cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of CO on surface behaviour of U3O8

The surface structure of triuranium octaoxide (U3O8) and the effect of CO on surface behaviour have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). An intensity analysis of the composite U4f photoelectron spectrum of U3O8 shows that this compound should be written as U2VIUIVOg. After exposure to 7.2·106 L CO (1 L=1.33·10−4 Pa·s), the oxygen content in the surface is decreased and the O1s/U4f ratio decreases about 10%. The investigation indicated that the surface layer of triuranium octaoxide was partially reduced in the atmosphere of carbon monoxide.
Permutation-operator inequalities on certain symmetry classes of tensors

Abstract If A∈T(m, N), the real-valued N-linear functions on Em, and σ∈SN, the symmetric group on {…,N}, then we define the permutation operator Pσ: T(m, N) → T(m, N) such that Pσ(A)(x1,x2,…,xN = A(xσ(1),xσ(2),…, xσ(N)). Suppose Σqi=1ni = N, where the ni are positive integers. In this paper we present a condition on σ that is sufficient to guarantee that 〈Pσ(A1⊗A2⊗⋯⊗Aq),A1⊗A2⊗⋯ ⊗ Aq〉 ⩾ 0 for Ai∈S(m, ni), where S(m, ni) denotes the subspace of T(m, ni) consisting of all the fully symmetric members of T(m, ni). Also we present a broad generalization of the Neuberger identity which is sometimes useful in answering questions of the type described below. Suppose G and H are subgroups of SN. We let TG(m, N) denote all A∈T(m, N) such that Pσ(A) = A for all σ∈G. We define the symmetrizer S G: T(m, N)→TG(m,N) such that S G (A) = 1/|G|Σ σ∈G P σ (A) . Suppose H is a subgroup of G and A∈TH(m, N). Clearly ‖ S G ‖(A) ‖⩽ ‖A‖. We are interested in the reverse type of comparison. In particular, if D is a suitably chosen subset of TH(m,N), then can we explicitly present a constant C>0 such that ‖ S G (A)‖⩾C‖A‖ for all A∈D?
Radial scattering of a laser beam in anisotropic scattering media

Experimental and theoretical results are compared for radiation scattered radially from a laser beam in an anisotropic scattering medium. An azimuthally symmetric He-Ne laser beam with Gaussian radial intensity distribution was incident normal to, and at the center of the top surface of, a scattering medium. The bottom and side surfaces of the cylinder containing the scattering medium were black. The scattering medium was composed of double-distilled water and spherical latex particles of uniform size. Radially scattered radiation was measured as a function of depth for two cases: 1) Rayleigh scattering and 2) strong forward anisotropic (Mie) scattering in the single scattering regime. The experimental data compare very well with the theoretical predictions. It is shown that the single scattering approximation holds for optical depths up to 0.4 for scattering media with depth-to-diameter ratios of unity.
Socially Constructed Technology

The main innovation in Questioning Technology is Feenberg?s use of the results of various social constructivist accounts of science and technology to rethink the philosophy of technology. I agree with Feenberg that the social constructivist studies developed by historians and sociologists refute the essentialist account of technology that has been the mainstream position of philosophers of technology. The autonomy of technology seems to be nothing but a myth from the point of view of social construction, since social and political factors always influence decisions made in technology and science. However, there is a tension in Feenberg?s position, in that he seems to want to keep the general analytical framework that the essentialist account of technology makes available, while at the same time rejecting essentialism and, indeed, showing forcefully how it gets in the way of the positive program he develops for democratizing technology. I argue that Feenberg should clarify what kind of social constructive ...
Biphoton generation in a two-level atomic ensemble

We have theoretically studied the space-time entangled biphoton state generated from a two-level atomic system. In the photon counting measurement, the two-photon coincidence counting rate is a damped oscillation. The oscillation period is determined by the effective Rabi frequency and the damping rate is determined by the linewidth of the inhomogeneous-broadened ground state and the dipole dephasing rate. In an optical-pathway-balanced configuration, the two-photon temporal correlation shows an antibunching effect which corresponds to the interference between two types of nonlinear four-wave mixing processes occurring in such a two-level system. The visibility of the normalized second-order quantum coherence function ${g}^{(2)}(\ensuremath{\tau})$ increases along with the increase of the effective Rabi frequency, but has an upper limit at 45%. We find agreement between the theory and the experiments [P. Kolchin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 113602 (2006); S. Du, J.-M. Wen, M. H. Rubin, and G. Y. Yin, ibid 98, 053601 (2007)].
Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) must be considered in the differential diagnosis for any patient infected with HIV who has begun ART in the preceding months. Distinguishing between manifestations of IRIS and active infection is of paramount importance and poses a diagnostic challenge to the provider in the acute care setting. Presentations of IRIS are often atypical for the precipitating pathogen, and novel presentations are likely. Of the diseases associated with IRIS, mycobacteria and cryptococcal infections are commonly encountered, as are dermatologic symptoms in general. The most clinically significant complications of IRIS are those involving the central nervous system, lungs, and eye, and in many of these scenarios systemic steroids may be of benefit. Management should rarely include interruption of ART, except possibly in severe, life-threatening complications.
Relation between soil age and silicate weathering rates determined from the chemical evolution of a glacial chronosequence

