cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling and learning synergy for team formation with heterogeneous agents

The performance of a team at a task depends critically on the composition of its members. There is a notion of synergy in human teams that represents how well teams work together, and we are interested in modeling synergy in multi-agent teams. We focus on the problem of team formation, i.e., selecting a subset of a group of agents in order to perform a task, where each agent has its own capabilities, and the performance of a team of agents depends on the individual agent capabilities as well as the synergistic effects among the agents. We formally define synergy and how it can be computed using a synergy graph, where the distance between two agents in the graph correlates with how well they work together. We contribute a learning algorithm that learns a synergy graph from observations of the performance of subsets of the agents, and show that our learning algorithm is capable of learning good synergy graphs without prior knowledge of the interactions of the agents or their capabilities. We also contribute an algorithm to solve the team formation problem using the learned synergy graph, and experimentally show that the team formed by our algorithm outperforms a competing algorithm.
Quantifying the human influence on fire ignition across the western USA

Humans have a profound effect on fire regimes by increasing the frequency of ignitions. Although ignition is an integral component of understanding and predicting fire, to date fire models have not been able to isolate the ignition location, leading to inconsistent use of anthropogenic ignition proxies. Here, we identified fire ignitions from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) Burned Area Product (2000-2012) to create the first remotely sensed, consistently derived, and regionally comprehensive fire ignition data set for the western United States. We quantified the spatial relationships between several anthropogenic land-use/disturbance features and ignition for ecoregions within the study area and used hierarchical partitioning to test how the anthropogenic predictors of fire ignition vary among ecoregions. The degree to which anthropogenic features predicted ignition varied considerably by ecoregion, with the strongest relationships found in the Marine West Coast Forest and North American Desert ecoregions. Similarly, the contribution of individual anthropogenic predictors varied greatly among ecoregions. Railroad corridors and agricultural presence tended to be the most important predictors of anthropogenic ignition, while population density and roads were generally poor predictors. Although human population has often been used as a proxy for ignitions at global scales, it is less important at regional scales when more specific land uses (e.g., agriculture) can be identified. The variability of ignition predictors among ecoregions suggests that human activities have heterogeneous impacts in altering fire regimes within different vegetation types and geographies.
CLME: An R Package for Linear Mixed Effects Models under Inequality Constraints.

In many applications researchers are typically interested in testing for inequality constraints in the context of linear fixed effects and mixed effects models. Although there exists a large body of literature for performing statistical inference under inequality constraints, user friendly statistical software implementing such methods is lacking, especially in the context of linear fixed and mixed effects models. In this article we introduce CLME, a package in the R language that can be used for testing a broad collection of inequality constraints. It uses residual bootstrap based methodology which is reasonably robust to non-normality as well as heteroscedasticity. The package is illustrated using two data sets. The package also contains a graphical user interface built using the shiny package.
Mechanochemistry of One-Dimensional Boron: Structural and Electronic Transitions

Recent production of long carbyne chains, concurrent with advances in the synthesis of pure boron fullerenes and atom-thin layers, motivates an exploration of possible one-dimensional boron. By means of first-principles calculations, we find two isomers, two-atom wide ribbon and single-atom chain, linked by a tension-driven (negative-pressure) transformation. We explore the stability and unusual properties of both phases, demonstrating mechanical stiffness on par with the highest-performing known nanomaterials, and a phase transition between stable 1D metal and an antiferromagnetic semiconductor, with the phase boundary effectively forming a stretchable 1D Schottky junction. In addition, the two-phase system can serve as a constant-tension nanospring with a well-calibrated tension defined by enthalpic balance of the phases. Progress in the synthesis of boron nanostructures suggests that the predicted unusual behaviors of 1D boron may find powerful applications in nanoscale electronics and/or mechanical de...
Strategies Outside the Formal Classroom: Nonprofit Management Education in Transparency and Accountability

