cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MVDR Beamformer Design by Imposing Unit Circle Roots Constraints for Uniform Linear Arrays

A 2004 paper had offered a theoretical proof that ideally the roots of the minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamformer array polynomial lie on the unit circle (UC). However, existing MVDR methods fail to exploit this fundamental property adequately. This paper proposes a new adaptive beamforming design via UC roots optimization for uniform linear arrays (ULA). The proposed method starts with the sample matrix inversion (SMI) roots and optimizes the MVDR criterion for each root separately by splitting the $N$ -dimensional MVDR problem into multiple 1-D optimization problems. Conjugate symmetry is imposed on individual 1st-order factors of the MVDR polynomial during optimization that guarantees UC roots. The proposed UC Roots Constrained MVDR (UCRC-MVDR) method is non-iterative and has a closed-form solution. It also works well with limited number of snapshots. UCRC-MVDR is computationally efficient and parallelizable as all roots can be optimized concurrently. In extensive simulation studies, UCRC-MVDR exhibits consistently superior performance over existing MVDR approaches, and its performance is closer to the ideal clairvoyant case than existing MVDR methods.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Reaction Centers from R. Spheroides on Modified Silver Surfaces

Reaction centers (RC) are membrane-bound electron transfer proteins. The RC of R. sphaeroides consists of 4 bacteriochlorophylls (BChl), 2 bacteriopheophytins (BPh), 2 ubiquinones, 1 Fe2+ and 1 carotenoid molecule embedded in a polypeptide transmembrane matrix. Two BChls constituting the special pair near the periplasmic surface are followed by two monomeric BChls, then two BPhs and the two quinones which are near the cytoplasmic surface. The carotenoid molecule is located near one of the BChl monomers. The position of the chromophores is asymmetric with the BChls and the carotenoid closest to one side of the complex and the BPhs in the middle.
Number or Nuance: Which Factors Restrict Reliable Word Sense Annotation?

This study attempts to pinpoint the factors that restrict reliable word sense annotation, focusing on the influence of the number of senses annotators use and the semantic granularity of those senses. Both of these factors may be possible causes of low interannotator agreement (ITA) when tagging with fine-grained word senses, and, consequently, low WSD system performance (Ng et al., 1999; Snyder & Palmer, 2004; Chklovski & Mihalcea, 2002). If number of senses is the culprit, modifying the task to show fewer senses at a time could improve annotator reliability. However, if overly nuanced distinctions are the problem, then more general, coarse-grained distinctions may be necessary for annotator success and may be all that is needed to supply systems with the types of distinctions that people make. We describe three experiments that explore the role of these factors in annotation performance. Our results indicate that of these two factors, only the granularity of the senses restricts interannotator agreement, with broader senses resulting in higher annotation reliability.
Recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart disease.

Stress is laid on the increasing importance of the clinical approach in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease.
Crystallization study of the Ta55–Ir45 amorphous alloy

The crystallization behavior of an arc-melted, splat-quenched amorphous Ta55–Ir45 alloy was investigated by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The DTA experiments showed that the glass transition temperature (Tg) for this material was 485 °C and that the crystallization temperature (Tx) closely followed at 495 °C. This Tx is much lower than has been previously reported. In-situ TEM annealing experiments, in addition to confirming Tx, illustrated that crystallization proceeds as a two-step process. A fcc phase is the first to crystallize at 500 °C followed by the equilibrium phases, α and σ, and/or the bcc Ta phase near 600°–650 °C. Microhardness measurements were made as part of an initial mechanical properties investigation. Inconsistencies with the work of previous investigators of this system are discussed.
An Economic Theory of Criminal Excuse: A Commentary

This commentary examines criminal excuse, a doctrine characterized by vague, imprecise legal tests and generally considered immune from economic analysis. Consistent with mainstream act theory, the article accepts that criminal responsibility depends not on the capacity for free will or choice but on the capacity for practical reason, the ability to conform one's behavior to reflection and thought. In a significant departure from mainstream thought, however, the Article points out that actors can control their abilities of practical reasoning within broad parameters. This Article thereby makes explicit a moral judgment previously implicit in criminal legal theory: the law expects actors to achieve and maintain a reasonable capacity for practical reason and fortify this capacity so as to avoid criminal acts. Excuse is, therefore, appropriate when the cost of rendering one's behavior legal - by correcting faulty beliefs, illicit desires or weak will - exceeds the avoided crime's injuriousness, considering the crime's likelihood of occurrence. This new approach, consistent with the Hand formula, offers a coherent - and highly workable - legal framework for the perennially hoary and confused criminal law doctrines such as heat-of-passion murder, duress, and the immaturity defenses.
WHAT SHOULD SOCIETY EXPECT FROM HEIRS? A PROPOSAL FOR A COMPREHENSIVE INHERITANCE TAX

