cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gate input reconfiguration for combating soft errors in combinational circuits

Many techniques to relieve soft error problem, such as making the circuit larger, called upsizing, have been developed under tight limitation in circuit performance but they all call for a tradeoff between performance and soft error resilience. In this paper, we present a soft error reduction technique, called gate input reconfiguration, to combat soft errors in digital circuits without additional overhead. Substantiated by SPICE simulations, our device level experiments disclose that gate inputs and transistor positions in a gate have a profound impact on circuit probability of failure due to soft errors. The detailed study on soft error vulnerabilities of several types of logic gates lead us to develop a gate input reconfiguration technique in order to improve the reliability of large combinational circuits. This overhead-free technique rearranges gate input pins such that soft error rate of that gate is minimized. Experimental results reveal that the proposed technique provides considerable decrease in the probability of failure due to soft errors of benchmark circuits. We observed this decrease to be as much as 45% in some circuits. Next, we combine the use of gate input reconfiguration technique with upsizing technique to reduce the failure due to soft errors even further. The combination of these two techniques achieves very impressive reliability improvements.
Transport efficiency of free atoms for laser spectroscopy using a cryogenic helium jet

A cryogenic helium jet system using pure helium has been developed to thermalize and transport nuclear reaction products to a laser spectroscopy chamber for isotope shift and hyperfine structure measurements. The transport properties of the helium jet were studied using 126Ba (T12 = 100 min) produced by an 80 MeV 12C beam impinging on natural tin targets. High transport efficiency (20–40%) of the reaction products in ultra pure helium has been achieved, but was found to be sensitive to minute amounts of impurities. It has not been possible to transport barium in elemental form, making laser spectroscopic measurements on free atoms impossible. An explanation to the problem is suggested.
GABAb receptors in the vertebrate retina

Abstract The experiments summarized here indicate that baclofen affects almost all classes of retinal neuron. Photoreceptors, bipolar cells and ganglion cells all possess voltage-dependent calcium channels which are down-regulated when GABAb receptors are activated. This has ramifications for transmitter release, as well as for the movement of other ions through calcium-dependent channels. In both photoreceptor cones and bipolar cells in the amphibian retina, only about 20% of the cells possess putative GABAb receptors. Thus, these receptors modulate very specific visual pathways. In amacrine and ganglion cells, there also appear to be potassium channels activated by GABAb receptors. These receptors are more ubiquitous, almost all third-order cells are affected by GABAb agonists. Under standard experimental conditions, only a small portion of the available GABAb receptor population is synaptically regulated. Whether this represents a potential that can be stimulated under unique circumstances, or whether this reserve simply reflects non-synaptic receptors, is uncertain. GABAb receptors clearly modulate the balance between sustained and transient signals in the retina. This has been observed in the calcium channel kinetics of goldfish ganglion cells, in the light responses of amacrine and ganglion cells and in the feedback pathway to bipolar cells. The functional significance of this transition is uncertain, although it has been incorporated into models of directional selectivity and selective attention. The models are intriguing but as yet unsubstantiated. The GABAb receptor is finding a place within an integrative view of GABA function. There are several GABA receptor classes in the retina. Each cell type discussed in this review has at least two of these receptors. They may work in parallel, for example GABAb receptors may suppress presynaptic transmitter release while GABAa receptors shunt the postsynaptic neurons ability to respond. Or they may work serially, for example low extracellular GABA concentrations may only activate GABAb receptors, thereby reducing sustained, but not transient, light responses. Higher GABA concentrations would activate the GABAa receptor, providing a powerful shunt which would suppress all light responses. The actual significance of GABA receptor diversity will no doubt be much richer than this simple introduction, but this retinal receptor is clearly a work in progress.
A fuzzy approach to medical diagnosis.

Abstract A procedural knowledge base system using fuzzy concepts for medical diagnosis is proposed. A classification of fuzzy concepts as being either primary or secondary is shown.
Inhibition of return in perception and action

Inhibition of return (IOR) refers to the delay in responses to previously cued locations. Whether IOR influences perceptual and/or motor processes has been controversial. To determine IOR effects on perception and action, this study examined IOR in spatially directed hand reaching (Experiment 1) and spatial localization of targets with a mouse cursor (i.e., an indirect visuomotor mapping/perceptual task; Experiment 2). The reaction times showed delayed responses for targets appearing within the whole cued hemifield for both tasks. However, hypometric spatial biases were consistently found only with directed reaching. Spatial biases in the mouse localization task were indirectly influenced by IOR and distinct from those in the reaching task. The dissociation in spatial characteristics for directed reaching vs. perception suggests that the effects of IOR are task dependent, but may be more directly linked to the dorsal motor system.
Structural and functional responses of the bullfrog urinary bladder to distension caused by hydrostatic pressure gradients.

