cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moving Driverless Transit into the Mainstream: Research Issues and Challenges

Driverless transit features vehicles or transit units functioning with no onboard intervention from a driver or attendant. In comparison with traditional transit, driverless transit offers reduced labor costs and smaller vehicles, albeit with higher capital costs, and better performance records. As of 2005 there were 37 driverless transit systems in urban service, with five in the United States. Fifteen cities in Canada, Europe, and East Asia had driverless metros. To move driverless transit into the mainstream, research is needed in multiple areas. This paper examines research needs identified in 12 papers presented at the 10th International Conference on Automated People Movers (APMs), with supplemental information from related literature. Integrating APMs into airport security infrastructure, the development of lightweight materials for vehicles and guideways, and personal rapid transit (PRT) reliability and systems theory are among the high-priority research challenges. Medium-priority research needs would focus on special applications of and revenue generators for driverless transit. Although a great deal of driverless transit research has been conducted in simulation, there is a need for operating and performance data from existing systems. These data would enable driverless transit to be considered in modal alternatives analysis. Also, to bring concepts such as PRT into reality, full-scale models need to be tested in operational environments. It is argued that research supported by industry and local agency consortiums can make incremental advancements, but extensive studies require committed, high-level government funding. While the development of driverless transit in the United States has been stifled by high-profile cost overruns and abandonments, successful applications in Europe or elsewhere may revive domestic investment. Potential driverless transit research funding resources are suggested.
Mathematical Method and Proof

On a traditional view, the primary role of a mathematical proof is to warrant the truth of the resulting theorem. This view fails to explain why it is very often the case that a new proof of a theorem is deemed important. Three case studies from elementary arithmetic show, informally, that there are many criteria by which ordinary proofs are valued. I argue that at least some of these criteria depend on the methods of inference the proofs employ, and that standard models of formal deduction are not well-equipped to support such evaluations. I discuss a model of proof that is used in the automated deduction community, and show that this model does better in that respect.
Biogeochemical Hotspots in Forested Landscapes: The Role of Vernal Pools in Denitrification and Organic Matter Processing

Quantifying spatial and temporal heterogeneity in ecosystem processes presents a challenge for conserving ecosystem function across landscapes. In particular, many ecosystems contain small features that play larger roles in ecosystem processes than their size would indicate; thus, they may represent “hotspots” of activity relative to their surroundings. Biogeochemical hotspots are characterized as small features within a landscape that show comparatively high chemical reaction rates. In northeastern forests in North America, vernal pools are abundant, small features that typically fill in spring with snow melt and precipitation and dry by the end of summer. Ephemeral flooding alters soil moisture and the depth of the soil’s oxic/anoxic boundary, which may affect biogeochemical processes. We studied the effects of vernal pools on leaf-litter decomposition rates, soil enzyme activity, and denitrification in vernal pools to assess whether they function as biogeochemical hotspots. Our results indicate that seasonal inundation enhanced leaf-litter decomposition, denitrification, and enzyme activity in vernal pools relative to adjacent forest sites. Leaves in seasonally flooded areas decomposed faster than leaves in terra firme forest sites. Flooding also influenced the C, N, and P stoichiometry of decomposing leaf litter and explained the variance in microbial extracellular enzyme activity for phosphatase, β-d-glucosidase, and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. Additionally, denitrification rates were enhanced by seasonal flooding across all of the study pools. Collectively, these data suggest that vernal pool ecosystems may function as hotspots of leaf-litter decomposition and denitrification and play a significant role in decomposition and nutrient dynamics relative to their size.
Identification of quantitative trait loci associated with bone traits and body weight in an F2 resource population of chickens.

Bone fractures at the end of lay are a significant problem in egg-laying strains of hens. The objective of the current study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with bone mineralization and strength in a chicken resource population. Layer (White Leghorn hens) and broiler (Cobb-Cobb roosters) lines were crossed to generate an F2 population of 508Â hens over seven hatches, and 26 traits related to bone integrity, including bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC), were measured. Genotypes of 120 microsatellite markers on 28 autosomal groups were determined, and interval mapping was conducted to identify QTL regions. Twenty-three tests representing three chromosomal regions (chromosomes 4, 10 and 27) contained significant QTL that surpassed the 5% genome-wise threshold, and 47 tests representing 15 chromosomes identified suggestive QTL that surpassed the 5% chromosome-wise threshold. Although no significant QTL influencing BMD and BMC were detected after adjusting for variation in body weight and egg production, multiple suggestive QTL were found. These results support previous experiments demonstrating an important genetic regulation of bone strength in chickens, but suggest the regulation may be due to the effects of multiple genes that each account for relatively small amounts of variation in bone strength.
IMEX America 2012 Las Vegas, Nevada, October 9–11, 2012

IMEX America organized by the IMEX Group took place October 9–11, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over 6,000 event professionals including planners, suppliers, academics and students attended. The show ...
God is Society: the Religious Dimension of Maoism