The upcoming one-year repeal of the federal estate tax in the U.S. creates an opportunity to reconsider the taxation of wealth transfers. This article argues that if inheritances are included in an optimal tax framework, existing evidence suggests that the ideal wealth transfer tax would be much higher than current law, and take the form of a comprehensive inheritance tax, which includes amounts inherited above an exemption in the tax base and subjects them to higher rates. Doing so accounts for the net efficiency benefits of taxing inheritances, and the direct and indirect information they provide about the heir's economic status. The article then proposes seizing the political moment to replace the federal estate tax with a comprehensive inheritance tax that takes into account administrative and political constraints. This new tax would exempt from taxation roughly $2 million in lifetime gifts and bequests received. Inheritances received beyond this amount would be taxed at the heir's income tax rate plus 15 percentage points. The proposal would improve incentives and reduce complexity relative to the estate tax. More importantly, it would enhance the equity and transparency of the tax system. The paper's estimates suggest that the estate tax does a good job in aggregate of correcting for the undertaxation of heirs relative to those whose wealth is self-made, but that it does a poor job at an individual level. The proposal would allocate tax burdens more fairly amongst heirs. Ultimately, because its form more transparently embodies its effects, it could also reinvigorate public support for taxing inheritances at more socially-optimal levels in the first place.
Prompted word replacement in active and passive sentences.

A conceptual focus formulation developed in a prior study of encoding of active and passive sentences led to predictions concerning how such sentences are stored and their main semantic units are retrieved from memory. The formulation posed a dominant subject-verb linkage in active sentences but an object-verb linkage characterizing passive sentences. Individuals were presented with either the subject, or verb, or object of previous exposed sentences and were required to replace the other two missing words. As anticipated, the subject was a better prompt for the verb in active than in passive sentences but the reverse relationship obtained when the object was the cue. Similar predictions for situations when the verb was the prompt word were supported when the subject was the response but not when the objects were to be replaced.
Finite Fields and Quadratic Residues

In this chapter we shall assume familiarity with the basic definitions and properties of a field. We now briefly recall what we need.
Time course of vasopressin-induced formation of microvilli in granular cells of toad university bladder.

Vasopressin-induced transformation of ridges to microvilli on the surface of granular cells of toad urinary bladder occurs in conjunction with induced alterations in the water permeability of the luminal membrane. This study was designed to establish the relationship between the time course for induction of microvilli and the time course for induction of increased water permeability after vasopressin stimulation. Hemibladders were examined at 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 30 min following exposure to 20 mU/ml of vasopressin and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min after washout of vasopressin. Within 2.5 min, vasopressin initiated complete transformation of ridges to microvilli on approximately 13% of the granular cells, while osmotic water flow (Jv) was 0.31±0.10 μl·min−1·cm−2. Five minutes following vasopressin stimulation, microvilli were present on approximately 30% of granular cells andJv was 2.27±0.13 μl·min−1·cm−2. At 10 minJv was maximum at 4.03±0.15 μl·min−1·cm−2 and 50% of the granular cells were covered with microvilli. This percentage increased to 70% at 20 min and was maintained at 30 min, althoughJv decreased to 3.9±0.35 μl·min−1·cm−2 at 30 min. Five minutes following vasopressin washout, ridges interspersed with microvilli reappeared asJv fell to 1.10±0.30 μl·min−1·cm−2. At 10 min after vasopressin washout,Jv approached basal levels, but the reversal of microvilli to ridges remained incomplete. At 60 min after vasopressin washout, the granular cells had regained their original ridgelike surface structures. Thus, these studies establish a temporal relationship between the induction and reversibility of vasopressin-induced microvillous formation and alterations in the osmotic water permeability of the apical plasmalemma.
A catching trapp for all antiproton seasons

We describe the origin, development, and status of the Los Alamos antiproton catching trap. Originally designed for the antiproton gravity experiment, it now is clear that this device can be a source of low-energy antiprotons for a wide range of physics, both on site, at CERN, and also off site.
Shock tube determination of the overall rate of NH2 + NO → products in the thermal De‐NOx temperature window

The rate coefficient of the reaction NH2 + NO products (R1) was determined in shock tube experiments using frequency-modulation absorption spectroscopy for detection of NH2. Because of the sensitivity of the diagnostic system, very low reactant concentrations could be employed in order to reduce the influence of secondary reactions on the NH2 profiles. Benzylamine, C6H5CH2NH2, was used as a thermal source of the NH2 radicals in the experiments. To determine the reaction rate, a perturbation strategy was employed that is based on changes in the NH2 profiles when NO is added to the C6H5CH2NH2/Ar mixtures. The measured NH2 profiles were interpreted by detailed kinetic modeling to obtain the overall reaction rate of R1 in the temperature range 1262–1726 K. The lower temperature limit of the present study is in the middle of the Thermal De-NOx temperature window. The present rate measurements are consistent with both our previous determination of the rate at higher temperatures and lower temperature data. A rate expression obtained by combining our higher temperature data and lower temperature data is k1 = 6.83 × 1015 T−1.203e106/T (K) cm3 mol−1 s−1 for the temperature range 200–2500 K. The estimated uncertainty of the rate coefficient is ±20%. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 715–721, 2001
Investing in public investment: an index of public investment efficiency