The responses to mucosal pressure elevation (physiological pressure: PP) were compared to responses to serosal pressure elevation (non-physiological pressure: NPP) in bullfrog urinary bladders (Rana catesbeiana). The bladders were mounted on vertical chambers as flat sheets. Distension was applied with 98.07 Pa. pressure gradients. PP resulted in increases in transepithelial electrical potential difference (TEP) and short-circuit current (SCC). Electrical resistance (R), urea permeability (Purea) and net water flux (Jv) were not effected. NPP resulted in decreases in TEP (38%), SCC (13%), and R (36%). While Purea (97%) and Jv (96%) increased. PP caused little or no change in the electron microscopic structure of frog bladder while NPP caused irreversible dilation of the lateral intercellular spaces. There were no observable changes in tight junctions under PP or NPP. The subepithelial elements of the bladder became detached from the epithelial layer during NPP suggesting a role for them during PP.
EPR study of radicals derived from cyclopentanone and methyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate☆

Abstract Using the TiCl 3 H 2 O 2 radical-generating method at 10–40°C, we have successfully characterized by EPR radicals formed from the substrates ulbarcyclopentanone, I , and methyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate, II ; , 1, and , 2 , and, from II , , 3 . The spectrum of 1 was particularly interesting as it displayed higher-order effects arising from the interaction of two pairs of nearly equivalent β-CH 2 protons (each member of a pair at the same carbon being equivalent). The previous EPR investigators of this radical did not notice this effect. The results for 2 were in reasonable agreement with the literature and those for the hitherto unreported 3 were in line with expectation. To assist with splitting-constant assignments and conformational analyses we utilized INDO-MO-SCF calculations in the case of 1 and 2 and splitting-constant temperature dependency studies for 3 .
Acid Whey as a Replacement for Sodium Caseinate in Spray-Dried Coffee Whiteners

Abstract Acid whey from cottage cheese is a by-product that is underutilized. A new use as a replacement for sodium caseinate in spray-dried coffee whiteners was examined. Acid whey was ion-exchanged to a 90% reduction in minerals and ultrafiltered to concentrate protein to 50% of solids in retentate containing 16.6% to 22.6% total solids and used as a total replacement for sodium caseinate. Fifty-two spray-dried coffee whitener formulations were prepared using demineralized acid whey protein concentrate and compared with standard commercial whitener formulations. Optimal stability and functionality were obtained at 1.5% acid whey protein. Dipotassium phosphate was necessary to prevent precipitation of protein exposed to hot acidic conditions of instant coffee. A dipotassium phosphate to protein ratio of 1.0 yielded good stability. The combination of polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate and sodium stearoyl lactylate was the only emulsifier system that produced an acceptable coffee whitener. Addition of .5% titanium dioxide was necessary to match desired whitening in coffee as measured with a spectrophotometer. Demineralized acid whey protein was an acceptable replacement for sodium caseinate in spray-dried coffee whiteners and can replace sodium caseinate at a 1:2 ratio. Seven replicates of final formulation produced a functional coffee whitener.
Computing canonical conformations for knots

Abstract In a paper by G. Buck and J. Simon a potential energy function for piecewise linear knots is introduced. This associates an energy surface with any given knot type. Descriptions of the energy surface are in some sense invariants of the knot type. The global minimum might be considered to be a canonical position for the knot. In this paper we discuss an algorithm for computing minimums of the energy: approximation of the gradient flow. Pictures of minima for the trefoil and for the figure eight knot are included.
Adaptive Fuzzy Throttle Control for an All Terrain Vehicle

AbstractThis paper describes an adaptive fuzzy throttle control for an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) powered by internal combustion engine. The design objective is to provide smooth throttle movement and zero steady state speed error, and to maintain a selected vehicle speed over varying road slopes for a 2–30 mile/h speed range. Unlike modern production vehicles which have microprocessor-based engine management systems, the ATV's engine is mechanically controlled via a carburettor.A complete mathematical model of the engine is not available, making it very difficult to apply conventional control techniques. Using experience and data collected from extensive experiments conducted on the ATV throttle mechanism, an adaptive fuzzy throttle control algorithm is designed. A candidate Lyapunov function is employed in the adaptive law synthesis to ensure convergence. Experimental results are presented showing the effectiveness of the control algorithm at speeds below 2.74 mile/h (1.2m/s).
The preparation of 5-phenacylisoxazoles and 5-hydroxyphenyl-isoxazoles and -pyrazoles by the condensation of C(a)-dianions with ethyl benzoylacetate and methyl salicylate

C(α), O-Dilithiooximes and C(α), N-Dilithiophenylhydrazones were prepared in an excess of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA). The former was condensed with ethyl benzoylacetate and methyl salicylate, and the latter condensed with methyl salicylate. The resulting precyclization intermediates were then treated with aqueous acid, which was followed by cyclodehydration to give phenacylisoxazoles and hydroxyphenyl-isoxazoles and -pyrazoles.
Thermal densification of metal-ceramic composites