Long-term weathering rates ( RLT ) were determined from base cation depletion in soil profiles developed on six granitic glacial moraines varying in age from 0.4 to ≥297 ka in the Wind River Mountains, Wyoming. Weathering rates were found to decrease with soil age ( t ) according to the power-law equation RLT = 15 ċ t (−0.71) where RLT is in meq ċ m −2 ċ yr −1, and t is in ka. Comparable data from the literature are consistent with this function, and it is similar to power-law equations describing changes in laboratory weathering rates with time. On the basis of our study, we predict that for a catchment unaffected by anthropogenic inputs and in a steady state with respect to the organic and cation exchange pools, RLT should be higher than present-day weathering rates derived from stream fluxes ( RPD ) by a factor of about 3.4.
Isolation of a novel gene underlying batten disease, CLN3

Abstract Batten disease (also known as juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis) is a recessively inherited neurodegenerative disorder of childhood characterized by progressiveloss of vision, seizures, and psychomotor disturbances. The Batten disease gene, CLN3 , maps to chromosome 16p12.1. The so-called 56 chromosome haplotype defined by alleles at the D16S299 and D16S298 loci is shared by 73% of Batten disease chromosomes. Exon amplification of a cosmid containing D16S298 has yielded a candidate gene that is disrupted by a 1 kb genomic deletion in all patients carrying the 56 chromosome. Two separate deletions and a point mutation altering a splice site in three unrelated families have confirmed the candidate as the CLN3 gene. The disease gene encodes a novel 438 amino acid protein of unknown function.
Multi-compartmental oral delivery systems for nucleic acid therapy in the gastrointestinal tract ☆

Gene and RNA interference therapies have significant potential for alleviating countless diseases, including many associated with the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. Unfortunately, oral delivery of genes and small interfering RNA (siRNA) is very challenging due to the extracellular and intracellular barriers. In this review, we discuss the utilization of multi-compartmental delivery systems for oral administration of nucleic acid therapies. Some of the illustrative examples of multi-compartmental systems include solid nanoparticles-in-microsphere, solid nanoparticles-in-emulsion, and liquid nanoparticles-in-emulsion. Using type B gelatin nanoparticles encapsulated in poly(e-caprolactone) microspheres, we have prepared nanoparticles-in-microsphere oral system (NiMOS) for gene and siRNA delivery for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The results of these studies show that the multi-compartmental formulations can overcome many of the barriers for effective oral gene and siRNA delivery.
New orthogonal series approach to state-space analysis of 1-D and 2-D discrete systems

An orthogonal series approach is presented for state-space analysis of 1-D and 2-D linear time-invariant discrete systems. This approach makes use of the backward shift operation matrix derived in the paper, and yields explicit expressions for the state and output orthogonal coefficient matrixes. These expressions involve only multiplication of small dimension matrixes thus simplifying the computational effort as compared to known orthogonal function techniques, where the inversion of large matrixes is required.
Novel microfabrication approach of embedded SU8™ fluidic networks for cell transport on chips

We focus on the development and fabrication of SU8TM-based microchannel networks, which can be integrated into microdevices for fast drug delivery and cell transport on chips. Instead of using sacrificial materials or wafer bonding, a new simplified fabrication method is developed. Single- and double-layered SU8TM channels on silicon substrates are successfully achieved by using this new method, as well as integration of these SU8 channels with microelectrode arrays. A series of cell transport experiments is also successfully performed on these devices. This new fabrication approach and the resulting cell transport experiments are discussed in detail.
Supercritical alkylation and butene dimerization over sulfated zirconia and iron-manganese promoted sulfated zirconia catalysts

Abstract Supercritical alkylation and butene dimerization were investigated using sulfated zirconia (SZ) and iron–manganese promoted sulfated zirconia catalysts (SFMZ), as a function of iso-butane/olefin (I/O) ratio and at temperatures between 60 and 155°C. Detailed product analysis demonstrated that while C8 yields were as high as 80 wt.%, neither catalyst produced significant quantities of trimethyl pentanes, although both had high selectivities to dimethyl hexenes. A comparison of 1-butene versus 2-butene as the olefin feed charge showed that 1-butene first isomerizes to 2-butene, which then produces C8 products. In all cases, the products consisted primarily of C8 olefins, which in turn was dominated by dimethyl hexenes. The addition of water at a concentration as low as 1.4 mol% was found to increase dimethyl hexene selectivity (94 wt.%), and lowered the deactivation rate by 30%. The dimerization of a straight 2-butene charge produced a C5+ yield in excess of 90 wt.%, with a 73 wt.% selectivity to dimethyl hexenes. Subsequent regenerations of this catalyst resulted in about 10% conversion loss/generation, but with minimal change in dimethyl hexene selectivities.
The Iodinated Albuminlike Component of the Plasma of Thyrotoxic Patients

