cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Different elongation pathways in the biosynthesis of acyl groups of trichome exudate sugar esters from various solanaceous plants

Two common pathways are known for elongation of aliphatic acids via acetate in biological organisms: the fatty acid synthase (FAS) and the alpha-ketoacid elongation (alphaKAE) pathways. The alphaKAE route is utilized in many biosynthetic pathways, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, leucine biosynthesis, and in formation of coenzyme B, glucosinolates, alpha-ketoadipate, sugar-ester acyl acids, short-chain alcohols of yeast and Clostridium species, 2-amino-4-methylhex-4-enoic acid, and l-gamma-phenyl butyrine. In the FAS route, both carbons from acetyl-acyl carrier protein are retained per elongation cycle, while in the alphaKAE route only one carbon from acetyl-coenzyme A is retained. Available evidence indicates that different members of the family Solanaceae may use one or the other of these elongation mechanisms in the synthesis of acyl groups of trichome-exuded sugar esters. In both, precursors for elongation are derived from branched-chain amino acid metabolism. Here we compared radiolabeling patterns in sugar-ester acyl groups from trichomes (the specific tissue in which sugar esters are synthesized) of the tobaccos, Nicotiana benthamiana, N. gossei, N. glutinosa, of Petunia x hybrida cv. Falcon Red & White, and Datura metel, and epidermal peels of Lycopsersicon pennellii after their synthesis from [2-(14)C]-, [1-(14)C]- and [1,2-(14)C]acetate. Recovered acyl acids were purified and then degraded to determine label distribution between the carboxyl termini and the remainder of the molecules. Six- and 20-h incubations were studied, and membrane fatty acids were monitored as internal controls for FAS-mediated elongation. Results are consistent with participation of alphaKAE in synthesis of sugar-ester acyl groups of tobaccos and petunia, but apparently FAS is utilized in the formation of these groups in L. pennellii and D. metel.
From assistive technology to a web accessibility service

This paper considers different ways to enhance access to the World Wide Web for persons with sensory, cognitive, or motor limitations. Paradoxically, while complex Web architectures may seem to have inhibited accessibility, they have broadened the range of points where we can try to improve it. This paper identifies these points and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of each. In particular, it describes a project to develop a strategy to enhance access that can be distributed across multiple control points and implemented as an aggregation of Web services.
Software metrics: success, failures and new directions

The history of software metrics is almost as old as the history of software engineering. Yet, the extensive research and literature on the subject has had little impact on industrial practice. This is worrying given that the major rationale for using metrics is to improve the software engineering decision making process from a managerial and technical perspective. Industrial metrics activity is invariably based around metrics that have been around for nearly 30 years (notably Lines of Code or similar size counts, and defects counts). While such metrics can be considered as massively successful given their popularity, their limitations are well known, and mis-applications are still common. The major problem is in using such metrics in isolation. We argue that it is possible to provide genuinely improved management decision support systems based on such simplistic metrics, but only by adopting a less isolationist approach. Specifically, we feel it is important to explicitly model: (a) cause and eAect relationships and (b) uncertainty and combination of evidence. Our approach uses Bayesian Belief nets, which are increasingly seen as the best means of handling decisionmaking under uncertainty. The approach is already having an impact in Europe. ” 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
An experimental radome panel evaluation

Modern antenna radomes are made of materials that tend to shed water to minimize their RF attenuation when wet. The microwave performance of these materials has been studied experimentally. Radome attenuation was measured as a function of frequency, rain rate, rain incidence angle, RF incidence angle, and polarization. The tests were performed on (1) new, clean radome panels, (2) used, dirty radome panels, (3) cleaned, used radome panels, and (4) panels treated with hydrophobic paint. The results show weak loss dependence on frequency over the 13-20 GHz frequency range of interest, which increases slowly with rain rate from 2.5 to 29 mm/h except for surfaces that are wettable, where the dependence on rate is much stronger. Loss is nearly independent of rain incidence angle, but it is strongly a function of surface condition. Hydrophobic paint is shown to be very effective. The test setup used, limitations imposed by the real world, and a simplified model of radome loss derived from the test results are described. >
Privacy-preserving P2P data sharing with OneSwarm

Privacy -- the protection of information from unauthorized disclosure -- is increasingly scarce on the Internet. The lack of privacy is particularly true for popular peer-to-peer data sharing applications such as BitTorrent where user behavior is easily monitored by third parties. Anonymizing overlays such as Tor and Freenet can improve user privacy, but only at a cost of substantially reduced performance. Most users are caught in the middle, unwilling to sacrifice either privacy or performance.In this paper, we explore a new design point in this tradeoff between privacy and performance. We describe the design and implementation of a new P2P data sharing protocol, called OneSwarm, that provides users much better privacy than BitTorrent and much better performance than Tor or Freenet. A key aspect of the OneSwarm design is that users have explicit configurable control over the amount of trust they place in peers and in the sharing model for their data: the same data can be shared publicly, anonymously, or with access control, with both trusted and untrusted peers. OneSwarm's novel lookup and transfer techniques yield a median factor of 3.4 improvement in download times relative to Tor and a factor of 6.9 improvement relative to Freenet. OneSwarm is publicly available and has been downloaded by hundreds of thousands of users since its release.
STUDIES ON CELL DEFORMABILITY : I. Effect of Surface Charge.