Many of the ceramics used in the manufacture of composites are available as powders as a result of the processes used for their production. Hence, the development of processes that begin with powders and lead to monolithic solids are of considerable interest. In particular, processes that have the potential to lead to net shape'' are desirable because of the difficulty in cutting and forming ceramic based composites. Hot isostatic pressing is currently the most commonly used process; however, innovative processes such as those developed by Lanxide Corporation and combustion synthesis offer great potential for specific material combinations. These processes also offer the capability to design'' the material for the particular application since ultimate properties can be process dependent. Both the Lanxide processes and combustion synthesis involve heat transfer in a porous matrix with melting, solidification, chemical reaction, and liquid phase transport by capillary action. Since the resulting transport phenomena are relatively complex, models which might be useful in designing processes have not been developed. In this paper the authors attack a problem which is relatively simple yet contains much of the transport physics which is involved in the processes discussed above. In examining the transport phenomena they demonstrate that itmore » is possible, beginning with a mixture of powdered metal and ceramic, to produce densification to net shape or near net shape through the application of heat only.« less
IDENTIFICATION OF PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE-1-BINDING PROTEINS BY MICROCYSTIN-BIOTIN AFFINITY CHROMATOGRAPHY

Abstract Biotinylated microcystin was used to affinity purify over avidin-Sepharose the entire cellular content of active forms of protein phosphatase (PP) 1 and 2A holoenzymes present in three subcellular fractions of skeletal muscle. Biotinylated microcystin displayed IC50 values in the nM range against PP-1C (1.58 ± 0.6 nM S.E., n = 3), PP-2AC (0.63 ± 0.2 nM S.E., n = 3) and SMPP-1M (5.9 ± 1.3 S.E., n = 3). Subsequent anion-exchange chromatography and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the microcystin-biotin eluates of the three fractions revealed a complex pattern of proteins associated with PP-1C and PP-2AC. Far Western analysis and the rebinding interaction with recombinant PP-1C distinguished proteins in the eluates that bound PP-1C from those that bound PP-2AC. In Far Western analysis, 29 distinct proteins were identified to bind PP-1C. Significantly, these same proteins, plus seven others, were also recovered from the isothiocyanate eluates from microcystin-Sepharose by a rebinding interaction with PP-1C-microcystin-biotin. The number of proteins and range of novel molecular masses (18-125 kDa) identified to interact with PP-1C by these two techniques cannot be accounted for by the previously characterized subunits of PP-1. Our findings further support the concept that PP-1C is regulated in vivo by multiple and distinct substrate-targeting subunits.
Evolution of surveillance methods for detection of bacterial contamination of platelets in a university hospital, 1991 through 2004.

BACKGROUND: Platelet (PLT) bacterial contamination (PBC) is the most common transfusion-associated infection. It is important to understand the impact of interventions addressing this problem. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: PBC was studied by prospective (active) and transfusion-reaction triggered (passive) surveillance from July 1991 to December 2004. Active surveillance, utilized for 10 years, included bacterial culture of all or 4- and 5-day-old PLTs at issue and intermittent use of Gram stain, pH measurements, and early (24-hr) culture of single-donor plateletpheresis (SDP) units. RESULTS: Active surveillance detected 38 instances of PBC, 7 in SDP units (1:2213) and 31 in random-donor PLT units (1:2090 units, p = 0.89; or 1:418 pools of 5 units, p < 0.001). Contaminants were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS; n = 27), Staphylococcus aureus (4), Bacillus cereus (1), Serratia marcescens (2), streptococci (2 S. bovis, 1 S. uberis), and CONS with viridans group streptococcus (1). Only one instance of contamination, caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was detected by passive surveillance, with fatal outcome. Colony counts of contaminants ranged from 0.5 × 102 to 4 × 1011 colony-forming units per mL at time of issue. PBC was interdicted before transfusion in 6 cases through Gram stain screening. Transfusion reactions occurred in 13 of 32 recipients (41%), with 9 severe reactions (28%) and 3 deaths (9%). pH testing failed to detect 5 contaminated units and resulted in discard of nearly 2 percent of units, whereas culture of SDP units at 24 hours failed to identify a contaminated unit. CONCLUSION: Improved active surveillance methods for detecting PBC are needed to improve the safety of PLT transfusions.
Clinical multishot DW‐EPI through parallel imaging with considerations of susceptibility, motion, and noise

Geometric distortions and poor image resolution are well known shortcomings of single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI). Yet, due to the motion immunity of ss-EPI, it remains the most common sequence for diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Moreover, both navigated DW interleaved EPI (iEPI) and parallel imaging (PI) methods, such as sensitivity encoding (SENSE) and generalized autocalibrating parallel acquisitions (GRAPPA), can improve the image quality in EPI. In this work, DW-EPI accelerated by PI is proposed as a self-calibrated and unnavigated form of interleaved acquisition. The PI calibration is performed on the b = 0 s/mm2 data and applied to each shot in the rest of the DW data set, followed by magnitude averaging. Central in this study is the comparison of GRAPPA and SENSE in the presence of off-resonances and motion. The results show that GRAPPA is more robust than SENSE against both off-resonance and motion-related artifacts. The SNR efficiency was also investigated, and it is shown that the SNR/scan time ratio is equally high for one- to three-shot high-resolution diffusion scans due to the shortened EPI readout train length. The image quality improvements without SNR efficiency loss, together with motion tolerance, make the GRAPPA-driven DW-EPI sequence clinically attractive.
A Hybrid Computing Platform Digital Wideband Receiver Design and Performance Measurement

