cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ART with optimal 2D sampling function

A new model is proposed to reconstruct an image from its ray sum using Algebraic Reconstruction Techniques (ART). Assuming that the original image is band limited, an iterative algorithm is developed that evaluates the updated image and reduces the sampling error during each iteration. Depending on a weight factor, estimation of the updated images in each iteration is the contribution of correction to each sample of the ray sum. The weight factor is the fractional area intercepted by the ray sum and the sampling function. To model a 2D image, an optimal sampling function is used where the sampling function is a cylindrical pulse instead of the customary flat-top sample version of a 2D square pulse. Given energy concentration of the pulse, a class of such pulses are generated. A pulse with maximum concentration of energy is used for sampling of the 2D image. By determining the eigenfunctions of a homogeneous Fredholm equation of the second kind with a symmetric kernel such a pulse is generated. Moreover, it is shown that eigenfunctions of the above integral equation are those classes of pulses where the corresponding eigenvalue is the measure of the concentration of an eigenfunction. The desired pulse is an eigenfunction with the maximum eigenvalue.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Segmentation through the detection of changes due to motion

Abstract This paper discusses a scheme for extracting the images of moving objects in dynamic scenes. Differencing operations are used to identify areas containing moving objects. The images of the moving objects can then be obtained by focusing the segmentation processes on these restricted areas. Thus motion is used as a cue to segmentation.
Prenatal care among immigrant and racial-ethnic minority women in a new immigrant destination: Exploring the impact of immigrant legal status

Despite the rising share of undocumented immigrants in the US population, research has been quite limited regarding immigrant legal status and how it may limit healthcare access, especially research involving direct identification of undocumented populations. Drawing upon the Utah Population Database, a unique, comprehensive linked system of vital, medical, and administrative records, we analyze the prenatal care utilization in a large and recent cohort of births to mothers residing in the pre-emerging immigrant gateway state of Utah. Our analyses focus on the racial-ethnic, nativity and legal status of mothers as factors that influence prenatal care utilization. State administrative records are used to assess legal status among foreign-born mothers, specifically driver privilege cards made available to undocumented migrants. Our results indicate the importance of disaggregating the expansive categories of Hispanics and the foreign born to better understand health outcomes and healthcare utilization among immigrants. In particular, we find that the legal status of immigrant mothers is one of several important factors influencing prenatal care utilization. Undocumented women are among the least likely to obtain adequate levels of prenatal care. However, undocumented women's prenatal care utilization is enhanced among those using the state's integrative driver privilege program, and among those residing in neighborhoods with high concentrations of immigrants. Results are discussed in light of theory on immigrant integration and healthcare access, and in terms of public policies, such as those extending driver privileges to unauthorized immigrants, which aim to facilitate immigrants' access to institutions within destination communities.
The genetic basis of pediatric cardiovascular disease

Congenital heart disease (CHD), cardiomyopathy, and vasculopathies are common causes of mortality and morbidity in pediatrics, including the perinatal period. This article reviews evidence that single gene defects cause many of the pediatric heart diseases. Vasculopathies discussed include Marfan's syndrome, supravalvar aortic stenosis and Williams' syndrome, Alagille's syndrome, and hereditary telangiectasia, the Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome. Genetic causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by sarcomeric protein mutations (β-cardiac myosin heavy chain) and of dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to structural protein deficiencies (dystrophin) are presented. Defects in proteins essential for myocardial energy production such as oxidative phosphorylation proteins and fatty acid oxidation genes that cause cardiomyopathy or sudden death are described. Gene ablation models in mice, such as RXRα and homeobox gene knockouts, which result in cardiac phenotypes resembling human congenital heart disease, are described. Familial types of human CHD which are being investigated for genetic causes by positional cloning methods and known cytogenetic causes of CHD, including the CATCH-22 syndrome and monosomy at 22q11, are presented. General lessons and principles derived from these new and exciting discoveries in human cardiovascular development are surmised.
Ischemic versus degenerative mitral regurgitation: does etiology affect survival?

Background Ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) is associated with poor survival and degenerative MR with excellent survival. We hypothesized that in some patients with degenerative MR requiring concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), ischemic disease would dominate prognosis, resulting in survival as poor as in patients with ischemic MR. Thus, we (1) determined survival impact of etiology (degenerative vs ischemic) after combined mitral valve repair and CABG and (2) explored survival differences within etiology groups. Methods From 1985 to 2003, 710 patients underwent mitral valve repair for degenerative MR and concomitant CABG (two diseases); 400 patients had mitral annuloplasty and CABG for functional ischemic MR (one disease). Patients were propensity-matched on demography, symptoms, comorbidities, coronary artery disease, and left ventricular function. Survival was compared between matched groups and within groups. Results Compared with patients with degenerative MR, those with ischemic MR had more extensive coronary artery disease, worse ventricular function, more comorbidities, and more symptoms (p 0.9), 66% and 65%, respectively. Among patients with degenerative MR, survival varied widely, depending largely on ischemic burden and extent of left ventricular dysfunction. Conclusions The large survival discrepancy between patients with ischemic and degenerative MR is attributable to differences in patient profile, particularly extent of ischemic disease and left ventricular dysfunction. Thus, ischemic and degenerative MR patients with equivalent characteristics have equivalently poor survival.
Terpenoid hydrocarbons in Hula peat: Structure and origins☆