The deformability of the surface membranes of Sarcoma 37 and Ehrlich murine ascites tumor cells was assessed by the pressure required to suck a hemispherical bulge from these cells into a micropipette. It was shown that treatment with neuraminidase allowed the cells to be deformed with significantly less suction, and that enzymatic treatment also produced a significant reduction in surface charge as determined by measurement of cellular electrophoretic mobility. It is suggested that the increase in cellular deformability may be related to charge reduction, and that the charge at the cell periphery may affect not only the magnitude of the potential energy barriers hindering contact between cells, but also the ease with which cells can form low radius of curvature probes in order to help overcome these barriers.
ASIIST: Application Specific I/O Integration Support Tool for Real-Time Bus Architecture Designs

In hard real-time systems such as avionics, computerboard level designs are typically customized to meet specific reliability and real time requirements. This paper focuses on computer-aided application-specific design of I/O architecture using PCI as an example. We have built a tool (ASIIST) that will enable engineers to explore design spaces at the I/O bus architecture level, performing analysis that incorporates bus protocols, to provide guarantees of real-time properties.
A robust Kalman filtering approach to stochastic power control for time varying wireless networks

In this paper stochastic downlink power control is presented for wireless networks with time varying channels. Transmit power is assigned so as to jointly consider a user's objective with respect to meeting a performance requirement and the network's objective with respect to the regulation of generated interference. The stochastic nature of the channel gains between transmitters and receivers are taken into account when allocating transmit power. Aside from the random channel between the base station and the users, impairments such as noisy feedback and the loss of feedback from the users to the base station are considered. The presented algorithm has low complexity in requiring information pertaining to the perceived interference of each user, rather than the stochastic values of the link gains. Online implementation is possible with a robust Kalman filter used for interference estimation.
A Method for Testing Alternative Theories: An Example from English Kinship

Silk, J. B. 1980 Adoption and Kinship. American Anthropologist 82:799-820. Strassmann, B. I. 1981 Sexual Selection, Paternal Care, and Concealed Ovulation in Humans. Ethology and Sociobiology 2:31-40. Symons, D. 1979 The Evolution of Human Sexuality. New York: Oxford University Press. Thornhill, R., and N. W. Thornhill 1983 Human Rape: An Evolutionary Analysis. Ethology and Sociobiology 4:137-158.
Longitudinal psychomotor speed performance in human immunodeficiency virus–seropositive individuals: impact of age and serostatus

Older human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive (HIV+) individuals (greater than age 50 years) are twice as likely to develop HIV dementia compared to younger HIV+ individuals. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of both age and serostatus on longitudinal changes in psychomotor speed/executive functioning performance among HIV+ and HIV− individuals. Four hundred and seventy-seven HIV+ and 799 HIV− individuals from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) were subdivided into three age groups: (1) 50 years. Psychomotor speed/executive functioning test performance was measured by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and the Trail Making (TM) Test Parts A and B. Changes in performance were compared among the three age groups for both HIV+ and HIV− individuals. Among HIV+ individuals, on the TM Test Part B the younger group demonstrated improvement in performance over time (P = .007). The older and middle age groups demonstrated decline in performance over time (P = .041 and .030). The older group had a significantly different trajectory relative to the younger group (P = .046). Among the HIV− individuals, there was no effect of age on longitudinal performance. In conclusion, older HIV+ individuals show greater decline over time than younger HIV+ individuals on the TM Test Part B. Our results suggest that both HIV serostatus and age together may impact longitudinal performance on this test. Mild neurocognitive changes over time among older HIV+ individuals are likely to reflect age associated pathophysiological mechanisms including cerebrovascular risk factors.
Development of Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Diptera: Tephritidae) in crabapple

Abstract Western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran 1932 (Diptera: Tephritidae), was reared from naturally-infested Chinese crabapple, Malus spectabilis (Aiton) Borkhausen (Rosaceae), in Washington State, U.S.A. Pupae from Chinese crabapple were smaller than those from sweet cherry, Prunus avium (Linnaeus) Linnaeus (Rosaceae), but fecundity and longevity of flies from the two hosts did not differ. Laboratory experiments were conducted to compare larval development in crabapples and cherries. ‘Snowdrift’ crabapples (Malus × ‘Snowdrift’) did not produce pupae. Percentages of ‘Indian Magic’(Malus ‘Indian Magic’) + ‘Radiant’ crabapple (Malus ‘Radiant’) vs. sweet cherry replicates that produced pupae did not differ in two no-choice experiments (36.7 vs. 41.7% and 13.3 vs. 33.5%, respectively). In a choice experiment, the percentage of crabapple replicates that produced pupae (6.7%) was lower than that of cherry replicates (42.2%). Egg to pupal development times in crabapples (18.0–21.2 d) were lon...
Ultraviolet light and semi-recirculating systems in artificial incubation of noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) eggs: opportunities and limitations

