cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Field theory of nematicity in the spontaneous quantum anomalous Hall effect

We derive from a microscopic model the effective theory of nematic order in a system with a spontaneous quantum anomalous Hall effect in two dimensions. Starting with a model of two-component fermions (a spinor field) with a quadratic band crossing and short-range four-fermion marginally relevant interactions we use $1/N$ expansion and bosonization methods to derive the effective field theory for the hydrodynamic modes associated with the conserved currents and with the local fluctuations of the nematic order parameter. We focus on the vicinity of the quantum phase transition from the isotropic Mott Chern insulating phase to a phase in which time-reversal symmetry breaking coexists with nematic order, the nematic Chern insulator. The topological sector of the effective field theory is a background field (BF)/Chern-Simons gauge theory. We show that the nematic order parameter field couples with the Maxwell-type terms of the gauge fields as the space components of a locally fluctuating metric tensor. The nematic field has $z=2$ dynamic scaling exponent. The low-energy dynamics of the nematic order parameter is found to be governed by a Berry phase term. By means of a detailed analysis of the coupling of the spinor field of the fermions to the changes of their local frames originating from long-wavelength lattice deformations, we calculate the Hall viscosity of this system and show that in this system it is not the same as the Berry phase term in the effective action of the nematic field, but both are related to the concept of torque Hall viscosity, which we introduce here.
Solid-phase parallel synthesis of substituted dihydroimidazolyl dihydrobenzimidazol-2-ones

Abstract The solid-phase synthesis of substituted (4,5-dihydro-1 H -imidazole-2-yl)-1,3-dihydro-2 H -benzimidazol-2-ones is described. Following the amide reduction of a resin-bound (MBHA resin) amino acid, the primary amine was selectively acylated with 4-fluoro-3-nitrobenzoic acid. Treatment with POCl 3 , displacement of the fluoro group, and reduction of the nitro group generated an o -dianiline. Cyclization with 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole resulted in a benzimidazolone analogue, which was subsequently N -alkylated with an alkyl halide. The compounds were cleaved from the solid-support using anhydrous HF and characterized by LC–MS and 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy.
Hispanic American Opinions toward Immigration and Immigration Policy Reform Proposals

This study presents evidence from a survey and choice experiment on the preferences of Hispanic immigrants who entered the United States illegally for different immigration reform proposal attributes. Key components of the current competing US Senate and House immigration reform bills are considered including pathways to legal permanent residence, temporary work visas, family visitation rights, and access to medical care. The results quantify the value Hispanic immigrants place on different policy attributes and suggest that longer-term work visas are highly valued. Ability to legally work in the United States and a pathway to citizenship are substantially more valued than social services such as medical care and social security benefits.
Mean Field Based Coarse-Grained Simulations of Ternary Mixtures

Traditional methods of bilayer simulation at an atomistic level fail to capture length and time scales of biological interest. For example, the formation of lipid rafts in ternary mixtures is not observable with Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. To address this fundamental problem we have developed a coarse-grained model to simulate lipid bilayers based on self-consistent mean-field theory (SCMFT) that uses MD trajectories to extract simulation parameters, and a library of chain states that is used for statistical mechanical calculations. We have applied this model to two ternary mixtures: DOPC, SM and Cholesterol and POPC, SM and cholesterol. The thermodynamic behavior of these two systems is of interest because they are known from experiment to exhibit coexisting regions of lipid order and disorder, related to lipid rafts, at certain temperatures and concentrations. In this poster we describe predictions of the SCMFT model for both ternary mixtures, over a range of mixture concentrations, and over microsecond time scales. The existence of the single double bond in POPC influences packing among neighboring lipids differently from two double bonds of DOPC, and this has an effect on the system-wide level of lateral organization. The two systems are compared with experiments conducted with these mixtures.
Detecting Driver Distraction Using Smartphones

Cell phone usage while driving is a major distraction. Due to the number of accidents that are related to cell phone use while driving, laws have been introduced making the use of a cell phone while driving illegal in several jurisdictions. In this paper, we address a fundamental problem of distinguishing the driver from passengers using ubiquitous camera feature of cell phones to determine the position of the camera (hence, cell phone) in a vehicle. Compared with the state of-the-art solutions, a key property of our solution is non-intrusiveness, i.e., Enabling driver phone detection without relying on any particular situations, events, and dedicated hardware devices. Our system only utilizes the camera functionality of a smart phone. Images captured from a camera are compared with reference images by applying image registration methods, making a comparison. Through extensive experimental results and analysis, we demonstrate that our methodology can provide accurate localization of a smart phone, thus effectively distinguishing driver from passengers.
Hereditary angioneurotic edema: report of case

The clinical manifestations of hereditary angioneurotic edema in one patient and the implications of the condition in dental practice are presented. This case report deals with a rare hereditary form of angioneurotic edema. A discussion of the history, clinical manifestations, and implications in dental practice is included.
Tensile behavior of a new single-crystal nickel-based superalloy (CMSX-4) at room and elevated temperatures

