cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fast Hough transform: A hierarchical approach

Abstract We have developed a fast algorithm for the Hough transform that can be incorporated into the solutions to many problems in computer vision such as line detection, plane detection, segmentation, and motion estimation. The fast Hough transform (FHT) algorithm assumes that image space features “vote” for sets of points lying on hyperplanes in the parameter space. It recursively divides the parameter space into hypercubes from low to high resolution and performs the Hough transform only on the hypercubes with votes exceeding a selected threshold. The decision on whether a hypercube receives a vote from a hyperplane depends on whether the hyperplane intersects the hypercube. This hierarchical approach leads to a significant reduction of both computation and storage. Due to the hyperplane formulation of the problem and the hierarchical representation of the hypercube, the computation in the FHT is incremental and does not require multiplication, which further contributes to efficiency.
Safety of Perioperative Subcutaneous Heparin for Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients Undergoing Craniotomy

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether perioperative subcutaneous heparin is safe to use for patients undergoing craniotomy and to determine the incidence of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing craniotomy. METHODS: Perioperative prophylaxis with subcutaneous heparin, 5000 U every 12 hours, was begun at induction of anesthesia for craniotomy and continued for 7 days postoperatively or until the patient was ambulating. Entry criteria to the study included patient age over 18 years and no evidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) preoperatively as judged by lower limb duplex ultrasound. Patients were excluded if they had duplex evidence of DVT or clinical evidence of pulmonary embolus (PE) preoperatively, had hypersensitivity to heparin or related products, had sustained a penetrating head injury, or refused informed consent. Any patient undergoing craniotomy was eligible, including patients with a ruptured aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation and those with spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage. Patients underwent duplex study 1 week after surgery and 1 month of clinical follow-up. Records were also kept on 68 nonstudy patients who refused consent. All patients were treated with lower limb pneumatic compression devices. RESULTS: One hundred six patients were treated. No differences were noted between study and nonstudy patients in some individual risk factors for DVT or PE, such as obesity, smoking, paralysis, infection, pregnancy or postpartum state, varicose veins, heart failure, or previous DVT or PE. Significantly more (43 of 106) patients in the study group had a history of risk factors for DVT or PE, particularly malignancy, however, compared with nonstudy patients (20 of 68 patients; X 2 , P < 0.01). There were no differences between groups in intraoperative blood loss, transfusion requirements, or postoperative platelet counts. Four clinically significant hemorrhages occurred during surgery in patients receiving heparin. Three resulted from intraoperative aneurysm rupture and one from intraventricular bleeding during resection of an arteriovenous malformation. These events were believed to be related to known complications of these operations, not to heparin. Of the study patients, two developed symptomatic DVT and one developed a nonfatal PE during the 1-month postoperative period. One additional study patient developed DVT below the popliteal veins, which was not treated. Four study patients developed DVT 1 to 2 months after surgery. In nonstudy patients, three developed DVT and two developed PE (one fatal, one nonfatal). CONCLUSION: Perioperative heparin may be safe to administer to patients undergoing craniotomy, but a larger study is needed to demonstrate efficacy.
A Low Power Non-Volatile Memory Element Based on Copper in Deposited Silicon Oxide

We describe the electrical characteristics of W-(Cu/SiO2)-Cu switching elements formed by thermal diffusion of copper into deposited silicon oxide. These devices switch via the electrochemical formation of a conducting filament within the high resistance Cu/SiO2 electrolyte film. Unwritten and fully- erased devices of 350 nm to 1 mum in diameter transitioned from a high resistance state in excess of 100 MOmega to their on state at 1.3 V or less, and the erase was initiated below -0.5 V. The on resistance was a function of programming current and a range of approximately 2 MOmega to below 300 Omega was demonstrated. Switching was possible using 3 V pulses of 1 mus duration and retention was good with no systematic upward drift evident beyond 105 s for devices programmed at 10 muA and read at 300 mV. Endurance for 350 nm diameter devices was determined to be in excess of 107 cycles.
Effects of parental acclimation temperature and egg-incubation temperature on egg-hatching time in Acartia tonsa (Copepoda: Calanoida)

Experimental results indicate that both parental acclimation temperature and egg-incubation temperature have significant effects on the egg-hatching time of Acartia tonsa Dana between 15° and 25°C. Effects of parental acclimation temperature and egg-incubation temperature are additive if the long-term parental acclimation temperature is constant. A. tonsa are sensitive to temperature and changes of temperature during development (in vivo) and after they are laid (in vitro), up to the time of hatching. A temperature change of the parent culture for time periods of 86 h to 8 d is sufficient to change egg-hatching times. The time required for a temperature change to affect egg-hatching times depends on the magnitude and direction of the temperature change. Field collected A. tonsa demonstrate that changes in egg-hatching times occur in the field populations and can be predicted by mean weekly water temperature.
Dosen, Anthony J. (2009). Catholic Higher Education in the 1960s: Issues of Identity, Issues of Governance. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. 264 Pages