Maoism as a politico-religious form emerged in a society in the process of disintegration. It became crystallized as a response to the demands of rapid modernization. The Maoist belief system centers around the concept “people,” the ultimate sacred reality. Its ethic emphasizes ceaseless service to others, individual asceticism, and intensive practical activity as necessary to the achievement of social salvation and collective immortality. A number of ritual parallels are identified between Maoism and contemporary Christianity: the worship service and ministry, the initiation process, sin and atonement, and various initiative rituals. From an evolutionary perspective, both primitive and ultra-modern elements are identified in Maoism.
LAB-IN-A-BOX: semi-automatic tracking of activity in the medical office

Patient-centered healthcare and increased efficiency are major goals of modern medicine, and physician---patient interaction and communication are a cornerstone of clinical encounters. The introduction of the electronic health record (EHR) has been a key component in shaping not only organization, clinical workflow and ultimately physicians' clinical decision making, but also patient---physician communication in the medical office. In order to inform the design of future EHR interfaces and assess their impact on patient-centered healthcare, designers and researchers must understand the multimodal nature of the complex physician---patient---EHR system interaction. However, characterizing multimodal activity is difficult and expensive, often requiring manual coding of hours of video data. We present our Lab-in-a-Box solution that enables the capture of multimodal activity in real-world settings. We focus here on the medical office where our Lab-in-a-Box system exploits a range of sensors to track computer-based activity, speech interaction, visual attention and body movements, and automatically synchronize and segment this data. The fusion of multiple sensors allows us to derive initial activity segmentation and to visualize it for further interactive analysis. By empowering researchers with cutting-edge data collection tools and accelerating analysis of multimodal activity in the medical office, our Lab-in-a-Box has the potential to uncover important insights and inform the next generation of Health IT systems.
Iran and the Surrounding World: Interactions in Culture and Cultural Politics

The book review is for “Iran and the Surrounding World: Interactions in Culture and Cultural Politics,” edited by Nikki R. Keddie and Rudi Mathee.
Effect of pH, urea, peptide length, and neighboring amino acids on alanine α‐proton random coil chemical shifts

Accurate random coil alpha-proton chemical shift values are essential for precise protein structure analysis using chemical shift index (CSI) calculations. The current study determines the chemical shift effects of pH, urea, peptide length and neighboring amino acids on the alpha-proton of Ala using model peptides of the general sequence GnXaaAYaaGn, where Xaa and Yaa are Leu, Val, Phe, Tyr, His, Trp or Pro, and n = 1-3. Changes in pH (2-6), urea (0-1M), and peptide length (n = 1-3) had no effect on Ala alpha-proton chemical shifts. Denaturing concentrations of urea (8M) caused significant downfield shifts (0.10 +/- 0.01 ppm) relative to an external DSS reference. Neighboring aliphatic residues (Leu, Val) had no effect, whereas aromatic amino acids (Phe, Tyr, His and Trp) and Pro caused significant shifts in the alanine alpha-proton, with the extent of the shifts dependent on the nature and position of the amino acid. Smaller aromatic residues (Phe, Tyr, His) caused larger shift effects when present in the C-terminal position (approximately 0.10 vs. 0.05 ppm N-terminal), and the larger aromatic tryptophan caused greater effects in the N-terminal position (0.15 ppm vs. 0.10 C-terminal). Proline affected both significant upfield (0.06 ppm, N-terminal) and downfield (0.25 ppm, C-terminal) chemical shifts. These new Ala correction factors detail the magnitude and range of variation in environmental chemical shift effects, in addition to providing insight into the molecular level interactions that govern protein folding.
Pseudotumor of the orbit in early childhood.

Abstract Orbital pseudotumor, also known as idiopathic orbital inflammation, is defined as a nonspecific, nonneoplastic inflammatory process of the orbit without identifiable local or systemic causes. The disorder, first described by Birch-Hirschfield in 1905, 1 is more prevalent in the adult population than in the pediatric population. In our study we discuss two cases of pseudotumor of the orbit in children less than 18 months old. This report will highlight the evaluation and management of pediatric orbital pseudotumor and the importance of its inclusion in the differential diagnosis of orbital disorders in young children.
Image database categorization using robust unsupervised learning of finite generalized dirichlet mixture models

We propose a novel image database categorization approach using robust unsupervised learning of finite generalized dirichlet mixture models with feature discrimination. The proposed algorithm is based on optimizing an objective function that associates two types of memberships with each data sample. The first one is the posterior probability and indicates how well a sample fits each estimated distribution. The second membership represents the degree of typicality and is used to identify and discard noise points and outliers. In addition, RULe_GDM learns an optimal relevance weight for each feature subset within each cluster. These properties make RULe_GDM suitable for noisy and high-dimensional feature spaces. We also extend our algorithm to find the optimal number of clusters in an unsupervised and efficient way by exploiting some properties of the possibilistic membership function. RULe_GDM is used to categorize a collection of color images. The performance of RULe_GDM is illustrated and compared to similar algorithms.
Diagonal forms over finite fields