Tensile behavior of a new single-crystal nickel-based superalloy with rhenium (CMSX-4) was studied at both room and elevated temperatures. The investigation also examined the influence of γ′ precipitates (size and distribution) on the tensile behavior of the material. Tensile specimens were prepared from single-crystal CMSX-4 in [001] orientation. The test specimens had the [001] growth direction parallel to the loading axis in tension. These specimens were given three different heat treatments to produce three different γ′ precipitate sizes and distributions. Tensile testing was carried out at both room and elevated temperatures. The results of the present investigation indicate that yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of this material initially increases with temperature, reaches a peak at around 800 °C, and then starts rapidly decreasing with rise in temperature. Both yield and tensile strength increased with increase in average γ′ precipitate size. Yield strength and temperature correlated very well by an Arrhenius type of relationship. Rate-controlling process for yielding at very high temperature (T ≥ 800 °C) was found to be the dislocation climb for all three differently heat-treated materials. Thermally activated hardening occurs below 800 °C whereas above 800 °C thermally activated softening occurs in this material.
Normal ferroelectric to ferroelectric relaxor conversion in fluorinated polymers and the relaxor dynamics

To elucidate the molecular origin of the polarization dynamics in the ferroelectric relaxor poly(vinylidene fluoride—trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE-CFE)) terpolymer, a broadband dielectric study was carried out in the frequency range from 0.01 Hz to 10 MHz and temperatures from −150?C to 120?C for the terpolymer and a normal ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer. The relaxation processes were also studied using dynamic mechanical analysis. It was shown that in the terpolymer, which was completely converted to a ferroelectric relaxor, there is no sign of the relaxation process associated with the ferroelectric-paraelectric transition which occurs in the P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer. In the copolymer, three additional relaxation processes have been observed. It was found that the relaxation process β a, which was commonly believed to be associated with the glass transition in the amorphous phase, in fact, contains significant contribution from chain segment motions such as domain boundary motions in the crystalline region. In the temperature range studied, the terpolymer exhibits the latter three relaxation processes with the one (termed β r) near the temperature range of β a significantly enhanced. This is consistent with the observation that in conversion from the normal ferroelectric to a ferroelectric relaxor, the macro-polar domains are replaced by nano-polar-clusters and the boundary motions as well as the reorientation of these nano-clusters generate the high dielectric response. The experimental data also reveal a broad relaxation time distribution related for the β r process whose distribution width increases with reduced temperature, reflecting the molecular level heterogeneity in the crystalline phase due to the random introduction of the CFE monomer in the otherwise ordered macro-polar domains. The random interaction among the nano-clusters as well as the presence of the random fields produces ferroelectric relaxor behavior in the terpolymer.
A West Nile virus CD4 T cell epitope improves the immunogenicity of dengue virus serotype 2 vaccines

Flaviviruses, such as dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile virus (WNV), are among the most prevalent human disease-causing arboviruses world-wide. As they continue to expand their geographic range, multivalent flavivirus vaccines may become an important public health tool. Here we describe the immune kinetics of WNV DNA vaccination and the identification of a CD4 epitope that increases heterologous flavivirus vaccine immunogenicity. Lethal WNV challenge two days post-vaccination resulted in 90% protection with complete protection by four days, and was temporally associated with a rapid influx of activated CD4 T cells. CD4 T cells from WNV vaccinated mice could be stimulated from epitopic regions in the envelope protein transmembrane domain. Incorporation of this WNV epitope into DENV-2 DNA and virus-like particle vaccines significantly increased neutralizing antibody titers. Incorporating such potent epitopes into multivalent flavivirus vaccines could improve their immunogenicity and may help alleviate concerns of imbalanced immunity in multivalent vaccine approaches.
Effect of Lead and Lead–Bismuth Eutectic Melts on the Fatigue Life of Steels of the Martensitic and Austenitic Classes

We study the effect of lead and lead–bismuth eutectic melts on the fatigue properties of martensitic Fe–13Cr and austenitic Fe–18Cr–10Ni steels within the temperature range 200–450°С. It is shown that the liquid-metal medium contributes to a significant decrease in the fatigue life of steels and the action of eutectic melt is more negative. The fatigue properties of austenitic Fe–18Cr–10Ni steel undergo weaker changes under the influence of lead and lead–bismuth eutectic melts.
Blood Supply of the Human Interventricular Septum

The blood supply of the interventricular septum has been studied in 43 normal human hearts, from patients dying of noncardiac causes. The specimens were prepared by injection of vinylite into the coronary arteries. Description is made of the normal vascular anatomy of this area, and its clinical importance is discussed.
Hyperosmolar Therapy for Raised Intracranial Pressure