Rev. Anthony J. Dosen, the author of this book, is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. His research interests include institutional...
Necessary Truths are Just True: A Reply to Rossberg

One longstanding problem for glut theorists (also known as dialetheists) is the problem of ‘just true.’ On Beall's conservative version of glut theory advanced in Spandrels of Truth (2009), he addresses the problem in two steps. The first is a rejection of the problem: he claims that the only general notion of ‘just true’ is just truth itself. On that view, the alleged problem of ‘just true’ is reduced to the problem of truth itself, which (according to glut theorists) has a solution—glut theory. The second step is to acknowledge that there is a notion of ‘just true’ which is more limited but nonetheless meets all reasonable criteria demanded by those who advance the longstanding just-true objection. Marcus Rossberg (Thought 2013) disagrees. According to Rossberg, a just-true operator ought to iterate and be non-arbitrary in ways that Beall's proposed just-true operator is not. My aim in this paper is to construct a new conditional in terms of which a new just-true operator may be defined, a necessity operator, and to show that it meets all of the target desiderata of the debate. I then use that new operator to address the arbitrariness worries raised by Rossberg.
Status of inertial confinement fusion

Technical, institutional, and financial assessments are made of inertial confinement fusion programs in the United States. Among the programs discussed are the Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator at Sandia, the AURORA facility at Los Alamos, the Heavy Ion Fusion Accelerator at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, the OMEGA glass laser system and facility, and the fusion research program at the University of Rochester. Target, diagnostic, heating, and other areas of research are discussed. Prospects for the future of fusion research within the context of the current energy scenario in the country are evaluated.
When is 100% not 100%? The Use of Safe Harbor to Make Adequate Yearly Progress

AbstractDebate over the design of state and federal accountability systems is an important ongoing issue for policy makers. As we move toward next-generation accountability through No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) waivers and reauthorization drafts, it is important to understand the implementation and effects of key elements of prior accountability systems. In this policy brief, we investigate an under-researched feature of NCLB accountability—the use of safe harbor to meet proficiency rate objectives. We use school-level data on California schools between 2005 and 2011 to investigate the prevalence of safe harbor over time. We find dramatic increases in recent years, primarily for the objectives for historically disadvantaged groups. Furthermore, we find no evidence that schools using safe harbor meaningfully outperform schools failing Adequate Yearly Progress in the short or long run, casting doubt on the utility of the measure. We conclude with recommendations to policy makers, including state assessment ...
Into the Wild: A Group Wilderness Intervention to Build Coping Strategies in High School Youth Through Collaboration and Shared Experience

High school students represent a population at risk for developing long-lasting internalizing disorders and symptoms due to stressors unique to their age group. Accordingly, the author will draw from the literature to discuss the risks associated with this group as well as factors that may combat the formation of certain mental health issues. The objective of this pilot intervention is to evaluate the effectiveness of a group wilderness activity aimed at preventing internalizing disorders and symptoms in high school youth. Specific considerations and risks inherent in such an intervention are discussed. The pilot intervention resulted in increases in feeling understood, empathy toward others, and emotional expression, while also seemingly instilling more sophisticated coping strategies for dealing with life stressors in the participants.
STABILITY ANALYSIS OF THE VARIABLE EDDINGTON FACTOR METHOD

The iteration stability of the variable Eddington factor method is analyzed by a linearization procedure and Fourier analysis. This analysis leads to a stability criterion for a common iteration scheme, which is confirmed by results of numerical calculations. The physical implications of this criterion are also discussed.
Retooling the RN workforce in long-term care: Nursing certification as a pathway to quality improvement

This article describes a project to improve nursing care quality in long-term care (LTC) by retooling registered nurses' (RN) geriatric clinical competence. A continuing education course was developed to prepare LTC RNs (N = 84) for national board certification and improve technological competence. The certification pass-rate was 98.5%. The study used a mixed methods design with retrospective pretests administered to RN participants. Multivariate analysis examined the impact of RN certification on empowerment, job satisfaction, intent to turnover, and clinical competence. Results showed certification significantly improved empowerment, satisfaction, and competence. A fixed effects analysis showed intent to turnover was a function of changes in empowerment, job dissatisfaction, and competency (F = 79.2; p < 0.001). Changes in empowerment (t = 1.63, p = 0.11) and competency (t = -0.04, p = 0.97) did not affect changes in job satisfaction. Findings suggest RN certification can reduce persistently high RN turnover rates that negatively impact patient safety and LTC quality.
Conflict-related activity in the caudal anterior cingulate cortex in the absence of awareness

