cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated detection of 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations using template matching in XBAT.

Abstract Background Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) have been utilized to infer animals’ affective states in multiple research paradigms including animal models of drug abuse, depression, fear or anxiety disorders, Parkinson's disease, and in studying neural substrates of reward processing. Currently, the analysis of USV data is performed manually, and thus is time consuming. New method The goal of the present study was to develop a method for automated USV recognition using a ‘template detection’ procedure for vocalizations in the 50-kHz range (35–80 kHz). The detector is designed to run within XBAT, a MATLAB graphical user interface and extensible bioacoustics tool developed at Cornell University. Results Results show that this method is capable of detecting >90% of emitted USVs and that time spent analyzing data by experimenters is greatly reduced. Comparison with existing methods Currently, no viable and publicly available methods exist for the automated detection of USVs. The present method, in combination with the XBAT environment is ideal for the USV community as it allows others to (1) detect USVs within a user-friendly environment, (2) make improvements to the detector and disseminate and (3) develop new tools for analysis within the MATLAB environment. Conclusions The present detector provides an open-source, accurate method for the detection of 50-kHz USVs. Ongoing research will extend the current method for use in the 22-kHz frequency range of ultrasonic vocalizations. Moreover, collaborative efforts among USV researchers may enhance the capabilities of the current detector via changes to the templates and the development of new programs for analysis.
Effective utilization of quantum-cascade distributed-feedback lasers in absorption spectroscopy

A variable duty cycle quasi-cw frequency scanning technique was applied to reduce thermal effects resulting from the high heat dissipation of type I quantum-cascade lasers. This technique was combined with a 100-m path-length multipass cell and a zero-air background-subtraction technique to enhance detection sensitivity to a parts-in-10(9) (ppb) concentration level for spectroscopic trace-gas detection of CH4, N2O, H2O, and C2H5OH in ambient air at 7.9 micrometers. A new technique for analysis of dense high resolution absorption spectra was applied to detection of ethanol in ambient air, yielding a 125-ppb detection limit.
Contribution of the Flexor Hallucis Longus to Loading of the First Metatarsal and First Metatarsophalangeal Joint

Background: A recent clinical study suggested that restrictive tenosynovitis of the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) may play an important causative role in hallux rigidus. The goals of this research were to assess normal function of the FHL and the effect of restricted FHL gliding on the loading of the hallux metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ). We hypothesized that proximal displacement of the FHL would increase the forces carried by the FHL tendon, causing increased loading of the first metatarsal and MTPJ. Materials and Methods: Dynamic simulations of the stance phase of walking were created by loading 5 non-embalmed, non-paired cadaver lower extremities (2 male, 3 female; mean age, 69; range, 56 to 75) in the Robotic Dynamic Activity Simulator (RDAS). The RDAS recreates lower leg motion and muscle activity based on kinematic and electromyographic data of healthy subjects. FHL tendon forces and excursions were measured for the entire stance phase of gait. Bone strains in the mid-shaft of the first metatarsal were recorded and used to derive the in situ forces and moments imposed on the metatarsal and the hallux MTPJ. Results: Under force-feedback control, FHL excursion averaged 6.57 (±3.13) mm during gait. When the FHL was held 2-, 4-, and 6-mm proximal to the mid-point of normal excursion to simulate progressive stenosis, the forces in the FHL tendon, first metatarsal and first MTP joint were progressively, and significantly, increased (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings support the hypothesis that progressive fibrosis at the FHL myotendinous junction can cause increased loading of the hallux MTPJ, thereby leading to hallux rigidus.
POTENTIATION OF AN EFFECT OF MORPHINE IN THE RAT BY SERA FROM MORPHINE-TOLERANT AND ABSTINENT DOGS AND MONKEYS.

Serum from morphine-tolerant animals and control animals (dogs and monkeys) were injected into rats 48 hours prior to the administration of morphine sulfate. It was found that sera from tolerant animals significantly potentiated the effect of morphine on motor behavior in the rat when compared to sera from the control animals. The nature of the potentiation has not been elucidated. (Supported by USPHS grants No GM-K3-1759-C2, MY 3312 and No H5776.)
Functional Role of Ribosomal Signatures

Although structure and sequence signatures in ribosomal RNA and proteins are defining characteristics of the three domains of life and instrumental in constructing the modern phylogeny, little is known about their functional roles in the ribosome. In this work, the largest coevolving RNA/protein signatures in the bacterial 30S ribosome are investigated both experimentally and computationally through all-atom molecular-dynamics simulations. The complex includes the N-terminal fragment of the ribosomal protein S4, which is a primary binding protein that initiates 30S small subunit assembly from the 5′ domain, and helix 16 (h16), which is part of the five-way junction in 16S rRNA. Our results show that the S4 N-terminus signature is intrinsically disordered in solution, whereas h16 is relatively stable by itself. The dynamic disordered property of the protein is exploited to couple the folding and binding process to the five-way junction, and the results provide insight into the mechanism for the early and fast binding of S4 in the assembly of the ribosomal small subunit.
Systems for Sustainable Organizations: Emergent Strategies, Interactive Controls and Semi-formal Information