A 49-year-old woman with traumatic brain injury after an automobile accident is found to have raised intracranial pressure, and hyperosmolar therapy is recommended. Hyperosmolar therapy with either hypertonic saline or mannitol reduces intracranial pressure by reducing brain volume.
Hypothesis: bacterial clamp loader ATPase activation through DNA-dependent repositioning of the catalytic base and of a trans-acting catalytic threonine

The prokaryotic DNA polymerase III clamp loader complex loads the beta clamp onto DNA to link the replication complex to DNA during processive synthesis and unloads it again once synthesis is complete. This minimal complex consists of one delta, one delta' and three gamma subunits, all of which possess an AAA+ module--though only the gamma subunit exhibits ATPase activity. Here clues to underlying clamp loader mechanisms are obtained through Bayesian inference of various categories of selective constraints imposed on the gamma and delta' subunits. It is proposed that a conserved histidine is ionized via electron transfer involving structurally adjacent residues within the sensor 1 region of gamma's AAA+ module. The resultant positive charge on this histidine inhibits ATPase activity by drawing the negatively charged catalytic base away from the active site. It is also proposed that this arrangement is disrupted upon interaction of DNA with basic residues in gamma implicated previously in DNA binding, regarding which a lysine that is near the sensor 1 region and that is highly conserved both in bacterial and in eukaryotic clamp loader ATPases appears to play a critical role. gamma ATPases also appear to utilize a trans-acting threonine that is donated by helix 6 of an adjacent gamma or delta' subunit and that assists in the activation of a water molecule for nucleophilic attack on the gamma phosphorous atom of ATP. As eukaryotic and archaeal clamp loaders lack most of these key residues, it appears that eubacteria utilize a fundamentally different mechanism for clamp loader activation than do these other organisms.
RNAi screening for fat regulatory genes with SRS microscopy

Identification of genes regulating fat accumulation is important for basic and medical research; genetic screening for those genes in Caenorhabditis elegans, a widely used model organism, requires in vivo quantification of lipids. We demonstrated RNA interference screening based on quantitative imaging of lipids with label-free stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, which overcomes major limitations of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy. Our screening yielded eight new genetic regulators of fat storage.
Human-in-the-Loop: Terminal constraint receding horizon control with human inputs

This paper presents a control theoretic formulation and optimal control solution for integrating human control inputs subject to linear state constraints. The formulation utilizes a receding horizon optimal controller to update the control effort given the most recent state and human control input information. The novel solution to the corresponding finite horizon optimal control problem with terminal constraint is derived using Hilbert space methods. The control laws are applied to two planar human-driven mass-cart pendula, where the task is to synchronize the pendula's oscillations.
Emerging memory devices

Each memory device presented has its unique range of advantages and challenges. DRAM and FLASH have radically different characteristics; hence, they are used for different applications. Accordingly, the search for memory devices beyond CMOS comes with an important caveat: different memory for different applications. FENA's research path will continue to focus on improving our presented memory devices, and integrating with logic elements, while exploring other emerging memory devices based on nanomaterials, nanostructures, and the next generation of low-cost assembly techniques
Delineating ‘pervasiveness’ in pervasive information systems: a taxonomical framework and design implications

Pervasive Information Systems (IS) exemplify a paradigm where Information Technology is embedded in the physical environment, capable of accommodating user needs and wants when desired. Pervasive IS differ from IS that are based on the desktop paradigm in that they encompass a complex, dynamic environment composed of multiple artifacts, capable of perceiving contextual information and supporting user mobility. Building on the novel properties of pervasive IS, we propose a taxonomical framework assessing the level of ‘pervasiveness’ in a given information system. The framework consists of three interweaving dimensions, namely ubiquity (encompassing mobility and heterogeneity), diffusion (encompassing invisibility and interactivity) and contextual awareness. The framework may be employed either to prospectively inform the design of pervasive IS (by pointing towards pertinent design considerations) or to retrospectively assess the pervasiveness of a system and identify improvement opportunities. We demonstrate both uses, firstly by discussing design priorities for ex ante IS evaluation and secondly by showcasing ex post assessments of a domestic and a corporate pervasive IS.
Self-assembly in a polymer matrix and its impact on phase separation.

Molecular self-assembly often occurs in the presence of long chain polymers, and we develop a theory to describe the competition between self-assembly and phase separation that generally occurs in these complex fluid mixtures. The theory includes a description of the particularly interesting situation where the associating “monomeric” species form high molecular mass polymeric structures and where the assembly process transforms the phase boundary from a form typical of a polymer solution to one that more resembles a polymer blend. We consider both self-assembly upon cooling and upon heating, but the van der Waals interactions are chosen so that phase separation occurs only upon cooling in the absence of association. Systems that associate upon heating prove to be particularly rich, and closed loop and ordinary (upper solution critical) phase boundaries are found to coexist over a wide range of interaction parameter values. Each critical temperature in the limit of a large polymerization index for the mat...
Impact of Head Injury on Families: An Introduction for Family Counselors:

Coping with the impact of a family member's head injury isone of the most difficult tasks that can confront afamily. Inthis article, an overview of head injury etiology and sequelae is presented, a...
Optical coherence tomography in interventional radiology

Learning Objectives Understand the theory and mechanisms of optical coherence tomography (OCT) 2. Explain the benefits of OCT compared with other imaging modalities 3. Describe how OCT is performed, emphasizing intravascular techniques Background OCT, a type of optical tomography (OT), has emerging applications in interventional radiology. In OT, light transmitted through objects is measured for volumetric imaging models. In OCT, near-infrared light is used, allowing deeper tissue penetration. OCT has been referred to as “optical ultrasound,” whereby reflections of light from within tissues are imaged, yielding cross-sectional data. OCT images subsurface tissue morphology at near-microscopic resolution higher than US or MRI. OCT is live and uses no ionizing radiation. Tissue depth is limited to 3 mm due to light scatter. Previously, OCT was used to image the retina and characterize atherosclerotic plaque in vivo. In peripheral vascular disease, OCT may be used to assess stent placement/failure and intimal disease and plaque. Nonvascular applications include oncologic imaging, for example of breast tumors via needle-based OCT devices. Clinical Findings/Procedure Details Intravascular OCT may be performed through standard 6 or 7 Fr guiding catheters. Catheters may be constructed from 3.0 or 3.2 Fr short monorail IVUS catheters, modified by inserting single mode optical fibers via the IVUS flexible shaft, terminating distally with a miniature gradient index lens and prism. OCT catheters are advanced over 0.014” guidewires to target lesions. Saline (8—10 cc), hand injected via the guiding catheter, temporarily displaces blood while images are acquired (4 or 8 fps). Video monitors display real-time OCT images during digital image archiving for later quantitation using image analysis software. The procedure and the technique will be presented as a pictorial review. Conclusion and/or Teaching Points OCT provides live volumetric imaging at near-microscopic resolution without employing ionizing radiation by collecting information about near-infrared light reflected from tissue surfaces. In the future, OCT may be employed as a catheter- or needle-based technique to assess peripheral vascular disease or tumor biology in the interventional suite.
Lung function and somatic growth in patients with hemoglobin SC sickle cell disease.

Objective To investigate the changes in lung function and somatic growth that occur over time in children with hemoglobin SC (Hb-SC) sickle cell disease (SCD). Methods Measurements of lung function and somatic growth were performed in patients with Hb-SC twice with an interval of 50.2 ± 26.0 months. Comparisons were made with a group of patients with hemoglobin SS (Hb-SS) SCD, matched by age, race, and gender who underwent similar testing and served as controls. Results Indices of lung function in patients with Hb-SC were and remained within the normal range in the two testing periods and they were significantly higher than those measured among patients with Hb-SS. However, there was significant and similar decline (as percentage from baseline) over time in both groups (forced vital capacity, FVC: −3.7 ± 9.4 vs. −3.8 ± 14.2; forced expiratory volume in the first second, FEV1: −7.4 ± 9.3 vs. −6.8 ± 15.2; forced expiratory flow at 25–75% of FVC, FEF25–75: −13.7 ± 20.6 vs. −12.1 ± 24.7 for Hb-SC and Hb-SS respectively). The body mass index (BMI, percentile) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher among patients with Hb-SC (49 ± 36 vs. 26 ± 18) and increased over time in both groups (50 ± 33 vs. 32 ± 31). Conclusion Lung function is generally normal among children with Hb-SC, but it declines over time in a fashion similar to that observed among patients with Hb-SS SCD. The decline is slow and it is not associated with changes in somatic growth. Our findings suggest that patients with Hb-SC should probably have the same close follow-up as patients with Hb-SS. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:175–178. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Upper limb anomalies and renal disease.

Two brothers with upper limb and renal anomalies have been identified. Their upper limb abnormalities were characterized by absence and hypoplasia of various bones; their renal anomalies included crossed-fused ectopia and vesico-ureteral reflux. Both suffered from chronic kidney failurc secondary to reflux nephropathy. An autosomal or scx-linked mode of inheritance seems likely.
Impedance Studies of Diffusion Phenomena and Ionic and Electronic Conductivity of Cerium Oxide

In this study, the electrical conductivity of undoped cerium oxide is evaluated using impedance spectroscopy. We have observed a new phenomenon, which is not related to electrode response but probably to diffusion processes in the grain boundary. An equivalent circuit has been constructed based on the observation, and the electronic bulk, ionic grain, and ionic grain boundary conductivities are calculated. Evaluation of fitting results to the proposed equivalent circuit suggests that diffusion-related phenomena are caused by blocking effects in the grain boundaries due to impurity segregation. Investigation of the grain boundary composition by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy shows that it contains detectable amounts of impurities in comparison to the grain, which supports the suitability of the proposed equivalent circuit.
Coalitions, carrots, and sticks: Economic inequality and authoritarian states