Development of artificial crayfish egg incubation is a milestone in intensive culture of crayfish as commercially important freshwater animals. This study evaluated experimental treatments combining continuous UV lighting, a non-chemical antifungal treatment, with an initial formaldehyde bath for noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) eggs incubated in semi-recirculating systems, which requires less than 1 per cent the amount of water necessary for conventional flow-through systems. The one-time administration of a pre-incubation bath to reduce formaldehyde exposure was ineffective. Ultraviolet irradiation of recirculating water provided poor results (13.5% and 35.2% final survival rates to stage 2 juveniles) and led to deteriorating water quality. An inability of hatchlings to successfully moult and the occurrence of limb deformities was observed in UV-treated groups, and juvenile mortality was found across all experimental treatments.
Audience and feedback effects in computer learning

Abstract Social factors are often ignored in studies evaluating the effectiveness of instruction provided by computer. Subjects ( N = 288) learned a discrimination task with feedback presented by the computer or the examiner. Examiner presence and type of feedback were also manipulated. Main effects of feedback source, examiner presence, and type of feedback were significant; subjects learned better with computer feedback, absent an examiner, and negative feedback. The interaction between feedback source and examiner presence suggests that while both presence and evaluation interfere with performance, evaluation was the critical factor. State Anxiety was also measured, but did not vary as a function of treatment. The findings are congruent with social facilitation theory, but suggest that cognitive interference rather than emotional arousal as the critical element.
Homonuclear Dipolar Coupling and CPMG Spin-Echoes in NQR

The nuclear quadrupole resonance signals from both a single crystal and a powder sample of spin-1 nuclei under a Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill are modeled numerically. While the single crystal clearly shows the effects of dipolar coupling for on-resonant pulses, the powder does not. However, for certain off-resonant conditions, the powder sample exhibits the same response as the single crystal. Experimentally, this corresponds to the observation of a rapid decay at these conditions. Using a powder sample of NaNO2, the functional form of the echo train, when the dipolar coupling is not refocused, is clearly different than the decay for an on-resonance sequence, and can be used to characterize the dipolar coupling.
The Time-Dependent Importance of Neutrons and Precursors

The concept of the adjoint neutron density is extended to a time-dependent field. The importance of neutrons and precursors is defined as the contribution of each to some final arbitrarily selected...
Semantic confidence calibration for spoken dialog applications

The success of spoken dialog applications depends strongly on the quality of the semantic confidence measure that determines the selection of the dialog strategy. However, the semantic confidence measure obtained from typical automatic speech recognition engines is not optimized for specific semantic slots and applications. We present our recent work on using a novel maximum entropy model with distribution constraints to calibrate the semantic confidence scores with the inputs of only the raw semantic confidence and the associated raw word confidence scores. We illustrate how features can be constructed from the raw confidence scores with a variable number of words and how the quality of the semantic confidence measure can be further improved by adding another calibration stage for the word confidence measure. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach for two types of semantic slots of practical significance. For the ZIP-code semantic slot, the new measure achieves relative 10.6% mean square error (MSE), 19.3% normalized negative log-likelihood (NNLL), and 38.5% equal error rate (EER) reduction. The counterpart of the date-time semantic slot is 37.8%, 38.7%, and 23.1%, respectively.
Stable recursive convolution for channel response calculation with causality enforcement

Checking and enforcing causality of simulated or measured system data is a crucial step for obtaining valid results. Previously, several methods for both frequency and time domain have been proposed. This paper explores the time domain causality enforcement method, its effect on the frequency domain transfer function, and proposes modification of the recursive convolution algorithm for impulse responses with time domain enforced causality to ensure calculation stability.
Inflated impacts of medication use technology assumed in simulating reduced adverse drug events.

Anderson et al.1 adopt a useful approach to assessing the costs and benefits of an integrated medication ordering and delivery system. However, the data used as input for their model substantially overestimate the impact of the various technologies involved. For instance, they assumed that bar-coding would reduce administration errors by 60%. It is unclear where such a high estimate could have come from. One of the few studies examining the impact of bar coding on errors or adverse drug events (as opposed to inventory management) reported routine patient ID scanning was easily circumvented and the actual error rate was not provided,2 nor were error rates provided in the several other descriptive studies of …
Promoting social competence in early adolescence: Developmental considerations.