Pritchett (J Econ Growth 5:361–384, 2000) convincingly argued that the difference between investment cost and capital value is of first-order empirical importance especially for developing countries where public investment is the primary source of investment. This paper constructs a public investment efficiency index that captures the institutional environment underpinning public investment management across four different stages: project appraisal, selection, implementation, and evaluation. Covering 71 countries, including 40 low-income countries, the index allows for benchmarking across regions and country groups and for nuanced policy-relevant analysis and identification of specific areas where reform efforts could be prioritized. Research applications are outlined.
Influence of figural interpretation on the selective integration of visual motion signals

The solution to the computational problem of reconstructing object motion from retinal image motion is underconstrained. In an effort to converge on a solution to this problem, the primate visual system appears to rely upon image cues that lead to an interpretation of the spatial relationships between objects in a visual scene. Psychophysical experiments illustrate this phenomenon through the apparent dependence of motion signal integration on luminance-based cues for occlusion and perceptual transparency. Neurophysiological studies of the cell populations thought to underlie motion signal integration reveal a change in directional selectivity that precisely parallels the perceptual phenomenon. Among obstacles faced in attempts to understand the neural bases of primate vision, the integration of motion signals holds a unique position; The computational problem is well-defined, a specific neural substrate has been identified, and the solution to the integration problem is absolutely critical for visually guided behavior. As such, it stands as a model system for exploring the relationships between neuronal phenomena, perception, and behavior.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Foreign Access to Shared Marine Genetic Materials: Management Options for a Quasi-Fugacious Resource

Marine genetic resources are increasingly being targeted as a source of drugs and other biotechnological uses. Many of these resources are located in tropical coral reef areas within the jurisdictional control of one or more developing nations. Unlike traditional marine living resources, genetic resources are not exploited for their properties as physical substances, but as sources of information. The current international regulatory regime governing access to marine genetic resources is the traditional rule of capture, which provides that ownership of natural resources coming from a common source of supply is recognized once it has been reduced to dominion and control. This contribution contends that the rule of capture coupled with exclusive access agreements and strong global intellectual property protections create a legal environment that is inequitable, economically and biologically inefficient, and ripe for international discord. This contribution advocates an alternative regulatory model that is s...
An automated method for measuring the operational stability of biocatalysts with carbonic anhydrase activity

Abstract The operational stability of an enzyme can be quantified by its half-life, or the length of time after which 50% of its original activity has degraded. Ideally, continuous methods for measuring half-lives are preferred but they can be expensive and relatively low throughput. Batch methods, while simple, cannot be used for all enzymes. For example, batch reactions can be difficult when there is a gas phase reactant or when there is significant product or substrate inhibition. Here we describe a repeated-batch method for measuring the half-life of carbonic anhydrase (CA)-based biocatalysts by automated periodic switching between a forward and reverse reaction. This method is inexpensive and can be multiplexed for high-throughput analysis of enzyme variants. Several purified CA enzymes as well as whole-cell biocatalysts with engineered CA activity were evaluated with this method. The results indicate a significant increase in operational stability is achieved upon immobilization of CA in the cellular periplasm of Escherichia coli.
MARGINAL MARINE FORAMINIFERA OF THE BLACKHAWK FORMATION (LATE CRETACEOUS, UTAH)

The foraminifera of a problematic 1.5-m-thick silt-stone/shale unit within the Aberdeen Member siltstone of the Upper Cretaceous (lower Campanian) Blackhawk Formation of Utah were used to define the environment of deposition of this unit. Paleoenvironmental interpretation was based on comparison with modern marginal and shallow marine foraminiferal distributions (at the generic level) and with foraminiferal assemblages (at the species level) from the marginal marine Spring Canyon Member of the Blackhawk Formation and the coeval marine deposits of the Mancos Shale. Facies interpretations of these latter two units had been established in previous sedimentologic/stratigraphic works. The Mancos Shale assemblage is comprised of calcareous and agglutinated taxa (e.g., Bathysiphon, Dentalina, Lenticulina and Nodosaria ), that are usually found in fully marine environments today, together with the extinct Gavelinella, also typical of open marine settings. The Spring Canyon Member assemblage is characterized by an entirely agglutinated fauna dominated by Textularia, Ammobaculites, Haplophragmoides and Trochammina. The co-occurrence and dominance of these genera in low-diversity assemblages confirms marginal marine conditions. The 1.5-m-thick Aberdeen Member siltstone/shale assemblage contained taxa found in both the Mancos Shale and Spring Canyon Member. This assemblage is interpreted as marginal marine in origin but with influence from open marine waters. Uniformitarian comparisons suggest deposition of the Aberdeen Member siltstone/ shale behind a barrier island in a lagoonal environment adjacent, in places, to a tidal inlet(s). This interpretation indicates that deposition of the siltstone must have occurred immediately following a relative drop in sea level.
Phase shift analysis of 310-MeV proton proton scattering experiments