As the other articles in this symposium demonstrate, a country's level of economic inequality is a function of a complex set of historical, geographic, economic, and political factors. Given this complexity, it is unsurprising that a country's regime type by itself does not tell us much about its level of economic inequality. The predictions of the linear tax model aside (Meltzer and Richard 1981), democracies and non-democracies do not differ greatly in terms of their level and variation in inequality. Research focusing on democracies has helped identify some the sources of this variation, but inequality in authoritarian states remains relatively understudied. The growing body of work on authoritarian politics, however, provides a foundation for research in this area.
The chemopreventive agent development research program in the Division of Cancer Prevention of the US National Cancer Institute: An overview

Chemoprevention is an innovative area of cancer research that focuses on the development of pharmacological, biological, and nutritional interventions to prevent, reverse, or delay carcinogenesis. Over the past two decades the Division of Cancer Prevention of the US National Cancer Institute has organized a research and development program to provide resources and infrastructure to the research community for the clinical evaluation of potential cancer preventive agents. This program now encompasses preclinical agent and molecular target identification, in vitro and in vivo screening, efficacy and intermediate endpoint testing, pharmacology and toxicology assessments, and finally chemical synthesis and manufacturing leading to Investigational New Drug applications and clinical studies. In this review, examples of agents currently in development, preclinical testing models, and phase 1 and 2 clinical studies are described. Continued commitment to cancer prevention will significantly reduce the economic and medical burden of cancer.
The fiscal theory of the price level and initial government debt

Abstract It is widely believed that the Fiscal Theory of the Price Level (FTPL) does not work in an environment in which initial government debt is zero. This paper demonstrates that this view is incorrect when the government issues a set of financial assets restricted to standard nominal debt contracts and money. In particular, it is possible to define a non-Ricardian fiscal policy for which the set of equilibrium price sequences under non-Ricardian fiscal policy is a proper subset of the set of equilibrium price sequences under Ricardian fiscal policy.
Nocturnal intermittent hypoxia as an associated risk factor for microalbuminuria in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective We estimated the prevalence of nocturnal intermittent hypoxia, a surrogate marker of obstructive sleep apnoea, among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and examined the association between nocturnal intermittent hypoxia and microvascular diseases. Design and methods We recruited 513 Japanese patients (292 men and 221 women) with T2DM. Nocturnal intermittent hypoxia was diagnosed using the 3% oxygen desaturation index, with less than five events per hour corresponding to normal and five events or more per hour corresponding to nocturnal intermittent hypoxia. Results The prevalence of nocturnal intermittent hypoxia was 45.4% among T2DM patients. The nocturnal intermittent hypoxia group was older and had a higher BMI, greater weight change since the age of 20 years, higher smoking rate and increased prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria (model 1: odds ratio (OR), 3.41; 95% CI, 1.85-6.40; model 2: OR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.85-7.59 and model 3: OR, 3.12; 95% CI, 1.45-6.95) and nephropathy (model 1: OR, 4.51; 95% CI, 1.58-15.1; model 2: OR, 7.31; 95% CI, 2.11-31.6 and model 3: OR, 5.23; 95% CI, 1.45-23.8) were derived as factors from all the three statistical models and constantly associated with nocturnal intermittent hypoxia only in women. Conclusions Nocturnal intermittent hypoxia was highly prevalent among T2DM patients and may be an independent associated risk factor for microalbuminuria in Japanese women with T2DM.
The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines on Venous Thromboembolic Disease: Strategies for Improving VTE Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Cancer Patients

The risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is high in hospitalized cancer patients, and is associated with an elevated risk for recurrent thrombosis, bleeding complications, and use of health care resources. Thromboembolism is the second leading cause of death in hospitalized cancer patients. Thromboprophylaxis with unfractionated heparin or low-molecular-weight heparins has been clinically proven to reduce the risk for VTE and improve outcomes. However, VTE prophylaxis continues to be underprescribed in cancer patients. Recognizing the clinical burden of VTE in cancer patients, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recently released guidelines for VTE prevention and management. These NCCN guidelines recommend evidence-based prophylactic anticoagulant therapy for all patients admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of cancer who do not have contraindications to anticoagulant use. However, there continue to be barriers to the implementation of clinical practice guidelines and appropriate use of VTE prophylaxis. Multifaceted active educational and electronic interventions are necessary to raise awareness and reduce the burden of cancer-associated thrombosis and its attendant consequences.
The Importance of Lattice Defects in Katanin-Mediated Microtubule Severing in Vitro