Abstract Tri- and tetracyclic diterpenoid and pentacyclic triterpenoid hydrocarbons have been identified in the lipid extracts of three peat samples from the Hula Basin, Israel. Tentative structures for the diterpenoids have been proposed based on mass spectral studies and on extrapolation of known mass spectral fragmentation patterns of most probable biological precursors. The identification of ent-kaurenes in one peat sample appears to be a unique observation. Kaurenes most likely originated from higher plant resins. The triterpenoids in the three samples consist mainly of 17β-hopanes and hopenes, derived from recent biogenic activity. The preponderance of the 17β(H)-hopanes indicates the geological immaturity of the samples and implies that they have undergone only a mild thermal history.
Customizing virtual networks with partial FPGA reconfiguration

Recent FPGA-based implementations of network virtualization represent a significant step forward in network performance and scalability. Although these systems have been shown to provide orders of magnitude higher performance than solutions using software-based routers, straightforward reconfiguration of hardware-based virtual networks over time is a challenge. In this paper, we present the implementation of a reconfigurable network virtualization substrate that combines several partially-reconfigurable hardware virtual routers with software virtual routers. The update of hardware-based virtual networks in our system is supported via real-time partial FPGA reconfiguration. Hardware virtual networks can be dynamically reconfigured in a fraction of a second without affecting other virtual networks operating in the same FPGA. A heuristic has been developed to allocate virtual networks with diverse bandwidth requirements and network characteristics on this heterogeneous virtualization substrate. Experimental results show that the reconfigurable virtual routers can forward packets at line rate. Partial reconfiguration allows for 20x faster hardware reconfiguration than a previous approach which migrated hardware virtual networks to software.
Effect of pressure on conductivity in liquid and glassy states of a superionic conducting glass

Abstract To observe whether pressure acting on the liquid state of a fast ion conducting vitreous solid electrolyte has a very different effect from pressure acting on the fixed structure vitreous state, measurements have been performed on (AgI) 40 (AgPO 3 ) 60 over a range of pressures and temperatures. Below T g , conductivity decreases according to classic transition state theory expressions with volume of activation close to the mobile ion volume. Pressure applied near and above T g has only a slightly different effect than the same pressure applied well below T g below, in contrast to the pressure effect on viscosity above T g . An explanation links weak pressure effects to previously known weak quenching (fictive temperature) effects, through the high decoupling index.
Nuclear genome characterization of the carrageenophyteHypnea musciformis (Rhodophyta)

DNA reassociation kinetics were used to determine nuclear genome organization and complexity in the carrageenophyteHypnea musciformis (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). Results indicate the presence of three second order components corresponding to fast (2%), intermediate (33%) and slow (65%) fractions. Microspectrophotometry with the DNA-localizing fluorochrome DAPI confirmed ploidy level differences in the gametophytic and tetrasporophytic phases. Elevated (endopolyploid) nuclear DNA levels were observed in both gametophytic and cystocarpic tissue. Comparison of mean nuclear DNA (If) values to chicken erthrocytes (RBC) resulted in an estimate of 0.22 pg/2 C genome forHypnea musciformis. Karyological studies using aceto-orcein revealed a chromosome complement of five bivalents during diakinesis of tetraspore mother cells.
Kurven mit isoptischem Kreis

1. Im Zusammenhang mit gewissen Nockentrieben, bei welchen eine einzige rotierende Kurvenscheibe die beiden Schenkel eines starren, drehbar gelagerten Winkelhebels bet[ifigt und diesem solcherart eine schwingende Bewegung mit zwang1/iufig gesteuertem Hinund RfJckgang erteilt, tauchte die Frage nach ebenen Kurven auf, die einen Kreis als isoptische Kurve besitzen [4, 5]. Unter einer isoptischen Kurve o einer gegebenen Kurve c versteht man bekanntlich eine Kurve, aus deren Punkten die Kurve c unter einem konstanten Gesichtswinkel ~ ~ erscheint, mit anderen Worten den Ort jener Punkte, aus welchen sich an c Tangentenpaare legen lassen, welehe die Winkel 7co9 und ~o bilden. Kinematisch l~isst sich die isopfische Kurve o als die Bahn des Scheitels eines starren Winkels auffassen, dessen Schenkel an der festen Kurve c entlanggleiten. Im Falle eines rechten Winkels 09 = n o 9 =n/2 wird o als die orthoptische Kurve von c bezeichnet. Bekanntlich ist die orthoptische Kurve einer Ellipse ein Kreis, der gelegentlich etwas irrefiihrend ,,Direktorkreis" genannt wird (Ph. De La Hire, 1685). Die Verwendung elliptischer Profile ffir Nockentriebe der erw~thnten Art wurde von M. Goldberg [1] vorgeschlagen; der bet~ttigte Winkelhebel ist hierbei ein rechter. Die Kinematik eines solchen Getriebes wurde vom Verfasser in [4] studiert. Die Frage naeh (konvexen) Profilen mit einem isoptischen Kreis ffir beliebiges co wurde von J. W. Green [2] behandelt, allerdings in einer nicht endgfiltig befriedigenden Art; das dort angeffihrte Beispiel ist im Gegensatz zur Ellipse yon stark transzendentem Charakter. Die vorliegende Untersuchung deckt nun einerseits die Existenz yon zwei grundsatzlich verschiedenen Arten yon Kurven mit einem isoptischen Kreis auf und liefert andererseits ffir beide Arten beliebig viele Beispiele algebraischer Kurven.
Identification of a Thy-1 homologue in rabbit brain by immunoblot, immunohistochemistry and DNA/DNA hybridization