The results of a phase-shift analysis of proton-proton cross-section, polarization, and triple-scattering experiments at \ensuremath{\sim}310 Mev are reported. From an extensive search five satisfactory solutions have been found. Three additional solutions that give fair fits to the data are also reported.
Elastic properties of wood-strand composites with undulating strands

The following study examines the effects that undulating strands have on the elastic behavior of a wood-strand composite. A discrete Fourier series expansion was used to empirically describe the experimentally measured strand undulation paths. A fiber undulation model was used to predict elastic properties as a function of strand waviness using the empirical path descriptions. Strand undulation was shown to degrade Young's modulus of yellow-poplar laminates in both tension and compression, with more severe effects in compression. Experimental results from compression tests were in good agreement with the predictions based on the analytical model for maximum undulatory angles of 4 and 8°.
Development of the manual accuracy and speed test (MAST).

A battery of 5 manual motor tests was designed for use with each hand. A final version was administered to 400 Ss, 20 at each age from 3 to 18 yr., and three older groups of 20 Ss (median ages 22, 29, and 36 yr.). The results were used to derive norms for each task. Reliabilities and correlations between the tasks were obtained. A final set of 5 measures are recommended to sample independent aspects of manual accuracy and speed.
The Folkways of the United States Senate: Conformity to Group Norms and Legislative Effectiveness*

The Senate of the United States, we are told, is a “club.” The image, while hopelessly imprecise and occasionally quite misleading, does have at least one advantage: it underscores the fact that there are unwritten but generally accepted and informally enforced norms of conduct in the chamber. These folkways influence the behavior of senators to a degree and in directions not yet fully understood. “There is great pressure for conformity in the Senate,” one member (mercifully varying the simile) has recently said. “It's just like living in a small town.” And, as in small-town life, so too in the Senate there are occasional careers to be made out of deliberate nonconformity, sometimes only skin-deep, but sometimes quite thorough-going.
Development of a Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) method for molecular typing of clinical isolates of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum

We developed a two-block PFGE method to study molecular variation among clinical isolates of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum, an often overlooked human pathogen. Three main macrorestriction profiles were defined among 15 isolates. PFGE was an objective method for characterizing A. haemolyticum and may be useful in molecular epidemiological studies of this organism.
Non-abelian isometries and dimensional reduction

Abstract Dimensional reduction is carried out for space-times, with or without torsion, which possess non-abelian isometries. The spectra and the equations of motion of the dimensionally reduced theory are obtained directly from the higher dimensional theory. The spectra of the reduced theories are naturally given in terms of scalar fields and antisymmetric tensor field strengths. A method of studying the dependence on the extra dimensions is suggested.
Comment on "Staircase in the electron mobility of a ZnO quantum dot assembly due to shell filling" and "Optical transitions in artificial few-electron atoms strongly confined inside ZnO nanocrystals".

A Comment on the Letter by A. L. Roest, Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 036801 (2002. The authors of the Letter offer a Reply.
Risk acceptance and risk aversion: patients' perspectives on lung surgery

Patients express risk aversion toward surgery, particularly if surgery can lead to lifelong debility and loss of independence. When faced with a guarantee of progressive lung cancer and no alternatives for cure, however, patients are willing to take extremely high risks of postoperative complications and surgery-related death. This result occurs because risk aversion toward unrelenting cancer death supersedes patients' risk attitudes toward almost all other health states. By adding conditions such as misunderstanding of prognosis, diagnostic uncertainty, a patient's denial of diagnosis, an actual alternative cure such as radiation therapy, or a perceived alternative cure such as prayer, decisions can be shifted so that risk aversion to surgery can predominate. In practical terms, the following statements can be made: 1. For patients who surely have operable stage I or stage II non small cell lung cancer, if patient risk preferences are taken seriously, the pulmonary function level and comorbidities that are acceptable for the offer of surgical care probably need to be liberalized. Patients with short life expectancies because of advanced age or comorbid illness and patients with severe preoperative functional debility (eg, bed-to-chair limitation as defined earlier) should not be candidates, however. 2. The diagnosis of cancer needs to be confirmed absolutely as often as possible before lung resection surgery. 3. Physicians or a staff member must communicate prognosis to a patient as precisely and numerically as possible and ensure the patient's understanding of the data presented. 4. This communicator also must explore a patient's trust in the diagnosis and probe for beliefs in alternative solutions. Important areas for future study include the search for methods that most accurately communicate risk information to patients, especially patients with low numeracy skills. Part of this communication effort should involve the exploration and discussion of patients' alternative beliefs and ways of using these belief systems to help them make the best possible decisions for their long-term health and quality of life. Also, clinicians must identify pulmonary and other predictors of mortality rates and the debility states that patients' cite as most important according to their risk preferences and give up the predictors of transient postoperative complications that patients find acceptable.
Isolation, composition and functional properties of α-lactalbumins from several species