A demand for nonprofit management training and organizational capacity building exists in Latin America. However, few nonprofit management education (NME) programs in Latin America exist, and there is limited content related to ethics, transparency, and accountability. Using the case of Ecuador, we identify three strategies implemented by nonprofit leaders to cope with limited NME. We find that first, organizations engage in a process of collectivity that seeks to explore and give meaning to civil society in Ecuador. Second, this process leads to the production of knowledge about civil society in Ecuador. And third, based on both the process of collectivity and knowledge production, nonprofit leaders in Ecuador take ownership in the training of nonprofit leaders through several pilot courses related to transparency and accountability. The case of Ecuador reminds public affairs educators that organizations themselves can be successful producers of knowledge that can and should create and inform cur...
Research Design: Toward a Realistic Role for Causal Analysis

For a half-century, sociology and allied social sciences have worked with a model of research design founded on a distinction between internal validity, the capacity of designs to support statements about cause and effect, and external validity, the extent to which the results from specific studies can be generalized beyond the batch of data on which they are founded. The distinction is conceptually useful and has great pedagogic value, that is, the association of the experimental model with internal validity, and random sampling with external validity. The advent of the potential outcomes model of causation, by emphasizing the definition of a causal effect at the unit level and the heterogeneity of causal effects, has made it clear how indistinct (and interpenetrated) are these “twin pillars” of research design. This is the theme of this chapter, which inveighs against the idea of a hierarchy of research design desiderata, with causal inference at the peak. Rather, I adopt the design typology of Leslie Kish (1987), which advocates an appropriate balance of randomization, representation, and realism, and illustrate how all three elements (and not just randomization, the internal validity design mechanism) are integrated aspects of meaningful causal analysis. What is meaningful causal analysis? It depends first and foremost on getting straight why we are doing what we are doing. Understanding why something has happened may tell us a lot about what will happen if we were actually to do something, but this is not necessarily so.
Understanding variability in driving recommendations for patients with seizures.

Abstract Background There is lack of consensus regarding driving restrictions for patients with epilepsy. Regulations vary by state. New York State (NYS) recommends driving restrictions for one year in a person with an episode of loss of consciousness (LOC), with physician discretion. Often, providers make recommendations to permit their patients to drive after a shorter seizure-free period than proposed guidelines. The prevalence and reasons behind more lenient recommendations have not been elucidated. Methods Forty-one neurologists were surveyed anonymously in Nassau County, New York. They were questioned about the length of recommended driving restrictions (≤ 1, 3, 6, or ≥ 12 months) that they typically provide to patients with suspected seizures in different clinical scenarios and overall reasons for doing so. Data about level of training, setting of practice, use of antiepileptic drug (AED) levels, and electroencephalogram (EEG) were also collected. Results Of the 41 neurologists surveyed, 72% reported recommending driving restrictions Conclusion We found that many neurologists' recommendations for limiting driving for patients with seizure-related episodes are shorter than those recommended by NYS. Furthermore, as there are no specific guidelines for questionable epileptic scenarios and seizures occurring nocturnally or without LOC, this appears to contribute to substantial variability in the duration of recommended driving restrictions. This opens a broad discussion about approaches towards advising driving limitations in order to protect public and patient safety while maintaining patient autonomy.
Gaining a Better Understanding of Self: A Self-Study in Cultural Competence in Teacher Education

ABSTRACTThis articles describes a year-long self-study in cultural competence. Armed with the understanding that “teachers first need to know their own cultures,” a small group of faculty researchers engaged in systematic self-study to better understand their own cultural competence in an effort to enhance teacher candidates’ cultural competencies. The overarching goals of the study were: for faculty researchers to better understand their own cultural competence and for faculty researchers to better understand their ability to create safe spaces in which teacher candidates could develop deeper understandings of their cultural competencies. Hence the faculty researchers worked collaboratively for the broader purposes of re-imaging classrooms as communities that foster new and more equitable opportunities for teaching and learning.
8 – Nanodiamonds for drug delivery systems

