cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hyaluronidase activity and hyaluronate content of the developing chick embryo heart.

Abstract Hyaluronidase activity and hyaluronate content were measured in the developing chick heart from embryonic day 3 through posthatching stages. High levels of both enzyme and substrate were found during the earliest stages examined. Hyaluronidase activity gradually declined to 63% of the initial (day 3) level by embryonic day 16. Enzyme activity decreased more sharply during the next 4 days to 30% of the initial level and remained constant through 2 weeks after hatching. Low levels of enzyme activity (about 10% initial levels) were still detectable in 10-week-old chicken hearts. The heart hyaluronidase is an endoglycosidase with an estimated molecular weight of 62,000, which degrades hyaluronate and, to a lesser extent, chondroitin sulfate at an acid pH optimum. Hyaluronate constituted approximately 50% of the total glycosaminoglycan content at embryonic day 5. Between embryonic days 5 and 12, the concentration of hyaluronate decreased to 25–30% of the initial level and remained constant thereafter. The level of other glycosaminoglycans decreased more gradually than hyaluronate and did not reach a constant level until hatching. This pattern of hyaluronidase activity and hyaluronate concentration presumably reflects the extensive tissue remodeling which transforms the developing heart from a thin-walled tube containing extensive regions of extracellular matrix to a compact, thick-walled myocardium having a limited extracellular compartment.
Fractal analysis of high-resolution CT images as a tool for quantification of lung diseases

Fractal geometry is increasingly being used to model complex naturally occurring phenomena. There are two types of fractals in nature-geometric fractals and stochastic fractals. The pulmonary branching structure is a geometric fractal and the intensity of its grey scale image is a stochastic fractal. In this paper, we attempt to quantify the texture of CT lung images using properties of both types of fractals. A simple algorithm for detection of abnormality in human lungs, based on 2D and 3D fractal dimensions, is presented. This method involves calculating the local fractal dimensions, based on intensities, in the 2D slice to aid enhancement. Following this, grey level thresholding is performed and a global fractal dimension, based on structure, for the entire data is estimated in 2D and 3D. High resolution CT images of normal and abnormal lungs were analyzed. Preliminary results showed that classification of normal and abnormal images could be obtained based on the differences between their global fractal dimensions.
DROUGHT STRESS RESPONSES OF MICROSERIS SPECIES DIFFERING IN NUCLEAR DNA CONTENT

Afin de tester l'hypothese que le contenu en ADN peut etre adaptatif par ses effets sur le volume cellulaire, on compare M. bigelovii (petites cellules) et M. laciniata (grosses cellules) croissant dans des conditions normales ou de secheresse
Whirlpools in the Sea: Polarization of Antiquarks in a Spinning Proton

We argue that the sea of virtual quark-antiquark pairs in a proton is polarized. Quantum chromodynamics allows a valence quark to emit a gluon which then produces pairs. If the parent quark in this process exhibits a ${(1\ensuremath{-}x)}^{3}$ behavior as $x\ensuremath{\rightarrow}1$ then the antiquark with helicity the same as the original quark will have a leading ${(1\ensuremath{-}x)}^{5}$ distribution. Implications for the counting rules and for polarized Drell-Yan annihilation are discussed.
U-Th-Pb ages of sphene and zircon from the Hida metamorphic terrain, Japan

Abstract Four sphenes as well as six zircons, three of which coexist with sphene, from the igneous and metamorphic rocks of the Hida metamorphic terrain, Japan, were analyzed for U-Th-Pb ages. The sphene and zircon U-Th-Pb ages generally agree with each other at about 240 m.y. This suggests that the Hida metamorphic terrain was regionally metamorphosed about 240 m.y. ago, while the igneous activity represented by the Funatsu granite and uplifting of the terrain took place about 180 m.y. ago all over the metamorphic region. Although K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages of biotite were lowered to 180 m.y. as a result of this igneous activity and uplifting, U-Th-Pb ages of sphene and zircon were not affected strongly and retained the age of the metamorphism. This result may indicate the use of sphene as a suitable mineral for establishing the time of the metamorphism, even if it is relatively young.
Thin‐film boundary conditions

A set of boundary conditions for general thin-film structures is derived, which includes special cases of a resistive card and a thin coating over perfect electric conductors. The use of such boundary conditions in an analytical method, the method of moments, or the finite element method offers three distinct advantages: (i) the boundary conditions are much simpler, which makes the integral equation or the variational equation formulation simpler, (ii) the number of unknowns is reduced, and (iii) the numerical solution is more stable. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Synthesis of novel pentafluorosulfanylfurans. Two retro-Diels-Alder approaches.