A membrane glycoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of approximately 26,000 reacted on immunoblot with a monoclonal antibody (HB-3S-17) directed toward human Thy-1. At cellular level, HB-3S-17 reacted with both rabbit and human cerebral cortexes in a similar manner as demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining. Screening of a rabbit brain expression cDNA library with HB-3S-17 resulted in the isolation of a clone designated RBT-2A-1. The rabbit cDNA insert of RBT-2A-1 hybridized in Southern blot with an oligonucleotide probe derived from the mouse Thy-1.2 gene. These data strongly indicate the existence of a glycoprotein in rabbit brain which is the counterpart of human and mouse Thy-1.
Method to measure strong protein–protein interactions in lipid bilayers using a steric trap

Measuring high affinity protein–protein interactions in membranes is extremely challenging because there are limitations to how far the interacting components can be diluted in bilayers. Here we show that a steric trap can be employed for stable membrane interactions. We couple dissociation to a competitive binding event so that dissociation can be driven by increasing the affinity or concentration of the competitor. The steric trap design used here links monovalent streptavidin binding to dissociation of biotinylated partners. Application of the steric trap method to the well-characterized glycophorin A transmembrane helix (GpATM) reveals a dimer that is dramatically stabilized by 4–5 kcal/mol in palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers compared to detergent. We also find larger effects of mutations at the dimer interface in bilayers compared to detergent suggesting that the dimer is more organized in a membrane environment. The high affinity we measure for GpATM in bilayers indicates that a membrane vesicle many orders of magnitude larger than a bacterial cell would be required to measure the dissociation constant using traditional dilution methods. Thus, steric trapping can open new biological systems to experimental scrutiny in natural bilayer environments.
Myocardial metabolism. Effects of adrenalectomy and acute cortisol replacement.

Abstract Myocardial metabolism was studied in 12 adrenalectomized, DOCA-maintained dogs. Aortic pressure and coronary flow were found at low normal levels in the adrenalectomized animal but were significantly increased after cortisol administration. Oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production similarly rose after cortisol along with the increased cardiac work. Glucose and pyruvic acid utilizations were unchanged but lactic acid uptake was increased slightly after cortisol, possibly as a reflection of the mild rise in blood levels of lactate.
Oversampled frame algorithms for real-time wavelet and wavelet packet frame decompositions and reconstructions

Abstract. The notion of oversampled frames differs from the more well-known concept of oversampling in that no additional data information isrequired in the implementation of the oversampled frame algorithms and that redundancy can be separated in a combinatoric way into linearlyindependent subfamilies of complete systems. This combinatoric scheme is used to design real-time algorithms for wavelet and waveletpacket frame decompositions and reconstructions. Subject terms: adaptive wavelet transforms; wavelet packets; oversampled framealgorithms; decomposition; reconstruction.Optical Engineering 33(7), 2108—21 10 (July 1994). It is well known, however, that these standard fast de-composition algorithms give rise to such defects as lack ofshift-invariance and aliasing. In our earlier work,"2 oversam-pled frames were introduced to overcome such defects. Asan additional benefit, noise amplitudes in the wavelet coef-ficients [or discrete wavelet transform, (DWT)] are reduced by a factor of the oversampling frequency. Based on the
A parametric investigation of eating styles in obese and nonobese children

There has been debate regarding the validity of an obse eating style. Some investigations have documented differences in eating style between obese and nonobese populations, although others have failed to denote differences. Generally, these studies have been conducted in naturalistic settings, (e.g., restaurants, cafeterias, etc.), and consequently are susceptible to several sources of uncontrollable variance. The present experiment investigated the eating style of obese children, while controlling for a number of subject and setting characteristics. Obese children ( X = 35% overweight) were compared with normal weight children during the consumption of a standardized meal. In the laboratory setting, obese children ate their meals faster (i.e., total meal duration and more bites per min) than the nonobese children. Although total number of bites and sips did not statistically differentiate the groups, the trend was in the predicted direction. Results are discussed in terms of social validation of behavioral management programs for weight reduction and the relevance of such interventions for children.
Basic needs or comprehensive development: Should the UNDP have a development strategy?