: Nanodiamonds offer a potential novel template for drug delivery and targeting, because of their small primary particle size, purity, excellent properties, facile surface functionalization, high biocompatibility, and inexpensive large-scale synthesis. However, nanodiamond properties such as aggregation state, surface chemistry, and presence of impurities, as well as the localization and accumulation behavior at the organism level, must be controlled to maintain safety and retain efficacy of conjugated therapeutic agents. A clinically applicable approach requires investigation of biocompatibility, biodistribution, and biological fate of the nanodiamond as well as its conjugates.
Langley, John Newport

John Newport Langley (1852–1925) was an English physiologist who coined the terms ‘autonomic nervous system’ and ‘parasympathetic nervous system.’ He was also the first to explicitly formulate the receptor theory of drug action.
Cytotypic Specialization of the Neuronal Cytoskeleton and the Cytomatrix: Implications for Neuronal Growth and Regeneration

The diversity of cell types in nervous tissue is one of its most remarkable attributes. Neurons are particularly striking in their many shapes, sizes, electrical properties, and biochemical compositions. Yet another aspect of neurons which varies with the type of neuron is the capacity for growth. In addition, the ability of a given neuron to grow and remodel its axonal and dendritic arbors changes during development and aging. Recently, work in many laboratories has begun to identify the some of the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal growth. Such mechanisms include differential gene expression, regulation by growth factors and hormones, and changes in the extracellular environment, but in each of these cases neuronal growth must be mediated in part by the neuronal cytoskeleton. Therefore, an understanding of the composition and properties of the neuronal cytoskeleton is necessary before we can fully understand the mechanisms of neuronal development and regeneration.
Vivre Ici space, place and experience in contemporary French documentary, by Alison J. Murray Levine, Liverpool, Liverpool University Press, 2018, 320 pp., £90.00(hardback), ISBN: 9781786940414

Alison J. Murray Levine’s latest book Vivre Ici: Space, Place, and Experience in Contemporary French Documentary is a refreshing, accessible read that invites readers to appreciate the unique abili...
Reconsidering economic leverage and vulnerability: Trade ties, sanction threats, and the success of economic coercion:

I contend that a state’s position in the global trade network affects the initiation and outcome of sanction threats. A state is vulnerable, and thus more likely to acquiesce, when its trade has lo...
Analysis of Process Variations, Defects, and Design-Induced Coupling in Memristors

Emerging devices are susceptible to process variations and manufacturing defects due to immature fabrication processes. Memristors constitute a promising emerging technology, but they are known to suffer from high defect rates that contribute to faulty behavior. It is therefore important to analyze memristor fault models and understand the root causes of defects and variations. We present a physics-based classification and analysis of memristor fault origins. These fault origins are systematically attributed to process variations and manufacturing defects. We also investigate coupling in dense memristor crossbars. This study of memristor fault origins and the resulting conclusions provides valuable feedback for the fabrication and the design of memristor-based circuits and systems.
Simultaneous Transmission of Up To 94-mW Self-Regulated Wireless Power and Up To 5-Mb/s Reverse Data Over a Single Pair of Coils

A method to transmit power and to communicate data in the reverse direction over only one pair of inductive coils is described. The system self-regulates the delivered load voltage, with no monitoring of or explicit feedback from the power receiver. Up to 94 mW of power can be transmitted over distances as large as 4.2 cm using coils of 3 cm diameter. The received voltage is unaffected by changes in coil separation up to a certain limit and also by changes of up to 40 $\times $ in load current demand. A constant envelope frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulation is also described to transmit data in the reverse channel that exploits mode-selection properties of a free-running oscillator. This allows smooth, uninterrupted delivery of power while data is being transmitted.
Developmental Trajectories of Religious Service Attendance: Predictors of Nicotine Dependence and Alcohol Dependence/Abuse in Early Midlife

This longitudinal study assesses the associations between developmental trajectories of religious service attendance from mean age 14 to mean age 43 and nicotine dependence and alcohol dependence/abuse at mean age 43 (N = 548). Six trajectories of religious service attendance were identified. As compared with belonging to weekly stable trajectory group, a higher probability of belonging to the weekly/none decreasing, occasional stable, and non-attendance trajectory group was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of nicotine dependence. In addition, as compared with belonging to weekly stable trajectory group, a higher probability of belonging to the weekly/none decreasing, weekly/occasional decreasing, occasional stable, and non-attendance trajectory group was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of alcohol dependence/abuse. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that religious service attendance protects against nicotine dependence and alcohol dependence/abuse in early midlife.
Writing Art Histories From Below: A Decolonial Guanaca-Hood Perspective