The first examples of furan substituted with an SF5 group are reported. 3-Pentafluorosulfanylfurans were prepared from their respective 2-pentafluorosulfanyl-5-cyano-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene precursors via retro-Diels−Alder reactions. Also, a tandem cycloaddition/retrocycloaddition reaction between 4-phenyloxazole and 1-pentafluorosulfanylhex-1-yne was used to prepare 3-pentafluorosulfanyl-4-butylfuran.
Stable van der Waals-induced deformations of the air-water interface. Theoretical predictions and a suggestion for an experiment

This article concerns the stability of the air-water interface subjected to a 2D attractive van der Waals stress. The physical problem models the setup of a Wilhelmy plate experiment prior to three-phase contact line formation. We present and employ an unambiguous condition to quantify the stability limit in terms of the distance of closest approach of a solid cylindrical plate of parabolic cross section to the fluid surface as a function of the strength of the van der Waals surface force and plate geometry. A numerical study spanning 4 orders of magnitude of the Hamaker constant and nearly 6 orders of magnitude of solid geometry characterizes the dependence of the stability limit on these physical parameters. Comparisons are also made with a previously published analytical condition guaranteeing a stable deformation of the fluid interface. A possible experiment for testing the theory is also described. Used together with the theory, the technique could be used as an independent means of determining system properties such as the surface tension or Hamaker constant. © 2006 American Chemical Society.
Increased intracellular pH at the macula densa activates nNOS during tubuloglomerular feedback

Increased intracellular pH at the macula densa activates nNOS during tubuloglomerular feedback. Background The macula densa senses increasing NaCl concentrations in tubular fluid and increases afferent arteriole tone by a process known as tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). Nitric oxide (NO) production by macula densa neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is enhanced by increasing NaCl in the macula densa lumen, and the NO thus formed inhibits TGF. Blocking apical Na + /H + exchange with amiloride augments TGF and mimics the effect of nNOS inhibition. We hypothesized that increasing NaCl in the macula densa lumen raises macula densa intracellular pH (pH i ) and activates nNOS. Methods The thick ascending limb and a portion of the distal tubule with intact macula densa plaque adherent to the glomerulus were microdissected and perfused. Macula densa perfusate was changed from a low (10 mmol/L) to high NaCl solution (80 mmol/L) to mimic the conditions that induce TGF. Osmolality of both solutions was 180 mOsm, so that changing the solutions did not alter cell volume. Results Macula densa pH i increased significantly from 7.0 ± 0.5 to 7.8 ± 0.6 when the perfusate was changed from low to high ( P N = 5). When amiloride was added to inhibit Na + /H + exchange, the increase in pH i during TGF was blocked ( N = 5). Fluorescence intensity of DAF-2, an NO-sensitive dye, increased by 28.8 ± 4.1% after increasing luminal NaCl ( N = 5), indicating an increase in NO production. In the presence of the Na + /H + exchanger inhibitor amiloride or the nNOS inhibitor 7-NI, the increase in NO induced by switching the macula densa perfusate from low to high was blunted. To study whether changes in pH i can directly alter NO production, we used nigericin, a K + /H + ionophore, to equilibrate luminal and intracellular pH. When macula densa pH was raised from 7.3 to 7.8 in the presence of 10 −5 mol/L nigericin in the low NaCl solution, fluorescence of DAF-2 in the macula densa increased by 17.9 ± 1.3% ( P N = 5). In the presence of 7-NI, the increase in NO induced by raising pH i was blocked ( N = 5). Conclusion We concluded that macula densa pH i increases during TGF, and this increase in pH i activates nNos.
The effect of parameter uncertainty on a novel insulin bolus calculator

A simple control law is derived from the eponymous Bergman Minimal Model with the aim of implementing patient specific insulin injections. The Fisher Information Matrix is used to form an approximate necessary condition for the a posteriori identifiability of the Bergman Minimal Model's parameters from home-use continuous glucose measurements. It is shown that despite parameter uncertainty control moves based on the control law are not subject to physiologically significant variability.
A short-pulse X-ray beamline for spectroscopy and scattering

Experimental facilities for picosecond X-ray spectroscopy and scattering based on RF deflection of stored electron beams face a series of optical design challenges. Beamlines designed around such a source enable time-resolved diffraction, spectroscopy and imaging studies in chemical, condensed matter and nanoscale materials science using few-picosecond-duration pulses possessing the stability, high repetition rate and spectral range of synchrotron light sources. The RF-deflected chirped electron beam produces a vertical fan of undulator radiation with a correlation between angle and time. The duration of the X-ray pulses delivered to experiments is selected by a vertical aperture. In addition to the radiation at the fundamental photon energy in the central cone, the undulator also emits the same photon energy in concentric rings around the central cone, which can potentially compromise the time resolution of experiments. A detailed analysis of this issue is presented for the proposed SPXSS beamline for the Advanced Photon Source. An optical design that minimizes the effects of off-axis radiation in lengthening the duration of pulses and provides variable X-ray pulse duration between 2.4 and 16 ps is presented.
The Effect of Relationship on Children's Distributive Justice Reasoning

