cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Invisible Hinterland: Hong Kong's Reliance on Southern Guangdong Province

Despite the separation of Hong Kong from the rest of China, Hong Kong's "development" and urbanization cannot be understood without systematic reference to Hong Kong's Chinese hinterland. Historical and statistical analyses reveal that ongoing economic, demographic, and social ties with the rest of China are what made Hong Kong's transformation possible. Only when we consider Hong Kong, not as a colonial "city-state" in cold war isolation from the People's Republic of China, but as a Chinese city in continued—though at times attenuated—ties with its Chinese hinterland, can we explain and forecast Hong Kong's past and future. [Hong Kong, hinterlands, South China, development]
p21: a monitor of p53 dysfunction in ovarian neoplasia

p53 is an important tumor suppressor gene which is activated in response to DNA damage. The induced expression of p53 causes either cell cycle G1 arrest or apoptosis. The recently cloned p21 gene (WAF1/CIP1/SDI1) is known to be directly activated by wild-type but not mutant p53 and can suppress the growth of human cells in G1 by inhibiting the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). As p21 is activated by p53 and is a negative regulator of the cell cycle, it is possible that p21 could be a sensitive marker to monitor p53 function. To investigate the mRNA expression level and mutation status of p53 and p21 genes, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct cDNA sequence analysis were performed. mRNA expression levels of p53 and p21 genes relative to the β-tubulin gene were examined in 32 ovarian tumors (24 carcinomas, six low malignant potentials (LMPs), two benigns) and six normal ovaries. Of 13 ovarian tumors with p21 underexpression, nine p53 mutated cases (69%) and one polymorphism case were found. Among nine p53 mutated cases, three cases showed p53 overexpression, another three cases showed p53 underexpression and a further three cases showed normal expression of p53. These findings suggest that mRNA underexpression of p21 may be a more useful indicator of p53 dysfunction than mRNA expression of p53.
A modified vaginal wall patch sling technique as a first-line surgical approach for genuine stress incontinence with urethral hypermobility: long-term follow up

We describe our long-term outcome for patients with genuine stress incontinence (GSI) and urethral hypermobility using a modified vaginal wall patch sling technique. Fifty-three patients were studied. Preoperatively, all patients had a positive standing stress test and urethral hypermobility on Q-tip testing. On urodynamics, all patients had absence of detrusor contractions on subtracted cystometry. The mean age of the patients was 45+10.2 years. Forty-four patients demonstrated complete symptomatic and urodynamic improvement. Five patients had a noticeable failure observed within the first 12 months of follow up and four patients developed later recurrence despite initial success. The overall success rate after 5 years of follow up was 83% (n=44/53). The modified vaginal wall patch sling technique appears to have a good long-term success rate with low operative morbidity and minimal postoperative voiding dysfunction. The patch sling can be used as a first-line surgical approach for GSI with urethral hypermobility and be combined with other vaginal surgery.
On the Shapiro-Wilk Test for the Detection of Pulsed Sinusoidal Radio Frequency Interference

The Shapiro-Wilk (S-W) test is a test of normality recommended in the statistical literature for its effectiveness in detecting a wide-variety of non-gaussian signals. Tests for normality can be used for the detection of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). However, so far only the kurtosis test has been used for this purpose. The performance of the S-W test against pulsed sinusoidal sources is studied in this paper as an alternative method of RFI detection. An overview of the S-W test is provided, and implementation of the test in digital hardware is discussed. Performance of the test was analyzed using Monte Carlo simulations due to the difficulties in obtaining an analytical solution. Results show that the test can provide reasonable performance in detecting pulsed sinu-soidal RFI, and the effect of quantization is minimal in the sensitivity obtained.
Improved high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of 32P-postlabeled 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine-DNA adducts using in-line precolumn purification

An improved HPLC-based 32P-postlabeling assay has been developed for the analysis of DNA modified with the food carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Postlabeled samples are loaded onto a C18 precolumn and adducted bases are retained while excess radioactivity and unmodified DNA bases are eluted directly to waste through a switching valve. The use of this HPLC in-line precolumn purification (HIPP) technique allows entire postlabeled samples to be analyzed without prior removal of inorganic phosphate and unmodified DNA bases. The method has a sample to sample precision of 15% and accuracy of 20%, at adduct levels of 2 adducts/10(7) bases and shows a linear relationship between signal and adduction levels from 1 adduct per 10(4) to approximately 2 +/- 1 adducts per 10(9) bases. Individual postlabeled DNA samples can be analyzed by HPLC in less than 1 h, allowing high throughput. The use of calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA), highly modified with PhIP, or DNA isolated from mice chronically fed a PhIP-modified diet shows two major PhIP-DNA adduct peaks and three additional minor adduct peaks when labeled under ATP-limiting conditions. Isolation of the HPLC purified peaks and analysis by thin layer chromatography (TLC) matches the five HPLC peaks to the spots typically seen by TLC, including N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5- b]pyridine (dG-C8-PhIP). Variations in digestion techniques indicate a potential resistance of the PhIP-DNA adducts to the standard enzymatic digestion methods. Attempts at adduct intensification by solid phase extraction, nuclease P1 enrichment or 1-butanol extraction decreased PhIP-DNA adduct peaks and introduced a large early eluting peak. Removal of the 3'-phosphate with nuclease P1 following the kinase labeling reaction simplifies the HPLC profile to one major peak (dG-C8-PhIP monophosphate) with several minor peaks. In addition to the high resolution provided by HPLC separation of the PhIP-DNA adducts, this method can be adjusted for analysis of other DNA adducts and is readily automated for high throughput.
The dynamics of cellular differentiation and associated pattern formation