1. Galactosyltranferases were isolated from bovine and pig milk and alpha-labtalbumins from milks of cow, pig, dog, rabbit, baboon and chimpanzee. 2. Alpha-Lactalbumins were characterized by gel electrophoresis, amino acid composition, ultraviolet absorbance, and ability to promote synthesis of lactose by the galactosyltransferases. 3. The order of K-m values of the various alpha-lactalbumins was the same with both cow and pig galactosyltransferases and differed from the order predicted from taxonomical classification of the species. 4. A280/A260 abosrbance ratios were correlated with K-m values suggesting involvement of tyrosyl groups in the function of alpha-lactalbumin.
Algorithm 905: SHEPPACK: Modified Shepard Algorithm for Interpolation of Scattered Multivariate Data

Scattered data interpolation problems arise in many applications. Shepard’s method for constructing a global interpolant by blending local interpolants using local-support weight functions usually creates reasonable approximations. SHEPPACK is a Fortran 95 package containing five versions of the modified Shepard algorithm: quadratic (Fortran 95 translations of Algorithms 660, 661, and 798), cubic (Fortran 95 translation of Algorithm 791), and linear variations of the original Shepard algorithm. An option to the linear Shepard code is a statistically robust fit, intended to be used when the data is known to contain outliers. SHEPPACK also includes a hybrid robust piecewise linear estimation algorithm RIPPLE (residual initiated polynomial-time piecewise linear estimation) intended for data from piecewise linear functions in arbitrary dimension m. The main goal of SHEPPACK is to provide users with a single consistent package containing most existing polynomial variations of Shepard’s algorithm. The algorithms target data of different dimensions. The linear Shepard algorithm, robust linear Shepard algorithm, and RIPPLE are the only algorithms in the package that are applicable to arbitrary dimensional data.
Secular Trends in Alcohol Consumption over 50 Years: The Framingham Study

Background Population trends in patterns of alcohol use are important data for policymakers but are generally based on repeated cross-sectional surveys.
PROTON POTENTIAL ANOMALY AND NUCLEAR RADIUS CONSTANT FOR MIRROR NUCLEI

The static diffuse boundary potential well is adjusted to reproduce the binding energies of the last neutrons and protons in mirror nuclei. The corresponding realistic wave functions, including the effects of reduced mass, spin orbit interaction and Coulomb perturbation, are used to calculate the Coulomb energy differences for these nuclei. The exchange effect is taken into account by introducing an exchange correction factor based on a study with harmonic oscillator wave functions. The theoretical results are compared with the experimental values obtained from the atomic mass data and the agreement is found to be quite good. It is concluded thnt no appreciable proton potential anomaly exists in this region, i.e., the proton and neutron nuclear potentials are the same. The nuclear radii, as predicted by this model, are found to be in very good agreement with the results of Stanford electron-scattering experiments on five even-nuclei in this region. The calculations are carried out for the mirror nuclei, and a least square fit for the equivalent uniform radius R gives the value 1.31 x 10/sup -13/ cm for the nuclear radius constant r/sub o/ = RA/sup -1/3 for these nuclei; this is compared with the results of earlier studies. The possiblemore » systematics of the variation of the radius constant with mass number are described and the significance of a larger radius constant for light nuclei is discussed. (auth)« less
Effects of subchronic exposure to diethylstilbestrol on humoral immune function in adult female (C3B6)F1 mice

Adult female (C57BL/6 X C3H)F1 (B6C3F1) mice were treated with diethylstilbestrol for 14 days and assayed for the ability to produce antibody to a T-dependent antigen, a T-independent antigen, and to respond in vitro to stimulation by a polyclonal activator, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). No suppression of the in vivo antibody responses were observed. DES produced a subtle alteration in the response to the T-dependent antigen, sheep erythrocyte (sRBC), as treated groups maintained higher PFC values than vehicle groups after the peak day of the response. DES induced an enhanced response to the T-independent antigen, DNP-Ficoll. Spleen cells from DES-exposed animals were only marginally altered in their ability to produce antibody in vitro in response to LPS. Parallel experiments indicated a comparable reduction of LPS-induced blastogenesis. Serum immunoglobulin levels were determined following DES exposure, as a measure of baseline immunocompetence. DES only caused a reduction in the immunoglobulin M (IgM) isotype. DES exposure caused a significant enhancement of the activity of the reticuloendothelial (RES) system. Experiments were performed to assess the effects of enhanced RES function on concentrations of 51Cr labeled sRBC, which were optimal for antibody production. When sRBC were administered i.p., there was no effect on either the Ab response (as reported above) or on the number of sRBC localized in the spleen. In contrast, when sRBC were administered i.v., exposure to DES reduced (approximately 50%) both the Ab response and the number of sRBC localized in the spleen. Enhanced phagocytic function and alterations in antigen distribution must be considered in the interpretation of in vivo immune responses.
BLOOD PLATELETS AND EXTRACORPOREAL CIRCULATION.