Abstract The basic needs strategy turns out, on examination, not to be a development strategy at all. Most versions neglect the most basic of all development needs–the need for structural transformation as well as a quantum jump in modern industry and modern technology. Considerations of equity, indispensable as they are, do not require that consumption goals be placed ahead of all others. A society is entitled to set its priorities for consumption as part of an overall programme for comprehensive change and development, recognizing that a choice may have to be made between the earliest possible attainment of minimum standards of living and a more rapid and secure advance in such standards in future. International agencies should not take strong positions on such matters, and should concentrate their efforts in the areas where their experience and competence lie.
Negative differential resistance at atomic contacts

Negative differential resistance is found for a pair of electrodes each consisting of a single Al atom coupled to a flat metal surface, where the Al atom is separated from the surface by a ``spacer'' atom (Br). This behavior is seen when the Al atoms are at a short distance from one another, and disappears when the distance is decreased to the point at which the Al atoms are in contact.
Infectivity and growth of Echinostoma revolutum (Froelich, 1802) in the domestic chick.

Infectivity and growth studies in domestic chicks were carried out on a strain of Echinostoma revolutum isolated from Lymnaea elodes snails in Indiana, U.S.A. Of 21 chicks, each fed 40 +/- 10 cysts of Echinostoma revolutum, 16 (64%) were infected with a total of 269 (32%) worms from approximately 840 cysts. Worms were found only in the ceca and rectum at 2-14 days p.i. In vivo excysted metacercariae were obtained in the lower ileum and ceca at 4 h p.i. Excysted metacercariae averaged 0.2 mm in length and 0.02 mm2 in body area. Worm length averaged 1.3 mm on day 6, 2.3 mm on day 8 and 3.6 mm on day 14. Mean body area averaged 0.29 mm2 on day 6, 0.62 mm2 on day 8 and 1.93 mm2 on day 14. Worms first became ovigerous on day 12. Growth of E. revolutum in the chick was delayed compared to previous findings on E. trivolvis, a closely related species of 37-collar-spined echinostome in the E. revolutum complex.
Volumetric properties for {(1 −x)CO2+xCH4}, {(1 −x)CO2+xN2}, and {(1 −x)CH4+xN2} at the pressures (9.94, 19.94, 29.94, 39.94, 59.93, 79.93, and 99.93) MPa and temperatures (323.15, 373.15, 473.15, and 573.15) K

Abstract Densities ρ of pure CO 2 , Ch 4 , and {(1 − x )CO 2 + x CH 4 }, {(1 − x )CO 2 + x N 2 }, and {(1 − x )CH 4 + x N 2 } were measured at the pressures (9.94, 19.94, 29.94, 39.94, 59.93, 79.93, and 99.93) MPa and temperatures (323.15, 373.15, 473.15, and 573.15) K. For each binary system, results were obtained at intervals of 0.1· x from mole fraction x = 0 to x = 1. The results were obtained with a custom-designed, high pressure, high-temperature vibrating-tube densimeter. Excess molar volumes V m E were calculated from the densities for the end members and mixtures. V m E is generally positive, although negative values of V m E were observed for some CO 2 -bearing mixtures. V m E is typically less than ±4 per cent of the total volume of the mixture. A dramatic increase in V m E is observed for CO 2 -containing mixtures as (ρ, T ) conditions approach those of the critical point for CO 2 . The values of V m E are accurately represented by two-parameter Margules equations. Our results are in good agreement with those obtained by previous investigators.
In support of a depolymerization model for water in sodium aluminosilicate glasses:: Information from NMR spectroscopy

A variety of 29Si, 27Al, 23Na, 17O and 1H NMR data are consistent with the formation of Q3 AlOH and SiOH groups upon dissolution of H2O into aluminosilicate glasses. 29Si single-pulse and 1H-29Si CP/MAS data present more direct evidence for the formation of Q3 Si species. A model that involves rupture of Si-O-Si, Al-O-Si, and Al-O-Al linkages, and possibly cation exchange between H+ and Na+ is most consistent with the variety of data available. In this model the water dissolution process involves several reactions that are likely to proceed concurrently throughout the glass compositional space defined by Al/Si ratio and water content. Because the types of reactions do not change with Al/Si ratio, this model predicts smooth variations in hydroxyl and molecular water species abundances throughout compositional space within the system NaAlSiO4-SiO2-H2O.
A summary of the Lake Tahoe Atmospheric Deposition Study (LTADS)

The Lake Tahoe Atmospheric Deposition Study (LTADS) was conducted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) primarily to generate refined estimates of the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and particulate matter (PM) directly to Lake Tahoe, which straddles the boundary between the states of California and Nevada in the United States of America. LTADS estimated that approximately 185, 3, and 755 metric tons respectively of N, P, and PM being directly deposited to the lake from the atmosphere. Various measurements of emissions, meteorology, and air quality were made within and west (typically upwind) of the Lake Tahoe Air Basin to better understand the pollutant sources contributing to the atmospheric deposition. The data indicate that ammonia (NH3) contributes the bulk of the N loading. Aerosols with diameters greater than 2.5 mm contribute the bulk of the P and PM mass loadings. The emission sources of P and PM appear to be primarily local and associated with motor vehicles. However, construction, fires, and natural sources also contribute to the pollutant loadings. LTADS was part of a much larger research program to guide efforts to restore the remarkable water clarity of Lake Tahoe.
EMOTION IN CONFLICT FORMATION AND ITS TRANSFORMATION: APPLICATION TO ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