New-form organizations are likely to organize more explicitly around processes than traditional-form organizations that emphasize functional hierarchy. Developing process-based strategic responses quickly using diffuse sets of resources is likely to play an increasingly important role in sustaining new organizational forms. Three ideas introduce alternative perspectives on strategy formulation, management control and information systems design that may be useful in understanding organizational performance in this area. They focus on: (1) emergent strategies, (2) interactive management controls, and (3) semi-formal systems. In combination these three perspectives describe relationships between strategy, organizational design and systems support that suggest mechanisms for improving the sustainability of new organizational forms. To some degree distributed organizational structures such as networked organizations and quasi-organizational forms such as alliances, partnerships and joint ventures represent attempts to solve a paradox of competitive agility. This paradox suggests that in the context of rapidly changing, increasingly global markets, organizations need to be flexible (so they can respond quickly to competitive threats) yet remain stable (so they can learn and grow based on their strengths). If this is the case, what systems and tools are available that encourage a productive balance between flexibility and stability? This paper uses the experience of regional management teams at a large consumer goods company to suggest how interactive controls and semi-formal information systems combine to increase the agility of a distributed organization that can employ emergent strategies. Evidence illustrates some of the mechanisms by which (a) faster response times deliver organizational flexibility while (b) semi-formal analytics add the stability of knowledge and guidance shared across organizational sites. Examples discuss the use of information within management teams, discussion behaviour within management meetings, and organizational performance in response to crisis events. In this context the paper analyses the characteristics of new-form systems that could be used to sustain new-form organizations While the development of process-oriented semi-formal systems is just beginning, the potential for linking such technology with newly developed approaches to management control appears to have important implications for the practice and performance of management in new-form organizations. In particular, interactive controls and semi-formal information appear to offer leverage as mechanisms for organizational adjustment during times when organizations must exploit emergent strategies
Nondegenerate phase conjugation with no pump spatial holes

Abstract We calculate the four-wave mixing coefficients when the two pump frequencies differ by more than the reciprocal of the population- difference lifetime. This difference washes out the pump spatial holes as well as one of the two reflection gratings. We compare the results to the degenerate treatment of Abrams and Lind, and find that the reflection coefficient is qualitatively similar, but is reduced in magnitude due to increased saturation.
Effects of Sublethal Concentrations of Amphotericin B on Candida albicans

Because sublethal concentrations of antibodies can have important effects on bacteria and may aid host defenses, even in the absence of direct microbial killing, the effect of brief sublethal exposures to amphotericin B on Candida albicans blastoconidia was evaluated. Amphotericin B (0.01-1.0 micrograms/ml for 60 min) inhibited germ tube formation and yeast adherence to both serum-coated plastic surfaces and fibrin matrices. These effects were not reversed by cation (K+ or Mg++) supplementation. Amphotericin B pretreatment accelerated clearance of C. albicans from the peritoneal surfaces of mice and reduced the inflammatory stimulus associated with this clearance, at least as measured by neutrophil influx. However, pretreatment did not facilitate killing of C. albicans by either neutrophils or monocytes in vitro. Thus sublethal concentrations of amphotericin B inhibit two activities of C. albicans that probably contribute to surface colonization and tissue invasion. These results provide one explanation for the clinical benefits observed with short courses of amphotericin B therapy for surface-limited candidal infections (e.g., esophagitis).
Processes involved in oculomotor adaptation to eccentric reading.

Adaptation to eccentric viewing in subjects with a central scotoma remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to analyze the adaptation stages of oculomotor control to forced eccentric reading in normal subjects.
Quantifying mixing using equilibrium reactions

A method of quantifying equilibrium reactions in a microchannel using a fluorometric reaction of Fluo-4 and Ca2+ ions is presented. Under the proper conditions, equilibrium reactions can be used to quantify fluid mixing without the challenges associated with constituent mixing measures such as limited imaging spatial resolution and viewing angle coupled with three-dimensional structure. Quantitative measurements of CaCl and calcium-indicating fluorescent dye Fluo-4 mixing are measured in Y-shaped microchannels. Reactant and product concentration distributions are modeled using Green’s function solutions and a numerical solution to the advection-diffusion equation. Equilibrium reactions provide for an unambiguous, quantitative measure of mixing when the reactant concentrations are greater than 100 times their dissociation constant and the diffusivities are equal. At lower concentrations and for dissimilar diffusivities, the area averaged fluorescence signal reaches a maximum before the species have interdi...
A note on generalized Fibonacci sequences