As a modern radar receiver must rapidly search a large frequency range with maximum sensitivity, capabilities such as high instantaneous dynamic range (IDR), good multiple-signal-detection capability, wider bandwidth (BW), and high-frequency resolution are indispensable. Many techniques proposed to improve digital wideband receiver performance are computationally intensive and limit their real-time performance due to hardware constraint. In this paper, an innovative three gigasample-per-second hybrid computing platform digital wideband receiver system is presented, which employs two Nvidia Tesla C2050 graphics processor units and a Xilinx Virtex-5 field-programmable gate array for hardware acceleration to drastically improve receiver performance over its predecessor designs. The receiver detects five simultaneous signals in 1.25-GHz BW (125-1375 MHz) with a maximum IDR of 42.5 dB and a frequency resolution of 0.5 MHz. The proposed receiver architecture achieves high-resolution spectral estimation and employs a hardware mechanism for multiple-signal detection before the next set of data arrives for processing.
Charging damage and SOI

SOI technologies offer the highest possible performance in today's silicon spectrum, and are used for the very fastest processor requirements. In addition to the high speed achievable with this technology, there is also unusually high robustness against inline charging damage. In this paper, we review data and theories pertinent to SOI charging immunity and design rules.
A mixed-signal decision-feedback equalizer that uses a look-ahead architecture

A mixed-signal decision-feedback equalizer (DFE) that uses a look-ahead architecture is described. The parallelism in the look-ahead DFE (LA DFE) achieves an increase in the data rate over a conventional DFE with a small increase in area. Fully differential analog circuits perform the convolution operation in the LA DFE, and the coefficient adaption is carried out by digital circuits. The LA DFE occupies 23 mm/sup 2/ in a 2-/spl mu/m CMOS process and operates at 50 Mb/s while dissipating 260 mW.
An experimental evaluation of the scalability of real-time scheduling algorithms on large-scale multicore platforms

We present an experimental analysis of the scalability of 13 multicore real-time scheduling algorithms on a 48-core AMD platform. The algorithms include G-EDF, P-EDF, C-EDF, and G-NP-EDF. Comparisons are made based on schedulability and tardiness. The algorithms are implemented in a real-time Linux kernel we create called ChronOS. ChronOS extends the Linux kernel's PREEMPT_RT patch with a flexible, scalable real-time scheduling framework. Our study shows that it is possible to implement global fixed and dynamic priority real-time scheduling algorithms which will scale to large-scale multicore platforms. Interestingly, and in contrast to the conclusions of prior research, our results reveal that some global scheduling algorithms (e.g., G-NP-EDF) are scalable on 48-core machines. In our implementation, scalability is restricted by lock contention over the global schedule and the cost of interprocessor communication, rather than the global task queue implementation. We show that algorithms implemented with scalability as a first-order goal are able to provide real-time guarantees on our 48-core platform.
Free-running rhythms of cocaine self-administration in rats held under constant lighting conditions

Using a discrete trials (DT) procedure, we have previously shown that rats exhibit variations in their pattern of cocaine self-administration relative to the time-of-day, often producing a daily rhythm of intake in which the majority of infusions occur during the dark phase of the 24 h light-dark cycle. We have sought to determine if cocaine self-administration demonstrates free-running circadian characteristics under constant-lighting conditions in the absence of external environmental cues. Rats self-administering cocaine (1.5 mg/kg/infusion) under a DT3 procedure (three trials/h) were kept in constant-dim (<2 lux, DIM) conditions, and the pattern of intake was analyzed for free-running behavior. We show that cocaine self-administration has a period length (τ) of 24.14 ± 0.07 h in standard 12 h light:12 h dark conditions, which is maintained for at least five days in constant-dim conditions. With longer duration DIM exposure, cocaine self-administration free-runs with a τ of approximately 24.92 ± 0.16 h...
Modulation of early response gene expression by prostaglandins in cultured rat retinal pigment epithelium cells

Purpose. To explore the role of prostaglandins (PGs) as modulators of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) rod outer segment (ROS)-phagocytosis and ROS-phagocytosis-induced gene expression. Methods. RPE cells in primary cell culture were pre-incubated with PGE 2, PGD 2, PGF 2 a, PGJ 2, 15-deoxy-? 12,14 -PGJ 2 or U-46619 (stable analog of thromboxane A 2) , and fed with a suspension of ROS. Expression of zif-268 and tis-1 mRNA was determined by Northern blotting. DNA-binding activity of TIS-1 protein was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Concentration of PGE 2 and PGD 2 in the tissue culture medium was measured by enzyme immuno-assay. Phagocy tis -tosis was quantified by counting of double-immunostained bound and ingested ROS. Results. PGE 2, the most potent of PGs, strongly elevated both basal and ROS-phagocytosis-induced levels of tis-1 mRNA, while significantly inhibiting both basal and phagocytosis-induced expression of zif-268 mRNA. PGD 2, PGJ 2 and 15-deoxy-? 12,14 -PGJ 2 elevated ROS-pha...
Location as an important predictor of lymph node involvement for pulmonary adenocarcinoma