Platelet adhesiveness has been studied in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. Conventional doses of heparin do not alter platelet adhesiveness. With the onset of perfusion, however, there is a precipitous fall in platelet count and in the adhesiveness of those platelets remaining. It appears that a circulating inhibitor of platelet sticking is present during perfusion. In most cases, this defect gradually disappears after perfusion. In a few patients with excessive bleeding, persistent abnormalities in platelet adhesiveness have been demonstrated.
Parisian Scholars in the Early Fourteenth Century: A Social Portrait

List of maps and figures Preface Introduction: Paris in 1329 Part I. The Recovery and Context of a Document: 1. The computus of 1329-1330 2. Collectae and university finance 3. Precipitating event: the rape of Symonette Part II. A window in a Lost World: 4. Academic space: the topography of the university community 5. Lodging and residential patterns 6. The sociology of the university community 7. The geographical origins of the university community Conclusion Part III. Biographical Register: Appendices Select bibliography Indexes.
Cognitive therapy for panic disorder: The impact of medication discontinuation on symptoms

Little is known about the impact of withdrawal and discontinuation of medication during cognitive treatment for panic disorder. This naturalistic study was designed to gather initial evidence on this question. The sample for this study consisted of patients who had participated in a comparative outcome study on cognitive therapy for panic disorder. Of 21 patients who were taking medication while receiving cognitive therapy, 9 were able to withdraw from their medication by termination, and remained medication-free at 1-year follow-up. The results revealed a significant decrease in the frequency of panic attacks and improvement on other symptom measures at termination and at 1-year follow-up, regardless of medication status. Withdrawal and discontinuation of medication did not result in relapse and did not reduce the effectiveness of cognitive therapy. Implications for clinical decision making are described.
Matching pursuit decomposition of speech signals for compact representation

Matching Pursuit (MP) expands a signal over an overcomplete dictionary of normalized atoms in an iterative fashion. A careful selection of dictionary components is critical in the design of the MP algorithm for compact signal representation and manipulation. In this research, the use of MP as an alternative waveform-coding scheme for speech signals is investigated. The improvement of MP over conventional transform coding schemes is due to the use of overcomplete basis functions. Furthermore, the performance of MP representation can be enhanced via a compact MP dictionary obtained from training. Inspired by the popular Vector Quantization (VQ) algorithm, a dictionary-training algorithm is proposed in this paper to find the optimal dictionary for MP in speech coding. The MP decomposition with a trained dictionary is shown to improve the compactness of speech representation over the traditional MP decomposition with a generic Gabor dictionary. A better SNR performance is achieved with a dictionary of a limited size, which has a good potential for future appliations.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Beyond the “High-Tech” Suits: Predicting 2012 Olympic Swim Performances

The purpose of the authors in this study was to predict the mean swim time of the top eight swimmers in swim events at the 2012 Olympic Games based upon prior Olympic performances from 1972 through 2008. Using the mean top eight time across all years, a best fit power curve [time = a × yearb] was calculated and used to predict the finish time of the finalists for each event. Every event except the women's 100 breaststroke is predicted to be slower in 2012 than it was in 2008. However, the results of the 2008 swimming competition were shown to be biased, likely caused by the now banned “tech suits.” The authors hypothesize that the 2012 Olympic performances will realign with the prediction curves, thus demonstrating the reliability and sensitivity of the model and further confirming the “suit bias” of 2008. Final conclusions will be dependent upon the athletes' performances at the 2012 Games.
Acute physiological reactions of Calanus pacificus to selected dinoflagellates: direct observations

Calanus pacificus (Copepoda: Calanoida) females were collected off the California (USA) coast from November 1984–April 1985. A video system was used to observe and record the behavior of restrained individual females presented with a variety of dinoflagellate prey. Two species, Gonyaulax grindleyi and Ptychodiscus brevis, elicited acute physiological reactions. In 40% of the trials (n=10), copepods fed G. grindleyi regurgitated after 45 to 120 min and, in nearly all cases, did not maintain full guts. Copepods in the presence of P. brevis exhibited rapid heart rate and loss of motor control. Scrippsiella trochoidea elicited an intermediate response by C. pacificus. The copepods occasionally displayed mouthpart twitching or failure to maintain gut fullness. Olisthodiscus luteus elicited no unusual behavior in an intermediate temporal range (sec-hours), although the mouthpart movements appeared different than in copepods fed Gyrodinium resplendens (used as control). Placing the copepods in G. resplendens suspension restored normal feeding behavior in all cases.
Power up your Presentation with PowerPoint

School nurses have the experience, insight, and passion to speak in pubic forums on issues regarding the health and education of children. They are seeking opportunities to inform district decision makers and the general public about student needs and about the importance of having adequate resources to meet these needs. Nurses may be called upon to speak both formally and informally to parent and community groups, the school board, and to their peers. To be credible and to communicate their messages effectively, nurses must hone their presentation and speaking skills, which may include the use of up-to-date technology.
Spontaneous Reconfiguration of Adsorbed Lysozyme Layers Observed by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence with a pH-Sensitive Fluorophore