The caudal anterior cingulate cortex (cACC) is thought to be involved in performance monitoring, as conflict and error-related activity frequently co-localize in this area. Recent results suggest that these effects may be differentially modulated by awareness. To clarify the role of awareness in performance monitoring by the cACC, we used rapid event-related fMRI to examine the cACC activity while subjects performed a dual task: a delayed recognition task and a serial response task (SRT) with an implicit probabilistic learning rule (i.e. the stimulus location followed a probabilistic sequence of which the subjects were unaware). Task performance confirmed that the location sequence was learned implicitly. Even though we found no evidence of awareness for the presence of the sequence, imaging data revealed increased cACC activity during correct trials which violated the sequence (high-conflict), relative to trials when stimuli followed the sequence (low conflict). Errors made with awareness also activated the same brain region. These results suggest that the performance monitoring function of the cACC extends beyond detection of errors made with or without awareness, and involves detection of multiple responses even when they are outside of awareness.
3D Galerkin integration without Stokes' theorem

A direct approach to calculating the hypersingular integral for a three-dimensional Galerkin approximation is presented. The method does not employ either Stokes' theorem or a regularization process to transform the integrand before the evaluation is carried out. Integrating two of the four dimensions analytically, the potentially divergent terms arising from the coincident and adjacent edge integrations are identified and canceled exactly. The method is presented in the simplest possible situation, the hypersingular kernel for the Laplace equation, and linear triangular elements.
Ultra High Rate, Wide Area, Plasma Polymerized Films from High Molecular Weight/Low Vapor Pressure Liquid or Liquid/Solid Suspension Monomer Precursors

A new process has been developed for the high rate vacuum deposition of solid films from high molecular weight/low vapor pressure liquid, or even liquid/solid suspension, monomer precursors. The gas resulting from the flash evaporation of a liquid monomer mixture, or from a suspension of insoluble solid particles in liquid monomer, is used as the support medium for a glow discharge in a Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition-like (PECVD) process. Due to the high molecular weight/low vapor pressure nature of the precursors, the plasma of the flash evaporated gas cryocondenses at extremely high rate on substrates at ambient, and higher, temperatures. Upon condensation the liquified plasma immediately begins to polymerize to form a solid film due to the high concentration of radicals and ions contained in the liquid film. The process has been successfully implemented in a vacuum roll coating system in a roll-to-roll deposition process. Polymer films, Molecularly Doped Polymer (MDP) composite films of polymer containing light emitting organic molecules, and MDP composite films of polymer containing organic dye molecules have been deposited at thicknesses ranging from 0.1 microns to 24 microns at webs speeds as high as 96 linear meters per minute. This new deposition process will be discussed along with some properties of the films fabricated with this new process.
Continuity and Discontinuity in Perceptions of Family Relationships From Adolescence to Young Adulthood

The present 8-year longitudinal study examined how multiple aspects of family relationships change across the transition from adolescence (Mage = 15 years) to young adulthood (Mage = 22 years) among 821 individuals. Results showed that there was more discontinuity than continuity in family relationships across this transition. Whereas a normative decline was evident in all measured aspects of family relationships during adolescence, this decline persisted for only a few dimensions of family relationships during young adulthood. Other aspects of family relationships stabilized or rebounded. There was little variation in these trajectories as a function of ethnicity or gender, suggesting that these changes in family relationships are generally normative. Results suggest that the transition to adulthood is a period of significant transformation in family relationships.
Broadband RF impedance spectroscopy in micromachined microfluidic channels

Impedance spectroscopy in the radio frequency range from 100 MHz to 20 GHz can reveal the dielectric relaxations of biological and chemical solutions. S-parameters for a coplanar waveguide are derived. To perform these measurements, a coplanar waveguide device was fabricated on a conventional FR-4 substrate for fluid interrogation. The microfluidic channel was formed by milling conventional waveguides and laser-cutting channels in the dielectric substrate. Measurements using this device were performed on standards: deionized water, isopropyl alcohol, and air. These measurements were compared to those taken with a conventional dielectric probe. The results demonstrate the ability of the fabricated device to extract varying transmission parameters due to changing sample properties.
Dynamics of the stably stratified ocean at the top of the core