Consider the generalized Fibonacci sequence {qn}n=0∞ having initial conditions q0=0,q1=1 and recurrence relation qn=aqn-1+qn-2 (when n is even) or qn=bqn-1+qn-2 (when n is odd), where a and b are nonzero real numbers. These sequences arise in a natural way in the study of continued fractions of quadratic irrationals and combinatorics on words or dynamical system theory. Some well-known sequences are special cases of this generalization. The Fibonacci sequence is a special case of {qn} with a=b=1. Pell’s sequence is {qn} with a=b=2 and the k-Fibonacci sequence is {qn} with a=b=k. In this article, we study numerous new properties of these sequences and investigate a sequence closely related to these sequences which can be regarded as a generalization of Lucas sequence of the first kind.
Reconstruction of Uniformly Sampled Sequence From Nonuniformly Sampled Transient Sequence Using Symmetric Extension

In this correspondence, reconstruction of a uniformly sampled sequence from a nonuniformly sampled transient sequence using symmetric extension is described. First, a relationship between the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of a uniformly sampled sequence and the DFT of a nonuniformly sampled sequence is obtained. From the relationship, the formula to reconstruct the DFT of a uniformly sampled sequence from the DFT of a nonuniformly sampled sequence is derived when the nonuniform sampling ratios are known. Second, a symmetric extension of the nonuniformly sampled sequence is described to avoid discontinuity that adds high-frequency content in the DFT. Finally, experimental results are presented.
The role of language in children's formation and retention of mental images

Two studies were conducted to determine the effect of verbalization on the formation and retention of mental images in children in kindergarten, first, and fifth grades. In the first study 51 children were presented a series of tasks designed to determine their ability to represent mental images of cross sections of familiar fruits and to test the hypothesis that self-generated verbalization would aid in image formation. The hypothesis was not confirmed and no significant differences were found to be associated with gender or ability level. Individuals varied widely in the image produced. In the second study 32 subjects from first grade and fifth grade took part. Two treatment groups were formed. One group listened to a verbal description of an unfamiliar fruit, drew a cross section, and gave a description. The other group observed the fruit, then drew it from memory and described it. Both groups were brought back two weeks later and instructed to draw and describe the fruit. Children who had observed the fruit scored higher on drawings immediately and after two weeks; there were no differences between groups on scores of the verbal descriptions. Implications for science teaching are discussed.
Inelastic dynamic analysis of tier buildings

Abstract A comprehensive procedure is developed for the inelastic analysis of three-dimensional tier buildings. Incremental member stiffness matrices are derived for the beams and columns of such structures, using Ramberg-Osgood type of functions to analytically model the inelastic action-deformation relationships. These stiffnesses are incorporated into computer programs that analyze two- and three-dimensional frames for static and dynamic loads. The possibilities of reversal of moment at one or both ends of a member and reversal of the axial force are taken into account, and interactions of the bending moments, axial forces, and torques in the columns are included for wide-flange sections. Calculated results for sample problems are compared against both analytical and experimental data, and the dynamic analysis of a three-story tier building is illustrated.
Data assimilation with inequality constraints

If values of variables in a numerical model are limited to specified ranges, these restrictions should be enforced when data are assimilated. The simplest option is to assimilate without regard for constraints and then to correct any violations without worrying about additional corrections implied by correlated errors. This paper addresses the incorporation of inequality constraints into the standard variational framework of optimal interpolation with emphasis on our limited knowledge of the underlying probability distributions. Simple examples involving only two or three variables are used to illustrate graphically how active constraints can be treated as error-free data when background errors obey a truncated multi-normal distribution. Using Lagrange multipliers, the formalism is expanded to encompass the active constraints. Two algorithms are presented, both relying on a solution ignoring the inequality constraints to discover violations to be enforced. While explicitly enforcing a subset can, via correlations, correct the others, pragmatism based on our poor knowledge of the underlying probability distributions suggests the expedient of enforcing them all explicitly to avoid the computationally expensive task of determining the minimum active set. If additional violations are encountered with these solutions, the process can be repeated. Simple examples are used to illustrate the algorithms and to examine the nature of the corrections implied by correlated errors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Adenosine Preconditioning Reduces Both Pre and Postischemic Arrhythmias in Human Myocardium

Introduction. Consistently, clinical series record supraventricular tachyarrhythmias in approximately 30% of patients following coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Ischemic preconditioning and adenosine preconditioning (Ado-PC) decrease postischemia/reperfusion (I/R) myocardial stunning, infarct size, and pharmacologically induced arrhythmias in all species including man. We hypothesized that adenosine preconditioning would decrease spontaneous pre- and postischemic atrial arrhythmias in human myocardium. The purposes of this study were to determine the effect of in vivo and in vitro Ado-PC on atrial arrhythmias. Methods. Human atrial trabeculae were harvested from CABG patients, placed in organ baths, and paced (1 Hz). Developed force (DF) was recorded during simulated I/R (30/45 min). Prior to I/R, trabeculae were treated with Ado (125 μM) for 5 min (in vitro), or patients were treated with Ado (12 mg iv) 5 min (in vivo) prior to harvest of trabeculae. Contraction frequency >4 Hz (defined as atrial tachyarrhythmias) was recorded in all groups pre- and postischemia. Results. Control trabeculae exhibited increased tachyarrhythmias pre- and postischemia. In vivo and in vitro Ado-PC suppressed both pre- and postischemic arrhythmias. Conclusions. Adenosine preconditioning suppresses the frequency of pre- and postischemic tachyarrhythmias against an ischemia/reperfusion insult in human myocardium. This antiarrhythmic effect occurs with both in vitro and in vivo administration of adenosine. Preconditioning with adenosine prior to elective ischemia/reperfusion is a prmising strategy of reducing spontaneous atrial arrhythmias in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization.
Dendritic Cells Bask in the Limelight