ABSTRACT An iodinated protein has been detected in the plasma of 20 consecutive patients with Graves' disease after the administration of therapeutic doses of I131. The component was found also in 5 of these patients who were given 500 μc test doses of I131, but the quantity was somewhat less in 4 of them than after therapeutic doses. A method was developed to obtain a preparation of the iodinated protein which was free of other I131-labeled components. When studied in a variety of ways, the component was closely similar to serum albumin and differed only in that, upon enzymatic hydrolysis, it yielded iodinated amino acids, predominantly monoiodotyrosine.
The approximate determination of periodic regimes in systems containing relay elements with dead zones

The problem of finding periodic solutions of relay (or "flip-flop") systems with dead zones is considered. A method for approximating such solutions is offered here, in which the original problem is reduced to a similar problem for an ideal relay system. The reduction is effected by "sloppy superposition," i.e., by modification of the principle of convex superposition in piecewise-linear systems. A successful application and a possible extension of the method are mentioned briefly.
Simulated carbon and nitrogen dynamics in blue grama swards subject to above- and belowground grazing, irrigation and fertilization part II. The grazing optimization notion☆

Abstract The study was designed to explore responses to grazing of primary-production processes, such as patterns of C (carbon) and N (nitrogen) allocation, to better understand the mechanisms by which herbivores affect ecosystem function. A model was created to simulate growth of blue grama in the field. Shoots and roots were divided into structural material (characterized by high C:N ratio) and metabolic/storage material (characterized by lower C:N ratio) to facilitate representation of the quality of the grass subjected to grazing. This plant model was linked to a model of C and N dynamics in grassland soils, and run in conjunction with an abiotic model. The simulation was run for three consecutive years and tested by sensitivity analysis. This paper concentrates on the effects of above- and belowground grazing. Production was maximized at moderate aboveground grazing intensities. However, the difference between maximal primary production and that predicted in the absence of grazing was too small (less than 5%) to be detected in the field.
Unusual Indication for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Immediately After Successful Sequential Bilateral Lung Transplantation: A Case Report

Abstract Background Ischemia-reperfusion injury–induced primary graft dysfunction after lung transplantation is a major cause of early morbidity and mortality. Case Report We report an unusual case of primary graft dysfunction grade III following uneventful off-pump bilateral sequential lung transplantation caused by paradoxical left ventricular failure due to systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve–induced left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Cardiac failure was precipitated by profound dehydration and administration of high doses of vasopressin and norepinephrine. Immediate connection to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treated the graft failure–associated respiratory-pulmonary hypoxia and reversed the cardiogenic shock syndrome. Conclusions Hypovolemia together with a hyperdynamic state resulting from catecholamine administration may result in the development of dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction even if baseline cardiac evaluation is unremarkable. Early detection and intensive efforts to reverse the underlying conditions including cessation of catecholamine therapy and correction of hypovolemia are essential.
On the effectiveness of address-space randomization

Address-space randomization is a technique used to fortify systems against buffer overflow attacks. The idea is to introduce artificial diversity by randomizing the memory location of certain system components. This mechanism is available for both Linux (via PaX ASLR) and OpenBSD. We study the effectiveness of address-space randomization and find that its utility on 32-bit architectures is limited by the number of bits available for address randomization. In particular, we demonstrate a derandomization attack that will convert any standard buffer-overflow exploit into an exploit that works against systems protected by address-space randomization. The resulting exploit is as effective as the original exploit, although it takes a little longer to compromise a target machine: on average 216 seconds to compromise Apache running on a Linux PaX ASLR system. The attack does not require running code on the stack.We also explore various ways of strengthening address-space randomization and point out weaknesses in each. Surprisingly, increasing the frequency of re-randomizations adds at most 1 bit of security. Furthermore, compile-time randomization appears to be more effective than runtime randomization. We conclude that, on 32-bit architectures, the only benefit of PaX-like address-space randomization is a small slowdown in worm propagation speed. The cost of randomization is extra complexity in system support.
Statistical Evidence of Falling Profits as Cause of Recession: A Short Note

Data on 251 quarters of the U.S. economy show that recessions are preceded by declines in profits. Profits stop growing and start falling four or five quarters before a recession. They strongly rec...
Acquired nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is defined as the inability of the kidney to concentrate urine owing to the insensitivity of the distal nephron to the antidiuretic hormone, arginine vasopressin. NDI can be either a congenital or an acquired disorder. Acquired NDI most commonly is secondary to drugs such as lithium or metabolic disturbances, such as hypokalemia and hypercalcemia. Disturbance of the aquaporin-2 shuttle is the underlying molecular basis of acquired NDI. NDI is diagnosed with the help of a water-deprivation test. Patients with the disorder will have a urinary osmolality of less than 300 mosm/kg H 2 O despite water deprivation. On administration of aqueous vasopressin, patients with NDI will show little or no increase in urine osmolality. Therapy consists of identifying and correcting the underlying disorder, or withdrawing the offending drug. Other treatment options that may be beneficial include diuretics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, decreased dietary solute intake, and desmopressin (DDAVP).
Higher Incidence of Bone Stress Injuries With Increasing Female Athlete Triad–Related Risk Factors A Prospective Multisite Study of Exercising Girls and Women