The microtubule-severing enzyme katanin uses ATP hydrolysis to disrupt noncovalent bonds between tubulin dimers within the microtubule lattice. Although its microtubule severing activity is likely important for fundamental processes including mitosis and axonal outgrowth, its mechanism of action is poorly understood. To better understand this activity, an in vitro assay was developed to enable the real-time observation of katanin-mediated severing of individual, mechanically unconstrained microtubules. To interpret the experimental observations, a number of theoretical models were developed and compared quantitatively to the experimental data via Monte Carlo simulation. Models that assumed that katanin acts on a uniform microtubule lattice were incompatible with the in vitro data, whereas a model that assumed that katanin acts preferentially on spatially infrequent microtubule lattice defects was found to correctly predict the experimentally observed breaking rates, number and spatial frequency of severing events, final levels of severing, and sensitivity to katanin concentration over the range 6-300 nM. As a result of our analysis, we propose that defects in the microtubule lattice, which are known to exist but previously not known to have any biological function, serve as sites for katanin activity.
Preliminary report on a low‐power, high‐frequency, radio telephone‐ and telegraph‐transmitter

The report describes a practical low-power radio telegraph-and telephone-transmitter suitable for reliable communication at geophysical frequencies over distances up to 50 miles when used with a simple radiator in the field and working with a sensitive receiver such as the ones now commercially available. The transmitter is one of a series being designed for portable use in the field by the Harvard University Institute of Geographical Exploration. It was developed in cooperation with the Harvard Seismograph Station, under the auspices of the Harvard Committee for Geophysical Research, for use in the Station's program of seismic surveying.
A performance model and code overlay generator for scratchpad enhanced embedded processors

Software managed scratchpad memories (SPMs) provide improved performance and power in embedded processors by reducing required hardware resources. Performance depends strongly on the scheme used to map code and data onto the SPM, but generating optimal mappings can be extremely difficult. Here we address instruction mapping on SPMs and present a performance model and algorithm, “Code Overlay Generator” (COG), for producing high performance dynamic SPM code mappings. Our heuristic does not require profiling information, and is suitable for generating mapping solutions for large programs which are otherwise infeasible using previously proposed Integer Linear Programming (ILP) techniques. We compare our algorithm with a published heuristic and the code overlay mapping algorithm provided with the Cell Broadband Engine (CBE) Synergistic Processing Unit (SPU) compiler from IBM, spu-gcc. We find an average performance advantage of 34% compared to the previous algorithm, and 87% with respect to spu-gcc. We additionally show that our performance model enables improved tools for offline evaluation of code overlay performance and mapping selection.
Counting pedestrians and bicycles in traffic scenes

Object detection and classification have received increased attention recently from computer vision and image processing researchers. Image processing views this problem at a much lower level as compared to machine learning and linear algebraic analysis which focus on the overall statistics of object classes given sufficient data. A good algorithm uses both these approaches to its advantage. It is important to define and choose the features of an image suitably, so that the classification algorithm can perform at its best in distinguishing object classes. In this paper we investigate the performance of different types of texture-based features when used with a support vector machine. Their performance was evaluated on standardized image datasets and compared. The objective of this study was to come up with a suitable algorithm to distinguish bicycles from pedestrians in locations such as bicycle paths and trails in order to estimate their traffic. The models developed during this study were applied in practice to traffic videos and the results are summarized here. For better application in practice other cues derived from motion were utilized to improve the performance of the classification and hence the accuracy of the counts.
Two simple resistant regression estimators

Two simple resistant regression estimators with O"P(n^-^1^/^2) convergence rate are presented. Ellipsoidal trimming can be used to trim the cases corresponding to predictor variables x with large Mahalanobis distances, and the forward response plot of the residuals versus the fitted values can be used to detect outliers. The first estimator uses 10 forward response plots corresponding to 10 different trimming proportions, and the final estimator corresponds to the ''best'' forward response plot. The second estimator is similar to the elemental resampling algorithm, but sets of O(n) cases are used instead of randomly selected elemental sets. These two estimators should be regarded as new tools for outlier detection rather than as replacements for existing methods. Outliers should always be examined to see if they follow a pattern, are recording errors, or if they could be explained adequately by an alternative model. Using scatterplot matrices of fitted values and residuals from several resistant estimators is a very useful method for comparing the different estimators and for checking the assumptions of the regression model.
Improvements in Cognitive Performance for Schoolchildren in Zaire, Africa, Following an Iron Supplement and Treatment for Intestinal Parasites

Tested 47 first-year primary school children at a mission school in rural Zaire for cognitive ability with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) adopted to the language of Kituba. Within a day of this test, each child was evaluated for blood hemoglobin (Hgb) level and the presence of intestinal parasites. Half of the children received an iron supplement (20 mg Fe) for 30 days and those children positive for the intestinal parasites of ankylostome or ascaris were randomly selected to receive either a vermifuge treatment or placebo. All of the children were again evaluated medically and cognitively 4 weeks after the initiation of treatment. Using discriminant analysis, performance on the Mental Processing Composite of the K-ABC 1 month after treatment in combination with increases in blood Hgb resulted in the successful classification of 74% in terms whether a child had received both iron supplement and vermifuge treatment (p = .007). With respect to our home evaluation for each child, factors related to the nutritional and economic well-being of the home environment proved a reliable marker for Simultaneous Processing ability. However, the present findings also suggest that over the short-term, changes in blood Hgb that accompany both vermifuge and iron supplement treatment together can improve certain aspects of cognitive ability, perhaps by means of heightened attentional capacity.
Surgical uprighting of second molars.