Background Increasing data implicate histologic grade and radiographic appearance along with tumor size as key prognostic indicators for pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The impact of tumor location on prognosis has not been examined. Methods The records of 530 consecutive patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma pathologically staged between June 1979 and July 2002 were reviewed. All patients had a preoperative computed tomographic scan of the chest and underwent surgical staging by mediastinoscopy, lymph node sampling, or lymph node dissection. Patients with bronchioalveolar cell carcinoma were excluded. Peripheral tumors were compared with central tumors with regard to stage and survival. A tumor was considered to be central if visualized within the inner third of the lung field or seen bronchoscopically. Patients with T1 cancers were further analyzed on the basis of tumor size. Survival was determined by the Kaplan-Meier analysis and comparisons were made by the log-rank method. Results Central tumors were more advanced and demonstrated a significantly ( P Conclusion Tumor location for pulmonary adenocarcinoma should be considered when planning therapy. Central tumors have a high incidence of lymph node metastases (regardless of size) and a poorer prognosis.
Michigan molecular interactions r2: from interacting proteins to pathways

Molecular interaction data exists in a number of repositories, each with its own data format, molecule identifier and information coverage. Michigan molecular interactions (MiMI) assists scientists searching through this profusion of molecular interaction data. The original release of MiMI gathered data from well-known protein interaction databases, and deep merged this information while keeping track of provenance. Based on the feedback received from users, MiMI has been completely redesigned. This article describes the resulting MiMI Release 2 (MiMIr2). New functionality includes extension from proteins to genes and to pathways; identification of highlighted sentences in source publications; seamless two-way linkage with Cytoscape; query facilities based on MeSH/GO terms and other concepts; approximate graph matching to find relevant pathways; support for querying in bulk; and a user focus-group driven interface design. MiMI is part of the NIH’s National Center for Integrative Biomedical Informatics (NCIBI) and is publicly available at: http://mimi.ncibi.org.
Super-Resolution Study of Polymer Mobility Fluctuations near c*

Nanoscale dynamic heterogeneities in synthetic polymer solutions are detected using super-resolution optical microscopy. To this end, we map concentration fluctuations in polystyrenetoluene solutions with spatial resolution below the diffraction limit, focusing on critical fluctuations near the polymer overlap concentration, c*. Two-photon super-resolution microscopy was adapted to be applicable in an organic solvent, and a home-built STED-FCS system with stimulated emission depletion (STED) was used to perform fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS).The polystyreneservingasthe tracerprobe (670kg mol � 1 ,radius ofgyration RG ≈ 35 nm, end-labeled with a bodipy derivative chromophore) was dissolved in toluene at room temperature (good solvent) and mixed with matrix polystyrene(3,840kgmol � 1 ,RG ≈97nm,Mw/Mn=1.04)whoseconcentrationwasvariedfromdilutetomorethan10c*.Whereasfordilutesolutionsthe intensityintensitycorrelationfunctionfollowsasinglediffusionprocess,itsplitsstartingatc*toimplyanadditionalrelaxationprocessprovidedthatthe experimental focal area does not greatly exceed the polymer blob size. We identify the slower mode as self-diffusion and the increasingly rapid mode as correlated segment fluctuations that reflect the cooperative diffusion coefficient, Dcoop. These real-space measurements find quantitative agreement between correlation lengths inferred from dynamic measurements and those from determining the limit below which diffusion coefficients are independent of spot size. This study is considered to illustrate the potential of importing into polymer science the techniques of super-resolutionimaging.
The Political Activities of Reformed Clergy in the UnitedStates and Scotland

This paper examines Reformed clergy across two different settings - the United States and Scotland in an effort to determine how theological orthodoxy is related to political participation. The paper demonstrates that (1) clergy in both settings tend to be politically active (2) the level of clergy political activity tends to be greater in the United States than in Scotland (3) the relationship between orthodoxy and political activity is complex, varying by the specific type of activity examined and (4) while theologically orthodox and modernist clergy tend to differ in the nature of their political activities, there is no longer a major gap in level of political activity between the two groups of ministers.
Heat and mass transport in the freezing of apple tissue

Summary A newly developed cold-stage scanning electron microscope was used to examine ice morphology in frozen apple tissue as a function of freezing rate. The morphological structure of the ice was analysed using theories of cellular water transport and solution solidification. The transition from intracellular to extracellular ice occurred in apple tissue at a cooling rate of approximately 1 K/min. The dendritic spacing of the ice was proportional to the inverse square root of the cooling rate. This behaviour can be rationalized through an analysis of the dependence of the formation of dendrites upon solute mass transfer.
Type distributions of precipitation at selected stations in Illinois