Abstract We shall establish for all finite fields GF(pn) the following result of Chowla: given a positive integer m greater than one and the finite field GF(p), p a prime, such that xm = −1 is solvable in GF(p), then there exists an absolute positive constant c, c ≤ 10 ln 2 , such that for each set of s nonzero elements ai of GF(p), a 1 x 1 m + ⋯ + a s x s m has a non-trivial zero in GF(p) if s ≥ c ln m.
The Relationship Between Curiosity and Cognitive Ability in Third- and Fifth-Grade Children

Abstract Individual differences on an established laboratory task of visual short-term novelty preferences were correlated with achievement test scores for 40 third-grade and 45 fifth-grade children. A positive correlation (r = .35, p < .002) for the total sample (N = 85) confirmed the often hypothesized influence of curiosity motivation on intellectual performance; subsample gender-grade inconsistencies were statistically interpreted as a consequence of errant individual strategies and limited variance in the novelty task. The relationships were cross-validated in a companion study with the same short-term novelty paradigm, but with a play construction task for novelty preferences and a different achievement test battery for second- and fifth-grade children. High correlations between teacher ratings of curiosity and achievement test scores, when analyzed by multiple regression procedures, seemed to be an artifact of teachers' knowledge of their students' intellectual status.
Ultra high-speed sorting.

Background: Cell sorting has a history dating back approximately 40 years. The main limitation has been that, although flow cytometry is a science, cell sorting has been an art during most of this time. Recent advances in assisting technologies have helped to decrease the amount of expertise necessary to perform sorting. Methods: Droplet-based sorting is based on a controlled disturbance of a jet stream dependent on surface tension. Sorting yield and purity are highly dependent on stable jet break-off position. System pressures and orifice diameters dictate the number of droplets per second, which is the sort rate limiting step because modern electronics can more than handle the higher cell signal processing rates. Results: Cell sorting still requires considerable expertise. Complex multicolor sorting also requires new and more sophisticated sort decisions, especially when cell subpopulations are rare and need to be extracted from background. High-speed sorting continues to pose major problems in terms of biosafety due to the aerosols generated. Conclusions: Cell sorting has become more stable and predictable and requires less expertise to operate. However, the problems of aerosol containment continue to make droplet-based cell sorting problematical. Fluid physics and cell viability restraints pose practical limits for high-speed sorting that have almost been reached. Over the next 5 years there may be advances in fluidic switching sorting in lab-on-a-chip microfluidic systems that could not only solve the aerosol and viability problems but also make ultra high-speed sorting possible and practical through massively parallel and exponential staging microfluidic architectures. q 2005 International Society for Analytical Cytology Key terms: cell sorting; ultra high speed; flow cytometry
Recurring bills and the legislative process in the US congress

Recurring bills may be interpreted in two very different ways. First, there is the ‘legislative loser’ perspective, which posits that legislators introduce bills repeatedly for symbolic reasons, not intending or expecting them to go very far. Alternatively, there is the ‘softening up’ perspective, which assumes that legislators introduce bills more than once for policy reasons. They first test the waters, making a second attempt more successful. In this research article, we test these assumptions by examining the legislative impact of recurring bill status at various stages in the US House and Senate: initial committee attention, committee passage, attachment to an omnibus package and enactment. The evidence is mixed for the first stage of the process, while the findings for subsequent stages support the softening up interpretation. We discuss the implications for representation and future research.
High-performance liquid chromatography of selenium compounds utilizing perfluorinated carboxylic acid ion-pairing agents and inductively coupled plasma and electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection.

Increasing speciation demands in clinical chemistry, toxicology and nutrition have made the determination of the total elements in a sample inadequate; the amount of an element and the chemical forms in which it is present need to be known. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used after high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation, as was electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The effect of variation of the number of carbon atoms in perfluorinated carboxylic acids used as ion-pairing agents for the separation of selenium compounds was examined. Trifluoroacetic acid (0.1%), pentafluoropropanoic acid (0.1%) or heptafluorobutanoic acid (0.1%; HFBA) were alternatively used as additives to methanol–water (1:99, v/v) solutions as mobile phases. Reversed-phase HPLC–ICP-MS with 0.1% HFBA in the mobile phase allowed more than 20 selenium compounds to be separated in 70 min in an isocratic elution mode; the separation of natural selenium-enriched sample extracts was examined and explained. The pH of the 0.1% HFBA solution was modified with hydrochloric acid or ammonia and the pH of the sample extracts before injection was modified in order to overcome unwanted double peak formation in the chromatograms of sample extracts. Oxidations of standard γ-glutamyl-Se-methylselenocysteine and Se-methylselenocysteine were carried out using 30% H2O2 solution and identifications of selenium-containing oxidation products were made using HPLC–ICP-MS and HPLC–ESI-MS. The principal organic oxidation product in both cases was methaneseleninic acid (MeSeO2H).
Substitutions in the Ca2Na6Al6Si6O24(SO4)2 haüyne structure