Abstract Cellular differentiation is a central phenomenon in development. It manifests itself in transitions between cell types and in the establishment of and maintenance of pattern. In this paper, it is argued that several phenomena associated with differentiation are manifestations of an underlying qualitative dynamics following primarily from the stationarity of differentiated cells. The simple requirement that each cell type has a stable physical existence implies that the associated control chemicals for each cell type have a stable dynamic behavior with a finite domain of attraction. The qualitative dynamics of cellular differentiation arise from the coexistence of and transition between two stable dynamic modes. These qualitative dynamics are illustrated by exact computer solutions of the equations of a very simple, idealized model. In the model, cell state is given by an enzyme which is induced by a diffusible substance which it in turn synthesizes. Kinetic data for this anabolic induction are adapted from studies of the lac operon of E. coli. The model has two stable steady states. If cell type is identified with stable enzyme concentration, and therefore level of gene activity, an example of the dynamics of differentiation ensues. Cell type is clearly delimited by the separatrix in the enzyme concentration-inducer concentration phase plane, differentiation occurs when the separatrix is crossed, and kinetic analogies for determination, biological state, and dedifferentiation are found. When space dependence and diffusion are added, stable patterns can arise. These patterns, which arise from a properly posed initial value problem, have a minimum size for occurrence, and a qualitative size invariance. The initial condition on inducer concentration corresponds to positional information. The subsequent evolution of a stable pattern corresponds to its interpretation. The qualitative predictions of the model are compatible with the results of transplanting and excising regions of early sea urchin morulas and then observing the subsequent development to the larval stage (Horstadius, 1939). The perplexing consequences of transection parallel to the animal-vegetal axis receive a natural explanation within the framework provided by the theory.
Relational Work and the Law: Recapturing the Legal Realist Critique of Market Fundamentalism

A global financial crisis seems a propitious time to renew a dialogue between legal scholarship and the field of economic sociology. In the 1920s and 1930s, legal realist scholars developed insightful analyses of market processes. But since post-war mainstream legal scholarship has largely ignored this aspect of legal realism, economic sociology might be helpful in refocusing legal scholarship on what happens in actual market settings. One tool is Zelizer's concept of relational work; that in market transactions, actors must define the nature of their relationship, what is to be exchanged, and by what media. Relational work has an enormous impact on the outcomes of transactions, but it is largely ignored in economic accounts. An empirical study of variations in relational work across economic settings could provide a strong foundation for rethinking the relationship between law and economic activity.
SERUM INTERLEUKIN-10 LEVELS IN PATIENTS AFFECTED WITH MULTIPLE-MYELOMA - CORRELATION WITH THE MONOCLONAL COMPONENT AND DISEASE PROGRESSION

Using a commercially available, competitive ELISA kit based on a polyclonal anti-interleukin-10 antibody, serum interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels were quantified in samples of different groups of patients: 20 healthy controls (CTR), 11 monoclonal gammopathies of uncertain significance (MGUS), 17 multiple myelomas (MM), 10 cancer patients (CANCER), 13 cancer patients + MGUS (MGUS-CA) and 7 MGUS patients after surgical removal of concomitant cancer (MGUS-SRCC). Results show significant differences of both the median levels of IL-10 and the monoclonal component (MC) in CTR, MGUS and MM (patients with increasing concentrations in the mentioned order). The IL-10 levels found in the three groups of cancer patients showed serum levels higher than those observed in the controls. Moreover, the surgical cancer removal was related to an IL-10 decrease. A higly significant correlation between serum IL-10 levels and the corresponding MC was also found in the MM-bearing patients and to a lesser extent, in MGUS patients, indicating that serum IL-10 is parallel to the amount of the activated clone causing the monoclonal gammopathy. Since human myeloma lines, cultured in vitro may release significant amounts of IL-10, the data presented support the hypothesis that serum IL-10, measured in myelomatous patients may, at least in part, derive from the activated clone causing the monoclonal gammopathy.
Chemical and Instrumental Analyses of Warmed‐Over Flavor in Beef