All the precipitation which fell during a ten-year period at four first-order weather stations in Illinois is classified according to its source from one of six major types of precipitation systems: (1) cold front; (2) warm front; (3) stationary front; (4) squall line; (5) warm air mass; and (6) cold air mass. The amount of precipitation and the frequency of occurrence for each of the six major types by monthly totals are presented in tabular and graphic form. Squall lines and warm air mass showers are shown to be of much greater importance at Cairo than at the stations farther north.
Composition and structure of Caribbean bat (Chiroptera) assemblages: effects of inter‐island distance, area, elevation and hurricane‐induced disturbance

Aim Although bats of the Caribbean have been studied extensively, previous work is largely restricted to zoogeography, phylogeography or the effects of island characteristics on species richness. Variation among islands in species composition that is related to geographical or environmental variation remains poorly understood for much of the Caribbean. Location Caribbean islands, including the Bahamas, Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles. Methods Using presence‐absence data, we assessed the extent to which island area, maximum island elevation, inter-island distance and hurricane-induced disturbance affected patterns of composition and nestedness for bats in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles. Analyses were conducted for all species, as well as for two broadly defined guilds: carnivores and herbivores. Results For the Bahamas, only inter-island distance accounted for variation in species composition between islands. For the Greater and Lesser Antilles, differences in island area and inter-island distance accounted for differences in species composition between islands. Variation in species composition was not related significantly to differences in elevation or hurricane-related disturbance. In general, results of analyses restricted to a particular broad guild (i.e. carnivores or herbivores) mirrored those for all bats. Bat species composition was nested significantly in each island group. Nestedness was stronger in the Greater Antilles and in the Lesser Antilles than in the Bahamas. Carnivore assemblages were nested significantly in the Greater and in the Lesser Antilles, but not in the Bahamas. In contrast, herbivore assemblages were nested significantly in each island group. Main conclusions Inter-island distance had a greater effect on compositional similarity of Caribbean bat assemblages than did island area, elevation or disturbance related to hurricanes. Differential immigration and hierarchical habitat distributions associated with elevational relief are likely to be primary causes for nestedness of Caribbean bat assemblages.
The relationship between visceral obesity and colorectal cancer

SUMMARY The prevalence of obesity continues to rise globally and physicians and healthcare systems have to prepare for rising rates of obesity-associated disease. Aside from cardiovascular disease and diabetes, recent evidence suggests a strong association between obesity and the development of cancer, including colorectal cancer. Using BMI as a marker for obesity, excess body fat is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer; however, this relationship appears to be stronger among males and more consistent for colon rather than rectal cancer. Epidemiologic literature evaluating the risk of obesity on colorectal cancer survival using BMI is less consistent. Recent evidence suggests that visceral fat plays a greater role in the development of disease. Current research on the effect of visceral obesity on colorectal cancer outcomes is in its infancy, but may drive a new wave of practice for this ever-growing population of colorectal cancer patients.
Pressing On: Persistence Through A Doctoral Cohort Program In Education

The focus of this research was to investigate the characteristics that led to persistence in a doctoral cohort program of study. The significance of this study is to provide insights into the specific aspects of the individuals that made them successful in an intensive program. A phenomenological case study approach, utilizing a comprehensive interview format, was used to gain a profound understanding of the phenomenon. The case for this study was the three-year Instructional Management and Leadership (IML) research doctoral cohort program at Robert Morris University. Nine graduates from Cohort I, II, and III served as participants. The four characteristics that were revealed in this study were Commitment/Discipline, Putting the Doctorate First, Prefer to Work Independently and Research Alone, and Full-time Employment.
Genetic Disruption of Nitric Oxide Synthases and Cardiovascular Disease: Lessons from a Candidate Gene

The nitric oxide (NO) system is vitally important to the function of the cardiovascular system. Abnormalities in NO signaling have been linked to a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, congestive heart failure, thrombosis, stroke, and diabetes mellitus. This chapter will review the roles that NO synthases play in normal vascular function and in the molecular mechanisms of disease processes, focusing on information gained from the study of mutant mice in which the NO synthase genes have been disrupted or modified. Specifically, we wil review the various genetic polymorphisms that have been described in the NO synthase genes, their association with disease processes and their functional effects on NO synthase function or expression levels. The cellular pathways that involve NO are complex and offer not only insights into how abnormalities in NO signaling can lead to disease but also opportunities and targets on which to intervene to prevent or treat disease.
Distribution and Attenuation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Gulf of Mexico Seawater from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Accident