Social competence promotion (SCP) during childhood and adolescence has been identified as an important means of fostering adaptive behavior and preventing psychopathology (Kent & Rolf, 1979; Kornberg & Caplan, 1980; Long, 1986; Report of the Prevention Task Panel, 1978). As a result, a variety of school-based SCP programs have been developed (see reviews by Durlak & Jason, 1984; Pellegrini & Urbain, 1985; Spivack & Shure, 1982; Weissberg & Allen, 1986). Many of these programs are designed for preschool- and elementary school-age children (ages 4–10), based, in large part, on the assumption that the earlier the intervention, the greater the likelihood of promoting social competence and precluding more serious problems later in life (Durlak & Jason, 1984).
Surrogate Guardian: Responsibility to Protect Migrants in Disasters and Responses by the Japanese State

This paper addresses the urgent and understudied issue of how to protect migrants stranded by disasters in their countries of destination, focusing on the roles of institutions and state actors in migrant-receiving nations. It explains how migrant displacement can be understood in terms of international norms concerning internal displacement. Then, it argues that the migrant-receiver state bears the primary responsibility for protecting displaced migrants who fit the category of “internally displaced persons (IDPs)” and assisting their short- and longer-term recoveries. A case study of Japan illustrates how these concepts are adopted in a real situation. Overall, this disaster-prone nation has been fulfilling its protection duties toward the vulnerable migrant population by building inclusive and equitable protection mechanisms. But, such activism is more salient at lower levels than at the upper level of the state. Highlighting the legal, normative, and institutional gaps of migrant protection from disasters at international and national levels, this paper elucidates the merits of considering at-risk migrants as IDPs and their host state as the primary guardian, so as to build a more adaptive and resilient disaster mitigation framework in culturally diverse environments.
Perioperative Bridging Anticoagulation Unhelpful for Invasive Procedures.

Bridging anticoagulation worsens outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation who undergo an elective invasive procedure, resulting in more episodes of major bleeding and no difference in the rate of stroke or venous thromboembolism.
Peer Victimization and Authoritative School Climate: A Multilevel Approach.

School climate is widely recognized as an important influence on peer victimization in schools. The purpose of this study is to examine how authoritative school climate theory provides a framework for conceptualizing 2 key features of school climate—disciplinary structure and student support—that are associated with 3 measures of peer victimization. Multilevel multivariate modeling in a statewide sample of 39,364 7th- and 8th-grade students attending 423 schools revealed meaningful associations at both the student and school levels of analysis. Higher disciplinary structure was associated with lower levels of prevalence of teasing and bullying, bullying victimization, and general victimization. Higher student support was associated with lower prevalence of teasing and bullying and general victimization. Overall, these findings add new evidence to the theory that an authoritative school climate is conducive to lower peer victimization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Field-Cage Releases of Chrysopa carnea for Suppression of Populations of the Bollworm and the Tobacco Budworm on Cotton

When inundative releases of larvae and eggs of a green lacewing, Chrysopa carnea Stephens, were tested in field cages to determine effects on the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and the tobacco budworm, H. virescens (F.), the predator reduced larval populations from 73.8 to 99.5% (a minimum of 266 larvae/acre). The differences in percentage reduction were probably caused by the differences in numbers of lacewings released, the amount of alternate prey available, and the population of Hetiothis spp. present. When eggs and larvae of the predator were released in the presence of abundant prey, 23.5 and 25.0%, respectively, were recovered as pupae or adults. Escapes and inefficient collecting were probably responsible for only partial recovery of the pupae and adults. Different sized populations of C. carnea were established by releasing different numbers.
Use of Ketamine in Barbiturate Coma for Status Epilepticus.

Objectives We described the use of adjunctive ketamine to terminate seizure activity and decrease the dose and duration of pentobarbital coma in 2 patients with refractory status epilepticus (SE). Cases A 56-year-old woman (patient 1) developed SE after cardiac arrest, which was refractory to antiepileptic agents and escalating doses of continuous midazolam. Midazolam was replaced with pentobarbital infusion with no significant change in electroencephalography. A continuous ketamine infusion was initiated as an adjunct to pentobarbital. After initiation of ketamine, seizure frequency decreased and sustained burst suppression was achieved. After 48 hours of induced burst suppression, pentobarbital was discontinued followed by ketamine and the patient remained seizure on oral anticonvulsants alone. Meanwhile, a 57-year-old woman (patient 2) with autoimmune encephalitis developed SE, which was refractory to first-line medications. Pentobarbital infusion was initiated with attainment of burst suppression on electroencephalography. Multiple attempts at weaning pentobarbital failed because of recurrence of seizures. To minimize the dose of pentobarbital needed, a continuous ketamine infusion was initiated as an adjunct to pentobarbital with maintenance of burst suppression at much lower doses of pentobarbital than before. Ketamine was continued for 19 days with titration of other antiepileptic therapy, without return of SE. Conclusions These cases demonstrate that ketamine may show promise as an adjunct to induced pentobarbital coma for refractory SE. Adjunctive use of ketamine may reduce the dose and duration of pentobarbital required, hence preventing complications associated with barbiturate therapy. Future studies are needed to define the optimal dose, timing, and role of ketamine infusions in the management of refractory SE.
High energy X-ray pinhole imaging at the Z facility