Raw, freshly cooked, stored and recooked beef muscle samples were assessed by chemical, instrumental and sensory methods of analyses for flavor quality, with particular emphasis on warmed-over flavor (WOF). The character notes used by a trained sensory panel to describe WOF were cardboardy, rancid, stale, and metallic. Samples analyzed by direct gas chromatography utilizing either packed or fused silica capillary columns showed that compounds usually associated with lipid oxidation reactions could be used as marker compounds to follow the development of WOF. Of the many compounds that appeared to be markers, hexanal and 2,3-octanedione as well as total volatiles showed a highly significant degree of correlation when compared to sensory scores and 2-thiobar bituric acid (TBA) numbers. Many of the volatile compounds that were identified in WOF meat samples were also found in the distillates prepared for the TBA reaction.
Vortex dynamics and symmetry locking on quasiperiodic and periodic substrates

Abstract We examine the dynamics of vortices driven over quasicrystalline and periodic pinning arrays where the direction of the external drive is varied with respect to the substrate orientation. For periodic arrays there is a strong directional locking and the vortex motion can lock to symmetry directions of the pinning lattice even when the drive is not applied along the same symmetry direction. This locking can be detected as a series of steps in the velocity vs driving angle curves and is also associated with dynamical ordering of the vortices along these steps into anisotropic square and triangular lattices. Even though quasicrystalline arrays lack translational order, we show that quasicrystalline substrates also exhibit symmetry locking due to their orientational ordering. The vortex configurations in the nonlocking regimes are much more disordered for the quasiperiodic substrates than for the periodic substrates.
Dislocation mechanism based model for stage II fatigue crack propagation rate

Repeated plastic deformation, which of course depends on dislocation mechanism, at or near the crack tip leads to the fatigue crack propagation. By involving the theory of thermally activated flow and the cumulative plastic strain criterion, an effort is made here to model the stage II fatigue crack propagation rate in terms of the dislocation mechanism. The model, therefore, provides capability to ascertain: (1) the dislocation mechanism (and hence the near crack tip microstructures) assisting the crack growth, (2) the relative resistance of dislocation mechanisms to the crack growth, and (3) the fracture surface characteristics and its interpretation in terms of the dislocation mechanism. The local microstructure predicted for the room temperature crack growth in copper by this model is in good agreement with the experimental results taken from the literature. With regard to the relative stability of such dislocation mechanisms as the cross-slip and the dislocation intersection, the model suggests an enhancement of crack growth rate with an ease of cross-slip which in general promotes dislocation cell formation and is common in material which has high stacking fault energy (produces wavy slips). Cross-slip apparently enhances crack growth rate by promoting slip irreversibility and fracture surface brittleness to a greater degree.
Construction of a fine wire thermocouple capable of repeated insertions into and accurate positioning within a controlled environmental chamber.

A method of construction is presented for fabrication and incorporation of a fine wire exposed junction thermocouple into a hypodermic syringe. The junction is protected by the hypodermic needle until the needle has been placed in a desired location. The 0·0005 in. chromal-constantan thermocouple formed has a bead diameter of approximately 30 μ (3×10−3 cm), a time constant in still water of less than 1 msec, and one of the largest thermoelectric powers (V/degree) of the commercially available thermocouple wire combinations.
High-repetition rate quantum key distribution

The desire for quantum-generated cryptographic key for broadband encryption services has motivated the development of high-transmission-rate single-photon quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. The maximum operational transmission rate of a QKD system is ultimately limited by the timing resolution of the single-photon detectors and recent advances have enabled the demonstration of QKD systems operating at transmission rates well in to the GHz regime. We have demonstrated quantum generated one-time-pad encryption of a streaming video signal with high transmission rate QKD systems in both free-space and fiber. We present an overview of our high-speed QKD architecture that allows continuous operation of the QKD link, including error correction and privacy amplification, and increases the key-production rate by maximizing the transmission rate and minimizing the temporal gating on the single-photon channel. We also address count-rate concerns that arise at transmission rates that are orders of magnitude higher than the maximum count rate of the single-photon detectors.
Black leaf streak disease of bananas (Mycosphaerella fijiensis): Symptoms of disease in Hawaii, and notes on the conidial state of the causal fungus

Surveys of bananas in the Hawaiian Islands failed to reveal typical symptoms of Sigatoka disease and its causal fungus Mycosphaerella musicola Leach. However, a similar form of leaf-spot disease is widespread and sometimes very severe. Evidence is presented showing that this disease is the same as ‘black leaf streak’, first recorded in 1963 in Fiji, caused by M. fijiensis (unpublished). Symptoms of black leaf streak in Hawaii are described, and the first detailed account of the conidial ( Cercospora ) state of M. fijiensis is given. The conidial state of M. fijiensis is contrasted with that of M. musicola , and with other Cercospora species recorded on bananas. Preliminary observations on spermo-gonia, perithecia, and ascospores of M. fijiensis are noted. Possibilities concerning the origin of black leaf streak disease in the Pacific region are discussed.
Some sequences associated with combinatoral structures