The extended duration of the oil release from the Deepwater Horizon accident (April 20–July 15, 2010) triggered a need to characterize environmental exposures in four dimensions through sampling and tracking the changes in distributions, concentrations, and compositions of oil and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (TPAH) in the Gulf of Mexico over time and space. More than 11 000 water samples were collected offshore during more than 100 cruises and were measured for 50 parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Elevated concentrations (greater than 1 ppb) of TPAH were largely limited to an area within about 20 km of the wellhead in the subsurface deepwaters at 1000–1200 m depth to the southwest of the wellhead and in the top 3 m underlying the surface oil. Concentrations decreased with distance and time, and changes in the PAH composition indicate that these changes were due to differential solubilization, photodegradation, evaporation, and/or biodegradation of individual PAH comp...
Regional Distribution of Ionic Currents and Membrane Voltage Responses of Type II Hair Cells in the Vestibular Neuroepithelium

Basolateral ionic currents and membrane voltage responses were studied in pigeon vestibular type II hair cells using a thin slice through either the semicircular canal (SCC) crista or utricular mac...
The Role of Mortgage Finance in Financial (In)Stability

Empirical research on the causes of financial crises has grown in recent decades. Early work, such as that by Kaminsky and Reinhart, helped establish the link between asset prices and banking crises. While this initial research focused on equity prices, subsequent research expanded the analysis to include residential property prices. This subsequent research is briefly reviewed here. After establishing the link between residential property prices and banking crises, I discuss the role of various credit policies, both for their impact on property prices and for the stability of the financial system in the face of declining property prices. The role of specific loan characteristics, such as loan-to-value (LTV), will be discussed first, followed by the role of institutional leverage. Policy recommendations conclude.
The Multifaceted Nature of Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Clinical, Molecular, and Biological Prognostic Features

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) consist of a heterogeneous spectrum of myeloid clonal hemopathies. The Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) provides a recently refined method for clinically evaluating the prognosis of patients with MDS. Molecular profiling has recently generated extensive data describing critical hematopoietic molecular and biologic derangements contributing to clinical phenotypes. Current molecular insights have demonstrated roles of specific somatic gene mutations in the development and clinical outcomes of MDS, including their propensity to progress to more aggressive stages, such as acute myeloid leukemia. This article focuses on these recently reported clinical and underlying pathogenetic findings. The discussion provides a synthesis of the prognostic clinical, molecular, and biologic abnormalities intrinsic to the aberrant marrow hematopoietic and microenvironmental influences in MDS.
Surgical approaches to intramedullary cavernous malformations of the spinal cord.

Background Resection of intramedullary spinal cord cavernous malformations is associated with a significant risk of morbidity because of the high density of eloquent tissue within the spinal cord. Despite this risk, surgery remains the definitive treatment for symptomatic lesions. Objective To review the clinical aspects of surgical approaches for spinal cord cavernous malformations. Methods This article reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical and imaging characteristics, and indications for surgical resection. Surgical issues and operative approaches by anatomical location are also detailed, drawing from evidence in the literature and from the senior author's clinical experience. Results The 3 primary approaches to spinal cord cavernous malformations-the posterior, posterolateral, and lateral approaches-are described and illustrated. Magnetic resonance imaging and intraoperative photographs of representative cases are included. Conclusion Intramedullary spinal cord cavernous malformations are complex entities, and it is our hope that this article will improve readers' understanding of their clinical characteristics, their indications for treatment, and the surgical pathways through which these lesions can be safely resected.
A Bargain Half Fulfilled: Teacher Autonomy and Accountability in Traditional Public Schools and Public Charter Schools

Public charter schools (PCS) are thought to succeed because they have greater autonomy and are held more accountable than traditional public schools (TPS). Though teachers are central to this expectation, there is little evidence about whether teachers in PCS enjoy more autonomy and are held more accountable than teachers in TPS. Also, it is unclear what the franchising of the PCS sector—the growth of schools run by educational management organizations (EMOs)—means for teacher autonomy and accountability. Using nationally representative survey data, this article compares teachers’ perceptions of autonomy and accountability in PCS and TPS and in EMO-run and non-EMO-run PCS. It shows that teachers in PCS reported greater autonomy than teachers in TPS; similarly, teachers in non-EMO-run schools indicated greater autonomy than teachers in EMO-run schools. However, there were no differences in perceptions of accountability across these different school types.
Effect of angiotensin on uptake of 3 H-norepinephrine in dog cutaneous arteries.

SummaryIn presence of angiotensin, uptake of 3H-norepinephrine into canine cutaneous arteries (in vitro) was slightly increased rather than decreased compared to control. Tyramine and cocaine both inhibited the uptake process in these vessels, and cocaine interfered with the effect of angiotensin. Angiotensin did not increase the rate of norepinephrine washout from the arteries, therefore the increased uptake produced by angiotensin was not attributable to increased exchange of the amine with its endogenous store.
Healthcare in Japan: Its Professionals, Institutions, and Financing

Like the United States, Japan's healthcare system is a conglomerate of government, employer, and individual financing--but that's about as far as the similarity goes. Universal access to basic healthcare has been achieved in Japan through comprehensive employer/employee plans and government subsidies. However, the United States should not be too hasty in emulating Japan, for culture plays a definite role in healthcare on both sides of the Pacific.
Lagrange Multiplier Problems in Economics

(1984). Lagrange Multiplier Problems in Economics. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 91, No. 7, pp. 404-412.
Reactor neutrinos - present and future