Ralph Steinman is to receive the 2007 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research for his discovery of dendritic cells and his path-breaking work demonstrating their central role as the principal antigen-presenting cells of the immune system and key activators of T cell responses.
Cloning and expression of a novel truncated calcium channel from non-excitable cells.

Calcium entry, via a dihydropyridine-sensitive pathway, is required for differentiation in murine erythroleukemia cells (MELC). Calcium channel currents have been identified physiologically in some non-excitable cells, but little is known regarding the structure of these channels. We show that a truncated form of the α1 subunit of the cardiac voltage-gated calcium channel (dihydropyridine receptor, DHPR) is expressed in MELC. This MELC calcium channel lacks the first four transmembrane segments of the DHPR (IS1 to IS4). A MELC calcium channel/cardiac DHPR chimera, co-expressed with the α2 and β subunits of the DHPR, forms a functional calcium channel in Xenopus oocytes.
Diurnal variation of horizontal wind direction fluctuations in complex terrain at Geysers, Cal.

Horizontal diffusion in the surface layer is dependent on the standard deviation of wind direction fluctuations σθ. Diurnal variation of this parameter in complex terrain was studied for the July 1979 Geysers, Cal., experiment using data from a network of 11 short meteorological towers in the 25 km2 Anderson Creek watershed Valley side slopes are roughly 20 ° and maximum terrain difference is about 1 km.
Drowned coastal deposits with associated archaeological remains from a sea-level "slowstand": Northwestern Gulf of Maine, USA

Drowned terrestrial wetland environments, such as lakes, marshes, and beaches, were thought to be rare in formerly glaciated regions like the Gulf of Maine (United States). In the northwestern Gulf of Maine, postglacial relative sea-level changes include a “slowstand” between 11.5 ka and 7.5 ka, when the ocean rose <5 m. This period of sea-level stability permitted erosion of glacial materials and concomitant construction of spits and sheltered wetland habitats, attractive to human occupation, between 17 m and 22 m below modern sea level. This work underscores the importance of a well-constructed sea-level chronology to predict the location of drowned terrestrial environments and associated cultural resources.
VERTICAL INSTABILITIES AND OFF-PLANE ORBITS IN CIRCUMBINARY DISKS

We present an approach to the problem of particle disks in lopsided potentialssuch as circumbinary dust or planetesimal diskswhich focuses on planar and oU-plane orbits in the restricted three-body problem. We show that several families of oU-plane orbits around a circular binary are stable, and at least one of these is easily accessible to particles orbiting in the plane of the binary motion (e.g., in a circumbinary accretion or protoplanetary disk). The presence of a vertical instability in the family of simple, periodic orbits that supports such disks suggests that particles in the disk should be excited into oU-plane motion. When we include a dissipational term in our equations to mimic the eUects of such forces as viscosity, gas drag, or Poynting-Robertson drag, disk particles spiral slowly inward. This allows us to test the eUects of in-plane and vertical resonances on particle motion and to explore the eUects of nonzero binary eccentricity. In the circular case, for mass ratios the 0.02 ( k( \ m 2 /(m 1 ) m 2 )) ( 0.35, vertical resonance located at a distance from the barycenter of just over twice the binary semimajor axis intercepts the majority of inbound particles and excites them onto the oU-plane orbits. For slightly lower mass ratios the corresponding planar instability tends to dominate, (k ( 0.01), k \ ) ( ) B : i \( 1:2 and particles are forced onto orbits which escape from the binary before signi—cant vertical excitation can occur; at very small mass ratios neither of these outer resonances are strong enough to (k ( 0.001), intercept a signi—cant fraction of particles. Eccentricities of eUectively shut oU this vertical exci- e Z 0.01 tation. But at e D 0.1, we —nd a new vertical excitation for particles on 1:3 planar orbits farther out, which branch from the main circumbinary orbits at the k \( 1:3 resonance (eccentric orbits at the Keplerian 4:1 mean-motion resonance). We discuss applications of these results to premain-sequence binaries and star-planet systems with dust disks and comment on the relevance of our results to circum- binary disks dominated by collective eUects such as gas pressure and self-gravity. A number of objects in the Kuiper Belt of the outer solar system may exist in highly inclined orbits as a result of the resonances discussed here. Subject headings: accretion, accretion diskscelestial mechanics, stellar dynamics ¨ planetary systemssolar system: formationstars: premain-sequence
Entropy metrics for software design evaluation