Abstract Four new hauynes having the chemical formula Ca2Na6Al6Si6O24(XO4)2, X = Se, Te, Mo and W, were synthesized by solid-state reaction. Various substitutions were then attempted for Ca, Na, Al and Si. The replacement of Ca2+ by Sr2+ or Cd2+ was successful in Ca2Na6Al6Si6O24(XO4)2, when X = S, Cr, Mo or W, except for Cd, when X = Cr. The synthesis of Mn2Na6Al6Si6O24(XO4)2 could be made when X was Mo or W, and, among the Pb substitutions tried, Pb2Na6Al6Si6O24(SO4)2 was successful. The solubility of Li, K and Ag was partial and was different in different hauynes. Maximum solubility of Li for Na was three atoms in Ca2Na6Al6Si6O24(SO4)2 and the minimum was half an atom in Ca2Na6Al6Si6O24(XO4)2, X = Mo or W. Maximum replacement of K or Ag for Na was two atoms in Ca2Na6Al6Si6O24(XO4)2, X = Mo or W and the minimum was 0.5 in Ca2Na6Al6Si6O24(SO4)2. The solubility of Li, K and Ag was 1.5 atoms in Ca2Na6Al6Si6O24(CrO4)2. The solubility of Ga3+ or Fe3+ for Al3+ was partial. A maximum of 0.5, 3 and 4 atoms of Ga3+ can be substituted for Al3+ in sulfate, chromate and molybdate or tungstate hauynes, respectively. The solubility of Fe3+ was one atom in all hauynes. The complete replacement of Si4+ by Ge4+ was possible in M2+2Na6Al6Si6O24(XO4)2, when M = Ca, Cd or Sr, and X = Mo or W.
A compact flush-mounting antenna with direction finding and steerable cardioid pattern capability

A flush-mounting antenna is described which could be used, in lieu of present antennas, to provide direction finding and steerable directional pattern capability in airborne beacon transponder systems. The antenna is comparable in size to the existing, omni-directional antennas presently used for air-traffic control and military identification, friend or foe (IFF) functions. The design and performance of an experimental model of the antenna are discussed.
Two cases of atlar anomalies

We present two cases with first cervical (atlas) vertebral anomalies. The individuals exhibiting these anomalies were recovered as part of the United States Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii's global mission to recover missing United States service personnel. Both of these anomalies were potentially clinically significant to the individuals in vivo but it appears that both managed to survive the hardships of military life until the incidents associated with their loss. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Levamisole toxicity mimicking autoimmune disease

Background Levamisole is present as a contaminant or additive in most cocaine sold in the United States. Cases of agranulocytosis attributed to levamisole-tainted cocaine have been widely described. A vasculopathic reaction to levamisole has also been reported; however, diagnostic features such as antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and additional autoimmune marker positivity are not well recognized. As such, many patients are given a misdiagnosis, prompting aggressive and often unnecessary treatment. Objective We hope to educate practitioners about the clinical and laboratory features of levamisole-induced vasculopathy to ensure accurate diagnosis and management. Methods This was a case series. Results Six patients were admitted with purpuric lesions and vasculitic changes on biopsy specimen; 5 of them were given the diagnosis of and treated for autoimmune conditions before their true diagnosis was revealed. All patients had ANCA positivity, and 4 had additional abnormalities in autoimmune markers. All patients reported recent cocaine abuse, and were ultimately given the diagnosis of levamisole-induced vasculopathy. Limitations This observational study is limited by sample size. Conclusions Patients presenting with purpuric lesions with ANCA positivity should be assessed for cocaine exposure. It is important to recognize that levamisole may not only induce ANCA positivity but also other autoimmune marker abnormalities. Patients can often be treated with less aggressive therapeutic strategies than what is used for primary ANCA-associated vasculitides.
Isomer Enumeration of Alkenes and Aliphatic Cyclopropane Derivatives

Two ways of evaluating alkenes taking cis−trans isomerism into account are pursued, one using the Redfield-Polya theorem, the other doing without. The geometric isomers of aliphatic cyclopropane derivatives are also enumerated and tabulated.
Evaluating the Irritation Potential of Skin Penetration Enhancers in the Hairless Guinea Pig

AbstractNine skin penetration enhancers were evaluated for skin irritation effects. The evaluation was done by a modified Draize test using the hairless guinea pig as a model. This model has the advantage that no hair clipping was necessary, compared with the normal guinea pig, rat, or rabbit model, and hence eliminated a possible source of error. Each animal was scored by seven observers for erythema/eschar formation and edema at 4, 24, 48, and 72 h after application of the test solution. The scoring used was defined by the Code of Federal Regulations. The scores were interpreted for irritation as defined by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. The compounds tested were solutions of N-N-diethyl-m-toluamide, l-dodecylazacycloheptan-2-one (azone), n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide, lauric acid, oleic acid, and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. A dilute solution of thioglycolic acid was used as a positive control. The results indicate tha...
Disseminated gonococcal infection