As a teenager during my first internship at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, a diversity initiative for inner-city youth, the education curator enthusiastically asked, “Who here would like to be an art historian!?” Like all the other Black and Brown inner-city kids, I laughed inside. My
Record Your Way to Shorter Grading

One of the most effective strategies we found for teaching novice clinicians new, specific, skills is through observation of student role play and timely formative assessment of student practice. Many subjects require students to demonstrate competence in concrete behavioral skills, including nursing, teaching, physical and occupational therapy, psychology, and social work. When direct observation of such student skill development is not a viable option, the use of an inexpensive video camera can be a valuable tool for students to create video role plays and post them on the internet for instructor review. Students can post their videos on You Tube and make the link to the video accessible only to the professor, or, if desired, students in the class providing peer review. Because the video is now on the web available for review, the student no longer needs to turn in the video on expensive media (e.g., flash drive) or inexpensive media (DVD). Furthermore, instructors can use their own camera to record video formative feedback while watching student videos, allowing for copious amounts of useful feedback created in about half of the time it would take to write the same feedback.
Rights, institutions, and Chinese investment abroad

China has rapidly become one of the leading source countries for foreign direct investment (FDI), though many aspects of Chinese capital remain under examined. In this study we analyze the sociopol...
A Primer on Marriage in Louisiana

This Article is the third in a series of primers on Louisiana Family Law. The Louisiana Civil Code of 1870, as amended to date, operates as the primary source of law, with other ancillary statutes and codes on particular subject matters. The law of marriage appears in Title IV of Book I of the Civil Code to prescribe the rules for marriage, nullity of marriage, and the incidents of marriage. The Civil Code Ancillaries, found in Title 9 of the Revised Statutes, further provide details governing marriage in Louisiana. The title on marriage outlines the prerequisites of marriage, actions for nullity of marriage, and the rights and obligations spouses enjoy as a result of the contract of marriage.
Comparative Analysis of the Roles of Non-muscle Myosin-IIs in Cytokinesis in Budding Yeast, Fission Yeast, and Mammalian Cells.

The contractile ring, which plays critical roles in cytokinesis in fungal and animal cells, has fascinated biologists for decades. However, the basic question of how the non-muscle myosin-II and actin filaments are assembled into a ring structure to drive cytokinesis remains poorly understood. It is even more mysterious why and how the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and humans construct the ring structure with one, two, and three myosin-II isoforms, respectively. Here, we provide a comparative analysis of the roles of the non-muscle myosin-IIs in cytokinesis in these three model systems, with the goal of defining the common and unique features and highlighting the major questions regarding this family of proteins.
Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia in a Cancer Patient on High-Dose Methadone Maintenance Therapy: A Case for Subspecialty Opioid Use Disorder Primary Care

As opioid use disorder (OUD) reaches epidemic levels in the United States, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) plays a central role in its treatment. Methadone, a long-acting mu-opioid receptor agonist has been shown to be effective in managing OUD. It is also known that chronic opioid therapy may have the paradoxical effect of increased sensitivity to pain, a phenomenon called opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). This presents a conundrum when a patient such as ours, on MAT presents with acute pain and OIH. This case report illustrates the current challenges health care providers encounter when treating patients on chronic MAT for non-opioid-related conditions. As this patient population ages, these encounters will become more common. These patients will need appropriate health care screening and chronic care management. This case serves two purposes; to highlight the difficulty in treating acute pain in patients on long-term high-dose methadone coupled with the missed opportunity for primary care for OUD patient population, and proposes that education reforms in this area be implemented now.
Pediatric drug-induced sleep endoscopy: An updated review of the literature

The field of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) has grown considerably over the last 10∼15 years, to now include its use in pediatric patients. In this review article, we outline our approach to the use of this technology in Children with Airway Obstruction, most specifically in the management of children with airway obstruction and known or suspected adenotonsillar enlargement.
Sequences far downstream from the classical tRNA promoter elements bind RNA polymerase III transcription factors.