Several metrics for the quality assessment of a software system design are discussed. The metrics are based on the entropy function of communication information theory. The design of software systems is viewed as a trade-off between the information contained within a subsystem and the information shared among the subsystems of a given system. Since information can be shared in different ways by different system designs, we can compute the excess entropy and thereby rank different design alternatives. Consequently, the quality improvement due to reconfigurations can be determined by calculating the excess entropies for each reconfiguration.
Concepts as Pluralistic Hybrids

In contrast to earlier views that argued for a particular kind of concept (e.g. prototypes), several recent accounts have proposed that there are multiple distinct kinds of concepts, or that there is a plurality of concepts for each category. In this paper, I argue for a novel account of concepts as pluralistic hybrids. According to this view, concepts are pluralistic because there are several concepts for the same category whose use is heavily determined by context. In addition, concepts are hybrids because they typically link together several different kinds of information that are used in the same cognitive processes. This alternative view accounts for the available empirical data, allows for greater cognitive flexibility than Machery's recent account, and overcomes several objections to traditional hybrid views.
Visible Planar Photonic Crystal Laser

Visible planar photonic crystal lasers were fabricated within membranes of InGaP /InGaAlP quantum well material. These red photonic crystal lasers with ultra-small mode volumes (~ 0.01μm3) are ideally useful for spectroscopic sources.
Leadership education for engineering students

The interdependency of technical and socio-economic problem solving has increased the need for engineers, inherent problem solvers, to improve the development of their “soft skills.” Our ability to compete and innovate in an ever flattening world depends on engineers bringing envisioned solutions to fruition through leadership. Yet for the most part, engineering students are not exposed to formal studies in leadership. Instead, most engineering curricula focus on communications skills and anticipate that the graduate will acquire leadership skills either through employer training or via observation and “on-the-job” action. This deferral to employers for leadership development could possibly put the engineer at a disadvantage compared to other graduating majors where leadership is emphasized (e.g., Business), and reduce the competitiveness of our workforce that depends on realization of technical innovations to spur job creation. In response to this need, Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering and Technology established the T. Richard and Eleanora K. Robe Leadership Institute (RLI) in 1996. Since its founding, the Institute has promoted and encouraged effective leadership for college students, faculty, and staff through a wide variety of activities, awards, classes, and guest speakers that would allow them to reach beyond their professional competence. The focus on learning leadership concepts, styles, self-realization, and personal interactions with established leaders develops the student's own leadership style and prepares them to maximize future leadership opportunities. This paper will present the pedagogy used by the RLI in the annual leadership course offered to the Russ College's most promising student leaders. This course includes literature survey on leadership concepts, study of emotional intelligence and personal leadership styles, team building, and discussions/interactions with invited leaders, along with journals for reflection on each course activity. Details of the course structure, assignments, and interaction with the speakers will be presented.
Anthrax toxin receptor 2 promotes human uterine smooth muscle cell viability, migration and contractility

Objective Previously we demonstrated anthrax toxin receptor 2 knockout ( Antxr2 −/− ) mice are fertile but fail to deliver their pups at term. This parturition defect is associated with overaccumulation of extracellular matrix proteins and decreased myometrial cell content in the uterus. Myometrial cell loss in Antxr2 −/− uterine tissue prompted us to evaluate if ANTXR2 is essential for human uterine smooth muscle cell viability and function. Study Design We subjected human uterine smooth muscle cell to lentiviral-mediated knock down or retroviral-mediated overexpression of ANTXR2. Flow cytometry confirmed lentiviral-mediated knock down or retroviral-mediated overexpression in cell lines vs control. Cell behavior and function in control, lentiviral-mediated knock down and retroviral-mediated overexpression cells were evaluated for apoptosis via TUNEL assay, migration via Boyden chamber assay and with oxytocin-mediated collagen contraction assays. Matrix metalloproteinase activity was evaluated using gelatin zymography. Cell lines and samples were run in duplicate. Student t test was used for statistical analysis. Results ANTXR2 is expressed by human uterine smooth muscle cell. Human uterine smooth muscle cell-lentiviral-mediated knock down cells exhibited increased apoptosis ( P P P = .91) and increased migration ( P = .05) vs control. Human uterine smooth muscle cell-lentiviral-mediated knock down cells contracted significantly less than control, although human uterine smooth muscle cell-retroviral-mediated overexpression cells showed no difference in contractility vs control. Matrix metalloproteinase activity 2 activity appeared slightly decreased in human uterine smooth muscle cell-lentiviral-mediated knock down cells and increased in human uterine smooth muscle cell-retroviral-mediated overexpression cells vs control. Conclusion ANTXR2 is expressed by human uterine smooth muscle cell and appears important for normal human uterine smooth muscle cell viability, migration and contractility. Further studies are needed to delineate if ANTXR2 is important for normal and abnormal labor patterns.
Simulation-based design of programmable systolic arrays