By conjugating proteins with a common pH-sensitive fluorescent label, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), and controlling the ionic strength, we provide a means to decrease the characteristic length scale of the total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) technique by two orders of magnitude. The usual characteristic length scale for TIRF is an optical length, specifically the evanescent wave penetration depth (on the order of 100 nm). In our experiments the penetration depth is replaced by the Debye screening length as the characteristic length scale. This is readily controlled to match the dimensions of an adsorbed protein layer (on the order of 1 nm). We achieve this length scale reduction by coupling the well-known pH-sensitivity of fluorescence emission by FITC-labeled proteins with the variation of electrostatic potential near a negatively charged surface. Using this fine-resolution TIRF capability in combination with scanning angle reflectometry, we find that lateral repulsions induce a dramatic r...
Microwave Ablation for Hepatic Malignancies: A Multiinstitutional Analysis

Objective:This study hypothesized that tumor size, number of tumors, surgical approach, and tumor histology significantly affected microwave ablation (MWA) success and recurrence-free survival.Background:Although many hepatobiliary centers have adopted MWA, the factors that influence local control a
Optimizing Turnover of a Cobalt Corrin-Polyion Scaffold on Electrodes in Microemulsions with a Flow Reactor

Electrochemical reactors employing catalytic films of the cobalt corrin vitamin B 12 hexucarboxylic acid [B 12 (COOH) 6 ] attached to poly(L-lysine) (PLL) covalently bound to carbon cloth electrodes were optimized for the reduction of 1,2-dibromocyclohexane (DBCH) to cyclohexene in a microemulsion. An improved initial electrode oxidation method enabled attachment of films with higher surface concentrations of catalyst than previously. A parallel plate flow reactor containing a catalyst-coated carbon cloth cathode gave sixfold larger turnover rates compared to a simple stirred hatch reactor, especially for 20 and 90 nm thick films of B 12 (COOH) 6 -PLL. The 90 nm thick films showed high turnover rates in the flow reactor while maintaining 100% current efficiency, whereas in the batch reactor current efficiency dropped well below 100% at the higher applied currents. Significantly thicker films of B 12 (COOH) 6 -PLL on carbon cloth than reported in previous work were shown to operate efficiently in microemulsions for catalyzing DBCH conversion to cyclohexene. The key factor was eliminating mass transport limitations in the microemulsion by using an efficient flow reactor, resulting in turnover rates up to 3000 min 1 at 100% current efficiency.
Mononuclear Cell-Conditioned Medium Containing Mononuclear Cell Factor (MCF), Homologous With Interleukin 1, Stimulates Collagen and Fibronectin Synthesis by Adherent Rheumatoid Synovial Cells: Effects of Prostaglandin E2 and Indomethacin

Adherent rheumatoid synovial cells produce and release into supernatant culture medium latent collagenase and PGE2. The levels of collagenase and PGE2 can be increased by a soluble factor present in mononuclear cell-conditioned medium, partially purified by gel-filtration, which has homologies with interleukin 1, and is produced by monocyte/macrophages. The synovial cell cultures produce collagens (procollagens) and fibronectin as well. The factor(s) present in the mononuclear cell conditioned medium which increases medium levels of collagenase PGE2 also stimulates synthesis of total protein as well as types I and III procollagen by the synovial cells. This stimulation by the monocyte factor is augmented in the presence of indomethacin, which blocks endogenous PGE2 production. Medium levels of fibronectin parallel those of procollagen. The addition of exogenous PGE2 abolishes the effect of indomethacin on collagen and fibronectin synthesis. These observations of mononuclear cell-mediated increases in fibronectin synthesis may account for the high levels of fibronectin found by others in rheumatoid synovium and synovial fluids as the increases in collagen synthesis might also explain the fibrosis observed in some rheumatoid joints.
Three new cardenolides from the milkweeds Asclepias eriocarpa and A. Labriformis

Abstract Asclepias eriocarpa and A. labriformis contain three new cardenolides, the structures of which have been partially assigned by their spectral properties and comparison with the known cardenolides of A. curassavica . They include labriformin (C 31 H 39 O 10 NS), labriformidin (C 29 H 31 O 11 ) and eriocarpin.
Negative Androgyny and Self-Esteem: Towards a Confound-Free Scale:

To assess the effects of negatively valued items on the concept of androgyny and its relationship with self-esteem, negative items were constructed to parallel the positively valued masculine and f...
Infrapopliteal angioplasty for critical limb ischemia: Relation of TransAtlantic InterSociety Consensus class to outcome in 176 limbs