Abstract Greene and Kleitman generalized Dilworth's decomposition theorem for partially ordered sets by characterizing, for each k, the size of the largest k-family of a partially ordered set. This was used by Greene to show that two sequences associated with any finite poset P are conjugate partitions of the integer ∥P∥. A natural context for stating and proving such results is introduced here. A generalization of these theorems to acyclic digraphs is proved and applied to prove the acyclic case of a conjecture of Berge. An analog of Greene's theorem is proved for matchings of a bipartite graph, answering a question of Albertson.
Experimental Validation of Consensus Algorithms for Multivehicle Cooperative Control

In this brief, consensus algorithms are experimentally implemented and validated on a mobile actuator and sensor network platform under directed, possibly switching interaction topologies to explore issues and challenges in distributed multivehicle cooperative control. Distributed consensus algorithms are applied to two target applications including rendezvous and axial alignment. In the rendezvous application, multiple mobile robots simultaneously arrive at a common a priori unknown target location determined through team negotiation. In the axial alignment application, multiple mobile robots collectively align their final positions along a line. The experimental results show the effectiveness and robustness of the consensus algorithms even in the presence of platform physical limitations, packet loss, information delay, etc. These experimental results validate the corresponding theoretical results.
A call to action: training pathology residents in genomics and personalized medicine.

Genomics and “medical sequencing” will revolutionize clinical laboratory diagnostics as the foundation for the new era of personalized medicine. However, the medical profession lags far behind the technology and business communities in recognizing and preparing for this change. Pathologists must take the lead in the application of genomics technologies, including whole-genome sequencing, to laboratory diagnostics and personalized medicine. As a critical first step in leading this change, we have established a first-in-the-nation resident curriculum in genomics and personalized medicine. Our goal is to catalyze the adoption of similar training modules in every pathology residency in North America. If we succeed in the widespread implementation of this type of training as a core competency in pathology, we will ensure that the discipline of pathology will lead rather than follow in the coming era of personalized medicine.
Persistence of extracrevicular bacterial reservoirs after treatment of aggressive periodontitis

Background: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that periodontal pathogens associated with aggressive periodontitis persist in extracrevicular locations following scaling and root planing, systemic antibiotics, and antimicrobial rinses. Methods: Eighteen patients with aggressive periodontitis received a clinical examination during which samples of subgingival plaque and buccal epithelial cells were obtained. Treatment consisted of full-mouth root planing, systemic antibiotics, and chlorhexidine rinses. Clinical measurements and sampling were repeated at 3 and 6 months. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction determined the number of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans), Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia (previously T. forsythensis), and Treponema denticola in the plaque. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and confocal microscopy determined the extent of intracellular invasion in epithelial cells. Results: Clinical measurements improved significantly following treatment. All bacterial species except P. gingivalis were significantly reduced in plaque between baseline and 3 months. However, all species showed a trend to repopulate between 3 and 6 months. This increase was statistically significant for log T. denticola counts. All species were detected intracellularly. The percentage of cells infected intracellularly was not affected by therapy. Conclusions: The 6-month increasing trend in the levels of plaque bacteria suggests that subgingival recolonization was occurring. Because the presence of these species within epithelial cells was not altered after treatment, it is plausible that recolonization may occur from the oral mucosa. Systemic antibiotics and topical chlorhexidine did not reduce the percentage of invaded epithelial cells. These data support the hypothesis that extracrevicular reservoirs of bacteria exist, which might contribute to recurrent or refractory disease in some patients.
The correlation of temperature and rural ozone levels in southeastern U.S.A.

Abstract As a part of the southern oxidant study, a comprehensive air quality study was performed at a rural site in southern Tennessee. The observations performed between 25 July and 2 September 1991 included measurements of primary and secondary pollutants as well as meteorological measurements. Relatively high levels of NOy were observed when CO and SO2 levels were at estimated regional background indicating a significant non-combustion source. A multivariate linear regression analysis suggested that nearly 2 3 of the NOy above the estimated regional background level relates to SO2 emitting sources with the remaining 1 3 to CO emitting sources. The association between primary pollutants and temperature was found to be weak or insignificant. However, most secondary pollutants (except PAN) positively correlated with temperature. In the case of O3, a better association was found with a combination of temperature and NOy. Comparison between the observation and model simulation suggested that approximately 50% of the increase in O3 levels observed at the Giles site may relate to the intrinsic dependence of rate constants on temperature. The number of O3 molecules produced per NOy molecule present increases with temperature (between 22 and 33°C) as did the chemical air mass age ( NO x NO y ). On the other hand, the number of O3 molecules produced per molecule of NOx consumed remained nearly constant. The difference between NOz and the sum of the individual NOz species measured separately (PAN, HNO3 and nitrate aerosol) suggests the presence of an additional NOz species that increased with temperature.
Observations of Particle Size and Phase in Tropical Cyclones: Implications for Mesoscale Modeling of Microphysical Processes