Abstract The paper describes how a simulator is used interactively to design programmable systolic arrays for use in signal-processing applications. A preliminary architecture is defined, with the algorithms targeted for implementation as the starting point. Hardware resources such as maths chips, controllers and memory are then selected. These hardware resources impose constraints on the design. The goal is then that of implementing the desired architecture using the selected hardware. A simulator is described that is used to model and examine architectural and algorithmic options. Via this analysis of the architecture and algorithms, the design can be optimized for a set of applications. The use of the simulator in an actual design is discussed.
Carotid stenosis: from diagnosis to management, where do we stand?

Carotid atherosclerosis is implicated in 20–30 % of strokes. However, the annual risk of stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis is less than 5 %. Symptomatic carotid stenosis poses a greater risk for recurrent stroke with estimates as high as 15 % per year. This paper aims to raise awareness of populations at risk for carotid stenosis, the role of carotid screening and the sensitivity and specificity of various diagnostic modalities. The results of previous trials that support current guidelines for management of symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid stenosis will also be reviewed.
Paradigm Shift: From Rational Choice to Perspective

Rational choice theory can be replaced as the leading paradigm in political science by the theory of perspective, which argues that how we see ourselves in relation to others sets and delineates the range of options actors find available, not just morally but empirically. The author begins by discussing the basic assumptions underlying the theory of rational choice or rational action, discusses the main criticisms of the theory, and argues that these criticisms, when taken in conjunction with rational choice theorists' response to them, provide us with a classic Kuhnian example of a paradigm in stress. The author then argues that the debate over rational choice has become unnecessarily acrimonious because of the lack of a viable alternative theoretical structure. Political psychology can provide such an alternative in a theory of perspective on self in relation to others, and she suggests several ways in which this theory will need to be developed as it grows and expands in the manner described by Kuhn. She concludes that rational choice works well for certain kinds of political phenomena, but does not work in all circumstances. The discipline's attention should now focus on trying to understand and to specify the conditions under which rational choice theory will apply, and on distinguishing them from situations and conditions under which perspective may provide a more valuable theoretical framework.
Visualization-based cancer microarray data classification analysis

Motivation: Methods for analyzing cancer microarray data often face two distinct challenges: the models they infer need to perform well when classifying new tissue samples while at the same time providing an insight into the patterns and gene interactions hidden in the data. State-of-the-art supervised data mining methods often cover well only one of these aspects, motivating the development of methods where predictive models with a solid classification performance would be easily communicated to the domain expert. Results: Data visualization may provide for an excellent approach to knowledge discovery and analysis of class-labeled data. We have previously developed an approach called VizRank that can score and rank point-based visualizations according to degree of separation of data instances of different class. We here extend VizRank with techniques to uncover outliers, score features (genes) and perform classification, as well as to demonstrate that the proposed approach is well suited for cancer microarray analysis. Using VizRank and radviz visualization on a set of previously published cancer microarray data sets, we were able to find simple, interpretable data projections that include only a small subset of genes yet do clearly differentiate among different cancer types. We also report that our approach to classification through visualization achieves performance that is comparable to state-of-the-art supervised data mining techniques. Availability: VizRank and radviz are implemented as part of the Orange data mining suite ( http://www.ailab.si/orange). Contact: blaz.zupan@fri.uni-lj.si Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available from http://www.ailab.si/supp/bi-cancer.
Apparatus for Stress Corrosion Tests in Boiling Magnesium Chloride Solutions

Abstract Time-to-failure in stress corrosion tests on stainless steels and related alloys depends on the temperature of the boiling magnesium chloride test solution. Small losses of water vapor and...
Atmospheric gradients and the VLBI terrestrial and celestial reference frames

Gradients in the atmospheric refractive index can lead to errors in estimated vertical and horizontal station coordinates. These errors produce systematic errors in the terrestrial and celestial reference frames determined from our very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) measurements. Estimation of gradients for our global VLBI data set changes the terrestrial reference frame length scale by −0.7 ppb and produces station position adjustments that vary approximately monotonically with latitude. Estimating gradients reduces the radio source declinations by an amount that peaks at about 0.5 mas near the equator and decreases toward the poles. VLBI gradient estimates are consistent with gradients derived from a global three-dimensional model of assimilated meteorological data. Both indicate that mean atmospheric delay gradients point toward the equator in both the northern and southern hemispheres. The correlation coefficient between VLBI and meteorological model gradients for VLBI sessions for the VLBI antenna at Westford, Massachusetts was 0.56.
The anti-sigma factor SpoIIAB forms a 2:1 complex with sigma(F), contacting multiple conserved regions of the sigma factor.

