was reduced in the BRMS1-expressors, although receptor levels were unchanged. In contrast, no reduction in AKT or MAPK signaling was detected upon HGF treatment and surprisingly, c-Met was slightly elevated in BRMS1-expressing cells. Globally, AKT phosphorylation was decreased in response to selected growth factors, suggesting compensatory signaling through HGFR. BRMS1-expressors also showed reduced PI3K-AKT signaling in response to insulin or phorbol ester. Taken together, these data demonstrate that BRMS1 regulates AKT and MAPK differentially depending upon the stimulus. Such differential signaling responses imposed by BRMS1 may ultimately determine which microenvironments become permissive/restrictive for cellular survival and growth, perhaps explaining why BRMS1-expressing cells grow at orthotopic, but not ectopic sites. Support: CA87728, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship PDF1122006, National Foundation for Cancer Research.
Who’s calling for weight loss? A systematic review of mobile phone weight loss programs for adolescents

Context: Adolescent overweight and obesity are ongoing public health concerns, and innovative weight loss interventions are needed to reach this age group. Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to assess and synthesize the literature on adolescent weight loss programs that utilize cell phones as an intervention component to reduce weight, as measured by body mass index or body mass index z-score. Data Sources: A systematic review of the literature, consistent with PRISMA guidelines, was undertaken using 11 databases. Study Selection: Studies of weight loss interventions published in peer-reviewed journals in English during the last 10 years were eligible for inclusion if they examined an adolescent population, used validated measures for pre- and post-test weight, identified weight loss as a primary or secondary outcome, and specified use of cell phones to deliver a component of the program. Data Synthesis: While within-group weight loss results were noted, no significant between-group differences were found across the majority of studies reviewed. Cell phone components were embedded within larger weight loss programs, making it difficult to determine their true effect. Conclusions: Cell phone use is ubiquitous and, as such, may offer an interesting addition or alternative to current weight loss programs, particularly for adolescents who are considered digital natives. Future research in this area should be systematic in design so that the true effect of the individual components (i.e., cell phones) can be detected.
MEMS Graphene Strain Sensor

Graphene is a two dimensional honeycomb structure of sp hybridized carbon atoms that has possibilities in many applications due to its excellent mechanical and electrical properties. One application for Graphene is in the field of sensors. Graphene’s electronic properties do not degrade when it undergoes mechanical strain which is advantageous for strain sensors. In this thesis, certain properties, such as the piezo-resistivity and flexibility, of graphene will be explored to show how they can be utilized to make a strain sensing device. Our original fabrication process of patterning graphene and the transfer process of graphene onto a flexible substrate will be discussed. The development of a stretchable and flexible graphene based rosette strain sensor will also be detailed. Developing a novel, reliable patterning process for the graphene is the first step to manufacture a stretchable graphene based sensor. The graphene was patterned using a photolithography and etching process that was developed by our research team, then it was transferred to a flexible polymer substrate with the use of a combination of soft lithography and wet etching of the Ni foil with ferric chloride solution. Graphene patterning is an essential step in fabricating reliable and sensitive sensors. With this process, graphene can be consistently patterned into different shapes and sizes. To utilize the graphene as the sensing material it also needs to be transferred onto a flexible substrate. The innovative transfer process developed by our research team consistently adheres graphene to a flexible PDMS substrate while removing the original nickel substrate. In the end, the graphene was transferred from the metal substrate to the desired flexible substrate. This process was repeated multiple times to create a stack and multilayer device.
Analyzing the Mixed Flood Hydroclimatology of the Red River Basin, Kentucky

ABSTRACT Flooding in the US has been responsible for billions of dollars in damages as well as hundreds of deaths. The danger of flooding is magnified on rivers that have no controls of any kind to regulate discharge during flooding events. This study uses a detailed hydroclimatic analysis to categorize floods of the Red River at Clay City, Powell County, Kentucky using homogenous subgroups based on the atmospheric mechanism responsible for each flood. The subgroups are then plotted on histograms. The results show that the majority of floods in Clay City occur between January and March due to frontal boundary systems. The shape of the distribution suggests that the subgroups created are mostly homogenous with the individual climate mechanisms directly linked to the amount of discharge.
Evaluation of infection risk and antibiotic exposure in traumatic brain injury patients treated with therapeutic normothermia