Abstract Mesoscale model simulations of tropical cyclones are sensitive to representations of microphysical processes, such as fall velocities of frozen hydrometeors. The majority of microphysical parameterizations are based on observations obtained in clouds not associated with tropical cyclones, and hence their suitability for use in simulations of tropical cyclones is not known. Here, representations of mass-weighted fall speed Vm for snow and graupel are examined to show that parameters describing the exponential size distributions and fall speeds of individual hydrometeors [through use of relations such as V(D) = aDb] are identically important for determining Vm. The a and b coefficients are determined by the composition and shape of snow and graupel particles; past modeling studies have not adequately considered the possible spread of a and b values. Step variations in these coefficients, associated with different fall velocity regimes, however, do not have a large impact on Vm for observed size dis...
IgA Nephropathy in Renal Allografts: Increased Frequency in Native American Patients

We investigated the frequency of IgA nephropathy in transplanted kidneys in 2 ethnic groups in New Mexico (USA). A total of 80 renal graft biopsies were obtained from 66 patients when clinically indicated for the differential diagnosis of graft dysfunction. Glomerulonephritis was present in 16 patients, in biopsies obtained after the first posttransplantation month. The frequency of IgAN in allografts was not the same in Native Americans and in Caucasians: Nondonor IgAN was observed in 4/18 biopsies from Native American patients (22.2%) but only in 4/48 biopsies from Caucasians (8.3%) (p < 0.01). This study demonstrates that in New Mexico the frequency of IgAN in transplanted kidneys in Native American patients is 2.7 times higher than in Caucasian graft recipients.
Integrin αvβ8-Mediated Activation of Transforming Growth Factor-β Inhibits Human Airway Epithelial Proliferation in Intact Bronchial Tissue

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a potent multifunctional cytokine that is an essential regulator of epithelial proliferation. Because TGF-β is expressed almost entirely in a latent state in vivo, a major source of regulation of TGF-β function is its activation. A subset of integrins, αvβ8 and αvβ6, which are expressed in the human airway, has recently been shown to activate latent TGF-β in vitro, suggesting a regulatory role for integrins in TGF-β function in vivo. Here we have developed a novel, biologically relevant experimental model of human airway epithelium using intact human bronchial tissue. We have used this model to determine the function of integrin-mediated activation of TGF-β in the airway. In human bronchial fragments cultured in vitro, authentic epithelial-stromal interactions were maintained and integrin and TGF-β expression profiles correlated with profiles found in normal lung. In addition, in this model, we found that either the integrin αvβ8 or TGF-β could inhibit airway epithelial cell proliferation. Furthermore, we found that one mechanism of integrin-αvβ8-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation was through activation of TGF-β because anti-β8 antibody blocked the majority (76%) of active TGF-β released from bronchial fragments. These data provide compelling evidence for a functional role for integrin-mediated activation of TGF-β in control of human airway epithelial proliferation in vivo.
In the Narrows of the 1960s U.S. Black Rioting

This article develops the hypothesis that the underlying processes generating the 1960s black rioting differed by time frame. More specifically, the idea is developed that local situations of blacks mattered least during the rioting explosion immediately following the assassination of Martin Luther King. To test this hypothesis, two subpopulations of cities were defined: those experiencing black rioting during April 1968 (N = 130), and those that had riots outside of April 1968 (N = 267). Indicators of the local situations of blacks (e.g., racial inequality) were then regressed on riot severity measurements developed for each subpopulation of cities. The results of this and other analyses supported the basic hypothesis of a rupture in the process generating riot activity immediately after the murder of King. These results are interpreted as fitting a common historical pattern of ebbs and peaks during eras of collective violence, wherein peaks reflect supralocal levels of an aggrieved group's collective co...
A general architecture for factory-based diagnosis of electronics