Background:Identifying the risk factors associated with a bone stress injury (BSI), including stress reactions and stress fractures, may aid in targeting those at increased risk and in formulating prevention guidelines for exercising girls and women.Purpose:To evaluate the effect of single or combined risk factors as defined by the female athlete triad—a syndrome involving 3 interrelated spectrums consisting of energy availability, menstrual function, and bone mass—with the incidence of BSIs in a multicenter prospective sample of 4 cohorts of physically active girls and women.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:At baseline, participants’ (N = 259; mean age, 18.1 ± 0.3 years) anthropometric characteristics, eating attitudes and behaviors, menstrual function, sports participation or exercise activity, and pathological weight control behaviors were assessed. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measured the bone mass of the whole body, total hip, femoral neck, lumbar spine, and body com...
Selective catalytic reduction of NO with methane over Ag-alumina catalysts

Abstract Silver-alumina catalysts prepared by a single-step co-gelation technique are reported in this letter as highly active and stable for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with methane (CH4–SCR). This type catalyst is active over a wide-temperature range (450–650°C), and for a relatively wide range of Ag loading (1–7 wt.%). Excess O2 in the feed gas favors the SCR reaction. Catalysts capable of high conversions of NOx by CH4 in excess O2-containing gas streams would be an attractive alternative to high temperature NH3–SCR, which is commercially practised for NOx reduction in gas turbine exhausts at >500°C. The structural stability of Ag was studied in reduction-oxidation cycles from 25–600°C by UV–VIS diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Totally reversible structures were observed. The catalyst is active both for CH4–SCR as well as for the complete oxidation of CH4. This bifunctionality appears to be related to the coexistence of highly dispersed silver clusters and silver nanoparticles in the alumina matrix. The catalyst activity/stability remained high under demanding reaction conditions; namely in 10%O2, 30 ppm SO2 and 10%H2O and high space velocities.
Manure Nitrogen Availability: Dairy Manure in Northeast and Central U.S. Soils

ABSTRACT Accurate prediction of nitrogen (N) availability from manure is required for efficient utilization of this resource in crop production. This study was conducted to evaluate the impacts of temperature, water regime and selected soils on N availability from a liquid dairy (Bos taurus) manure. Two Maine soils [Caribou sandy loam (fine-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Haplorthod) and ‘Newport’ loam (unnamed variant of a Bangor silt loam; coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Haplorthod)] and an Illinois soil [Catlin silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Arguidoll)] were incubated in the laboratory at 11, 18 and 25°C under constant (60% water filled pore space, WFPS) and fluctuating (60 to 30% WFPS) water regimes, with and without dairy manure in a factorial arrangement. Ammonium concentrations increased immediately upon manure addition and declined thereafter as nitrate levels increased. Elevated NO3 − levels reflected nitrification of NH4 + added in the manure, with little additional net m...
Robust closed-loop control design for spacecraft slew maneuver using thrusters

In this paper, a closed-loop switching function for on-off thruster firings is proposed to provide good attitude control performance in the presence of modeling errors for single-axis slew maneuver of a rigid spacecraft and to eliminate double-sided thruster firings. The size of a single-sided deadband in the switching function provides the capability of a tradeoff between maneuver time and fuel expenditure. The application of this switching function for the single-axis slew maneuvers of flexible spacecraft is also analyzed. The analytical simulations and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed switching function provides significant improvement in the slew maneuver performance.
Heavy quark diffusion from the lattice

We study the diffusion of heavy quarks in the quark gluon plasma using the Langevin equations of motion and estimate the contribution of the transport peak to the Euclidean current-current correlator. We show that the Euclidean correlator is remarkably insensitive to the heavy quark diffusion coefficient and give a physical interpretation of this result using the free streaming Boltzmann equation. However if the diffusion coefficient is smaller than $\ensuremath{\sim}1/(\ensuremath{\pi}T)$, as favored by RHIC phenomenology, the transport contribution should be visible in the Euclidean correlator. We outline a procedure to isolate this contribution.
Gamma Interferon Does Not Enhance Clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa but Does Amplify a Proinflammatory Response in a Murine Model of Postseptic Immunosuppression