A growing body of research suggests that conflict can be beneficial for groups and organizations (e.g., De Dren & Van De Vliert, 1997). This paper articulates the argument that to be in conflict is to be emotionally activated (Jones, 2000) and utilizes Galtung's (1996) triadic theory of conflict transformation to locate entry points for conflict generation. Application of these ideas is presented through exemplars that demonstrate the utility of addressing emotions directly in the management of organizational conflicts.
The Carbon Cycle and Hurricanes in the United States between 1900 and 2011

Hurricanes cause severe impacts on forest ecosystems in the United States. These events can substantially alter the carbon biogeochemical cycle at local to regional scales. We selected all tropical storms and more severe events that made U.S. landfall between 1900 and 2011 and used hurricane best track database, a meteorological model (HURRECON), National Land Cover Database (NLCD), U. S. Department of Agirculture Forest Service biomass dataset, and pre- and post-MODIS data to quantify individual event and annual biomass mortality. Our estimates show an average of 18.2 TgC/yr of live biomass mortality for 1900–2011 in the US with strong spatial and inter-annual variability. Results show Hurricane Camille in 1969 caused the highest aboveground biomass mortality with 59.5 TgC. Similarly 1954 had the highest annual mortality with 68.4 TgC attributed to landfalling hurricanes. The results presented are deemed useful to further investigate historical events, and the methods outlined are potentially beneficial to quantify biomass loss in future events.
"Postsecondary education gender disparities among Inuit in Alaska: A symptom of male malaise?"

En Alaska, les femmes inuit sont de loin plus nombreuses dans l’enseignement postsecondaire que les hommes. Chez les Inupiat de l’Alaska, seulement 28% des etudiants inscrits dans les programmes du baccalaureat a l’Universite de l’Alaska sont des hommes, et la proportion d’hommes ayant obtenu un diplome de baccalaureat a decline entre 2000 et 2003. Parmi les Yupiit, 30% des etudiants inscrits au baccalaureat sont des hommes. De semblables disparites entre les sexes se constatent chez les lyceens suivant des programmes destines a preparer academiquement les etudiants autochtones au college. Ce phenomene peut s’interpreter soit comme un signe de «malaise masculin», de desengagement vis-a-vis de l’instruction scolaire et des emplois salaries auxquels la scolarite est une preparation, soit comme une adaptation fonctionnelle a un mode de vie alliant emploi salarie et subsistance traditionnelle ou l’instruction, et en particulier la formation superieure, parait moins importante aux hommes qu’aux femmes inuit. Afin d’argumenter l’explication de ce «malaise masculin», nous comparons deux regions inuit de l’Alaska, la region des Inupiat au nord-ouest, ou la Corporation autochtone regionale a mis l’accent sur la creation d’emplois au niveau local par le biais de la Red Dog Mine, et la region des Yupiit au sud-ouest, qui offre peu d’emplois, en particulier en dehors du reseau regional de Bethel. Dans le nord-ouest de l’Alaska, 49% des jeunes hommes inuit ayant entre 22 et 29 ans se decrivent eux-memes, dans le recensement de l’an 2000, comme etant «sans emploi» ou bien «en dehors de la force de travail». Dans le sud-ouest de l’Alaska, 48% des jeunes hommes inuit disent la meme chose. Ces schemas soutiennent l’explication de ce «malaise masculin». Cependant, les etudes communautaires, qui permettent des analyses domestiques fines de la participation des hommes et des femmes dans l’emploi salarie et l’economie de subsistance, s’averent necessaires pour distinguer entre ces deux explications ou suggerer d’autres interpretations.
Feeding and assimilation rates of Daphnia pulex fed Aphanizomenon flos‐aquae1

Feeding and filtering rates of Dophnicl pulex on the blue-green alga Aphanizomenon jlosaqzme were measured in laboratory experiments. Single filaments (broken from colonies) and small colonies of A. jlos-nqucle cl.5 mm long could be gmzcd by D. pulex at rnaximurn rates of 15,000-50,000 cclls*L)ccphnia-’ ah-‘. The filtering r;ltc increased as a function of the cube of the body length of D. pulex. Colonies >1.5 nm long were not grazed appreciably by 1). pulex. Daphnia pulex continued to feed on A. jlos-clqu~e in the presence of another alga, Ankistr-odesmus fbZcatus. Colonies ofA.fEo.r-nquae > 1.5 mm long tended to lower the feeding and filtering rates on A. fkkatus. The net assimilation efficient? (uncorrected for respiration) of D. pulex was about 11% for A. flos-clqucle and about 35% for A. jdcdus. The prcsencc in lakes of Aphanixomenon as the large colony type (A. flos-m/nm) or as single filament types may be determined by the grazing ability of D. puZcx.
Dynamics and precision in retinoic acid morphogen gradients