Kindergarten, third-grade, and sixth-grade children were told 2 stories about a group of children who made artwork that was subsequently sold at a craft fair. The characters in one story were described as friends, while the characters in the other story were described as strangers (relationship condition). 1 character in each story was presented as the oldest in the group, 1 as the most productive, and 1 as the poorest. Children were asked to allocate 9 dollars to the 3 characters under each relationship condition, provide rationales for those allocations, and rate the fairness of 4 different patterns of allocation. Older children allocated more money to needy friends than to needy strangers and more to productive strangers than to productive friends. Kindergartners' allocations and fairness ratings did not vary with relationship. Rationales for allocation judgements suggested that equality was the most salient principle for decisions at all ages, but the older children provided rationales based on benevolence more often than younger children when characters were presented as friends.
A subtle case of hydroxychloroquine retinopathy: spectral domain optical coherence tomography findings

A subtle case of hydroxychloroquine retinopathy: spectral domain optical coherence tomography findings
Structural model for T-cell recognition of HLA class II-associated alloepitopes.

Abstract In an effort to investigate the structure-function relationship of HLA class II molecules vis-a-vis alloepitope expression, cloned T-cell reagents were used to define polymorphic epitopes associated with DR and DQ molecules. DNA sequences of genes encoding allelic or isotypic DR or DQ molecules that appear to express the same T-cell-defined epitopes were compared in an attempt to identify association of shared sequences with shared epitopes. When sequence sharing is associated with shared epitope expression, we suggest that it is the shared sequence that encodes the epitope in question. Based on the hypothetical three-dimensional structure of the class II molecule, an approximation is made as to which parts of the HLA class II molecule are involved in alloepitope expression. T-cell clones were generated from cells primed against HLA-DR2 haplotypes representing the cellularly defined subgroups Dw2 or Dw21 (previously designated MN2, FJO, or Tb24). Those clones determined to be DR- or DQ-directed based on monoclonal antibody inhibition assays were tested by panel cell analysis utilizing DR2-positive and DR2-negative target cells. The data support the concept that amino acids 67, 70, 71, and 74 for DR molecules and amino acids 57, 70, and 71 for DQ molecules, which appear to comprise one face of the α helix, are of primary importance in T-cell recognition. In other cases, sharing of both the second hypervariable region (amino acids 25–33) and the third hypervariable region (amino acids 67–74) appears necessary to explain epitope sharing for DR molecules. We emphasize that the involvement of these two hypervariable regions may indicate that alloepitope expression involves the complex of class II molecule plus peptide, with the second HVR primarily involved in determining which peptides are bound and the third in T-cell receptor (TcR) recognition and/or peptide binding; we do not rule out that conformational changes of the second HVR can induce conformational changes in the third HVR. Finally, shared alloepitopes detected by some clones could not be explained based on shared primary sequences.
Water Permeability,Lp, of the Mouse Sperm Plasma Membrane and Its Activation Energy Are Strongly Dependent on Interaction of the Plasma Membrane with the Sperm Cytoskeleton☆☆☆

Two parameters fundamental to cell cryobiology are the water permeability (hydraulic conductivity),Lp, and its activation energy,EA. TheLpcan be calculated from two experimental determinations: the critical osmolality, Osmcrit, at which 50% of the cells lyse, and the time,tcrit, to 50% lysis in a highly hyposmotic medium, based on the assumption that the cells swell to lysis with minimal resistance to swelling. We have reported [Cryobiology32,220–238 (1995)] that mouse sperm in hyposmotic medium show minimal swelling and so fail to meet this assumption. The concept that resistance to swelling was due to anchoring of the plasma membrane through cytoskeletal interaction was examined by treating mouse sperm with 5 μMcytochalasin D to depolymerize the cytoskeletal filamentous actin (f-actin), whose presence was established by staining with fluorescently labeled phalloidin. Diminution of fluorescence due to loss of f-actin induced by cytochalasin D was shown by flow cytometry. Mouse sperm treated with cytochalasin D showed tail curling in hyposmotic medium, similar to that observed with bovine and human sperm, indicating that the standard swelling model was applicable to these cells. Two sets ofLpvalues were calculated fromtcrit: one using individual means of Osmcritand one using the mean of means of Osmcritbetween 37 and 4°C, as these individual means were not significantly different. Values (μm·min−1·atm−1), respectively, were 9.95, 7.15 (37°C); 1.51, 0.91 (22°C); 0.54, 0.78 (12°C); 0.47, 0.50 (4°C); 0.33 (0°C); and 0.36 (−3°C). Arrhenius plots gaveEA= 13.7 and 11.7 kcal/mol, respectively. Values oft1/2were calculated from the first-order rate constants characterizing the kinetics of cell lysis at the higher four temperatures;Lpvalues calculated from these, and the two sets of Osmcritvalues described were 5.70, 4.09 (37°C); 1.18, 0.71 (22°C); 0.62, 0.90 (12°C); and 0.34, 0.37 (4°C). Arrhenius plots gaveEA= 14.2 and 11.0 kcal/mol, respectively. We propose that theseEAvalues are characteristic of the plasma membrane relatively unperturbed by cytoskeletal interactions. In untreated sperm, decrease ofLpwith decreasing temperature and presence of cryoprotectant and the cytoskeletal interactions all act to hamper the sperm cells’ ability to respond to osmotic stress encountered during freezing and thawing, such that these cells are especially sensitive to cryodamage.
Topographic organization of the optic radiation of the cat.