Abstract The developmental regulatory protein σF of Bacillus subtilis, a member of the σ70-family of bacterial RNA polymerase σ factors, is negatively regulated by the anti-σ factor SpoIIAB, which binds to σF, sequestering it in an inactive complex. SpoIIAB binding to σF is strongly stimulated by ATP. Here, we use a combination of gel filtration chromatography, dynamic light-scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation, limited proteolysis with N-terminal sequencing and electrospray mass spectrometry, and deletion analysis to probe the SpoIIAB-σF complex. The studies were facilitated by investigating the homologs from Bacillus stearothermophilus as well as co-expression of the proteins in Escherichia coli, allowing purification of large quantities of the in vivo assembled complex. We determined the stoichiometry of the complex to be SpoIIAB2:σ1F. Alone, σF is rapidly degraded by the protease trypsin. In the complex with SpoIIAB, however, σF is remarkably resistant to proteolysis. Analysis of the protease cleavage data indicates the anti-σ binds σF through contacts with mutliple conserved regions of the σ factor, supporting previous findings based on genetic data.
Characterization of shear stress at the tool-part interface during autoclave processing of prepreg composites

In this article, shear stress between an aluminum tool and a carbon fiber-epoxy prepreg is characterized during cure using polymeric release agent and release film at the tool-part interface. The effects of surface roughness, release materials, pull-out speed, temperature, and normal force (autoclave pressure) on the shear stress are investigated using a customized friction rig. Results show that the interfacial shear stress decreases as the temperature increases and it increases as the normal force increases when using either the release film or the release agent. Additionally, changes in surface roughness from 1.35 to 0.18 μm decrease the shear stress 10–27% while the use of release agent shows a decrease between 23% and 51% in the shear stress. Furthermore, strong adhesion between the tool and the part is observed when using release agent and pull-out speeds of 0.05 mm/min (static/dynamic friction ratio of 5.29 ± 0.19). Using the experimental data, a mathematical approach based on the Coulomb's friction model is proposed to predict the friction force at the tool-part interface. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Identifying fecal pollution sources using 3M™ Petrifilm™ count plates and antibiotic resistance analysis in the Horse Creek Watershed in Aiken County, SC (USA)

Sources of fecal coliform pollution in a small South Carolina (USA) watershed were identified using inexpensive methods and commonly available equipment. Samples from the upper reaches of the watershed were analyzed with 3M™ Petrifilm™ count plates. We were able to narrow down the study’s focus to one particular tributary, Sand River, that was the major contributor of the coliform pollution (both fecal and total) to a downstream reservoir that is heavily used for recreation purposes. Concentrations of total coliforms ranged from 2,400 to 120,333 cfu/100 mL, with sharp increases in coliform counts observed in samples taken after rain events. Positive correlations between turbidity and fecal coliform counts suggested a relationship between fecal pollution and stormwater runoff. Antibiotic resistance analysis (ARA) compared antibiotic resistance profiles of fecal coliform isolates from the stream to those of a watershed-specific fecal source library (equine, waterfowl, canines, and untreated sewage). Known fecal source isolates and unknown isolates from the stream were exposed to six antibiotics at three concentrations each. Discriminant analysis grouped known isolates with an overall average rate of correct classification (ARCC) of 84.3 %. A total of 401 isolates from the first stream location were classified as equine (45.9 %), sewage (39.4 %), waterfowl (6.2 %), and feline (8.5 %). A similar pattern was observed at the second sampling location, with 42.6 % equine, 45.2 % sewage, 2.8 % waterfowl, 0.6 % canine, and 8.8 % feline. While there were slight weather-dependent differences, the vast majority of the coliform pollution in this stream appeared to be from two sources, equine and sewage. This information will contribute to better land use decisions and further justify implementation of low-impact development practices within this urban watershed.
A Deeper Unity: Some Feyerabendian Themes in Neurocomputational Form

By the late 60s, every good materialist expected that epistemological theory would one day make explanatory contact, perhaps even a reductive contact, with a proper theory of brain function. Not even the most optimistic of us, however, expected this to happen in less than fifty years, and most would have guessed a great deal longer. And yet the time has arrived. Experimental neuroscience has revealed enough of the brain’s microphysical organization, and mathematical analysis and computer simulation have revealed enough of its functional significance, that we can now address epistemological issues directly. Indeed, we are in a position to reconstruct, in neurocomputational terms, issues in the philosophy of science specifically. This is my aim in what follows.
Interference of radiatively broadened resonances

We show that a three-state atomic system where the upper two states have the same J and ${m}_{J}$ quantum numbers and decay radiatively to the states of a single atomic level is equivlent to the recently proposed inversionless laser system [S.E. Harris, Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 1033 (1989)].
Novel d-erythro N-octanoyl sphingosine analogs as chemo- and endocrine-resistant breast cancer therapeutics