Retinoic acid (RA) regulates many cellular behaviors during embryonic development and adult homeostasis. Like other morphogens, RA forms gradients through the use of localized sources and sinks, feedback, and interactions with other signals; this has been particularly well studied in the context of hindbrain segmentation in vertebrate embryos. Yet, as a small lipophilic molecule derived from a dietary source-vitamin A-RA differs markedly from better-studied polypeptide morphogens in its mechanisms of transport, signaling, and removal. Computational models suggest that the distinctive features of RA gradients make them particularly robust to large perturbations. Such features include combined positive and negative feedback effects via intracellular fatty acid binding proteins and RA-degrading enzymes. Here, we discuss how these features, together with feedback interactions among RA target genes, help enable RA to specify multiple, accurate pattern elements in the developing hindbrain, despite operating in an environment of high cellular and biochemical uncertainty and noise.
TraClass: trajectory classification using hierarchical region-based and trajectory-based clustering

Trajectory classification, i.e., model construction for predicting the class labels of moving objects based on their trajectories and other features, has many important, real-world applications. A number of methods have been reported in the literature, but due to using the shapes of whole trajectories for classification, they have limited classification capability when discriminative features appear at parts of trajectories or are not relevant to the shapes of trajectories. These situations are often observed in long trajectories spreading over large geographic areas.Since an essential task for effective classification is generating discriminative features, a feature generation framework TraClass for trajectory data is proposed in this paper, which generates a hierarchy of features by partitioning trajectories and exploring two types of clustering: (1) region-based and (2) trajectory-based. The former captures the higher-level region-based features without using movement patterns, whereas the latter captures the lower-level trajectory-based features using movement patterns. The proposed framework overcomes the limitations of the previous studies because trajectory partitioning makes discriminative parts of trajectories identifiable, and the two types of clustering collaborate to find features of both regions and sub-trajectories. Experimental results demonstrate that TraClass generates high-quality features and achieves high classification accuracy from real trajectory data.
Recovery of Sea Urchin Diadema Antillarum Populations is Correlated to Increased Coral and Reduced Macroalgal Cover

We surveyed the benthic community structure and population density of the long- spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum on the shallow fore-reefs of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Caribbean Costa Rica, in September and October 2004. In zones with high densities of D. antillarum (>0.6 ind. m -2 ), the cover of non-calcareous macroalgae, known coral competitors, was low and that of live coral was high, whereas the opposite occurred in zones with low densities of D. antil- larum (<0.1 ind. m -2 ). D. antillarum density was not related to the coverage of calcareous macroalgae, which are not viewed as coral competitors. Mean density of D. antillarum was 0.2 ind. m -2 and the total area covered by live coral was 14%. D. antillarum density and area covered by live coral were 2 and 7 times larger, respectively, than those reported 4 yr earlier for the study site. Within the same period, the proportion contributed by non-calcareous macroalgae to total algal cover declined from ~79 to 48%. Results indicate that various families of scleractinian corals in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica have increased in abundance, that non-calcareous macroalgae have declined, and that recovering D. antillarum densities are correlated with these observations.
A programmable demodulator for oversampled analog-to-digital modulators

A programmable DSP (digital signal processor) architecture for use in an oversampled A/D (analog-to-digital) converter system is introduced. Based on this architecture, a set of synchronization equations for configuring the entire oversampled system for arbitrary speed-accuracy specifications is presented. The generality and simplicity of the architecture allow the reduction of this procedure to running high-level, user-friendly software and programming PROMs (programmable read-only memories). The architecture was implemented in a 2.0- mu m N-well CMOS technology. Fabricated samples demonstrated the ability to handle many applications, including 16 b of SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) for the digital audio (20-kHz baseband) and 18 b of SNR for voiceband (4-kHz baseband). It is concluded that this DSP architecture is the most general and efficient computation engine for FIR/IIR (finite impulse response/infinite impulse response) filtering of 1-b signals. It is capable of over 30 MIPs. The architecture's simplicity and flexibility facilitate its interfacing with a high-level, user-friendly software package. >
Our Search for the Porcine Mother Rotor

A single stationary mother rotor, located in the fastest activating region and giving rise to activation fronts that propagate throughout the remainder of the myocardium, has been hypothesized to be responsible for the maintenance of ventricular fibrillation (VF). Others have reported a mother rotor in guinea pigs and rabbits. We wanted to see if a mother rotor exists in a larger heart, that is, pigs. Epicardial mapping studies have demonstrated that VF wavefronts in pigs tend to propagate from the posterior basal LV to the anterior LV and on to the anterior RV, raising the possibility of a mother rotor in the posterior LV. However, no sustained reentry consistent with a mother rotor was found on the posterior LV epicardium, even though an intramural mapping study showed that the fastest activating transmural layer was near the epicardium. Many wavefronts in the posterior LV entered the mapped region from the posterior boundary of the mapping array, adjacent to the posterior descending coronary artery, raising the possibility that a mother rotor is located in the right ventricle or septum. Since a previous study has shown that the RV activates more slowly than the LV during VF, the more likely site for a mother rotor was the septum. However, we then performed a study in which we recorded from the right side of the septum and found that reentry was uncommon there also and that the activation rate was slower than the posterobasal LV. Many of the VF wavefronts in the septum passed from the posterior septum toward the anterior septum. This fact coupled with the fact that many wavefronts passed from the posterior LV free wall toward the anterior LV free wall point to the region where the posterior free wall intersects with the septum, the region where the posterior papillary muscle is located, as the possible site of a mother rotor. Indeed, a recent abstract by others reports that, after propranolol, a stable reentrant circuit is present on the endocardium at the insertion of the posterior papillary muscle into the LV free wall in pigs.
Smart grid monitoring for intrusion and fault detection with new locally optimum testing procedures