Pairs of injections of different neuroanatomical tracers--peroxidase-conjugated wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA) and [3H]proline--were made into the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the cat, and the course of the labeled fibers in the optic radiation was reconstructed. When the two injections were widely separated in the rostrocaudal dimension of the LGN (i.e., one in the representation of the lower quadrant of the visual field and one in the upper quadrant), the two sets of labeled fibers also remained separated in the long (roughly rostrocaudal) axis of the optic radiation. When the injections were widely separated in the mediolateral dimension of the LGN (i.e., one at the representation of the area centralis and one on the horizontal meridian in the far periphery of the field), the two sets of labeled fibers were separated in the short (mediolateral) dimension of the radiation. Shortly before reaching area 17, however, the medially and laterally placed fibers exchanged positions. This crossing is the basis of the topological inversion in the optic radiation deduced previously by Connolly and Van Essen (J. Comp. Neurol. 226:544-564, '84). The retinotopic organization of fibers in the radiation is less precise (in either dimension) than that of their terminal arborizations in visual cortex, but even injections as close as 1 mm to each other gave rise to spatially distinct fiber distributions. The WGA injections also labeled the corticogeniculate fibers by retrograde transport; these fibers traveled in a separate pathway medial to the optic radiation.
The effects of test anxiety and task variables on predecisional information search

Abstract This study examined high and low test anxious subjects' search for information prior to making a decision. Task variables were high and low performance evaluation pressure; high, medium, and low task complexity; and important versus unimportant decisions. In general it was found that high anxious subjects inspected more information, and that more of it was redundant, than did low anxious subjects. The amount of information inspected was influenced by all three task variables in addition to anxiety; task complexity and decision importance, but not evaluation pressure, as well as anxiety influenced the amount of reinspection (redundancy) of information. The implications for future research are discussed in terms of further laboratory studies and of linking laboratory and nonlaboratory studies in which decision making effectiveness plays an important role.
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome(HLHS) refers to the abnormal development of the left-sided cardiac structures, resulting in obstruction to blood flow from the left ventricular outflow tract. In addition, the syndrome includes underdevelopment of the left ventricle, aorta, and aortic arch, as well as mitral atresia or stenosis. HLHS has been reported to occur in approximately 0.016 to 0.036% of all live births. Newborn infants with the condition generally are born at full term and initially appear healthy. As the arterial duct closes, the systemic perfusion becomes decreased, resulting in hypoxemia, acidosis, and shock. Usually, no heart murmur, or a non-specific heart murmur, may be detected. The second heart sound is loud and single because of aortic atresia. Often the liver is enlarged secondary to congestive heart failure. The embryologic cause of the disease, as in the case of most congenital cardiac defects, is not fully known. The most useful diagnostic modality is the echocardiogram. The syndrome can be diagnosed by fetal echocardiography between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation. Differential diagnosis includes other left-sided obstructive lesions where the systemic circulation is dependent on ductal flow (critical aortic stenosis, coarctation of the aorta, interrupted aortic arch). Children with the syndrome require surgery as neonates, as they have duct-dependent systemic circulation. Currently, there are two major modalities, primary cardiac transplantation or a series of staged functionally univentricular palliations. The treatment chosen is dependent on the preference of the institution, its experience, and also preference. Although survival following initial surgical intervention has improved significantly over the last 20 years, significant mortality and morbidity are present for both surgical strategies. As a result pediatric cardiologists continue to be challenged by discussions with families regarding initial decision relative to treatment, and long-term prognosis as information on long-term survival and quality of life for those born with the syndrome is limited.
Statistical scheduling of economic dispatch and energy reserves of hybrid power systems with high renewable energy penetration

A statistical scheduling approach to economic dispatch and energy reserves is proposed in this paper. The proposed approach focuses on minimizing the overall power operating cost with considerations of renewable energy uncertainty and power system security. In such a system, it is challenging and yet an open question on the scheduling of economic dispatch together with energy reserves, due to renewable energy generation uncertainty, and spatially wide distribution of energy resources. The hybrid power system scheduling is formulated as a convex programming problem to minimize power operating cost, taking considerations of renewable energy generation, power generation-consumption balance and power system security. A genetic algorithm based approach is used for solving the minimization of the power operating cost. The IEEE 24-bus reliability test system (IEEE-RTS), which is commonly used for evaluating the price stability of power system and reliability, is used as the test bench for verifying and evaluating system performance of the proposed scheduling approach.
Long-term Changes in Iron and Phosphorus Sedimentation in Vadnais Lake, Minnesota, Resulting from Ferric Chloride Addition and Hypolimnetic Aeration