The second molar tooth is usually the last functional tooth to erupt and can become impacted under the distal contour of the first molar. Leaving the second molar in that position can damage the first molar and cause malpositioning of teeth in the opposing arch. Conventional orthodontic uprighting is lengthy and not always predictable, whereas surgical intervention can expedite the completion of care.
Does major illness cause financial catastrophe

Millions of Americans lack health insurance, including 4.2 million people over 55.2 If illness strikes, many of these individuals may have to tap into accumulated assets that they intended for another purpose, such as retirement. However, there is little hard evidence on just how many are affected and how much they lose. A well-cited study by Himmelstein et al. (2005) suggests that half of all bankruptcies can be described as “medical bankruptcies,” and it claims that private health insurance does not protect against financial ruin. Many researchers, including an author of this paper, suggested that the research methods in Himmelstein and colleagues were problematic and fundamental questions about the financial impact of illness remain unanswered (Dranove and Millenson 2006). This study carefully documents how illness affects the financial well-being of the uninsured near-elderly (age 51–64). This age group is likely to have significant assets and fewer opportunities to rebuild if they lose those assets due to illness. A drop in assets for this age group could result in delayed retirement or a lower standard of living following retirement. We use panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine what happens to the financial assets of near elderly, uninsured Americans who experience one of six major illnesses including cancer and stroke. We focus on new illnesses, so that we can observe the change in assets immediately following the onset of illness. We compare this group of newly ill/uninsured households with a set of households matched for health status, baseline wealth, and other demographic and health characteristics. We use difference-in–difference (DD) and triple difference (3D) regressions with covariates that control broadly for other determinants of changes in asset accumulation. While matched households with insurance coverage experience no significant loss in assets, uninsured near-elderly Americans who experience a new major illness lose between one-third and one-half of their accumulated assets.
ASPECTS OF SHARK SWIMMING PERFORMANCE DETERMINED USING A LARGE WATER TUNNEL

A large, sea-going water tunnel was used in various studies of shark swimming performance. The critical swimming velocity (Ucrit, an index of aerobically sustainable swimming speed) of a 70 cm long lemon shark ( Negaprion brevirostris Poey) was determined to be 1.1 Ls−1, where L is body length. The Ucrit of the leopard shark ( Triakis semifasciata Girard) was found to vary inversely with body size; from about 1.6Ls−1in 30–50cm sharks to 0.6LS−1 in 120cm sharks. Large Triakis adopt ram gill ventilation at swimming speeds between 27 and 60cms−1, which is similar to the speed at which this transition occurs in teleosts. Analyses of tail-beat frequency (TBF) in relation to velocity and body size show that smaller Triakis have a higher TBF and can swim at higher relative speeds. TBF, however, approaches a maximal value at speeds approaching Ucrit, suggesting that red muscle contraction velocity may limit sustained swimming speed. The TBF of both Triakis and Negaprion rises at a faster rate with swimming velocity than does that of the more thunniform mako shark ( Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque). This is consistent with the expectation that, at comparable relative speeds, sharks adapted for efficient swimming should have a lower TBF. The rates of O2 consumption of swimming lemon and mako sharks are among the highest yet measured for elasmobranchs and are comparable to those of cruise-adapted teleosts.
EFFECT OF SUBSTITUTING DRY SUGARS FOR MOLASSES IN CALF STARTERS ON FEED INTAKE AND GROWTH RESPONSE.

Abstract Thirty-six Holstein and 12 Brown Swiss calves were assigned at random within breed and sex to four starter ration groups; namely, control, molasses, sucrose, and dextrose, to determine the growth responses as measured by live weight gains and voluntary starter consumption in an early-weaning limited whole milk feeding regimen. Differences in live weight gains among the four groups were not statistically significant (P 0.025). A correlation coefficient of 0.615 was obtained between starter consumption and weight gains. Comparisons of weight gains and consumption of sweetened starters by sugar source did not show any significant difference.
Integration techniques for VXIbus instrumentation systems

The author discusses a common approach to hardware and software development as well as integration techniques developed as a result of using VXI in its test systems. The VXIbus allows the system integrator to purchase commercial cards and integrate them with unit under test (UUT)-specific cards in one or more chassis. VXI provides a standard backplane and communication protocol to allow these cards to interface with each other. The effort to integrate these cards depends upon the type of card being used and the level of customization that is required by the application. By developing standard hardware and firmware interfaces, the design and integration of UUT-specific cards can be made less complex. The chassis and system level integration effort can be eased by the use of commercial software and hardware packages designed for this purpose. >
Age (Mortality) Profiles as a Means of Distinguishing Hunted Species from Scavenged Ones in Stone Age Archeological Sites