A new high photon energy (hν > 15 keV) time-integrated pinhole camera (TIPC) has been developed as a diagnostic instrument at the Z facility. This camera employs five pinholes in a linear array for recording five images at once onto an image plate detector. Each pinhole may be independently filtered to yield five different spectral responses. The pinhole array is fabricated from a 1-cm thick tungsten block and is available with either straight pinholes or conical pinholes. Each pinhole within the array block is 250 μm in diameter. The five pinholes are splayed with respect to each other such that they point to the same location in space, and hence present the same view of the radiation source at the Z facility. The fielding distance from the radiation source is 66 cm and the nominal image magnification is 0.374. Initial experimental results from TIPC are shown to illustrate the performance of the camera.
Reduced oncogenic potential associated with differentiation of the Lucké renal adenocarcinoma.

The Lucke renal adenocarcinoma is a herpesvirus-caused malignancy that afflicts some northern leopard frogs, Rana pipiens. The nuclear transplantation technique was developed in that species and it is a procedure which permits the characterization of the potential for differentiation of somatic nuclei. Transplantation of Lucke tumor nuclei into activated and enucleated eggs results in embryonic differentiation which is accompanied by abrogation of the malignant phenotype.
Reproductive History of Women Exposed to Diethylstilbestrol in Utero

The menstrual and reproductive histories of 276 female offspring of women who had received diethylstilbestrol (DES) during pregnancy were evaluated. Mean age was 24.6 years, and mean age at menarche was 12.6 ± 0.3 years. Reported menstrual abnormalities included increased menstrual flow and cycle irregularities, primarily anovulation and oligomenorrhea. An apparent increased incidence of urinary tract manipulation was detected, and cervical stenosis was noted to follow cryosurgery in 75% of women treated. Of 106 women attempting pregnancy, there were 129 conceptions and 58 live births. The fetal wastage rates were 43% for the first pregnancy and 37% for all pregnancies. The losses were due to spontaneous abortions (25%), ectopic pregnancies (5%), molar pregnancies (2 of 129), and in utero fetal death (4%). In the subgroup of women with vaginal adenosis or cervical hoods, the fetal wastage rate was 53%. Of 35 women unable to conceive for more than 1 year, only three pregnancies have resulted after infertility evaluations. Although abnormalities of the uterine cavity were identified, tubal and/or ovulatory defects were also present. DES, given to mothers in hope of maintaining threatened pregnancies, appears to have a deleterious effect on the reproductive ability of female offspring. Menstrual and structural abnormalities identified in this study may be associated with the reported reproductive difficulties.
Gallium arsenide spawns speed

Monolithic digital circuits employing `MESFET' devices promise multigigabit and higher data rates. The basic operation of MESFET is described.
Investigation on haloacetic acid (HAA) degradation by iron powder: Application of response surface methodology

Abstract Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to investigate the degradation of major haloacetic acids (HAAs) in aqueous solutions using iron powder. The individual and combined effects of initial pH, iron dosage, and reaction time were considered as three major controlling factors. For all HAAs, the decrease of initial pH value and the increase of iron dosage improve degradation efficiency. The increase of reaction time was found to be influential on all HAA degradation (except DCAA and TCAA). However, its effect was not as significant as that of the initial pH and iron dosage. Brominated HAAs show higher degradation rates than chlorinated ones in similar experimental conditions. According to the ANOVA (analysis of variance) test outcomes, all the developed regression models to predict HAA degradation presented high R2 values (0.95, 0.92, 0.93, 0.99, 0.97, and 0.97 for TCAA, DCAA, MCAA, TBAA, DBAA, and MBAA, respectively) which confirms the applicability of polynomial regression models for HAA removal estimation.
4QTemple? (4Q365A) Revisited

In 1994 Emanuel Tov and the author published the group of four manuscripts known as 4QReworked Pentateuch, 4Q364-367. These manuscripts had originally belonged to the lot assigned to John Strugnell, who subsequently requested that we undertake the publication, and turned over to us his extensive notes on the manuscripts. The strongest argument for placing the fragments of 4Q365a back into 4Q365 is that they were written by the same scribe, using the same orthographic practice. The chapter demonstrates the five fragments of 4Q365a or even in its earlier Hasmonean recension from Cave 4. However, the parallels between 4Q365 23, and 4Q365a 2, strongly suggest that the fragments contained source material for the Temple Scroll . It is more likely that the fragments of 4Q365a belong within 4Q365 than with the Temple Scroll . Keywords:4QTemple; Emanuel Tov; John Strugnell; Temple Scroll
GTP Binding Proteins in Platelets