Resistance to endocrine and chemotherapies remains the primary cause of breast cancer treatment failure. We have synthesized four novel d-erythro N-octanoyl sphingosine analogs and catalogued their activity in drug-sensitive (MCF-7), endocrine-resistant (MDA-MB-231) and chemoresistant (MCF-7TN-R) breast cancer cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine cell viability; colony assay was performed to determine effects on clonogenic survival and 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HPLC spectra and elemental analytical data analyses were used to determine analog identity and purity. All four analogs inhibited both viability and clonogenic survival, with analog C exhibiting a log-fold improvement in anti-survival activity compared to the parent compound. With resistance to current breast cancer chemotherapies on the rise, the development of novel therapeutic targets is of growing importance. Our results show that lipid analogs have therapeutic potential in treating chemo- and endocrine-resistant breast cancer.
Modeling and Computing Transactions Costs for Purchasers of Housing Services

This paper models, as equilibrium behavior, buyers' behaviors under transactions costs and market failure constraints. It derives equilibrium conditions and it shows how they differ from unconstrained models. Standard utility and cost parameters are then used to estimate the economic costs of the constraints, which may be interpreted, at the margin, as the transactions costs of moving. If transactions costs are greater than the economic costs of the constraints, the household remains in a residence, even in response to changed price and income expectations. Changes in expected prices and incomes lead to changed housing demand even when the household cannot adjust housing consumption between periods. These findings have implications for empirical work with both cross-section and panel data sets.
Bradykinin level in the great cardiac vein during balloon angioplasty of the left anterior descending coronary artery

Abstract Chest pain is one of the hallmarks of myocardial ischemia (angina pectoris). Exact mechanisms responsible for the production of ischemia-induced pain are not clear. 1 A prevailing hypothesis postulates the activation of peripheral nociceptive receptors by substances originating in the ischemic myocardium. 2–4 Several investigators have suggested that bradykinin, one of the most potent natural algesic substances, may be responsible for anginal pain. 5,6 Kimura et al 7 found that coronary ligation in the dog induces a rapid increase in the coronary sinus level of bradykinin. The relation of bradykmin to myocardial ischemic pain in humans has not been previously reported. We studied the plasma bradykinin level in the great cardiac vein during transient myocardial ischemia induced by balloon angioplasty of the left anterior descending coronary artery in humans.
Optical Properties of Rhodium

The normal incidence reflectance of an electron-gun-evaporated Rh film measured over the photon energy range 0.5 ≦ ħ ω ≦ 11.7 eV is presented. The optical functions ϵ1(ω), ϵ2(ω), σ(ω), and the volume and surface loss functions have been calculated by a Kramers-Kronig analysis of the appropriately extrapolated reflectance data. The structure in the optical conductivity σ(ω) at 1.1, 2.5, and 5.6 eV is compared to the predictions of a recent band structure calculation; the optical transitions giving rise to this structure are discussed. The volume and surface loss functions, which have peaks at 8.8 and 8.1 eV, respectively, are compared to characteristic electron energy loss measurements.
Inspiration as a psychological construct.

Inspiration has received little theoretical or empirical attention within psychology. Inspiration is conceptualized herein as a general construct characterized by evocation, motivation, and transcendence. In Studies 1a and 1b, a trait measure of inspiration was developed and was found to have strong psychometric properties. Studies 2a-2c documented a nomological network consistent with the present conceptualization. Study 3 related inspiration to the holding of U.S. patents. Study 4 linked trait inspiration to daily experiences of inspiration, extended the nomological network to the state level, documented antecedents and consequences, and established incremental validity. This research provides a foundation for further study of inspiration, both as a general construct and in specific content domains (e.g., religion, creativity, interpersonal relations).
Deliquescence of sulfuric acid tetrahydrate following volcanic eruptions or denitrification

A thermodynamic model is employed to investigate the effects of cooling sulfuric acid tetrahydrate (SAT) when the polar stratosphere is perturbed by denitrification or volcanic eruptions. Also, survey experiments are carried out to study the plausibility of the predictions of this model. In contrast to an atmosphere rich in HNO3 for which Koop and Carslaw [1996] calculated that SAT deliquesces upon cooling to form a ternary solution, in a denitrified atmosphere the liquid begins to form ∼3 K colder, and SAT is not predicted to deliquesce completely above the ice frost point. Likewise, in an atmosphere with a high sulfate loading, solid/liquid aerosols are predicted to coexist over a large temperature range. For these two cases, SAT particles should thus deliquesce only partially upon cooling, and hence, should return to solid form upon warming. Furthermore, the results of laboratory experiments suggest that HNO3-induced deliquescence of SAT might be too slow to matter even under normal stratospheric conditions.
CARM EC Heating Source For High Field Tokamaks

Theory and experimental design of a 2 MW, 560 GHz CARM as well as a 1 MW, 90-140 GHz, 400 kV proof of principle experiment will be presented.