Abstract Changes in iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) cycling in Vadnais Lake, Minnesota, resulting from ferric chloride addition and hypolimnetic aeration are evaluated by repeat sampling of bottom sediments over a 13-year period: in 1985 (pre-treatment), and in 1990 and 1998 (post-treatment). Lead-210 derived accumulation rates for Fe, Mn, total-P, and P-fractions are combined with input/output monitoring to construct chemical mass-balances for each of the three time periods. Iron injections/aeration caused large and sustained reductions in water-column total-P by increasing phosphorus removal to the sediments and preventing its recycling during stratification. Annual whole-lake phosphorus sedimentation rose from 1.26 to 1.52 t between 1985 and 1990, equivalent to a doubling of in-lake retention of external P loads (from 19% to 38%). Most of the increase is represented in the labile Fe-bound fraction. The measured sedimentary fluxes for 1985 and 1990 are similar to those calculated by difference from inflow/...
Theory of defects in Si and Ge: Past, present and recent developments

Abstract Over the past few decades, considerable progress has been achieved in the theoretical predictions of a wide range of properties of defects in semiconductors. In addition to structures, energetics, spin and charge densities, theory now routinely predicts accurate vibrational properties of defects, and thus connects to the optical characterization of light impurities. However, the positions of gap levels have yet to be predicted with systemically reliable accuracy. Today, supercells much larger than in the past are being used to describe defect centers from first principles. Systems large enough to study the dynamics of extended defects can be handled near the first-principles level. This paper contains a brief review of the key developments that have rendered theory quantitatively useful to experimentalists and an overview of the current ‘state-of-the-art’ and ongoing developments. Some of the remaining challenges are discussed, with examples in Si and Ge.
Imaging Earth's upper mantle

New images of the three-dimensional structure of Earth's upper mantle revealed by large-scale processing of global seismic data are beginning to change our understanding of convection in the planet. The processing techniques combine data from hundreds of seismograms to distinguish weak features from the background noise. These procedures are termed “stacking” and are similar in many respects to reflection seismic techniques long used in the oil industry to image shallow crustal structure. However, the new results extend much deeper and map reflections from several internal discontinuities—interfaces separating different mantle layers—within the upper 700 km of the mantle. Observed deflections and topography on these discontinuities provide important constraints on the nature of the long-term deformation of the mantle. The mantle is the 2900-km-thick shell surrounding Earth's core. It is solid but can slowly flow and overturn at the high pressures and temperatures present within Earth's interior.
Parameters in the construction of an immobilized dual enzyme catalyst

The glucose oxidase and catalase activities immobilized to the gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane derivative of nickel-impregnated silica alumina was controlled by several factors. The most important of these was enzyme concentration. In constructing the dual immobilized enzyme catalyst, competition between the two enzymes for available binding sites was observed. The order of addition of the various reactants during immobilization was also important. Higher glucose oxidase activities were immobilized when glutaraldehyde was added concurrently with enzyme, while maximal coupling of catalase occurred if glutaraldehyde was first added to react with the amino derivative of the silica alumina support, excess reagent washed away, and then the catalase added. Bovine serum albumin, which aids in the crosslinking of glucose oxidase, hindered the coupling of the enzyme to the support particles.
Regional heterogeneity of function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUNDIn patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), left ventricular ejection performance may be normal while segmental myocardial function is distinctly abnormal. The advent of magnetic resonance tissue tagging has allowed the noninvasive evaluation of intramyocardial segmental shortening in vivo in a topographic and temporal manner.METHODS AND RESULTSTen patients with HCM documented by echocardiography and 10 healthy volunteers were studied with magnetic resonance tissue tagging by spatial modulation of magnetization. Percent circumferential myocardial shortening (%S) was compared at endocardium, midwall, and epicardial levels at four regions around the left ventricular short axis and from four short axis slices from apex to base at four or five time intervals during systole. In 8 patients and 8 control subjects, longitudinal shortening was evaluated within the septum and the lateral free wall at three levels from apex to base. Circumferential %S was less in HCM patients than in control subjec...
The Brave New World of Epigenetics: Embracing Complexity in the Study of Speech and Language Disorders

The study of causal influences on marked disorders of speech and language have been dominated by dichotomies and reductionist models. However, the emergent evidence of epigenetics forces us to acknowledge the complex mechanisms that underlie such conditions. The purpose of this article is to highlight future directions for studying the causal mechanisms that underlie children’s speech and language disorders, with an emphasis on speech sound disorders and specific language impairment. In doing so, we will briefly highlight past methods of studying genetic effects on children’s speech sound and language disorder profiles and propose the dynamic systems theory as a meaningful framework for studying the complex landscape of childhood speech-language development. This model challenges traditional dichotomies between genetic and environmental effects and between beneficial versus deleterious effects/factors.
A novel strategy for failure-tolerant communication in smart grids