Abstract N. gonorrhoeae is an infection found only in humans. In the United States, an estimated 600,000 new cases occur each year, with the peak incidence occurring in the summer months. Adolescents and young adults are at the highest risk of infection. N. gonorrhoeae affects both men and women. Infection in men typically produces symptoms that lead patients to seek treatment. On the other hand, N. gonorrhoeae infection in women often is asymptomatic and can lead to sterility or ectopic gestation. N. gonorrhoeae becomes disseminated in 1–3% of all gonococcal infections. Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) usually presents as an arthritis-dermatitis syndrome; patients experience migrating polyarthalgias usually affecting the knees, elbows, and distal joints. Approximately 75% of patients have a characteristic dermatitis consisting of discrete papules and pustules with a hemorrhagic component. If untreated, the arthritis tends to progress in one to two joints, usually the knee, ankle, elbow, or wrist. Treatment consists of hospitalization, evaluation for serious sequelae such as endocarditis and meningitis, and antibiotic therapy. Additionally, the patient's partner also should be treated. Disseminated gonococcal infection can cause serious complications during pregnancy such as septic abortion or chorioamnionitis, as well as preterm labor and preterm premature rupture of membranes.
β-Lactamases from Actinopolyspora halophila, an extremely halophilic actinomycete

Actinopolyspora halophila, an extremely halophilic actinomycete, produced both cellular and exocellular β-lactamases when grown in liquid media containing 20% (w/v) NaCl. Maximal exocellular β-lactamase production occurred at 48 h growth and exceeded cellular enzyme levels 7-fold. Maximal cellular β-lactamase was observed at 72 h as cultures achieved full growth. Both β-lactamases were purified to molecular homogeneity by a sequence involving gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-100, DEAE Bio-Gel A chromatography, preparative isoelectric focusing, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75. Cellular β-lactamase was purified 99-fold with 12% recovery and had a molecular weight of 42,200, and an isoelectric point of 4.15. Exocellular β-lactamase was 12-fold purified with 1.2% recovery of initial activity and had a molecular weight of 38,000 and an isoelectric point of 3.85. Its specific activity was 7-fold greater than that of the cellular enzyme. A variety of penicillin and cephalosporin substrates were degraded by both enzymes. While the cellular β-lactamase degraded phenoxymethylpenicillin, methicillin, and cephaloglycin most efficiently, the exocellular enzyme was most active against methicillin, carbenicillin, ampicillin, and cephalosporin C. Both enzymes were stimulated and protected from thermal deactivation by NaCl but not KCl or MgCl2-Neither enzyme was inhibited by iodine.
Evaluation of multiband signal-to-clutter ratio as a performance metric for multispectral detection

There is currently great interest in determining optimal multiband sensor parameters for detection of tactical targets with known and unknown spectral signatures.1,2 Because many of the algorithms used to evaluate these parameters are iterative and computationally expensive, and generating receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves requires that large amounts of data be processed at each parameter setting, it is desirable to have a quick and easy way to measure performance with a given set of parameters. The hope is that this performance metric will prove to have a direct relationship to ROC performance.
AML1/ETO-expressing nonleukemic stem cells in acute myelogenous leukemia with 8;21 chromosomal translocation

Leukemia-specific AML1/ETO transcripts are detectable in most patients with t(8;21) acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in long-term remission. To understand the inconsistency between the clinical cure and the presence of “residual disease” at a molecular level, we separated and identified the cells expressing AML1/ETO by phenotype and function. Here we demonstrate that AML1/ETO transcripts are present in a fraction of stem cells, monocytes, and B cells in remission marrow, and in a fraction of B cells in leukemic marrow, but not in T cells. AML1/ETO transcripts also were demonstrated in a fraction of colony-forming cells of erythroid, granulocyte-macrophage, and/or megakaryocyte lineages in both leukemic and remission marrow. These data strongly suggest that the acquisition of the t(8;21) occurs at the level of stem cells capable of differentiating into B cells as well as all myeloid lineages, and that a fraction of the AML1/ETO-expressing stem cells undergo additional oncogenic event(s) that ultimately leads to transformation into AML.
Potential impact of age- and education-corrected scores on HRNB score patterns in participants with focal brain injury.

Abstract Heaton, Grant, and Matthews (1991) presented an alternate scoring system for the Halstead–Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRNB) using age-, education-, and gender-corrected T scores to replace the raw score system traditionally employed with the test. This study addressed the impact of using this system on the score patterns generated by the HRNB in 64 clients with localized injuries to one of four quadrants of the brain. Results showed that the raw scores show more overall impairment than do the T scores, but overall the systems are statistically equal in their ability to separate the localized groups. The patterns of differences among the systems also differ. Although these findings suggest overall equivalence of the systems, they also show that each may have strengths that will show up in different analyses. A process of using both scoring systems for their own unique information is advocated as most appropriate at the current time until additional research addresses the questions raised in this study and elsewhere.
An optimal design of PD-type iterative learning control with monotonic convergence

Iterative learning control (ILC) is a technique to make use of the repetitiveness of the tasks a system is commanded to execute in a fixed finite time interval. In this paper, we assume that a measured finite impulse response series of the plant to be controlled is available. We present an optimal design procedure for the commonly used PD-type ILC updating law. The monotonic convergence in a suitable norm topology other than the exponentially weighted sup-norm is emphasized. For practical reasons, an averaged difference formula for a numerical derivative estimate is preferred over the conventional one step backward difference method for smoothing out the high frequency noise. From the analysis, we show a trade-off between noise suppression and the rate of monotonic convergence of the ILC process.
Liver metastases induce reversible hepatic B cell dysfunction mediated by Gr-1+CD11b+ myeloid cells