This paper describes an architecture, IFADS (Integrated Factory-based Automatic Diagnostic System), that is well suited for performing diagnosis of electronic assemblies that fail factory-based quality assurance testing. Diagnostics in a manufacturing setting differ in several ways from that in an end-user setting. These differences are noted and the motivation for the IFADS design is shown.The purpose of modern Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) is to indicate whether a piece of equipment is operating within specifications. “Diagnosis”, on the other hand goes beyond this to identify the cause of the problem as well. ATE usually contains most of the functionality required to extend this to diagnosis, e.g., the ability to stimulate the inputs in a variety of ways and to measure the outputs and testpoints. Lacking is the ability to analyze the data and determine the probable cause of the fault or the ability to control the tests applied based on the results of previous tests.One of the most interesting characteristics of the IFADS architecture is that it fuses several reasoning techniques to arrive at a diagnosis. Some of these are topological methods, including backtracing from “bad” testpoints and backtracing from “good” Testpoints. A new topological technique is presented which is able to assemble a first approximation of an ordered list of the device's components such that components earlier in the list are more likely to be the cause of the problem than components later in the list. Other techniques use causal information to explain abnormal testpoint data. Still other methods are heuristically based. (Our goal is to minimize the amount of heuristic knowledge required and, for generality, evolve our system toward one which can reason from circuit information alone.) Each of these techniques is fully discussed.In order to make full use of these reasoning methods, the IFADS architecture utilizes several types of domain knowledge. For a particular piece of equipment the following information is represented: the physical hierarchy (how the equipment is assembled), the functional hierarchy (how the equipment is broken down according to function — usually not the same as the physical hierarchy), a mapping between the physical and functional hierarchies, function names and cause-effect relations, and statistical failure probabilities. We built a working prototype of the IFADS architecture to diagnose a torpedo sonar receiver.
Model for calculating the magnetic field and the current density in the vicinity of a hemitoroidal coil for transcranial magnetic stimulation

A computational technique was developed to model configuration and to predict the magnetic field and current densities in the resistive tissues of the brain. The specific configuration presented is the geometric equivalent of a coil shaped as a Slinky toy bent into a half toroid. The model consists of N single loops in series, and the planes of the individual turns are rotated by 180 degrees /(NN-1) with respect to each other. This configuration maintains the current bundle at the point where all the turns merge, but it reduces the mutual coupling between the turns. >
Dynamic loading criteria in actuator selection for desired dynamic performance

This article presents two methods for selecting actuators based on the dynamic loading criteria which yield a manipulator with a desired level of dynamic performance. Here, dynamic performance is measured in terms of a robot's acceleration and force capabilities, which describe its ability to accelerate the end-effector and to apply forces to the environment, given the limitations on its actuator torques. The Dynamic Capability Equations are used to model the relationship between actuator torque capacities and the acceleration and force capabilities, because they treat linear and angular quantities in a consistent and physically meaningful way. This article discusses actuator selection for a single configuration, as well as for multiple configurations.
Mental Health Information Systems: Some National Trends

Results of a national survey indicate that approximately 90 percent of all state departments of mental health utilize computer support for at least some administrative and clinical functions. Nearly all indicated planning for considerably increased use; very few reported neither current use of computers nor active plans for future use. Both this survey and a similar one concerning community mental health centers indicate extensive development and strong acceptance of computer applications in administrative and documentation areas, in program evaluation, utilization review and research, but rather weak endorsement and proliferation concerning more clinically-oriented computer applications that involve the monitoring of individual patient care, clinical decision making and clinical predictions.
Estimation of floodplain aboveground biomass using multispectral remote sensing and nonparametric modeling

Abstract Floodplain forests serve a critical function in the global carbon cycle because floodplains constitute an important carbon sink compared with other terrestrial ecosystems. Forests on dynamic floodplain landscapes, such as those created by river meandering processes, are characterized by uneven-aged trees and exhibit high spatial variability, reflecting the influence of interacting fluvial, hydrological, and ecological processes. Detailed and accurate mapping of aboveground biomass (AGB) on floodplain landscapes characterized by uneven-aged forests is critical for improving estimates of floodplain-forest carbon pools, which is useful for greenhouse gas (GHG) life cycle assessment. It would also help improve our process understanding of biomorphodynamics of river-floodplain systems, as well as planning and monitoring of conservation, restoration, and management of riverine ecosystems. Using stochastic gradient boosting (SGB), multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), and Cubist, we remotely estimate AGB of a bottomland hardwood forest on a meander bend of a dynamic lowland river. As predictors, we use 30-m and 10-m multispectral image bands (Landsat 7 ETM+ and SPOT 5, respectively) and ancillary data. Our findings show that SGB and MARS significantly outperform Cubist, which is used for U.S. national-scale forest biomass mapping. Across all data-experiments and algorithms, at 10-m spatial resolution, SGB yields the best estimates (RMSE = 22.49 tonnes/ha; coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) = 0.96) when geomorphometric data are also included. On the other hand, at 30-m spatial resolution, MARS yields the best estimates (RMSE = 29.2 tonnes/ha; R 2 = 0.94) when image-derived data are also included. By enabling more accurate AGB mapping of floodplains characterized by uneven-aged forests, SGB and MARS provide an avenue for improving operational estimates of AGB and carbon at local, regional/continental, and global scales.
Selection of noisy measurement locations for error reduction in static parameter identification