Patients that have suffered a major injury may sustain a period of immunocompromise and altered Th1/Th2 cytokine balance that can predispose them to opportunistic infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is frequently a causative organism for nosocomial infections in critically ill patients and is associated with high mortality. We previously mimicked this clinical scenario by challenging mice with P. aeruginosa 5 days after a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) procedure. Mice that were subjected to CLP had reduced ability to clear bacteria, significantly lower gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) concentrations in plasma, and significantly elevated levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10) in plasma in response to the Pseudomonas challenge compared to uninjured control mice. We investigated the significance of the alteration in IFN-gamma by administering recombinant IFN-gamma to post-CLP mice at the time of Pseudomonas challenge and by challenging IFN-gamma knockout (IFN-gamma KO) mice with Pseudomonas. Administration of IFN-gamma to post-CLP mice attenuated IL-10 secretion and enhanced IL-12 secretion but did not improve bacterial clearance or survival after Pseudomonas challenge. Furthermore, IFN-gamma KO mice had significantly higher plasma IL-10 concentrations but did not exhibit impaired bacterial clearance or increased mortality following Pseudomonas challenge. These data indicate that systemic administration of IFN-gamma effectively reverses alterations in immune function that are commonly associated with immunosuppression in critically injured mice but does not improve bacterial clearance or survival following Pseudomonas challenge. Further, endogenous IFN-gamma does not appear to contribute significantly to early clearance of Pseudomonas bacteremia, nor does it affect the mortality rate after a lethal Pseudomonas challenge.
Debt accumulation: do theoretical indicators explain country data?

In an open-economy extension of the seminal Solow growth model theory suggests a number of hypotheses to explain a country's experience with debt accumulation. The empirical analysis evaluates theory's implications using time-series data within countries and across countries. For majority of countries, the rate of debt accumulation exceeds output growth, on average, over time. The domestic interest rate increases relative to the international interest rate; the higher the external debt is, within and across countries. A higher cost of borrowing forces countries to take more aggressive steps to reduce the current account deficit and in turn, external debt as a share of GDP. The lower the output growth the higher the risk premium over time. Across countries, a higher output growth supports a higher sustainable ratio of external debt to GDP. An increase in saving contributes to a significant improvement in the current account balance, as a share of GDP. Consistently, an increase in the risk premium correlates with higher savings (International Monetary Fund, Washington D.C., USA).
Efficient location management in PCS

Efficient mobility management for mobile (MS) or portable stations (PS-hand-off, channel assignment, and location management-will play an important role in future personal communication systems (PCS). Among these tasks, location management plays a critical role for wide area roaming. The key elements of location management are location registration/updating, and paging. Efficient paging algorithms may generate relatively less paging traffic such that larger location areas may become plausible to reduce location updating and signalling traffic. Deciding optimum location area size is also affected by the call arrival rate to the cell, cell boundary crossing rate of portable stations, cell size, and the allocated number of voice channels per cell. In this paper, different paging techniques are compared to find the optimum location management method for future PCS environment. To this end, a new technique called paging area updating method (PAUM) is introduced and its performance is analysed. It is shown that, for a low cell boundary crossing rate of portable stations, the proposed PAUM technique outperforms other paging techniques, especially when the call arrival rate is high.
Modeling oxytocin induced neurorobotic trust and intent recognition in human-robot interaction

Recent human pharmacological fMRI studies suggest that oxytocin (OT) is a centrally-acting neurotransmitter important in the development and expression of trusting relationships in men and women. OT administration in humans was shown to increase trust, acceptance of social risk, memory of faces, and inference of the emotional state of others, in part by directly inhibiting the amygdala. However, the cerebral microcircuitry underlying this mechanism is still unclear. Here, we propose a spiking integrate-and-fire neuronal model of several key interacting brain regions affected by OT neurophysiology during social trust behavior. As a social behavior scenario, we embodied the brain simulator in a behaving virtual humanoid neurorobot, which interacted with a human via a camera. At the physiological level, the amygdala tonic firing was modeled using our recurrent asynchronous irregular nonlinear (RAIN) network architecture. OT cells were modeled with triple apical dendrites characteristic of their structure in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Our architecture demonstrated the success of our system in learning trust by discriminating concordant from discordant movements of a human actor. This led to a cooperative versus protective behavior by the neurorobot after being challenged by a new intent.
A process design course utilizing micromechanical devices

Describes a course which is being developed at MIT aimed at incorporation of experimental microfabrication process design at the undergraduate level. They discuss the philosophy and organization of this course and explain how it has been implemented using micromechanical structures as the test vehicle. In particular, a silicon pressure sensor was successfully fabricated by a team of four students in one semester, and was tested and demonstrated to measure pressures in the range of 0-5 psi. >
"Flush before fill" in children receiving automated peritoneal dialysis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of the “flush before fill” technique on the frequency of peritonitis in children receiving automated peritoneal dialysis (APD).DesignRandomized prospective multicent...
Adaptive modulation for limited diversity fading channels

In this study, the authors propose a novel technique for adaptive modulation over limited diversity fading channels with channel state information at the transmitter. Limited diversity channels such as those encountered in indoor orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems are characterised by the fact that achievable diversity orders are limited by the channel and not by code-free distances. The authors first propose a novel analysis technique for the performance of coded modulation on limited diversity block fading channels with different modulation sets on each block. The authors then propose adaptive modulation techniques for maximising the throughput at a fixed bit error probability and also for minimising the bit error probability at a fixed rate. Lastly, the authors show simulation results that support the arguments presented in the paper.
Light and Reproduction in the Rat: Effects of Photoperiod Length on Albino Rats from Two Different Breeders