Abstract It is supposed that the stably stratified layer exists at the top of the fluid core. We propose a new model of this layer, which we call the Stratified Ocean of the Core (SOC). The SOC has a density that differs very little from the one corresponding to the adiabatic density gradient, but this small difference implies a very large buoyancy force. Therefore, hydrodynamic properties of such a thin layer differ drastically from those of the bulk of the Earth's core. There is a close similarity between the SOC and the Earth's common ocean: both of them are a thin shell, and their Brunt–Vaisala frequencies are of the same order of magnitude. New features are added to the SOC due to the effects of the core magnetic field. We consider various kinds of waves, with periods ranging from days to decades, which can develop in the SOC. The oscillations in the SOC with periods about decades determine the decade geomagnetic and length-of-day variations. The topographic core–mantle coupling, arising due to perturbation of fluid motion in the SOC by the core–mantle boundary unevenness, is considered. The key problem of proving the very existence of the SOC is discussed.
Steady state oscillations in a buoyant fluid

In this article we consider small steady forced oscillations induced by immersed bodies moving at frequencies above the buoyancy frequency in stratified fluids. The model we treat takes the buoyancy frequency and the density to be constant, and consequently the governing differential equation is the same as for small steady oscillations in a uniformly rotating fluid. Our treatment of this problem has several aspects. The first is the formulation and transformation of the problem for quite arbitrary bodies and general boundary motions. The second is the solution of a number of simple problems in two and three dimensions. The solutions are given explicitly and in some detail and their limiting behavior for high frequency and at the buoyancy frequency is derived. This leads to some new observations and to a conjecture about the velocity field at the buoyancy frequency. We also give sequences of graphs of streamlines of some of the examples. These show in a striking way the changes in the flow field as the frequency varies.
Proper orthogonal decomposition of atomistic flow simulations

An adaptive proper orthogonal decomposition based on time windows (WPOD) for analysis of velocity fields from atomistic simulations is presented. The method effectively separates the field into ensemble average and fluctuation components, and can be applied to both stationary and non-stationary flows in simple and complex geometries. The criteria to distinguish POD modes representing ensemble average and fluctuation components are based on adaptive examination of eigenvalue decomposition, specifically on the rate of decay of POD eigenvalues and analysis of POD eigenvectors. The WPOD method is efficient and its superior accuracy leads to smooth field gradients that can be used effectively in multiscale formulations. The method has been applied in molecular dynamics and dissipative particle dynamics simulations. We demonstrate the method for several cases including steady and unsteady flow and red blood cell flow, but the same approach can be used in atomistic simulations of materials.
Everyday metaphors of power

Across the different disciplines of social science, studies of power and resistance continue to be dominated by a single, master metaphor: the distinction between persuading and coercing. The metaphor seems as clear as the difference between mind and body, to which of course it corresponds. Power may operate at the level of ideas, persuading the mind of its legitimacy, or it may work as a material force directly coercing the body. Max Weber founded his sociology of domination on this Cartesian and Kantian distinction, and the distinction colonized other theoretical territory in which it had been originally placed in question, including that of Marx. The metaphor survives today even in the growing number of works that realize its limitations and formally renounce it. 1 This essay offers a critique of the metaphor, as a misleadingly narrow approach to understanding modern methods of domination; at the same time, by offering an alternative understanding of those methods, it reveals the metaphor to be their unexamined product. There are at least two reasons for the metaphor's persistence. One stems from the fact that it is indissociable from our everyday conception of the person. We tend to think of persons as unique self-constituted consciousneses living inside physically manufactured bodies. 2 As something self-formed, this consciousness is the site of an original autonomy. The notion of an internal autonomy of consciousness defines the way we think of coercion. It obliges us to imagine the exercise of power as an external process that can coerce the behavior of the body without necessarily penetrating and controlling the mind. Power must therefore be conceived as something two-fold, with both a physical and a mental mode of operation. This way of thinking of power in relation to the political subject applies not only to individuals but to any political agent, such as a group or class. Much of the recent theoret
Cutaneous mechanoreceptors influencing impulse discharges in cerebellar cortex. I. In mossy fibers.

This paper gives an account of single mossy fiber responses when three types of mechanical stimulation are applied to the forefoot and hindfoot of the cat which is either decerebrate and unanesthetized or lightly anesthetized by pentothal or chloralose. The mechanical stimuli were applied either to footpads (brief pulses, taps, or longer square pulses or ramps) or to the hairy skin by air jets. Recording of single mossy fibers was extracellular by glass microelectrodes that were inserted into the granular layer of the cerebellar cortex or the subjacent white matter. As described in previous papers computer averaging techniques usually of 64 responses have been employed to enhance reliability. Taps evoked pure excitatory responses from many mossy fibers, which were usually brief high frequency bursts resembling those evoked by nerve volleys. Usually the threshold displacement was less than 0.2 mm and thresholds as low as 0.01 mm were observed. There were often considerable differences in the intensities of responses from different pads of the same foot. Successive pulses of mechanical stimulation evoked mossy fiber responses of diminished intensity. Longer mechanical stimuli with square or ramp onsets evoked various admixtures of phasic and tonic responses. Hair stimulation was often a very effective excitant, the receptive field for a single mossy fiber usually covering a considerable area of foot and leg. Taps and pressure to the pads were also effective in inhibiting the background discharge of some mossy fibers, and admixtures of excitatory and inhibitory actions were observed. The results are discussed in relationship to the discharges evoked in primary afferent fibers by cutaneous mechanoreceptor stimulation. They provide an intermediate stage of information between mechanoreceptor stimulation and the response of Purkyně cells as described in the next paper.
Hydrodynamics of the Caribbean Low-Level Jet and Its Relationship to Precipitation