Abstract We have examined the interaction of transcription factors TFIIIC and TFIIID with a silkworm alanine tRNA gene. Previous functional analysis showed that the promoter for this gene is unusually large compared with the classical tRNA promoter elements (the A and B boxes) and includes sequences downstream from the transcription termination site. The goal of the experiments reported here was to determine which sequences within the full promoter make stable contacts with transcription factors. We show that when TFIIIC and TFIIID are combined, a complex is formed with the tRNA(Ala)C gene. Neither factor alone can form this complex. DNase I digestion of gene-factor complexes reveals that most of the tRNA(Ala)C promoter is in contact with factors. The protected region extends from -1 to at least +136 and includes both the A and B boxes and the previously identified downstream promoter sequences. Analysis of mutant promoters shows that sequence-specific contacts throughout the protected region are required for binding. The role of 3'-flanking sequences in transcription factor binding explains the contribution of these sequences to the tRNA(Ala)C promoter. We discuss the possibility that such sequences affect promoter strength in other tRNA genes.
Long Forward and Zero-Coupon Rates Indeed Can Never Fall, but Are Indeterminate: A Comment on Dybvig, Ingersoll and Ross

In a recent paper, Dybvig, Ingersoll and Ross claim to have proven that in the absence of transactions costs, the long-term forward and zero-coupon interest rates may rise, but never may fall. This comment shows that there is a crucial error in the proof of their basic theorem, but that a modification of their proof restores their conclusion. The comment goes on to show that in the presence of even very small transaction costs, the long–term zero-coupon and forward interest rates are undefined and should not be taken literally. In a recent paper in this Journal, Dybvig, Ingersoll and Ross (DIR, 1996) claim to have proven that in the absence of transactions costs, the long-term forward and zero-coupon interest rates may rise, but never may fall. This comment shows that there is a crucial error in the proof of their basic theorem, but that a modification of their proof restores their conclusion. A further problem is that the DIR definition of an arbitrage opportunity is excessively broad, but this defect does not affect their theorem, and can easily be patched up. The comment goes on to show that in the presence of even very small transaction costs, the long–term zero-coupon and forward interest rates are in fact undefined and should not be taken literally. The DIR Theorem In DIR’s notation, ν( , ) t T is the price at time t of a real or nominal 1 unit payoff at a later date T. In terms of the annual compounding used by DIR, the yield to maturity on such a zerocoupon loan is given by: z t T t T T t ( , ) ( , ) / ( ) = − − − ν 1 1. If the limit exists, the long-term zero-coupon yield is z t z t T L T ( ) lim ( , ) = ↑∞ . The DIR Theorem 2 states that “The Long Zero-Coupon Rate Can Never Fall.” Two proofs are provided, a simple one in the text for the case of a finite number of future states of the world, and a more complicated one in an Appendix for the case of a continuum of future states. In the finite state case treated in their text, DIR let ω represent a typical state that may occur at future time s > t. The future zero-coupon rate is z(s,T;ω) if state ω occurs, and zL(s;ω) is
A hydrogel-based MEMS dielectric affinity glucose sensor

We present a hydrogel-based MEMS affinity sensor. The hydrogel is surface-immobilized, and recognizes glucose molecules via specific affinity binding. Measurement of the capacitance between a pair of electrodes sandwiching the hydrogel allows determination of glucose binding-induced change in the hydrogel's permittivity, and hence the glucose concentration. This hydrogel-based sensor design simplifies the device construction, and eliminates mechanical moving parts as well as semi-permeable membranes that are commonly used in existing devices. Our experimental results demonstrate that this sensor holds promise for use in continuous glucose monitoring in diabetes care.
Detection of enteroviruses in cell cultures by using in situ transcription.