The goal of this paper is to present a robust survivability strategy for the communication network in smart grids when communication failure happens because (1) communication failure is inevitable, (2) communication failure can impact smart grid performance. A communication failure can be temporary or permanent. A temporary failure is often caused by electromagnetic interference, storms, obstructions, and other temporary factors while a permanent failure is usually due to terminal or transmitter breakdown. A communication failure causes temporary or permanent unavailability of the communication link. Thus, the message broadcasted from the sending device may never reach the intended receiving device. A simple but realistic strategy will be proposed to model communication failure in a smart grid simulation test bed. Then, a solution to overcome the communication failure will be presented. The strategy will be tested on the modified IEEE 34 node test feeder.
Performance of space-time modulation for a generalized time-varying Rician channel model

We analyze the performance of trained and differential space-time modulation for channels with a constant specular component and time-varying diffuse fading. We examine the case where the channel varies from sample to sample within a space-time symbol matrix according to a first-order time-varying model. We show that the effect of the time-varying diffuse channel can be described by an effective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) that decreases with time. We derive pairwise probability of error expressions based on these effective SNR values that accurately describe performance for unitary modulation. We quantify the significant advantage that differential modulation provides at high SNR where the effect of the time-varying channel dominates. At low SNR where additive noise dominates, we note that trained modulation with perfect channel state information provides a 3-dB advantage over differential modulation, but decoding based on a maximum likelihood channel estimate yields worse performance than differential modulation at all SNR values. Simulation results are provided to support our analysis.
Banding of human chromosomes treated with papain.

Differential Giemsa staining techniques have been used to produce discrete banding patterns for Individual human chromosomes. Similar banding patterns have now been observed after pre-treatment with papain.
Imaginal discs regulate developmental timing in Drosophila melanogaster

The regulation of body size in animals involves mechanisms that terminate growth. In holometabolous insects growth ends at the onset of metamorphosis and is contingent on their reaching a critical size in the final larval instar. Despite the importance of critical size in regulating final body size, the developmental mechanisms regulating critical size are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that the developing adult organs, called imaginal discs, are a regulator of critical size in larval Drosophila. We show that damage to, or slow growth of, the imaginal discs is sufficient to retard metamorphosis both by increasing critical size and extending the period between attainment of critical size and metamorphosis. Nevertheless, larvae with damaged and slow growing discs metamorphose at the same size as wild-type larvae. In contrast, complete removal of all imaginal tissue has no effect on critical size. These data indicate that both attainment of critical size and the timely onset of metamorphosis are regulated by the imaginal discs in Drosophila, and suggest that the termination of growth is coordinated among growing tissues to ensure that all organs attain a characteristic final size.
Better nutritional status in early childhood is associated with improved clinical outcomes and survival in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Objectives To evaluate the relationship between nutritional status early in life and the timing and velocity of height growth, lung function, complications of cystic fibrosis, and survival. Study design Prospective, observational study using data from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Registry (US) for patients born between 1989 and 1992 (n = 3142). Results Weight-for-age percentile (WAP) at 4 years of age was positively associated with height-for-age percentiles throughout childhood. Age 4 years WAP >10% was associated with better lung function from 6-18 years of age. In boys and girls with current WAP >50%, peak pubertal height velocities approximated but remained lower than that of the healthy reference population. By age 18 years, patients with an age 4 years WAP >50% suffered fewer acute pulmonary exacerbations, spent fewer days in the hospital, and had lower rates of impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes. Patients attaining higher age 4 years WAP and height-for-age percentiles had a survival advantage throughout childhood. Conclusion For the population studied, greater weight at age 4 years is associated with greater height, better pulmonary function, fewer complications of cystic fibrosis, and better survival through age 18 years. Furthermore, greater weight-for-age in the peripubertal period is associated on average with improved tempo and timing of pubertal height growth.
Two domains of superfamily I helicases may exist as separate proteins

DNA and RNA helicases of superfamily I are characterized by seven conserved motifs. The five N-terminal motifs are separated from the two C-terminal ones by a spacer that is highly variable in both sequence and length, suggesting the existence of two distinct domains. Using computer methods for protein sequence analysis, we show that PhoH, an ATP-binding protein that is conserved in Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium leprae, is homologous to the putative N-terminal domain of the helicases, whereas the putative E. coli protein YjhR is homologous to the C-terminal domain. These findings suggest that the N-and C-terminal domains of superfamily I helicases have distinct activities, with only the N-terminal domain having the ATPase activity. It is speculated that PhoH and YjhR have evolved from helicases through deletion of the portions of the helicase genes coding for the C- and N-terminal domain, respectively.
`I was a stranger, and ye took me not in': Deus ludens and theology of hospitality in Lars von Trier's Dogville