The purpose of this study is to assess the rate of confirmed infections, antibiotic exposure, and monitoring practices with normothermia protocol utilization for traumatic brain injury patients. Treatment and prevention of fever is a focus of therapy for patients with severe neurological injury as fever has been identified as an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality [1].
Direct Bi-directional Angle-insensitive Flow-intensity Detection In Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography

A new DOCT technique that performs direct bi-directional angle-insensitive flow-intensity detection is presented. Angle-insensitive direct flow-intensity detection is achieved by stationary target rejection using self-referenced coherent demodulation. Directional information is obtained with standard I&Q technique.
The effects of retail concentration on retail dairy product prices in the United States

This study provides an empirical investigation of the relationship between grocery retail concentration and retail dairy product prices in the United States. The analysis was performed based on a unique data set on store-level retail prices provided by the Information Resources Inc. Further, alternative measures of retail concentration were considered, which included revenue and store selling space-based Herfindahl-Hirschman Index that were computed based on a Nielsen TDLinx data set on store characteristics. Results from a reduced-form empirical framework estimated via panel data techniques indicated that grocery retail concentration had a positive statistically significant effect on retail dairy product prices in the analyzed locations during the analyzed period of time. Specifically, a 10% increase in concentration was found to lead to a 0.46% rise in retail dairy product prices. This central result was robust to the way in which retail concentration was measured and was consistent with broader empirical evidence in the literature on retail market power.
The Morphology and Systematics of the Piesmatidae (Hemiptera), with Keys to World Genera and American Species

The Piesmatidae seem most nearly related to Lygaeidae of the tribe Cymini. External morphology, and the anatomy of the male and female reproductive organs, are described and figured. In Piesma 7 American species are treated here, 3 species and 3 varieties being reduced to new synonymy; and an alphabetical list is given of the 24 species known from the Old World. Miespa Drake, with 1 Chilean species, and Mcateella Drake, with 4 species in Australia, are the other genera of the family. A brief account is also given of the role played by two Piesma species in transmitting virus diseases of plants, P. cinereum being a biological carrier of savoy disease of sugar beets in North America, and P. quadratum a vector of leaf-crinkle in Central Europe.
Control Charts for Joint Monitoring of Mean and Variance: An Overview

AbstractIn the control chart literature, a number of one-and two-chart schemes has been developed to simultaneously monitor the mean and variance parameters of normally distributed processes. These “joint” monitoring schemes are useful for situations in which special causes can result in a change in both the mean and the variance, and they allow practitioners to avoid the inflated false alarm rate which results from simply using two independent control charts (one each for mean and variance) without adjusting for multiple testing. We present an overview of this literature covering some of the one-and two-chart schemes, including those that are appropriate in parameters known (standards known) and unknown (standards unknown) situations. We also discuss some of the joint monitoring schemes for multivariate processes, autocorrelated data, and individual observations. In addition, noting that normality is often an elusive assumption, we discuss some available nonparametric schemes for jointly monitoring locat...
Opto-Mechanical Interaction in Flexible Photonic Crystals

Interaction between optical and mechanical degrees of freedom in photonic crystal nanobeam cavities, and their application in programmable filter, will be discussed. Progress towards control of Casimir force using repulsive optical forces will be presented.
Disaster Preparedness in Rural Families of Children With Special Health Care Needs.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe disaster preparedness strategies and behaviors among rural families who have children with special health care needs and to examine the effect of self-efficacy and response-efficacy on disaster preparedness. METHODS: Data for this study were drawn from the baseline surveys of 287 rural families with children with special health care needs who were part of a randomized controlled trial examining the impact of an intervention on disaster preparedness. Distributions of child, parent, and family characteristics were examined by preparedness. Linear regression models were built to examine the impact of self-efficacy and response-efficacy on level of disaster preparedness. RESULTS: Disaster preparedness (overall, emergency plan, discussion/practice, and supplies) was low (40.9-69.7%) among study families. Disaster preparedness was found to increase with each unit increase in the level of self-efficacy and family resilience sources across all 4 categories of preparedness. CONCLUSIONS: Disaster preparedness among rural families with children with special health care needs is low, which is concerning because these children may have increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes compared to the general population. RESULTS suggest that increasing the levels of self-efficacy and family resilience sources may increase disaster preparedness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;0:1-8). Language: en
Failure Analysis of Circuit Part in Crystal Oscillator

In this article,the circuit structure of a crystal oscillator is introduced at first,and then the failure phenomenon and its analysis flow of the circuit part in the crystal oscillator is presented to determine the actual failure mechanism.