The vulnerability of smart grid systems is a growing concern. Signal detection theory is employed here to detect a change in the system. We employ a discrete-time linear state space model to capture the dynamic time behavior of the system. Since small changes are often difficult to detect, we develop new locally optimum tests for changes in matrices or vectors and apply them to smart grid intrusion and fault detection problems. The proposed tests are shown to have superior performance when compared to traditional methods.
Small case series of gastric stimulation for the management of transplant-induced gastroparesis.

Background Gastroparesis is a recognized complication following organ transplantation with incidences reported between 24 and 83%. Gastroparesis can complicate medical management in these patients leading to the inability to take medications and possibly chronic transplant rejection. Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) has been shown in both controlled and uncontrolled studies to reduce the frequency of nausea and vomiting and lead to weight gain in patients with gastroparesis refractory to standard medical treatment; however, there is little evidence to support the use of GES in transplant recipients. The goal was to evaluate the response of transplant patients with gastroparesis to GES and compare to nontransplant recipients. Materials and methods A questionnaire consisting of 11 questions was administered to investigate symptoms. Patients were asked to score these symptoms before and after surgery using a 0-5 Likert scale. Results Thirteen consecutive patients underwent placement of the Enterra (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) device with a mean follow-up of 12 ± 6.1 months. All three transplant patients (100%) reported an improvement in quality of life. Similarly, transplant patients were as likely as the diabetic or idiopathic patients to demonstrate improvements in symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and retching and prandial symptoms following Enterra therapy. In fact, transplant patients reported improvement in appetite and bloating symptoms more frequently than diabetics (P = 0.055 and P = 0.037, respectively). Conclusion Posttransplantation gastroparesis responds to therapy with Enterra GES as well as in patients with idiopathic or diabetic gastroparesis. Enterra therapy should be prospectively investigated in this population of patients.
Neighborhood Prefetching on Multiprocessors Using Instruction History

A multiprocessor prefetch scheme is described in which a miss is followed by a prefetch of a group of lines, a neighborhood, surrounding the demand-fetched line. The neighborhood is based on the data address and the past behavior of the instruction that missed the cache. A neighborhood for an instruction is constructed by recording the offsets of addresses that subsequently miss. This neighborhood prefetching can exploit sequential access as can sequential prefetch and can to some extent exploit stride access, as can stride prefetch. Unlike stride and sequential prefetch, it can support irregular access patterns. Neighborhood prefetching was compared to adaptive sequential prefetching using execution-driven simulation. Results show prefetches that are more useful and lower execution time for neighborhood prefetching for six of eight SPLASH-2 benchmarks. On eight SPLASH-2 benchmarks, the average normalized execution time is less than 0.9, for three benchmarks, less than 0.8.
Conference explores new research in the deep Earth and planetary volatiles

Some 90 scientists gathered to hear experts such as J. Lunine, T. Owen, D. Hunten, and T. Donahue survey volatile budgets, condensation, delivery and loss via impact, and other planetary processes at the International Conference on Deep Earth and Planetary Volatiles, which was held at Caltech last September. The conference provided a forum for the discussion of new research and changing ideas on these hot science topics. W. Kaula reported new results indicating that although comets did indeed impact and deliver volatiles to the terrestrial planets, their impact on Earth and Venus was at such high velocity that the volatiles they could deliver were all blown-off and terrestrial planetary volatile budgets were not augmented by this process. In contrast, D. Paige suggested that water from comets could successfully be delivered to Mercury and can now be seen from Earth-based radar studies of the shadowed crater walls at the Mercurian poles. He proposes that NASA fly a mission to Mercury to collect evidence to test this hypothesis.
Power generation scheduling for multi-area hydro-thermal systems with tie line constraints, cascaded reservoirs and uncertain data

The authors propose an approach to the short-term generation scheduling of hydro-thermal power systems (GSHT). The objective of GSHT is to minimize the total operation cost of thermal units over the scheduling time horizon. To solve the problem within a reasonable time, the problem is decomposed into thermal and hydro subproblems. The coordinator between these subproblems is the system Lagrange multiplier. For the thermal subproblem, in a multi-area power pool, it is necessary to coordinate the area generations for reducing the operation cost without violating tie limits. A probabilistic method is employed in considering load forecasting errors and forced outages of generating units to satisfy system reliability requirements. For the hydro subsystem, network flow concepts are adopted to coordinate water use over the entire study time span and the reduced gradient method is used to overcome the linear characteristic of the network flow method to obtain the optimal solution. Three case studies for the proposed method are presented. >
Performance analysis for CPM with MSE optimum detector in a mobile Gaussian channel with interfering signals