Cells are constantly engulfed in an environment of electrical and chemical stimuli. Specific receptors enable cells to differentiate among the stimuli and relay a specific message that leads to a defined cellular response. The process that translates the stimulus-receptor interaction into an intracellular chemical message is termed signal transduction. Signal transduction pathways are involved in the regulation of cell function in four broad physiological functions: 1) Reproduction, 2) Growth and Development,. 3) Maintenance of Internal Environment (e.g. fluid volume, blood pressure, electrolyte balance, etc.) and 4) Regulation of Energy Availability (i.e. an organism must be able to convert the calories contained in food into energy).
Analog to digital conversion of ultra-wideband signals in orthogonal spaces

This paper introduces novel techniques to perform analog to digital (AJD) conversion, based on the quantization of the coefficients obtained by the projection of a continuous-time signal over an orthogonal space. The new A/D techniques proposed here are motivated by the sampling of the input signal in domains which may lead to lower levels of signal distortion and significantly less demanding A/D conversion characteristics. As a particular case, we study A/D conversion in the frequency domain where samples of the signal spectrum are taken such that no time-aliasing occurs in the discrete-time version of the signal. We show that the frequency domain analog to digital converter (ADC) overcomes some of the difficulties encountered in conventional time-domain methods for A/D conversion of signals with very large bandwidths, such as ultra-wideband (UWB) signals. The discrete frequency samples are then passed through a vector quantizer with relaxed characteristics, operating over DC levels that change with a speed that is much lower than that required for time-domain A/D conversion. Fundamental figures of merit in A/D conversion and important system trade-offs are discussed for the proposed frequency domain ADC. As an example of this approach, we consider a multi-carrier UWB communications scheme.
The temporal and spatial evolution of the 19 September 1985 Michoacán earthquake as inferred from near-source ground-motion records

Abstract A frequency domain inversion technique is employed to image the rupture process of the 19 September 1985 Michoacan, Mexico, earthquake. A linear system is derived from the elastodynamic representation theorem and is solved for the spatial slip-velocity distribution, in the frequency bandwidth 0.0 to 0.32 Hz. The temporal behavior of slip velocity on the fault plane is then recovered by Fourier synthesis. Model complexity is penalized by seeking a solution that propagates with the most nearly constant rupture velocity and that produces the most nearly constant spatial slip distribution. At 0 Hz, the inversion of surface static displacements, as inferred from strong-motion recordings of the Guerrero accelerograph array, gives an estimate of the static offset on the fault plane. Coastal uplift data inferred from the mortality of intertidal organisms (Bodin and Klinger, 1986) is also used to further constrain the spatial slip distribution. A low-frequency image of the rupture process of the earthquake has been obtained using full-space Green9s functions. Two areas of large slip amplitude are discernible, one located downdip of the reported hypocenter and the other updip of the projection on the fault plane of station La Union. Their separation is approximately 100 km. Assuming that full-space Green9s functions underestimate static offset values at the surface of a half-space by a factor of 0.5, the inferred seismic moment is 10.6 × 10 27 dyne-cm, 90 per cent of which is released in these two areas sustaining the largest slip. The total inferred rupture duration is approximately 56 sec. From the hypocenter, the rupture front proceeds with an average velocity estimated at 2.8 km/sec. There are indications of bilateral propagation both from the hypocentral area and from an area surrounding the projection on the fault plane of the strong-motion station La Union. An upper bound on rupture duration at the two principal subevents is 8 sec.
From South to North and back again: Making and blurring boundaries in conversations across borders

Abstract Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in El Salvador, Mexico, and the United States, we examine migration discourse produced by migrants and nonmigrants to explore the complex dynamics of belonging that unfold as speakers reify and violate a putative divide between North and South. We argue that North and South function as semi-stable shifters that enact and interweave relationships across several politically-loaded domains, projecting relations of dominance and dependence between these spheres. The fractally recursive relations enabled by these North/South distinctions allow those involved in migration to manage the consequences of cross-border connection, producing closeness even as they assume distance.
Fusion Management: Harnessing the Power of Six Sigma, Lean, ISO 9001:2000, Malcolm Baldrige, TQM and other Quality Breakthroughs of the Past Century

(2004). Fusion Management: Harnessing the Power of Six Sigma, Lean, ISO 9001:2000, Malcolm Baldrige, TQM and other Quality Breakthroughs of the Past Century. Quality Management Journal: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 54-54.
A Theoretical Role for Government in the Financial Markets

A theoretical role for the government in the financial markets consists of: regulation (passive rules), intervention (active discretion), and their personal financing needs. Three of the most important regulatory rules for maintaining a stable economy are: a clear understanding of the fundamental role of the financial intermediary (saving, lending, and risk hedging), the use of interest rate caps, and implementation of an effective profit allocation scheme. To measure the personal use of the financial markets by governments, their presence on foreign exchanges is examined to note discrepancies from the theoretical norm. A government listing guide is provided that details the listing preferences of foreign governments onto stock exchanges. The preferred foreign exchanges for governments are: Frankfurt, Luxembourg, London, and Switzerland.
When should a leader apologize and When not