Abstract The easterly Caribbean low-level jet (CLLJ) is a prominent climate feature over the Intra-America Seas, and it is associated with much of the water vapor transport from the tropical Atlantic into the Caribbean Basin. In this study, the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) is analyzed to improve the understanding of the dynamics of the CLLJ and its relationship to regional rainfall variations. Horizontal momentum balances are examined to understand how jet variations on both diurnal and seasonal time scales are controlled. The jet is geostrophic to the first order. Its previously documented semidiurnal cycle (with minima at about 0400 and 1600 LT) is caused by semidiurnal cycling of the meridional geopotential height gradient in association with changes in the westward extension of the North Atlantic subtropical high (NASH). A diurnal cycle is superimposed, associated with a meridional land–sea breeze (solenoidal circulation) onto the north coast of South America, so that the weakest jet velo...
A Simple Search and Bargaining Model of Real Estate Markets

This paper examines the impact of brokers on buyers' and sellers' search behavior and on the transaction prices in real estate markets. It is shown that the seller and the buyer search less intensively if the house is listed with a broker. The seller gets a higher price when he employs a broker, but the increase in price is smaller than the commission fee. More specifically, the portion of the commission covered by the increase in price is directly related to the bargaining powers of the buyer and the seller. In the special case where the price is determined according to the Nash bargaining solution, the increase in price is shown to be half of the commission fee. It is also shown that an increase in the commission rate increases the equilibrium price but decreases the equilibrium search intensities.
On the evolution of differentiation

Evidence is presented that differentiating systems are closed off from their environment and self-sufficient; they must therefore operate on an endogenous metabolism. This fundamental characteristic of differentiation is exmained from the point of view of its evolution and with respect to the initiation, control and consumation of morphogenesis.
Alternative technique for intrafemoral injection and bone marrow sampling in mouse transplant models

Bone marrow punctures are often required when modeling hematologic malignancies in mice. Orthotopic intrabone injection resulted in superior engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells [1] or of ...
Improved synthesis of the sodium salt of dl-α,β-dihydroxyisovaleric acid

A one-step synthesis of sodium dl-α,β-dihydroxyisovalerate involving the hydroxylation of 3,3-dimethylacrylic acid is described. This procedure is easier and more economical than those published previously. The material synthesized is shown to be a substrate for Salmonella typhimurium dihydroxyacid dehydratase (the product of the ilvD gene).
Sequential Cardiorespiratory Events During and After Dextran-4O Infusion in Normal and Shock Patients

Sequential measurements of cardiac output, intravascular pressures, blood gases, pH, blood volume, and oxygen consumption were made in normal subjects and patients in shock before, during, and after infusions of dextran-40. In eight normal subjects the responses were: increased central venous pressure, increased cardiac index, decreased peripheral resistance, and decreased hemoglobin concentrations. These changes were of short duration and were attributed largely to increased plasma volume from the infusion. Nineteen of 26 patients in shock responded to administration of dextran-40 with increased central venous pressure, cardiac index, plasma volume, and central blood volume, as well as decreased mean transit time and total peripheral resistance. Lesser increases in blood pressure, stroke index, and left ventricular stroke work were observed. The increase in cardiac index was preceded by increased central venous pressure and decreased peripheral resistance. The hemodynamic changes were more marked and of ...
The relationship of floods, drying, flow and light to primary production and producer biomass in a prairie stream