Some ungulate species at Upper Pleistocene and Holocene archeological sites in South Africa exhibit catastrophic mortality profiles, while others exhibit attritional ones. The awareness by Stone Age people that some species are especially amenable to driving or snaring probably accounts for the catastrophic profiles. Natural catastrophic death immediately followed by human scavenging is a much less likely explanation because the species samples comprise material lumped from deposits that accumulated more or less continuously over hundreds or even thousands of years during which period there is no reason to suppose the repeated occurrence of natural catastrophes nearby.The inability of Stone Age people to obtain prime-age adults in species that are not particularly amenable to driving or snaring presumably accounts for the attritional mortality profiles. Although the species that display attritional profiles conceivably were scavenged, the high proportion of very young individuals in the profiles suggests active hunting. Very young individuals are much less abundant in attritional profiles from local non-archeological sites, probably because their carcasses were removed from the record before burial, primarily by carnivore or scavenger feeding. Scavenging would account for the abundance of very young individuals in the archeological sites only in the unlikely event that people could regularly locate carcasses before other predators did.In general, geomorphic/sedimentologic context is probably the best criterion for determining whether a species characterized by a catastrophic profile in an archeological site was hunted or scavenged. At the majority of known sites, active hunting is suggested. In the case of a species characterized by an attritional profile in an archeological site, the proportion of very young individuals in the sample probably provides the best criterion for distinguishing hunting from scavenging. A relatively high proportion of very young individuals suggests active hunting.
Some Legal Reforms to Increase Contractor Accountability

The extensive contracting out of government functions, such as the operation of nuclear energy facilities, preparation of government budgets, and even oversight of government contracts themselves, has raised great concern about contractor accountability. This chapter identifies some particular issues of contractor accountability, including accountability to private parties for harm done and the need for public access to and participation in 'policy-setting' types of activities conducted by contractors. The chapter further discusses the need for any reform to prompt agencies to more clearly specify contract requirements and to closely monitor those contracts, rather than displacing agency supervision with private litigation. Finally, the chapter suggests and discusses several possible adaptations of current law that would increase contractor responsibility, while simultaneously giving contractors an incentive to seek out, rather than to avoid, greater agency supervision.
Trends in device-assisted aneurysm treatment at a single high-volume tertiary care center

Introduction Device developments and evolution in technique over the past decade make the treatment of aneurysms which were previously considered poor candidates for coiling more feasible. The authors describe their experience treating aneurysms at a single high-volume tertiary care center, focusing particularly on the use of adjunctive devices. Methods A retrospective review was undertaken of all the aneurysms treated at the Cleveland Clinic between 2003 and 2010. Results A total of 1455 aneurysms were treated (45% subarachnoid hemorrhage). In 2003, aneurysms were treated equally with clipping (49.6%) and coiling (50.4%). Over the 8-year period reviewed there was a decline in the percentage of aneurysms treated surgically. By 2010, 25.5% of aneurysms were treated surgically and 74.5% by endovascular coiling. Among aneurysms that were coiled there was an increase in the cases treated with adjuncts including balloon remodeling and stents. The most dramatic increase in the relative proportion of a single method was the more widespread use of the combined ‘balloon stent’ technique. Initially used in 12% of stent-assisted cases, it is currently employed in 35.4% of cases. Conclusions Significant changes in practice trends for aneurysm treatment have been observed at a single high-volume tertiary care center over the past decade. Although these changes are multifactorial, they are explained in part by institutional comfort level with the adoption of adjunctive techniques, with a growing number of aneurysms treated with balloon remodeling and the ‘balloon stent’ technique.
Enhancement of Epoxidation Efficiencies for Ta-SBA15 Catalysts. The Influence of Modification with –EMe3 (E = Si, Ge, Sn) Groups

Site-isolated Ta(V) centers were introduced onto the surface of a mesoporous SBA-15 support via the thermolytic molecular precursor method. After thermal treatment under oxygen, the resulting Si–OH and Ta–OH sites of TaSBA15-O2were modified with a series of trimethyl group 14 species, Me3E–, by treatment with Me3E–NMe2 (E = Si, Ge, Sn) reagents. The resulting surface-modified catalysts (Me3E)capTaSBA15 exhibit a significantly increased rate of cyclohexene epoxidation with H2O2 as an oxidant, and provided a decreased amount of allylic oxidation products with respect to the unmodified material, TaSBA15-O2. The rate of nonproductive H2O2 decomposition, as monitored via 1H NMR spectroscopy, significantly decreased after the surface modification. The structure of the TaSBA15 catalysts and potential Ta(V) epoxidation intermediates (formed upon treatment of Ta(V) materials with H2O2) were probed using UV–visible absorbance and diffuse-reflectance UV–visible spectroscopy. A Ta(V)(η2-O2) intermediate species is pr...