The length and regularity of the estrous cycle was studied in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to 0, 2, 8, 12, 16, 20, 22, or 24 hr of light per day from 60 to about 120 days of age. In addition, Sprague-Dawley-derived rats from another breeder (Blue Spruce) were studied in 0, 12, 16, or 24 hr of light per day. There were about 30 rats in each group. Sprague-Dawley rats in 12 hr of light per day or less showed regular predominantly 4-day cycles, while in 16 hr of light per day or more, the majority of cycles were 5 days or longer. In 22 or 24 hr of light per day, the cycles were very unpredictable, and many animals eventually went into persistent estrus. On the other hand, some of the Blue Spruce rats in 0 hr of light stopped cycling completely in a state of anestrus; the rest showed predominantly 4-day cycles. In 12 hr of light, the majority of cycles were 4 days in length, and this was also true in 16 hr of light; therefore, the Blue Spruce rats did not show the shift to 5-day cycles seen in the Sprague-Dawley rats in 16 hr of light. In 24 hr of light the Blue Spruce rats began to show persistent estrus at least 2 weeks earlier than the Sprague-Dawley rats in identical conditions. Body and organ weights did not appear to vary significantly with photoperiod, except that ovarian weights were smaller in persistent estrous rats (due to absence of corpora lutea) and in anestrous rats (in which pituitary, adrenal, and uterine weights were also severely reduced). Adrenal and ovarian weights were larger in Sprague-Dawley rats and pituitary weights were smaller. The differences in response to environmental lighting may be due to genetic differences between the two strains of rat, or may be due to the fact that the SpragueDawley rats are raised in constant light while the Blue Spruce rats are raised in alternating light and dark.
Equalizing data-path for processing speed determination in block level pipelining

Signal processing algorithms represented by data flow graphs can be efficiently mapped to hardware using a block level pipelining architecture. In this scheme, nodes of data flow are mapped to processing blocks and buffers are inserted in between as pipelining elements. We present, in this paper, a methodology for equalizing execution times of various nodes in the data path. The method is used to minimize the power dissipation and buffer usage by judiciously selecting the execution speed of hardware units. The block level pipelining allows for simple local controllers for each buffer which are generated by the global controller based on data flow specifications. The evaluation of the methodology on a practical example is presented.
DNA methylation profiling: comparison of genome-wide sequencing methods and the Infinium Human Methylation 450 Bead Chip

Aims: To compare the performance of four sequence-based and one microarray methods for DNA methylation profiling. Methods: DNA from two cell lines were profiled by reduced representation bisulfite sequencing, methyl capture sequencing (SS-Meth Seq), NimbleGen SeqCapEpi CpGiant(Nimblegen MethSeq), methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) and the Human Methylation 450 Bead Chip (Meth450K). Results & conclusion: Despite differences in genome-wide coverage, high correlation and concordance were observed between different methods. Significant overlap of differentially methylated regions was identified between sequenced-based platforms. MeDIP provided the best coverage for the whole genome and gene body regions, while RRBS and Nimblegen MethSeq were superior for CpGs in CpG islands and promoters. Methylation analyses can be achieved by any of the five methods but understanding their differences may better address the research question being posed.
Comparison and performance characteristics of 3 different knots when tied with 2 suture materials used for shoulder arthroscopy.

Purpose: To compare the performance of a standard suture material with that of a new material across several arthroscopic knot configurations. Methods: Three knots were evaluated (Duncan loop, Weston, and San Diego knots) with the use of 2 suture materials (No. 2 Ethibond [Ethicon, Somerville, NJ] and No. 2 Force Fiber [Stryker Endoscopy, San Jose, CA]). Ten samples were tested for each knot and suture configuration. Samples were pretensioned to 10 N and were mechanically loaded from 10 to 45 N for 1,000 cycles. The number of cycles to 3 mm of loop elongation was recorded as "early" slippage. Intact knots with no evidence of early slippage were then subjected to a load-to-failure test so that the ultimate failure strength of the knot/material could be determined. Results: Force Fiber knots required a statistically greater number of cycles to reach 3 mm of slippage compared with Ethibond knots ( P P Conclusions: The higher failure loads associated with Force Fiber may allow the surgeon to increase suture tension during knot tying, thereby creating a tighter knot. Loop elongation with Force Fiber occurred at loads that were greater than the typical breakage load for No. 2 Ethibond. Force Fiber is a new material that may be useful for various arthroscopic procedures. Clinical Relevance: Force Fiber provided increased biomechanical stability compared with Ethibond regardless of knot type. The cost benefit of using very strong yet very stiff sutures must be clinically evaluated.
A microsystem integrating photodegradable hydrogel microstructures and reconfigurable microfluidics for single-cell analysis and retrieval