Objective Recent data suggest that percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) may be appropriate primary therapy for critical limb ischemia (CLI). However, little data are available regarding infrapopliteal angioplasty outcomes based on TransAtlantic InterSociety Consensus (TASC) classification. We report our experience with infrapopliteal angioplasty stratified by TASC lesion classification. Methods From February 2004 to March 2007, 176 consecutive limbs (163 patients) underwent infrapopliteal angioplasty for CLI. Stents were placed for lesions refractory to PTA or flow-limiting dissections. Patients were stratified by TASC classification and suitability for bypass grafting. Primary outcome was freedom from restenosis, reintervention, or amputation. Primary patency, freedom from secondary restenosis, limb salvage, reintervention by repeat angioplasty or bypass, and survival were determined. Results Median age was 73 years (range, 39-94 years). Technical success was 93%. Average follow-up was 10 months (range, 1-41 months). At 1 and 2 years, freedom from restenosis, reintervention, or amputation was 39% and 35%, conventional primary patency was 53% and 51%, and freedom from secondary restenosis and reintervention were 63% and 61%, respectively. Limb salvage was 84% at 1, 2, and 3 years. Within 2 years, 15% underwent bypass and 18% underwent repeat infrapopliteal PTA. Postoperative complications occurred in 9% and intraprocedural complications in 10%. The 30-day mortality was 5% (9 of 181). Overall survival was 81%, 65%, and 54% at 1, 2, and 3 years. TASC D classification predicted diminished technical success (75% D vs 100% A, B, and C; P Conclusion Infrapopliteal angioplasty is a reasonable primary treatment for CLI patients with TASC A, B, or C lesions. Restenosis, reintervention, or amputation was higher in patients who were unsuitable candidates for bypass; however, an attempt at PTA may be indicated as an alternative to primary amputation. Although restenosis, reintervention, or amputation is high after tibial angioplasty for CLI, excellent limb salvage rates may be obtained with careful follow-up and reinterventions when necessary, including bypass in 15%.
Fitting Science and Screen

Offering a fresh perspective on the intersection between science and cinema, Kirby focuses on the roles scientist-consultants play in attempts to depict science and researchers in movies more plausibly.
Minor histocompatibility antigens: presentation principles, recognition logic and the potential for a healing hand.

Purpose of review There is ample evidence indicating a pathologic role for minor histocompatibility antigens in inciting graft-versus-host disease in major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-matched bone marrow transplantation and rejection of solid organ allografts. Here we review the current knowledge of the genetic and biochemical bases for the cause of minor histoincompatibility and the structural basis for the recognition of the resulting alloantigens by the T-cell receptor. Recent findings Recent evidence indicates that we as independently conceived individuals are genetically unique, thus, offering a mechanism for minor histoincompatibility between MHC-identical donor-recipient pairs. Furthermore, advances in delineating the mechanisms underlying antigen cross-presentation by MHC class I molecules and a critical role for autophagy in presenting cytoplasmic antigens by MHC class II molecules have been made. These new insights coupled with the X-ray crystallographic solution of several peptide/MHC-T-cell receptor structures have revealed mechanisms of histoincompatibility. Summary On the basis of these new insights, ways to test for allograft compatibility and concoction of immunotherapies are discussed.
A Parametric Reliability Prediction Tool for space applications

This paper demonstrates several analytical techniques used to predict units (from a group) that are more likely to fail in operation. The paper specifically examines the least reliable units used by a number of US space programs. In this paper, the methodology used to develop the Parametric Reliability Prediction Tool (PRPT) is presented. The parameter used is the failure rate/MTBF for the unit. The application of the tool to the DMSP X program has been presented as well. The PRPT will support “preventative” failure analysis by identifying items that could lead to failures and their probability of occurrence. PRPT will also capture lessons learned to mitigate failure reoccurrence. PRPT will facilitate design reliability trade studies. The PRPT will be expanded to include a process for prediction of early failure modes and mean life time of new products, based on comparisons and similarity derived from the analysis. PRPT provides a disciplined and adequate technique to obtain a more accurate reliability prediction for space systems and subsystems possibly up to Line Replaceable Unit level. Utilizing PRPT in the concept, design and development phases will be an opportunity to improve reliability predictions for space vehicles.
Parthenolide induces apoptosis in glioblastomas without affecting NF-κB

Parthenolide is a sesquiterpene lactone that has been isolated from Tanacetum parthenium (feverfew). Parthenolide has several biological activities including the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of NF-kappaB. Because of its activities against several tumor types and because it is relatively well tolerated, in clinical trial, parthenolide is an attractive compound for the treatment of brain tumors. However, there have been no reports concerning its ability to induce apoptosis in any brain tumor cell lines. In this report we demonstrate that treatment of glioblastoma cells with parthenolide resulted in rapid apoptosis through caspase 3/7 without a suppression of NF-kappaB activity.
Cognitive and Psychodynamic Mechanisms of Change in Treated and Untreated Depression

Two patient-level mechanisms of change, defenses, and cognition were tested over 3 time points in 65 depressed adults, approximately half receiving treatment. Early changes in automatic thoughts and immature defenses were associated with symptom change from time-one to time-three. The directionality of early automatic thought change predicting symptom change was partially supported, but immature defense change occurs simultaneously with, or after, symptom change. Given the convergent evidence of cognitive change as a mediator of depression reduction, all depression therapies should consider how they address depressive cognition. To build a more complete understanding of how to ameliorate depression, future studies should continue to include constructs from multiple theories and have measures of therapy process in addition to patient level mechanisms.