LM escape immune surveillance, in part, as a result of the expansion of CD11b+MC, which alter the intrahepatic microenvironment to promote tumor tolerance. HBC make up a significant proportion of liver lymphocytes and appear to delay tumor progression; however, their significance in the setting of LM is poorly defined. Therefore, we characterized HBC and HBC/CD11b+MC interactions using a murine model of LM. Tumor-bearing livers showed a trend toward elevated absolute numbers of CD19+ HBC. A significant increase in the frequency of IgM(lo)IgD(hi) mature HBC was observed in mice with LM compared with normal mice. HBC derived from tumor-bearing mice demonstrated increased proliferation in response to TLR and BCR stimulation ex vivo compared with HBC from normal livers. HBC from tumor-bearing livers exhibited significant down-regulation of CD80 and were impaired in inducing CD4(+) T cell proliferation ex vivo. We implicated hepatic CD11b+MC as mediators of CD80 down-modulation on HBC ex vivo via a CD11b-dependent mechanism that required cell-to-cell contact and STAT3 activity. Therefore, CD11b+MC may compromise the ability of HBC to promote T cell activation in the setting of LM as a result of diminished expression of CD80. Cross-talk between CD11b+MC and HBC may be an important component of LM-induced immunosuppression.
Ka-band high efficiency power amplifier MMIC with 0.30 mu m MESFET for high volume applications

A single-ended three-stage MESFET power amplifier designed for high-volume, low-cost applications shows an average of 15-21% power added efficiency in Ka-band with 100-150 mW of power output over 30-35 GHz. Delta >
Evaluation of Corn Germplasm Lines for Multiple Ear-Colonizing Insect and Disease Resistance

Ear-colonizing insects and diseases that reduce yield and impose health threats by mycotoxin contaminations in the grain, are critical impediments for corn (Zea mays L.) production in the southern United States. Ten germplasm lines from the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) Program in Ames, IA, and Raleigh, NC, and 10 lines (derived from GEM germplasm) from the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Lubbock, TX, were examined in 2007 and 2008 with local resistant and susceptible controls. Four types of insect damage and smut disease (Ustilago maydis) infection, as well as gene X environment (G X E) interaction, was assessed on corn ears under field conditions. Insect damage on corn ears was further separated as cob and kernel damage. Cob penetration rating was used to assess corn earworm [Helicoverpa zea (Boddie)] and fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)] feeding on corn cobs, whereas kernel damage was assessed using three parameters: 1) percentage of kernels discolored by stink bugs (i.e., brown stink bug [Euschistus serous (Say)], southern green stink bug [Nezara viridula (L.)], and green stink bug [Chinavia (Acrosternum) hilare (Say)]; 2) percentage of maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky)-damaged kernels; and 3) percentage of kernels damaged by sap beetle (Carpophilus spp.), "chocolate milkworm" (Moodna spp.), and pink scavenger caterpillar [Pyroderces (Anatrachyntis) rileyi (Walsingham)]. The smut infection rates on ears, tassels, and nodes also were assessed. Ear protection traits (i.e., husk tightness and extension) in relation to insect damage and smut infection also were examined. Significant differences in insect damage, smut infection, and husk protection traits were detected among the germplasm lines. Three of the 20 germplasm lines were identified as being multiple insect and smut resistant. Of the three lines, entries 5 and 7 were derived from DKXL370, which was developed using corn germplasm from Brazil, whereas entry 14 was derived from CUBA117.
Broadband direct frequency comb spectroscopy in the mid-infrared

Frequency-comb-based Fourier transform spectrometer operating in the 2100–3600 cm−1 range is presented. System allows rapid acquisition of broadband high resolution (120 MHz) spectra, detecting ppb-level concentrations of various molecules in 30s.
Labor‐Welfare Linkages and the Imperative of Organizing Low‐Wage Women Workers

Many recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families transitioning into the workforce face depressing prospects of low-wage work, limited opportunities for economic advancement, and huge struggles in balancing demands of work and family. Welfare policy must be overhauled to address these problems, not merely to achieve reductions in caseloads. As welfare recipients are transformed into low-wage workers, unionization can be a potent method of raising incomes. Other labor movement endeavors such as living-wage campaigns and policy advocacy are also necessary to address the needs of these as yet unorganized workers.
Sudden Deafness and Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Infarction

Background and Purpose— Acute ischemic stroke in the distribution of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is known to be associated with vertigo, nystagmus, facial weakness, and gait ataxia. Few reports have carefully examined the deafness associated with the AICA infarction. Furthermore, previous neurological reports have not emphasized the inner ear as a localization of sudden deafness. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of deafness associated with the AICA infarction and the sites predominantly involved in deafness. Methods— Over 2 years, we prospectively identified 12 consecutive patients with unilateral AICA infarction diagnosed by brain MRI. Pure-tone audiogram, speech discrimination testing, stapedial reflex testing, and auditory brainstem response were performed to localize the site of lesion in the auditory pathways. Electronystagmography was also performed to evaluate the function of the vestibular system. Results— The most common affected site on brain MRI was the ...
Control of metal impurities in "dirty" multicrystalline silicon for solar cells