Factors related to autochthonous production were investigated at several sites along a prairie stream at Konza Prairie Research Natural Area. Primary production, algal biomass, litter input, and ability of floods to move native substrate were measured. Additional experiments were conducted to establish the influence of light and water velocity on primary production rates and recovery of biomass following dry periods. The study period encompassed two extreme (> 50 year calculated return time) floods, thus we were able to analyze the effects of scour on periphyton biomass and productivity. Biomass of sedimentary algae was reduced greatly by flooding and did not reach preflood amounts during the 2 months following the first flood. Rates of primary production associated with sediments recovered to levels above preflood rates within 2 weeks. Biomass of epilithic periphyton was not affected as severely as that of sedimentary algae. Little relationship was observed between water velocity and photosythetic rates. Production reached maximum rates at 25% of full sun light. Epilithic chlorophyll levels recovered within eight days following a dry period, and chl a was an order of magnitude greater on rocks than sediments 51 days after re-wetting. Estimated annual rates of primary production were 2.6 times greater in the prairie than in the forest reaches of the stream. The ratio of annual autochthonous:allochthonous carbon input was 4.81 for prairie and 0.32 for the forest. Periphyton production in prairie streams is resilient with regard to flooding and drought and represents a primary carbon source for the system.
Mechanically controlled molecular orbital alignment in single molecule junctions

The conductance of a single molecule of 1,4'-benzenedithiol bridged between two gold electrodes increases as it is stretched because the energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital is shifted towards the Fermi energy of the electrodes, leading to a resonant enhancement of the conductance.
Adsorption and Recovery of Nonionic Polymers by Neutralization of Cellulose Fiber Surface Charge via Cationic Polyamide-Epichlorohydrin Resins

Nonionic copolymers, such as poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone)-polystyrene, have been used in the production of filtration membranes, catalysts, and sensors. However, their nonionic character and high solubility in water prevents their efficient recovery from waste streams. Cellulose fibers show potential as recovery agents because they are inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and have a large surface area per unit mass. However, due to the anionic nature of the cellulose fiber surface, their adsorptive behavior is often limited to cationic species. We have shown that low-dosage application of a cationic polyamide-epichlorohydrin resin can alter the fiber surface charge so as to provide more neutral surface area for the nonionic polymer to adsorb; furthermore, the adsorbed polyamide-epichlorohydrin resin does not block the approach of poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone)-polystyrene. Single-component adsorption of poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone)-polystyrene was on the order of 10−3 g/g; with polyamide-epichlorohydrin resin adsorbed on the fiber, the adsorption increased one-order of magnitude to 10−2 g/g. We believe this significant increase is caused by neutralization of fiber surface charge via polyamide-epichlorohydrin resin, creating a surface more favorable for adsorption and recovery of nonionic species. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
PREM-2, a copia-type retroelement in maize is expressed preferentially in early microspores

We have isolated, by screening a genomic library, a retroelement from maize designated PREM-2 (pollen retroelement maize-2), which is expressed in a tissue-specific manner. RNA transcripts of the PREM-2 family are found in the microspore but not in more mature pollen or in any of the vegetative tissues examined. The expression of PREM-2 elements in the uninucleate microspore provides an explanation for the genetic transmission of genomic rearrangements caused by the transposition of retroelements. PREM-2 elements are very abundant and are estimated to constitute about 5% of the maize genome and could possibly have played an important role in the determination of genome structure and in the generation of repetitive sequences in maize. The entire PREM-2 element is 9439 by long. The LTRs of PREM-2 are 1307 by in length. The internal region between the 5′ and 3′ LTRs contains 6825 by and shares homology to the gag, pro, int, RT, and RNaseH regions of copia-type retroelements. PREM-2 elements have been found in close proximity with several maize genes registered in GenBank. The presence of PREM-2 sequence in the exact 5' flanking position of three polygalacturonase genes expressed in pollen, has been used to examine the evolution of the polygalacturonase multigene family in maize and to estimate the time of the PREM-2 integration event.
Abstract 232: PAX3-FOXO1a target genes in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma: Possible therapeutic targets

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a pediatric soft tissue tumor that is derived from skeletal muscle and expresses many muscle specific proteins. Most commonly RMS presents in one of two histological subtypes; Embryonal RMS (ERMS) or Alveolar RMS (ARMS). The ARMS subtype is more aggressive, more prone to metastasis and has the poorest prognosis. Over 75% of ARMS tumors possess a t(2;13)(q35;q14), or the variant t(1;13)(p36;q14) chromosomal translocation which generates a PAX3-FOXO1a or PAX7-FOXO1a fusion protein, respectively. Using murine primary myoblasts (a likely cell of origin for rhabdomyosarcoma), PAX3 and PAX3-FKHR were ectopically expressed and microarray analysis was performed to identify differentially regulated genes. Several genes were identified and two genes, Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (Cnr1/Cb1) and the pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein Noxa (Pmaip1), were chosen for further study. In primary myoblasts, Cnr1 is required but not sufficient to enhance the invasive capacity of PAX3-FOXO1a expressing primary myoblasts. This appears to be mediated through Cnr1 constitutive activity. In vivo the Cnr1 inverse agonist AM251 prevents lung metastasis formation in immunocompromized mice. This implicates Cnr1 as a potential therapeutic target to inhibit the metastatic capacity of ARMS tumors. Noxa expression is increased in PAX3-FOXO1a expressing primary myoblasts in a p53-independent manner. Moreover, PAX3-FOXO1a expression, through the up regulation of Noxa, increases the sensitivity of primary myoblasts to bortezomib and GSI-1, which also induce apoptosis in a p53-independent, Noxa-dependent manner. In addition, the up regulation of Noxa increases cell sensitivity to the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family inhibitor ABT-737. Bortezomib treatment in vivo significantly inhibits the growth of subcutaneous ARMS model tumors and prolongs the survival of treated animals. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 232.
Real polarizers and faster than light signaling