In this article I propose an interpretation of Lars von Trier's Dogville (2003) as a theological and philosophical film. Dogville occasions a series of theological—philosophical reflections on grav...
Full-wave simulation of electromagnetic coupling effects in RF and mixed-signal ICs using a time-domain finite-element method

This paper describes the computer simulation and modeling of distributed electromagnetic coupling effects in analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits. Distributed electromagnetic coupling effects include magnetic coupling of adjacent interconnects and/or planar spiral inductors, substrate coupling due to stray electric currents in a conductive substrate, and full-wave electromagnetic radiation. These coupling mechanisms are inclusively simulated by solving the full-wave Maxwell's equations using a three-dimensional (3-D) time-domain finite-element method. This simulation approach is quite general and can be used for circuit layouts that include isolation wells, guard rings, and 3-D metallic structures. A state-variable behavioral modeling procedure is used to construct simple linear models that mimic the distributed electromagnetic effects. These state-variable models can easily be incorporated into a VHDL-AMS simulation providing a means to include distributed electromagnetic effects into a circuit simulation.
Serum Amyloid A in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background— Patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may have increased risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Serum amyloid A (SAA) protein has recently been linked to the development of atherosclerosis, stroke, diabetes, and dementia. We tested the hypothesis that plasma SAA levels are increased in otherwise healthy subjects with OSA. Methods and Results— Plasma SAA levels were measured in 10 male patients with moderate to severe OSA before sleep, after 5 hours of untreated OSA, and in the morning after effective continuous positive airway pressure treatment. SAA levels were also measured in 10 closely matched control subjects at similar time points. Baseline plasma SAA levels before sleep were strikingly higher in patients with moderate to severe OSA than in controls (18.8±2.6 versus 7.2±2.6 μg/mL, respectively; P=0.005) and remained unchanged in both groups throughout the night. SAA levels in 10 male patients with mild OSA were comparable with controls (P=0.46). Plasma SAA in ...
Problem adaptation therapy for older adults with major depression and cognitive impairment: a randomized clinical trial.

Importance Problem adaptation therapy (PATH) is a treatment for older adults with major depression, cognitive impairment (from mild cognitive deficits to moderate dementia), and disability. Antidepressants have limited efficacy in this population and psychosocial interventions are inadequately investigated. Objective To test the efficacy of 12-week PATH vs supportive therapy for cognitively impaired patients (ST-CI) in reducing depression and disability in 74 older adults with major depression, cognitive impairment, and disability. Design, Setting, and Participants A randomized clinical trial at the Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry from April 1, 2006, to September 31, 2011. Interventions were administered at the participants’ homes. Participants included 74 older individuals (age ≥65 years) with major depression and cognitive impairment to the level of moderate dementia. They were recruited through collaborating community agencies of Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry and were randomly assigned to 12 weekly sessions of PATH or ST-CI (14.8% attrition rate). Interventions Home-delivered PATH vs home-delivered ST-CI. Problem adaptation therapy integrates a problem-solving approach with compensatory strategies, environmental adaptations, and caregiver participation to improve patients’ emotion regulation. Supportive therapy for cognitively impaired patients focuses on expression of affect, understanding, and empathy. Main Outcomes and Measures Mixed-effects models for longitudinal data compared the efficacy of PATH with that of ST-CI in reducing depression (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) and disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II) during 12 weeks of treatment. Results Participants in PATH had significantly greater reduction in depression (Cohen d , 0.60; 95% CI, 0.13-1.06; treatment × time, F 1,179 = 8.03; P = .005) and disability (Cohen d , 0.67; 95% CI, 0.20-1.14; treatment × time, F 1,169 = 14.86; P = .001) than ST-CI participants during the 12-week period (primary outcomes). Furthermore, PATH participants had significantly greater depression remission rates than ST-CI participants (37.84% vs 13.51%; χ 2 = 5.74; P = .02; number needed to treat = 4.11) (secondary outcome). Conclusions and Relevance Problem adaptation therapy was more efficacious than ST-CI in reducing depression and disability. Problem adaptation therapy may provide relief to a large group of depressed and cognitively impaired older adults who have few treatment options. Trials Registration Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00368940
Scheduling electric power generators using particle swarm optimization combined with the Lagrangian relaxation method

This paper describes a procedure that uses particle swarm optimization (PSO) combined with the Lagrangian Relaxation (LR) framework to solve a power-generator scheduling problem known as the unit commitment problem (UCP). The UCP consists of determining the schedule and production amount of generating units within a power system subject to operating constraints. The LR framework is applied to relax coupling constraints of the optimization problem. Thus, the UCP is separated into independent optimization functions for each generating unit. Each of these sub-problems is solved using Dynamic Programming (DP). PSO is used to evolve the Lagrangian multipliers. PSO is a population based search technique, which belongs to the swarm intelligence paradigm that is motivated by the simulation of social behavior to manipulate individuals towards better solution areas. The performance of the PSO-LR procedure is compared with results of other algorithms in the literature used to solve the UCP. The comparison shows that the PSO-LR approach is efficient in terms of computational time while providing good solutions.
The effects of ionizing radiation on SAW resonators