An incomplete set of noisy static force and displacement measurements is used for parameter identification of structures at the element level. Measurement location and the level of accuracy in the measured data can drastically affect the accuracy of the identified parameters. A heuristic method is presented to select a limited number of degrees of freedom (DOF) to perform a successful parameter identification and to reduce the impact of measurement errors on the identified parameters. This pretest simulation uses an error sensitivity analysis to determine the effect of measurement errors on the parameter estimates. The selected DOF can be used for nondestructive testing and health monitoring of structures. Two numerical examples, one for a truss and one for a frame, are presented to demonstrate that using the measurements at the selected subset of DOF can limit the error in the parameter estimates.
Aging and respiratory muscle metabolic plasticity: effects of endurance training

We examined the oxidative and antioxidant enzyme activities in respiratory and locomotor muscles in response to endurance training in young and aging rats. Young adult (4-mo-old) and old (24-mo-old) female Fischer 344 rats were divided into four groups: 1) young trained (n = 12), 2) young untrained (n = 12), 3) old trained (n = 10), and 4) old untrained (n = 6). Both young and old endurance-trained animals performed the same training protocol during 10 wk of continuous treadmill exercise (60 min/day, 5 days/wk). Compared with young untrained animals, the young trained group had significantly elevated (P less than 0.05) activities of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HADH), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and citrate synthase (CS) in both the costal diaphragm and the plantaris muscle. In contrast, training had no influence (P greater than 0.05) on the activity of lactate dehydrogenase within the costal diaphragm in young animals. In the aging animals, training did not alter (P greater than 0.05) activities of CS, HADH, GPX, or lactate dehydrogenase in the costal diaphragm but significantly (P less than 0.05) increased CS, HADH, and GPX activities in the plantaris muscle. Furthermore, training resulted in higher activities of CS and HADH in the intercostal muscles in the old trained than in the old untrained animals. Finally, activities of CS, HADH, and GPX were significantly (P less than 0.05) lower in the plantaris in the old untrained than in the young untrained animals; however, CS, HADH, and GPX activities were greater (P less than 0.05) in the costal diaphragm in the old sedentary than in the young untrained animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Overview of Efficacy and Limitation of Standard and Targeted Therapy for Malignant Disease Using Lung Cancer as a Case Study

Recent advances in the understanding of the molecular basis of cancer have translated to the development of effective therapeutic modalities for certain types of malignant tumors. Significant percentages of solid tumors present with locally advanced or metastastic disease for which systemic chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy, is the only treatment option. Cytotoxic drugs discovered by the screening of natural compounds or by medicinal chemistry are the mainstay of our current chemotherapy armamentarium for cancers. Only incremental improvements of therapeutic benefits have been achieved with the testing of different combinations and permutations of standard cytotoxic drugs given at maximal tolerable doses, leading to the notion that a therapeutic plateau has been reached for cancer chemotherapy. This provides impetus for the development of more innovative therapeutic strategies using newer drug schedules and novel agents targeting signal transduction pathways or cellular processes essential for cancer growth and metastasis. An overview of lung cancer therapy is used in this paper to illustrate the evolving paradigm of modern oncology. The future of cancer chemotherapy will most likely be a hybrid of cytotoxic drugs combined with molecularly targeted agents that are individually tailored to the patient’s specific genotype and phenotype. In this context, chemical libraries derived from natural products have the potential to identify novel agents with complex structure, chirality, and multiple pharmacophores suitable to interfere with single or multiple cancer targets.
Thermal response of monolithic catalytic converters during sustained engine misfiring: a computational study

The thermal response charasteristics of automobile monolithic converters during sustained engine misfiring have been studied using a mathematical model which accounts for the simultaneous processes of heat transfer, mass transfer, and catalytic reaction. Particular attention was given to the effects of converter properties and inlet exhaust conditions on the location and magnitude of the temperature peak developed during the transient
Two Questions Raised by William James's Essay on ‘The Moral Equivalent of War’

William James's essay on ‘The Moral Equivalent of War,’ written in 1910, at the end of his life, has received an increasing amount of attention during the last thirty years. This paper would raise two questions about its relation to the main body of James's work. We recall that in the essay James argues for the worthwhileness of the martial virtues in themselves and claims that, since it would in any case be difficult to get rid of them, some way of expressing them in peaceful channels should be found. A few phrases have a peculiarly modern ring. “It would be preposterous,” he says, “if the only force that could work ideals of honor and standards of efficiency into English or American natures should be the fear of being killed by the Germans or the Japanese.” Instead of military life, a conscription of youth for the battle against nature is therefore recommended. “A permanently successful peace-economy cannot be a simple pleasure-economy. In the more or less socialistic future towards which mankind seems drifting we must still subject ourselves collectively to those severities which answer to our real position upon this only partly hospitable globe. We must make new energies and hardihoods continue the manliness to which the military mind so faithfully clings.”
Retrospective Cost Adaptive Control with Error-Dependent Regularization for MIMO Systems with Uncertain Nonminimum-Phase Transmission Zeros