The main characteristics of experimental searches for neutrino oscillations at nuclear reactors are reviewed. We then describe the Chooz and Palo Verde experiments and report their results to date. We also describe the KamLAND experiment, presently under construction in the Kamioka laboratory in Japan, which is designed to extend the sensitivity to νe ⇄ νX oscillations by two orders of magnitude in Δm2. In particular, this experiment expects to be able to carry out a terrestial test of the large-angle MSW solution to the solar neutrino problem.
The Organization of Platelet Contractile Proteins

Ever since 1959, when Bettex-Galland and Luscher first demonstrated the presence of the contractile proteins actin and myosin in platelets (Bettex-Galland and Luscher, 1959), it has been assumed that these proteins function in the responses of platelets to stimulation. The observation that the filopodia of stimulated platelets contain bundles of actin filaments (Nachmias, 1980; White, 1968; Zucker-Franklin et al., 1967) suggested a role for contractile proteins in filopodia extension, whereas studies showing a ring of microfilaments surrounding the granules in activated platelets (White, 1974) indicated that secretion involves a contractile process. Other responses, such as the condensation of platelet aggregates and the retraction of fibrin clots, are even more obviously contractile in nature (Cohen et al., 1982; van Deurs and Behnke, 1980).
Quantitative Mapping of the Spatial Distribution of Nanoparticles in Endo-Lysosomes by Local pH

Understanding the intracellular distribution and trafficking of nanoparticle drug carriers is necessary to elucidate their mechanisms of drug delivery and is helpful in the rational design of novel nanoparticle drug delivery systems. The traditional immunofluorescence method to study intracellular distribution of nanoparticles using organelle-specific antibodies is laborious and subject to artifacts. As an alternative, we developed a new method that exploits ratiometric fluorescence imaging of a pH-sensitive Lysosensor dye to visualize and quantify the spatial distribution of nanoparticles in the endosomes and lysosomes of live cells. Using this method, we compared the endolysosomal distribution of cell-penetrating peptide (CPP)-functionalized micelles to unfunctionalized micelles and found that CPP-functionalized micelles exhibited faster endosome-to-lysosome trafficking than unfunctionalized micelles. Ratiometric fluorescence imaging of pH-sensitive Lysosensor dye allows rapid quantitative mapping of na...
Stranger in a Strange Land: Conducting Qualitative Literacy Research Across Contexts

This chapter focuses on exploring researcher positionality when working in different contexts that one may be disconnected from and/or otherwise unfamiliar with. The author begins by exploring existing work in community literacy studies and race studies that problematize researcher/community partnerships. After contextualizing his perspective through discussion of existing work, the author devotes the central part of the chapter to exploring two particular experiences of the researcher working in unfamiliar contexts: a study focused on Latina/o students transitioning from high school to community college or university on the U.S.–Mexico border and a study focused on literacy education in rural and small town high schools. These explorations discuss experiences such as being a white researcher in a school that is 99 % Latina/o, and being the big city, big institution researcher in towns with only a thousand people. In the concluding sections, the author discusses several strategies he has utilized to make contexts across these different environments, such as learning local languages, choosing theoretical frameworks carefully, and building collaborative relationships with participants.
The Capital Structure of PE‐Funded Companies (and How New Debt Instruments and Investors Are Expanding Their Debt Capacity)

The capital structures and financial policies of companies controlled by private equity firms are notably different from those of public companies. The concentration of ownership and intense monitoring of leveraged buyouts by their largest investors (that is, the partners of the PE firms who sit on their boards), along with the contractual requirement of PE funds to return their capital within seven to ten years, have resulted in capital structures that are far more leveraged than those of their publicly traded counterparts, but also considerably more provisional and “opportunistic.” Whereas the average U.S. public company has long operated with roughly 30% debt and 70% equity, today's typical private-equity sponsored company is initially capitalized with an “upside-down” structure of 70% debt and just 30% equity, and then often charged with working down its debt as quickly as possible. Although banks supplied most of the debt for the first wave of LBOs in the 1980s, the remarkable growth of the private equity industry in the past 25 years has been supported by the parallel development of a new leveraged acquisition finance market. This financing innovation has led to a general movement away from a bankcentered funding base to one comprising a relatively new set of institutional investors, including business development corporations and hedge funds. Such investors have shown a strong appetite for new debt instruments and risks that banks have been unwilling or, thanks to increased capital requirements and other regulatory burdens, prohibited from taking on. Notable among these new instruments are second-lien loans and uni-tranche debt—instruments that, by shifting the allocation of claims on the debtor's cash flow and assets in ways consistent with the preferences of these new investors, have had the effect of increasing the debt capacity of their portfolio companies. And such increases in debt capacity have in turn enabled private equity funds—now sitting on near-record amounts of capital from their limited partners—to bid higher prices and compete more effectively in today's intensely competitive M&A market, in which high target acquisition purchase prices are being fueled by a strong stock market and increased competition from corporate acquirers.