An imperfection of real polarizers (as opposite to ideal ones) seems to provide a method for faster than light signaling, threatening the structural stability of quantum field theory. The cause of the unphysical result is explained, and the problem of structural stability is solved.
Convection in Containerless Processing

: Different containerless processing techniques have different strengths and weaknesses. Applying more than one technique allows various parts of a problem to be solved separately. For two research projects, one on phase selection in steels and the other on nucleation and growth of quasicrystals, a combination of experiments using electrostatic levitation (ESL) and electromagnetic levitation (EML) is appropriate. In both experiments, convection is an important variable. The convective conditions achievable with each method are compared for two very different materials: a low-viscosity, high-temperature stainless steel, and a high-viscosity, low-temperature quasicrystal-forming alloy. It is clear that the techniques are complementary when convection is a parameter to be explored in the experiments. For a number of reasons, including the sample size, temperature, and reactivity, direct measurement of the convective velocity is not feasible. Therefore, we must rely on computation techniques to estimate convection in these experiments. These models are an essential part of almost any microgravity investigation. The methods employed and results obtained for the projects levitation observation of dendrite evolution in steel ternary alloy rapid solidification (LODESTARS) and quasicrystalline undercooled alloys for space investigation (QUASI) are explained.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Practice-Based Immunization Education Intervention

Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of academic detailing programs to improve immunization coverage in communities through implementation and evaluation of the Raising Immunizations Thru Education (RITE) program in the Greater Houston area. Methods RITE was a preintervention and postintervention pilot study with randomized intervention and control sites implemented in private practices in pediatrics and family medicine. Changes in self-reported provider behaviors (n = 186) and comparisons of immunization coverage levels between intervention (n = 61) and control (n = 62) practices were evaluated. Intervention costs, computed from the perspective of an agency wanting to replicate the intervention, included direct expenses and time costs, based on time logs and compensation. Sensitivity analysis describes variations in costs. The cost-effectiveness ratio was computed as dollars per additional outcome unit. Results The RITE intervention improved self-reported provider behavior. The immunization rates in the intervention group increased by 1%, whereas immunization rates in the control group decreased by 2%–3%, but the 3%–4% difference was not significant. A 1% increase in practice immunization rates costs $424–$550, depending on the up-to-date criteria used and the targeted age group. Conclusions The costs for 1 additional child with up-to-date immunization status are higher than potential societal savings, as reported in the literature. This intervention does not have a favorable cost-benefit ratio.
A Power Tracking Control Method for Single-Phase PWM Rectifier

Power control method had been widely used because of its simplicity, good dynamic performance, decoupled active and reactive power control for three-phase PWM rectifier. But it is not adapted to single-phase rectifier as power calculating problem. A power tracking control method is proposed for single-phase PWM rectifier. In new method, voltage and current with harmonics are decomposed of Fourier series. Their fundamental components are only extracted in order to calculate active power and reactive power and track requirement value. So the system not only realizes high power factor, sinusoidal current and stable DC link voltage, but also meet the application demand the capability of power regeneration to the power supply. The results of experiment show that the DC link voltage fluctuations should be minimal and the power factor is high. The proposed method is effective and practicable.
Characterization of the Brassica napus extraplastidial linoleate desaturase by expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The substrate specificity and regioselectivity of the Brassica napus extraplastidial linoleate desaturase ( FAD3 ) was investigated in vivo in a heterologous expression system. A strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae producing the plant enzyme was constructed and cultured in media containing a variety of fatty acids. The products of desaturation of these potential substrates were determined by gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric analysis of the yeast cultures. The results indicate that the enzyme has: (a) ω-3, as opposed to Δ-15 or double-bond-related regioselectivity, (b) the ability to desaturate substrates in the 16 to 22 carbon range, (c) a preference for substrates with ω-6 double bonds, but the ability to desaturate substrates with ω-6 hydroxyl groups or ω-9 or ω-5 double bonds, and (d) a relative insensitivity to double bonds proximal to the carboxyl end of the substrate.
Developing KaNgwane: Geographies of segregation and integration in the new South Africa