Detection of continuous phase modulation (CPM) signals with modulation index h=1/2 can be achieved using minimum shift keying (MSK)-type receivers with only minor degradation relative to maximum likelihood (Viterbi algorithm) receivers. Performance of such receivers is highly sensitive to both the filter response and the modulation scheme. The authors analyze the mean-square-error optimum receiver filter (MSEOF) among a selected set of MSK-type receiver filters, based on signal-to-mean-square-crosstalk ratio and error probability criterion in an interfacing environment. >
Ventilatory Responses of Teleost Fish to Exercise and Thermal Stress

Exercise and thermal stress both markedly raise the oxygen demand of fish. The control of ventilation under these two conditions is apparently quite different and contrasts between species are noteworthy. Under both exercise and thermal stress, changes in respiratory pumping amplitude tend to be greater than changes in ventilatory frequency in most species. Respiratory pump uncoupling during thermal stress is frequently seen in trout but much less so in bullhead catfish or bluegills. In fish that actively ventilate the gills while swimming, the control for this probably depends on swimming muscle reflexes rather than blood humoral factors. This control mechanism may operate in a reverse fashion in fish that use ram-jet ventilation. During recovery from severe exercise and during thermal stress the control of gill ventilation is apparently humoral. Of the possible factors, blood oxygen and possibly also pH are considered to be the most important. Evidence is summarized that suggests the error detector is on the arterial side of the gas exchanger.
High-Risk Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers

background Some nonmelanoma skin cancers are at high risk to recur after treatment, metastasize, and cause death. objective To provide profiles of nonmelanoma skin cancers that are at high risk of aggressive behavior. methods Review the studies of nonmelanoma skin cancers associated with calculated recurrences after treatment, metastasis, and patient mortality. results Profiles have been developed for nonmelanoma skin cancers considered to be at high risk. conclusions Physician awareness of nonmelanoma skin cancers that can behave aggressively is increased by establishing high-risk profiles for these cancers.
Photosynthesis, water use, and root viability under water stress as affected by expression of SAG12-ipt controlling cytokinin synthesis in Agrostis stolonifera

Water stress reduces endogenous cytokinin (CK) content and may inhibit CK production. Maintenance of endogenous CK levels by genetic transformation with ipt in leaves and roots undergoing senescence may promote stress tolerance. This study was designed to determine the physiological effects of ipt expression on immature and mature leaves and in roots for plants exposed to different levels of water stress for creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). Plants containing the ipt gene, encoding the enzyme adenine isopentenyl phosphotransferase for CK synthesis ligated to a senescence-activated promoter (SAG12), and wild-type ‘Penncross’ (WT) were grown hydroponically in a growth chamber and exposed to water stress by weekly additions of polyethylene glycol 8000 to reduce the growing solution osmotic potential from –0.05 to –0.3, –0.5, –0.7, –1.0, and –1.4 MPa. Immature and mature leaves and roots of SAG12-ipt creeping bentgrass were evaluated for ipt expression, CK content, leaf relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content (Chl), photochemical efficiency (FvFm), osmotic adjustment (OA), photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E), water use efficiency (WUE), carbon isotope discrimination (D), and root viability. Expression of ipt was detected in all plant parts and a higher CK content, primarily in the form of isopentyladenine (iPa), was found in SAG12-ipt plants but not in the WT plants under water stress. Immature leaves exhibited higher iPa and OA at all treatment levels. Mature leaves of SAG12-ipt plants maintained higher OA, Pn, Chl, WUE, and D, whereas gs and E were relatively unaffected compared to the WT. Roots of SAG12-ipt plants had higher levels of iPa and greater root viability than the WT. The results demonstrate that expression of ipt enhanced the tolerance of creeping bentgrass to water stress, which could be attributed to the positive effects on osmotic adjustment, efficient water use, and maintaining higher photosynthetic rate primarily for mature leaves, as well as increased root viability.
A Probabilistic Software System Attribute Acceptance Paradigm for COTS Software Evaluation

Standard software requirement formats are written from top-down perspectives only, that is, from an ideal notion of a client s needs. Despite the exactness of the standard format, software and system errors in designed systems have abounded. Bad and inadequate requirements have resulted in cost overruns, schedule slips and lost profitability. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software components are even more troublesome than designed systems because they are often provided as is and subsequently delivered with unsubstantiated validation of described capabilities. For COTS software, there needs to be a way to express the client s software needs in a consistent and formal manner using software system attributes derived from software quality standards. Additionally, the format needs to be amenable to software evaluation processes that integrate observable evidence garnered from historical data. This paper presents a paradigm that effectively bridges the gap between what a client desires (top-down) and what has been demonstrated (bottom-up) for COTS software evaluation. The paradigm addresses the specification of needs before the software evaluation is performed and can be used to increase the shared understanding between clients and software evaluators about what is required and what is technically possible.