We developed a micropatterned photodegradable hydrogel array integrated with reconfigurable microfluidics to enable cell secretion analysis and cell retrieval at the single-cell level. The activity of protease molecules secreted from single cells was monitored using FRET peptides entrapped inside microfabricated compartments. Antibody-modified gel islands tethering cells to the surface could be degraded by UV exposure to release specific single cells of interest.
Benchmarks and performance analysis of decimal floating-point applications

The IEEE P754 draft standard for floating-point arithmetic provides specifications for decimal floating-point (DFP) formats and operations. Based on this standard, many developers will provide support for DFP calculations. We present a benchmark suite for DFP applications and use this suite to evaluate the performance of hardware and software DFP solutions. Our benchmarks include banking, commerce, risk-management, tax, and telephone billing applications organized into a suite of five macro benchmarks. In addition to developing our own applications, we leverage open-source projects and academic financial analysis applications. The benchmarks are modular, making them easy to adapt for different DFP solutions. We use the benchmarks to evaluate the performance of the decNumber DFP library and an extended version of the SimpleScalar PISA architecture with hardware and instruction set support for DFP operations. Our analysis shows that providing processor support for high-speed DFP operations significantly improves the performance of DFP applications.
GABBR1 and SLC6A1, Two Genes Involved in Modulation of GABA Synaptic Transmission, Influence Risk for Alcoholism: Results from Three Ethnically Diverse Populations.

Background Animal and human studies indicate that GABBR1, encoding the GABAB1 receptor subunit, and SLC6A1, encoding the neuronal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter GAT1, play a role in addiction by modulating synaptic GABA. Therefore, variants in these genes might predict risk/resilience for alcoholism. Methods This study included 3 populations that differed by ethnicity and alcoholism phenotype: African American (AA) men: 401 treatment-seeking inpatients with single/comorbid diagnoses of alcohol and drug dependence, 193 controls; Finnish Caucasian men: 159 incarcerated alcoholics, half with comorbid antisocial personality disorder, 181 controls; and a community sample of Plains Indian (PI) men and women: 239 alcoholics, 178 controls. Seven GABBR1 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in the AA and Finnish samples; rs29220 was genotyped in the PI for replication. Also, a uniquely African, functional SLC6A1 insertion promoter polymorphism (IND) was genotyped in the AAs. Results We found a significant and congruent association between GABBR1 rs29220 and alcoholism in all 3 populations. The major genotype (heterozygotes in AAs, Finns) and the major allele in PIs were significantly more common in alcoholics. Moreover, SLC6A1 IND was more abundant in controls, that is, the major genotype predicted alcoholism. An analysis of combined GABBR1 rs29220 and SLC6A1 IND genotypes showed that rs29220 heterozygotes, irrespective of their IND status, had an increased risk for alcoholism, whereas carriers of the IND allele and either rs29220 homozygote were more resilient. Conclusions Our results show that with both GABBR1 and SLC6A1, the minor genotypes/alleles were protective against risk for alcoholism. Finally, GABBR1 rs29220 might predict treatment response/adverse effects for baclofen, a GABAB receptor agonist.
Overexpression of ATF3 or the combination of ATF3, c-Jun, STAT3 and Smad1 promotes regeneration of the central axon branch of sensory neurons but without synergistic effects

Peripheral nerve injury results in the activation of a number of transcription factors (TFs) in injured neurons, some of which may be key regulators of the regeneration-associated gene (RAG) programme. Among known RAG TFs, ATF3, Smad1, STAT3 and c-Jun have all been linked to successful axonal regeneration and have known functional and physical interactions. We hypothesised that TF expression would promote regeneration of the central axon branch of DRG neurons in the absence of a peripheral nerve lesion and that simultaneous overexpression of multiple RAG TFs would lead to greater effects than delivery of a single TF. Using adeno-associated viral vectors, we overexpressed either the combination of ATF3, Smad1, STAT3 and c-Jun with farnesylated GFP (fGFP), ATF3 only with fGFP, or fGFP only, in DRG neurons and assessed axonal regeneration after dorsal root transection or dorsal column injury and functional improvement after dorsal root injury. ATF3 alone and the combination of TFs promoted faster regeneration in the injured dorsal root. Surprisingly, however, the combination did not perform better than ATF3 alone. Neither treatment was able to induce functional improvement on sensory tests after dorsal root injury or promote regeneration in a dorsal column injury model. The lack of synergistic effects among these factors indicates that while they do increase the speed of axon growth, there may be functional redundancy between these TFs. Because axon growth is considerably less than that seen after a conditioning lesion, it appears these TFs do not induce the full regeneration programme.
A case of bilateral perisylvian syndrome with reading disability