Abstract The rapid growth of the global photovoltaics (PV) industry is increasingly limited by the availability of suitable Si feedstock material. Therefore, it is very important to explore new approaches that might allow processing of solar cells with satisfactory energy conversion efficiency based on inexpensive feedstock material with less stringent impurity control, i.e., “dirty” silicon. Our detailed studies of the distribution of metal impurity clusters in multicrystalline Si have demonstrated that cells with the same total impurity content can have widely different minority carrier diffusion lengths based on the distribution of the metals, i.e., whether they are dispersed throughout the material or concentrated in a few, large clusters. Possible approaches to defect engineering of metal clusters in silicon are discussed.
In vivo analysis of an essential myosin light chain mutation linked to familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Abstract —Mutations in cardiac motor protein genes are associated with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Mutations in both the regulatory (Glu22Lys) and essential light chains (Met149Val) result in an unusual pattern of hypertrophy, leading to obstruction of the midventricular cavity. When a human genomic fragment containing the Met149Val essential myosin light chain was used to generate transgenic mice, the phenotype was recapitulated. To unambiguously establish a causal relationship for the regulatory and essential light chain mutations in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, we generated mice that expressed either the wild-type or mutated forms, using cDNA clones encompassing only the coding regions of the gene loci. Expression of the proteins did not lead to a hypertrophic response, even in senescent animals. Changes did occur at the myofilament and cellular levels, with the myofibrils showing increased Ca2+ sensitivity and significant deficits in relaxation in a transgene dose–dependent manner. Clearly, mice do not always recapitulate important aspects of human hypertrophy. However, because of the discordance of these data with data obtained in transgenic mice containing the human genomic fragment, we believe that the concept that these point mutations by themselves can cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy should be revisited.
Hybrid dynamic load balancing for distributed-memory multicomputers

The hybrid load balancer allows all the processors in a multicomputer to cooperate on the solution of a single problem. The major features are its dual modes of operation that allow it to adapt to changing system loads and a completely distributed mechanism for deciding which mode should be used. The hybrid load balancer enables Common Lisp programs to be run in parallel with appreciable speedups, as demonstrated. >
A “Total Evidence” Analysis of the Phylogenetic Relationships among the Photosynthetic Stramenopiles

Abstract Phylogenetic relationships among the nine major autotrophic stramenopile taxa were inferred in a combined analysis of the rbcL, SSU rDNA, partial LSU rRNA, carotenoid, and ultrastructural data sets. The structure of the shortest combined tree is: (Outgroup, ((((Bacillariophyceae, (Pelagophyceae,Dictyochophyceae)),((Phaeophyceae,Xanthophyceae),Raphidophyceae)),Eustigmatophyceae),(Chrysophyceae,Synurophyceae))). The Synurophyceae/Chrysophyceae is the best supported group followed by the Phaeophyceae/Xanthophyceae and the Pelagophyceae/Dictyochophyceae clades. The monophyletic groups composed of Bacillariophyceae/Pelagophyceae/Dictyochophyceae and Phaeophyceae/Xanthophyceae/Raphidophyceae received the lowest Bremer support values. The optimal combined tree suggests that the diatom frustule is derived from the siliceous “skeleton” in Dictyochophyceae, that the reduced flagellar apparatus arose once in the Bacillariophyceae/Dictyochophyceae/Pelagophyceae clade, and that the specific photoreceptor-eyespot apparatus in Chrysophyceae and the Phaeophyceae/Xantophyceae clade originated independently within the autotrophic stramenopiles. Despite conflicts in tree structure between the most-parsimonious combined phylogeny and the optimal tree(s) of each data partition, it cannot be concluded that extensive incongruence exists between the data sets.
All-digital reverse modulation architecture based carrier recovery implementation for GMSK and compatible FQPSK

A carrier recovery circuit implementation with an all-digital reverse modulation approach for coherent detection in the GSM/GMSK system as well as the GMSK compatible improved efficiency cross-correlated FQPSK system is presented. The proposed carrier recovery implementation utilizes all-digital reverse modulation circuit in a feedback loop to remove the modulated signal from the received intermediate frequency (IF) signal and to estimate the phase error of this carrier signal using a phase-locked loop (PLL). The digital reverse modulation approach avoids the multipliers required in an analog reverse modulation design, so that it can be implemented in a single chip FPGA. Hardware implementation of the coherent detection demonstrates that cross-correlated FQPSK is completely compatible with GMSK in the system performance and the receiver structure for GSM. Experimental performance evaluations show that the proposed carrier recovery circuit provides a Bit Error Rate (BER) performance within 0.3 dB in a non-linearly amplified channel corrupted by additive white Gaussian noise (AWCN) as compared with the simulated performance of the GSM/GMSK system.
Calcium and pH influence on orange juice cloud stability