When corporate leaders or the organizations they represent mess up, they face the difficult decision of whether or not to apologize publicly. A public apology is a risky move. It's highly political, and every word matters. Refusal to apologize can be smart, or it can be suicidal. Readiness to apologize can be seen as a sign of character or one of weakness. A successful apology can turn enmity into personal and organizational triumph--while an apology that's too little, too late, or too transparently tactical can open the floodgates to individual and institutional ruin. Since the stakes are so high, Kellerman says, leaders should not extend public apologies often or lightly. One or more of the following conditions should apply: The apology is likely to serve an important purpose. The offense is of serious consequence. It's appropriate that the leader assume responsibility for the offense. The leader is the only one who can get the job done. The cost of saying something is likely lower than the cost of staying silent. The author draws her conclusions from hard data and abundant anecdotal evidence, examining notoriously bad apologizers as well as exceptionally good ones. While selectivity is key, good apologies usually do work. What constitutes a good apology? Acknowledgment of the mistake or wrongdoing, acceptance of responsibility, expression of regret, and assurance that the offense will not be repeated.
Seven Degree of Freedom Cortical Control of a Robotic Arm

We have recently established simultaneous 7 degree-of-freedom (DoF) brain-computer interface (BCI) control of a robotic arm. Using signals recorded from single units of monkeys with implanted chronic microelectrode arrays, we can now demonstrate brain control of a prosthetic arm that exhibits the following features: (1) simultaneous 7-degree of freedom (DoF) brain control over 3-D robot hand translation, 3-D rotation, and finger aperture, (2) integrated kinematic (movement) and dynamic (force) control of a brain-controlled prosthetic robot through a novel impedance-based movement controller, (3) simplified methods for constructing cortical extraction models based only on observation of the moving robot, and (4) a generalized method for training subjects to use complex prosthetic robot devices using a novel form of operator-machine shared control.
Five rings of Musashi.

Mr. President, fellow members of the American Orthopaedic Association, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen: I want to thank you for the honor you have bestowed upon me. This is a proud moment, and, like my predecessors, I am both humbled and excited by the task you have set for me. The humbling part, by the way, came quickly, as soon as I started preparing for this speech. There is nothing quite so intimidating as going back through the history of our Association and reviewing the thoughtful commentaries of its past leaders. But as I did so, and as I took stock of our current situation, my excitement began to build. I found, in my reading, that our history as an association is as rich and diverse as the worlds of science and medicine, paralleling the changes in our society and nation. It is replete with the timely words and exceptional deeds of renowned medical and scientific thinkers and scholars who led this Association from its beginnings, back in 1887, with the election of its first President, Dr. Virgil Gibney—although in those days we were considered nothing more than “fitters of apparatus,” according to our fourth President, Dr. DeForest Willard19. Then the American Orthopaedic Association entered the twentieth century—a century of extraordinary discovery and remarkable advances in orthopaedic surgery6. Stu Weinstein, in his 1997 Presidential Address, observed: “At its inception, The American Orthopaedic Association had only one purpose, which was unmistakable and unambiguous: the advancement of orthopaedic science and art, a goal aimed at the establishment of our specialty as a recognized branch of medicine.”18 This original purpose has changed and expanded over our 112 years of existence. Our current mission statement, adopted last year, reads as follows: To build our second century of leadership and …
Oak barrel tannin and toasting temperature: Effects on red wine anthocyanin chemistry