In this paper we focus on retrospective cost adaptive control (RCAC), which is applicable to stabilization, command following, disturbance rejection, and model reference control problems for SISO and MIMO plants. RCAC uses limited modeling information, specifically, Markov parameters of the transfer function from the control input to the performance variable. Typically, a small number of Markov parameters are needed, for example, one Markov parameter usually suffices if the plant is minimum phase. If the plant is Lyapunov stable and nonminimum phase, then knowledge of the locations of the nonminimum-phase zeros is not needed as long as an error-dependent regularization term is used to weight the control effort. For plants that are both open-loop unstable and nonminimum phase, knowledge of the locations of the nonminimum-phase zeros may be needed. The goal of the present paper is to further investigate the effectiveness of the error-dependent regularization terms. Furthermore, we remove the intermediate step of reconstructing the retrospective controls and we directly update the controller. Next, we consider channelwise phase-matching conditions for MIMO plants. Finally, we investigate the role of zeros in MIMO nonsquare systems.
Criteria to evaluate bone mineralization in cattle: I. Effect of dietary phosphorus on chemical, physical, and mechanical properties.

Fourteen Angus heifers (210 +/- 6 kg initial BW) were allotted randomly to either a low P (LP: .12% P, DM basis) or an adequate P (AP: .20% P, DM basis) diet fed for 14 to 16 mo under drylot conditions on concrete floors to determine the influence of dietary P on chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of bone. Three weeks postpartum, after 14 to 16 mo on their diets, heifers were slaughtered and the right and left third metacarpals (McIII) were excised; soft tissue was removed and metacarpals were frozen in .9% saline. Metacarpals were subjected to a three-point flexure test using an Instron Testing Machine with a crossload speed of 50 mm/min to determine mechanical properties. Broken McIII were reassembled and a 2-cm section was removed at point of loading for determination of chemical and physical properties. Breaking load (BL) was greater (P less than .05) for McIII from the AP than for those from LP heifers (1,348 vs 1,179 kg). Breaking strength (BS) was greater (P less than .05) for AP than for LP heifers (202.5 vs 189.2 MPa). Animals receiving AP diets had greater (P less than .01) bone mineral content (12.6 vs 11.2 g/2-cm slice) and percentage of bone ash (68.0 vs 67.2%) than did LP animals. No differences (P greater than .10) were observed between treatment groups in Ca, P, or Mg percentage in bone ash. Circular, elliptical, radiographic, and planimeter area indices all were greater (P less than .05) in AP than in LP animals (1,048, 729, 1,069, and 570 vs 932, 660, 957, and 523 mm2, respectively). These data indicate that mechanical properties of bovine third metacarpals are sensitive to dietary P and reflect P status in the bovine. Mineral content of bone was highly correlated with its mechanical and physical properties.
COMPUTING WITH CHORD SPACES

The number of solutions involved in many algorithmic composition problems is too large to be tractable without simplification. Given this, it is critical that composition algorithms be able to move through different levels of abstraction while maintaining a well-organized solution space. In this paper we present the following contributions: (1) extended formalizations and proofs needed to implement the chord spaces defined by Tymoczko [11] and Callender et al. [2], (2) a generalized framework for moving between levels of abstraction using quotient spaces that can easily be integrated with existing algorithmic composition algorithms, and (3) an application of both to voiceleading assignment.
Capillary Electrophoresis With Laser-Induced Fluorescence

Capillary electrophoresis (CE), especially free-zone CE, offers a relatively simple separation with moderate selectivity based on the mobility of ions in solution. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection, an extremely sensitive technique, can be coupled with a variety of separation conditions to achieve sensitive and quantitative results. When these techniques are combined, CE/LIF provides the sensitivity and increased selectivity that makes trace level environmental analysis of fluorescent compounds possible at or below levels typical for gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry (MS). We offer a panoramic review of the role of these tools in solving environmental and related analytical problems before providing a detailed experimental protocol.
As the Shah Goes

With the administration of Lyndon B. Johnson, US officials became increasingly reluctant to criticize or challenge the shah’s policies. Up to this point in the bilateral relationship, the scales had been tipped in favor of the United States because the shah depended on American economic and military assistance, but as Iran’s oil revenues grew and the United States, mired in Vietnam, faced an increasingly hostile world, the balance began to shift in favor of the Iranian monarch.
Behavioral Effects of Carbamazepine

The cognitive and behavioral effects of carbamazepine (CBZ) were evaluated in 10 children (ages 6 to 12 years) with benign rolandic epilepsy at Columbia Prebyterian Medical Center, New York, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, CA.