BACKGROUND: Clarification of citrus juice is a severe quality defect related to pectin methylesterase (PME) activity. PME activity and calcium chelation of pectic acid as well as other physical interactions of cloud components influence cloud stability. The cloud stability and physical properties of pulp-free, fresh juice with and without ammonium oxalate (AO) at pH 4.0 and pH 5.5 was evaluated. RESULTS: The only juice to clarify in the 3-week study was the sample without AO at pH 4.0. Particle size analysis showed that the samples at pH 4.0 were larger than those at pH 5.5, and samples at pH 5.5 had a more negative zeta potential than samples at pH 4.0. Furthermore, cloud particle size increased and then decreased prior to the onset of clarification. CONCLUSION: Ammonium oxalate prevented sedimentation via calcium pectate cross-bridges and subsequent clarification. Interaction of cloud constituents, change in particle size with pH and change in particle size with storage time suggest that, in addition to electrostatic attraction and calcium binding, cloud particles associate and dissociate via non-covalent, non-electrostatic interactions. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Prognostic Utility of ST2 in Patients with Acute Dyspnea and Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

BACKGROUND: Soluble ST2 (sST2), an interleukin-1 receptor family member, is an emerging risk indicator for patients with cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the prognostic role of sST2 for patients presenting to the emergency department with acute dyspnea, with a focus on those with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≥50%), as risk stratification is often most complex in this subgroup. METHODS: We conducted a post hoc analysis of 387 patients [39% female, mean (SD) age 57.6 (14.5) years] presenting to the emergency department with dyspnea and followed for 1 year (97% complete follow-up). We examined clinical data, concentrations of serum biomarkers [sST2, amino-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)], and transthoracic echocardiography. RESULTS: Patients had a median sST2 concentration of 38.4 U/mL [interquartile range (IQR) 25.5–64 U/mL]. Forty-six patients (12%) died during follow-up. Log sST2 [hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) 2.85 (2.04–3.99), P < 0.001rsqb] and log NT-proBNP [1.28 (1.13–1.45), P < 0.001] concentrations were significant predictors of mortality at 1 year. After multivariate adjustment, only sST2 remained predictive of mortality [per log: 2.14 (1.37–3.38), P = 0.001]. In the subpopulation of individuals with normal systolic function (n = 200), only sST2 continued to predict mortality after multivariate adjustment [per log: 2.57 (1.12–5.91), P = 0.03]. Only NT-proBNP, but not sST2, concentrations correlated with multiple echocardiographic indices of left ventricular diastolic function. CONCLUSIONS: sST2 is a strong predictor of mortality in patients presenting with acute dyspnea, particularly those with preserved LVEF, and may be useful for triage and risk stratification of this challenging group.
Characterization of the decay-accelerating factor gene promoter region

Abstract Decay-accelerating factor (DAF) expression modulates susceptibility of cells to autologous complement attack. To characterize the regulatory region controlling DAF gene transcription, genomic DNA extending from 815 base pairs (bp) upstream to approximately 4 kilobases downstream of DAF's AUG codon (designated +1) was cloned and sequenced. The 5' flanking sequence showed 59-76% G + C content (-355 to +1), at least one GC box(es) (-135 to -131), and variable length sequences (from -629 to -285) conforming to the motifs TCCTCC and TCn. Nuclease S1 digestions and primer extensions localized a major transcriptional start site to -82/-81, 38 bp downstream of a possible TATA variant, (A)TTTAA. In COS cell transfections, the sequence encompassing -815 to -67 functioned 2.5% as efficiently as the Rous sarcoma virus 3' long terminal repeat, but following deletion upstream of -355 its activity increased approximately 4-fold. Two octanucleotides exhibiting partial homology to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and cAMP responsive elements (PREs and CREs, respectively) were detected, and the respective modulators enhanced transcriptional efficiency 2- and approximately 10-fold, respectively. Thus, the DAF gene promoter (i) exhibits sequences resembling both conventional and unconventional transcriptional control elements, (ii) possesses a region with negative regulatory activity, and (iii) responds to PMA and cAMP induction presumably via PRE- and CRE-like enhancer elements.
An approach for mapping light-use efficiency on regional scales using satellite observations

Light-use-efficiency (LUE), which is the ratio of carbon dioxide uptake to intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR) for a plant canopy, is a simple way to characterize plant productivity. By combining the concept of LUE with a stomatal-response model for leaves that is adapted to canopies, the authors have derived a simple analytical biophysical (SAB) model of canopy assimilation and conductance that agrees with a detailed soil-plant-atmosphere model named Cupid under a range of conditions. Assimilation predictions from this SAB model include effects of IPAR, carbon dioxide concentration, atmospheric humidity, temperature and available soil water. This SAB model has been integrated into a two-source model for estimating surface energy balance components from satellite observations (vegetation index, albedo, surface radiometric temperature) along with plant type and ground measurements of wind speed and atmospheric lapse rates. By obtaining an estimate of vapor pressure near the surface, which is possible from a combination of surface synoptic network measurements and sunrise surface temperature measurements from a satellite like GOES, the LUE can be estimated. Predictions from the SAB model compare reasonably with measurements from FIFE.