Abstract Oak-derived compounds are generally considered to be important in red wine perception and color qualities. In this study, the percentage of loss and kinetic rates of degradation of monomeric anthocyanins as well as the formation of pigmented tannins were monitored in red wines aged for 8 and 12 months in oak barrels differentiated by stave ellagitannin content (low LTP, medium MTP and high HTP) and toasting level (160 and 180 °C as initial temperature). The malvidin coumaroyl glucoside is found to be the most reactive monomeric anthocyanin during barrel aging. While color intensity was not affected, the results indicated that in presence of high ellagitannin content red wines exhibit a lower loss and slower degradation of monomeric anthocyanins and slower formation of pigmented tannins.
Home-health-care Physical Therapy Improves Early Functional Recovery of Medicare Beneficiaries After Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Home-health-care utilization after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is increasing. Recent publications have suggested that supervised rehabilitation is not needed to optimize functional recovery after TKA; however, few studies have evaluated patients in home-health-care settings. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine whether physical therapy (PT) utilization is associated with functional improvements for patients in home-health-care settings after TKA and (2) determine which factors are related to utilization of PT. METHODS This study was an analysis of Medicare home-health-care claims data for patients treated with a TKA in 2012 who received home-health-care services for postoperative rehabilitation. Multivariable linear regression models were used to evaluate relationships between PT utilization and recovery in activities of daily living (ADLs). Negative binomial regression models were used to determine factors associated with PT utilization. RESULTS Records from 5,967 Medicare beneficiaries were evaluated. Low home-health-care PT utilization (≤5 visits) was associated with less improvement in ADLs compared with 6 to 9 visits, 10 to 13 visits, or ≥14 visits. Compared with low home-health-care utilization, utilization of 6 to 9 visits was associated with a 25% greater improvement in ADLs over the home-health-care episode (p < 0.0001); 10 to 13 visits, with a 40% greater improvement (p < 0.0001); and ≥14 visits, with a 50% greater improvement (p < 0.0001). The findings remained robust following adjustments for medical complexity, baseline functional status, and home-health-care episode duration. After adjustment, lower PT utilization was observed for patients receiving home health care from rural agencies (10.7% fewer visits, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.9% to 13.7%), those with depressive symptoms (4.8% fewer visits, 95% CI = 1.3% to 8.3%), and those with any baseline dyspnea (5.3% fewer visits, 95% CI = 3.1% to 7.5%). CONCLUSIONS Low home-health-care PT utilization was significantly associated with worse recovery in ADLs after TKA for Medicare beneficiaries, after controlling for medical complexity, baseline function, and home-health-care episode duration. Patients who are served by rural agencies or who have higher medical complexity receive fewer PT visits after TKA and may need closer monitoring to ensure optimal functional recovery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Propagation of Parametric Uncertainty in Aliev-Panfilov Model of Cardiac Excitation

Models of cardiac electrophysiology are useful for studying heart functions and cardiac disease mechanisms. However, cardiac models often have a great level of complexity, and it is often computationally prohibitive to simulate tissue and organ activities in a real-time fashion. To address the challenge, simplified models such as Aliev-Panfilov model are developed to reduce model complexity, while providing necessary details of cardiac functions. Simplified models may induce uncertainty, which can deteriorate the accuracy and reliability of cardiac models. In addition, model parameters are calibrated with noisy data and cannot be known with certainty. It is important to assess the effect of parametric uncertainty on model predictions. For the probabilistic, time-invariant parametric uncertainty, a generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) expansion-based method is presented in this work to quantify and propagate uncertainty onto model predictions. Using gPC, a measure of confidence in model predictions can be quickly estimated. As compared with sampling-based uncertainty propagation techniques, e.g., Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, the gPC-based method in this work shows its advantages in terms of computational efficiency and accuracy, which has the potentials for dealing with complicated cardiac models, e.g., 2D tissue and 3D organ models.
An EmrB multidrug efflux pump in Burkholderia thailandensis with unexpected roles in antibiotic resistance

The antibiotic trimethoprim is frequently used to manage Burkholderia infections, and members of the resistance-nodulation-division (RND) family of efflux pumps have been implicated in multidrug resistance of this species complex. We show here that a member of the distinct Escherichia coli multidrug resistance B (EmrB) family is a primary exporter of trimethoprim in Burkholderia thailandensis, as evidenced by increased trimethoprim sensitivity after inactivation of emrB, the gene that encodes EmrB. We also found that the emrB gene is up-regulated following the addition of gentamicin and that this up-regulation is due to repression of the gene encoding OstR, a member of the multiple antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) family. The addition of the oxidants H2O2 and CuCl2 to B. thailandensis cultures resulted in OstR-dependent differential emrB expression, as determined by qRT-PCR analysis. Specifically, OstR functions as a rheostat that optimizes emrB expression under oxidizing conditions, and it senses oxidants by a unique mechanism involving two vicinal cysteines and one distant cysteine (Cys3, Cys4, and Cys169) per monomer. Paradoxically, emrB inactivation increased resistance of B. thailandensis to tetracycline, a phenomenon that correlated with up-regulation of an RND efflux pump. These observations highlight the intricate mechanisms by which expression of genes that encode efflux pumps is optimized depending on cellular concentrations of antibiotics and oxidants.
CCM3 and cerebral cavernous malformation disease.

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are vascular lesions characterised by enlarged and irregular structure of small blood vessels in the brain, which can result in increased risk of stroke, focal neurological defects and seizures. Three different genes, CCM1/Krev/Rap1 Interacting Trapped 1, CCM2/MGC4607 and CCM3/PDCD10, are associated with the CCMs’ progression, and mutations in one of three CCM genes cause CCM disease. These three CCM proteins have similar function in maintaining the normal structure of small blood vessels. However, CCM3 mutation results in a more severe form of the disease which may suggest that CCM3 has unique biological function in the vasculature. The current review focuses on the signalling pathways mediated by CCM3 in regulating endothelial cell junction, proliferation, migration and permeability. These findings may offer potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of CCMs.