This paper examines social, political and economic processes within the former KaNgwane bantustan to understand the changing relationships between society and space in the post-apartheid era. Research on rural development and reconstruction in South Africa attest to the spatial legacy of apartheid while suggesting that dynamic transformations are occurring within the former bantustans. A central concern of this paper is the ways the apartheid government constructed and presented KaNgwane as a development project in order to justify racial segregation and control. While the bantustans have been effectively erased from the popular imagination, these spaces continue to be framed developmentally in ways that provide limited attention to local context and change. In order to consider the shifts in environment and development discourses within these territories, a case study is employed to evaluate livelihood production systems, environmental change, and governance institutions. It is argued that these patterns reveal the simultaneously static and dynamic nature of the bantustans while demonstrating that their reincorporation will remain an ongoing process in the post-apartheid era.
Management of symptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: pills, alcohol, or the scalpel?

The article published in Revista Espanola de Cardiologia describing the 10-year follow-up after alcohol septal ablation (ASA) in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a welcome addition to the literature. Although the series reflects an earlier experience with a technique that continues to evolve over time, the encouraging long-term outcomes bode well for the next generation of patients who will undergo ASA after what we would hope is an adequate trial of medical therapy. The numbers of patients in this reported experience from 5 centers is small, as are the numbers undergoing surgical myectomy. It would have been of interest to know whether the use of septal reduction therapy increased over time. In addition, it would have been interesting to know whether the surgical myectomy population differed from those undergoing ASA or whether the decision was made on the basis of institutional expertise and facilities. The authors clearly state in their discussion that the results of either septal myectomy or ASA depend on operator experience, as well as an understanding of the disease itself. We and others have shown that the success and complications rate of ASA significantly improve after a procedural volume of > 50 patients. Thus, it would be expected that the long-term results of ASA in Spain will become even better as centers gain greater experience. There is a balance between a higher volume of alcohol used in the procedure producing better hemodynamic results and the possible long-term detrimental consequences of adverse myocardial remodeling and ventricular arrhythmias. The mean of 3.7 mL of alcohol used in the study herein discussed is larger than the 1.5 to 2.0 mL used by more experienced centers and may account for the need for transplant and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) in the patient cohort. The selection of smaller branches of septal perforator arteries that directly target the region of systolic anterior motion with septal contact using echographic contrast injections allows for smaller volumes of alcohol while maintaining the optimal hemodynamic results. Other changes in technique,
Soma-germline asymmetry in the distributions of embryonic RNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans

Early embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans is characterized by a series of unequal cleavages that mark the stepwise separation of somatic and germ lineages. We have developed an in situ hybridization protocol to examine the localization of specific maternal and embryonically transcribed messenger RNAs during these early cleavages. We detected three classes of maternal RNAs: RNAs that are maintained in all cells, RNAs that are maintained in germline cells but are lost from somatic cells, and a population of RNAs that are associated with the germline-specific P granules. We observed embryonically transcribed RNAs in somatic cells as early as the 4-cell stage. These transcripts were not detected in germline cells. These observations suggest that mechanisms which distinguish between soma and germline cause asymmetries in mRNA stability and transcription within the first few cleavages of C. elegans embryogenesis.
The Drosophila ovarian tumor gene is required for the organization of actin filaments during multiple stages in oogenesis.

The ovarian tumor gene is required during both early and late stages of oogenesis. Mutations produce a range of phenotypes, including agametic ovarioles, tumorous egg chambers, and late stage oogenic arrest. We demonstrate that each of these phenotypes is associated with specific aberrations in actin distribution. In the earliest case, ovarian tumor mutations cause actin filaments to accumulate ectopically in the fusome. This correlates with abnormal fusome morphology and arrested germ cell development in the germaria. Similarly, ovarian tumor function is required for the localization of actin that is essential for the maturation of ring canals. This defect gives rise to tumorous egg chambers in which germ cell numbers and morphology are profoundly aberrant. We also confirm that ovarian tumor is required for the formation of the nurse cell cytoplasmic actin array that is essential for the nonspecific transport of cytoplasmic contents to the oocyte during late oogenesis. Our data suggest that at this stage ovarian tumor controls the site where actin filaments initiate. Taken together, these studies suggest that the diverse ovarian tumor mutant phenotypes derive from the mislocalization of actin filaments, indicating a role for this gene in organizing the female germline cytoskeleton, and that the misregulation of actin can have profound effects on germ cell division and differentiation.