SAW resonators with frequencies ranging from 199 MHz to 746 MHz were fabricated and exposed to sequentially increasing total doses of various types of ionizing radiation, and the effects were observed. The substrates used were air-swept and as-grown (nonswept) 40 degrees Y-rotated quartz, LST-quartz, and nonswept 40 degrees Y-rotated quartz coated with a 400-AA-thick layer of SiO/sub x/. The total doses used range from 1 kRad(Si) to 10 MRad(Si), and the radiation types tested were Co-60 gamma, high energy electron ( beta ), proton, and heavy ion (Si-28, Cl-35, Ge-74, and Au-197) radiation. The measurement results show a distinct difference in the radiation sensitivity of SAW device performance parameters based on the substrate used. The effects of the passivating SiO/sub x/ layer were also interesting, since the coated devices exhibited significantly smaller radiation-induced changes than those without the coating. >
Effects of weight loss and insulin reduction on arterial stiffness in the SAVE trial.

Chronic arterial stiffness contributes to the negative health effects of obesity and insulin resistance, which include hypertension, stroke, and increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity are individually associated with improved central arterial stiffness; however, their combined effects on arterial stiffness are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine how insulin levels modify the improvements in arterial stiffness seen with weight loss in overweight and obese young adults. To assess the effects of weight loss and decreased fasting insulin on vascular stiffness, we studied 339 participants in the Slow the Adverse Effects of Vascular Aging (SAVE) trial. At study entry, the participants were aged 20–45, normotensive, non-diabetic, and had a body-mass index of 25–39.9 kg/m2. Measures of pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the central (carotid-femoral (cf PWV)), peripheral (femoral-ankle (fa PWV)), and mixed (brachial-ankle (ba PWV)) vascular beds were collected at baseline and 6 months. The effects of 6-month change in weight and insulin on measures of PWV were estimated using multivariate regression. After adjustment for baseline risk factors and change in systolic blood pressure, 6-month weight loss and 6-month change in fasting insulin independently predicted improvement in ba PWV but not fa PWV or cf PWV. There was a significant interaction between 6-month weight change and change in fasting insulin when predicting changes in ba PWV (p < 0.001). Individuals experiencing both weight loss and insulin reductions showed the greatest improvement in ba PWV. Young adults with excess weight who both lower their insulin levels and lose weight see the greatest improvement in vascular stiffness. This improvement in vascular stiffness with weight loss and insulin declines may occur throughout the vasculature and may not be limited to individual vascular beds. NCT00366990
On expressing control and data structures in predicate logic language ALGOL M

We define a procedural semantics for a many sorted predicate logic on many sorted models with generators. Then we express in Predicate Logic do forever, do until, do while, for thru, do unless, call, resume and demon control constructs. Data Structures can be represented using vectors (sequence of logic variables of the same sort.) This indicates that predicate logic can be a base of a high level language (ALGOL M) where programming can be as easy and efficient as in most other programming languages and whose syntax and semantics is simple and uniform. This language has systems programming like features, facilitating representation and utilization of knowledge in Artificial Intelligence Applications.
Mopping up: modeling wikipedia promotion decisions

This paper presents a model of the behavior of candidates for promotion to administrator status in Wikipedia. It uses a policy capture framework to highlight similarities and differences in the community's stated criteria for promotion decisions to those criteria actually correlated with promotion success. As promotions are determined by the consensus of dozens of voters with conflicting opinions and unwritten expectations, the results highlight the degree to which consensus is truly reached. The model is fast and easily computable on the fly, and thus could be applied as a self-evaluation tool for editors considering becoming administrators, as a dashboard for voters to view a nominee's relevant statistics, or as a tool to automatically search for likely future administrators. Implications for distributed consensus-building in online communities are discussed.
Doppler Beam Steering for Blood Flow Velocity Vector Imaging

Angle independent blood How velocity vector measurements could be of a great value for the diagnoses of many vascular and cardiac diseases, such as stenotic carotid and coronary lesions. Although many methods such as speckle tracking and multiple transceivers have been proposed, they have limitations. In this paper, a blood flow velocity vector measurement method called Doppler beam steering is proposed for either 2D or 3D imaging. In the method, a narrow ultrasonic beam is steered at three or more angles in transverse directions. The changes in frequency of the returned echoes provide radial components of blood flow velocity along these directions. Blood flow velocity vector is then calculated from these components and images of the velocity vector distribution can be obtained. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out to verify the method. Velocities measured with this method agree well with those measured directly with a flowmeter. Results show that this method is capable of estimating blood flow velocity vectors and thus may provide useful diagnostic information that is difficult to obtain with conventional Doppler imaging method.