Bilateral Perisylvian Syndrome (BPS) often presents with epilepsy and significant behavioral impairments that can include mental retardation, dysarthria, delayed speech development, and delayed fine motor development (Graff-Radford et al., 1986 and Kuzniecky et al., 1993). While a small subset of BPS cases have been described as having relatively isolated language delays (Leventer et al., 2010), BPS is not expected in children with dyslexia. As part of a Medical University of South Carolina, IRB approved multi-site study involving retrospective and de-identified dyslexia data, we unexpectedly identified a 14.05 year old male with evidence of BPS whose father had been diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. This child had been recruited for a neuroimaging study on dyslexia from a school specializing in educating children with dyslexia. The T1-weighted MRI scan from this child demonstrated a highly unusual perisylvian sulcal/gyral patterning that is a defining feature of BPS (Fig. 1). BPS cases exhibit bilateral dysgenesis of the Sylvian fissure and surrounding gyri, which appears to occur because of a limited or absent arcuate fasciculus (Kilinc, Ekinci, Demirkol, & Agan, 2015). This BPS case also had a relatively enlarged atrium of the lateral ventricle that is consistent with the BPS anatomical presentation and reduction of parietal white matter (Graff-Radford et al., 1986, Kilinc et al., 2015 and Toldo et al., 2011).
Translation in Yeast Mitochondria: A Review of General Features and a Case of mRNA-Specific Positive Control

The mitochondrial genetic system has the relatively simple task of supplying seven protein components of the respiratory chain complexes. However, expression of the mitochondrial genes coding these proteins is surprisingly complex (reviewed by Attardi and Schatz 1988; Costanzo and Fox 1990; Grivell 1989). The mitochondrial genes are transcribed and translated by a system whose protein components are, with single known exception (a small subunit ribosomal protein), coded by nuclear genes. Thus, the nucleus must code for about a hundred proteins, most of which function only in mitochondria, to synthesize seven proteins needed for respiration.
Chronic hypervitaminosis A: A case of surreptitious use

This article describes a case of chronic hypervitaminosis A, its clinical manifestations, and its psychiatric manifestations in a 29-year-old woman who was initially seen at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha.
Histoplasma capsulatum in tissue culture.

Discussion and ConclusionsA study of chick embryo and horse placental tissue, when cultivated in tissue culture with H. capsulatum by the cover-glass method, has revealed that fibroblasts or fibroblast-like cells of the outgrowth contain yeast cells of this organism in the cytoplasm. It is of interest to note that sections of infected tissues from systemic histoplasmosis rarely, if ever, show yeast cells in fibroblasts. Whether or not these intracellular yeasts can continue to multiply within the fibroblast, or are ultimately destroyed, remains to be determined. Similarly, whether or not the fibroblast which contains yeast cells can divide further, or undergoes degeneration, is not yet known. An explanation for the unique type of colconial morphology of H. capsulatum seen in the cover-glass cultures, cannot be given at this time. This phenomenon is not dependent upon the presence of living tissues, since the sac-like type of colonies were observed in the controls which lacked tissue fragments. Of possible...
Mortars and memes: Participating in pop culture from a war zone

Post 9/11 wars have been mediated more than any other conflict in history. Just as television defined Vietnam and the first Gulf war, the internet is defining what we know, see, and remember about ...
Post-Translational Modification in Microtubule Arrays Exhibits Spatial Patterns that can act as a Signal to Tightly Localize Motor-Driven Cargo

Microtubule (MT) “age” has been interpreted through nucleotide state, lattice defects, and post-translational modification (PTM) such as acetylation and detyrosination. All three cases have been recently shown to have functionally-important effects on the dynamics of MT arrays, which can present spatial and temporal heterogeneity. While mathematical models for MT array densities are well-established, we present equations describing MT age, defined here as the mean time since the MT's building blocks (tubulin) were polymerized from their soluble dimer state. These equations can recapitulate the observation that the oldest (most acetylated) tubulin in axons is near the middle of axons during neuronal development. Furthermore, PTMs influence motor kinetics up to approximately 3-fold for off-rates and velocities. Our simulations demonstrate that this relatively weak dependence of motor kinetics is sufficient to target motor cargo to a specific location along the array. This localization is tightly peaked in a way that magnifies the relatively small signal of PTM spatial heterogeneity. Thus, MT age can produce long-range spatial patterning without feedbacks or diffusing signals.
Materials Engineering and Scale-up of Fluid Phase Chemical Hydrogen Storage for Automotive Applications

Among candidates for chemical hydrogen storage in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell automotive applications, ammonia borane (AB, NH3BH3) is considered to be one of the most promising materials due to its high hydrogen content of 14–16 wt % below 200 °C. Motivated by our previous study based on a model slurry of AB in silicone oil, optimized with an ultrasonic process, we proceeded to scale-up to liter size batches with solid loadings up to 50 wt % (ca. 8 wt % H2) with viscosities less than 1000 cP at 25 °C. The use of a non-ionic surfactant, Triton X-15, shows significant promise in controlling the level of foaming produced during the thermal dehydrogenation of the AB. Stable homogeneous slurry of high solid loading was shown as a viable hydrogen delivery source, based on the new and efficient processing techniques and the ability to adequately control the foaming.