Abstract In situ transcription (IST) was shown to be useful for the detection of human enteroviral RNA in cultured cells. A primer to detect a wide variety of enteroviral genomes and a coxsackievirus type B3 genome-specific primer were demonstrated to be efficient in IST assays. Transcription times greater than 10 to 30 min did not significantly improve the acquisition of a specific signal, whereas the signal-to-noise ratio decreased with time. Inclusion of actinomycin D to suppress DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity in reverse transcriptase decreased the signal that was obtained without improving the signal-to-noise ratio. Use of RNase H-free murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase in the IST reaction increased the signal versus that obtained by use of the avian myeloblastosis virus enzyme, which contains endogenous RNase H activity. Exogenous RNase H added to the transcription reaction ablated the signal. Background transcription because of poorly hybridized (mismatched) primers was reduced after primer hybridization and prior to the transcription reaction by rinsing fixed cells with 3 M tetramethylammonium chloride at temperatures which dissociate mismatched primer-template duplexes. The rapid detection time and the simplicity of application suggest that IST can be performed with a high specificity for the detection of enteroviral genomic sequences in cultured cells and may be more useful than in situ hybridization for the detection of enteroviral genomes.
Robust Pressure-Actuated Liquid Metal Devices Showing Reconfigurable Electromagnetic Effects at GHz Frequencies

Pressure-actuated liquid metal devices are demonstrated for reconfigurable electromagnetic fundamentals at GHz frequencies, including tunable dipole antennas, switchable shielding with 35-dB attenuation, $\sim\!\! {\hbox{30}}$ -dB polarizer attenuation, and $\sim \!\!\!\!{\hbox{40}}^{\circ}$ diffraction from a linear grating. In addition to a wide variety of electromagnetic effects, these devices are further advanced by: being highly physically flexible; in use of nontoxic GaInSn (68.5% Ga, 21.5% In, and 10.0% Sn) alloy as enabled by a sealed closed system with an acidic vapor background; and nonalloying/corrosion-resistant carbon inks for electrical connection. Collectively, this work addresses a wide variety of electromagnetic fundamentals, and the device construction advances required for real-world applications.
A general integrative model for scaling plant growth, carbon flux, and functional trait spectra

Linking functional traits to plant growth is critical for scaling attributes of organisms to the dynamics of ecosystems and for understanding how selection shapes integrated botanical phenotypes. However, a general mechanistic theory showing how traits specifically influence carbon and biomass flux within and across plants is needed. Building on foundational work on relative growth rate, recent work on functional trait spectra, and metabolic scaling theory, here we derive a generalized trait-based model of plant growth. In agreement with a wide variety of empirical data, our model uniquely predicts how key functional traits interact to regulate variation in relative growth rate, the allometric growth normalizations for both angiosperms and gymnosperms, and the quantitative form of several functional trait spectra relationships. The model also provides a general quantitative framework to incorporate additional leaf-level trait scaling relationships and hence to unite functional trait spectra with theories of relative growth rate, and metabolic scaling. We apply the model to calculate carbon use efficiency. This often ignored trait, which may influence variation in relative growth rate, appears to vary directionally across geographic gradients. Together, our results show how both quantitative plant traits and the geometry of vascular transport networks can be merged into a common scaling theory. Our model provides a framework for predicting not only how traits covary within an integrated allometric phenotype but also how trait variation mechanistically influences plant growth and carbon flux within and across diverse ecosystems.
Automated Hilger-Chance refractometer for index measurement of liquids

A method for automating refractive index measurements of liquids has been implemented on a Hilger-Chance refractometer. A beam angle sensor using a position-sensitive detector enables automated determination of angles usually obtained by visual reading.
The control of glial populations in brain: Changes in astrocyte mitogenic and morphogenic factors in response to injury

Injury to rat brain induces a 3–10-fold increase in the activity of factors capable of stimulating astrocyte DNA synthesis and cell division in vitro. Maximum mitogenic activity was reached 10–15 days post-lesion in both the tissue surrounding the wound and in the gelfoam filling the wound cavity. Factors capable of transforming the astrocyte morphology from polygonal-flat to fibrous-like (morphogens) could also be observed in brain tissue and showed increased activity beginning at 10 days postlesion. On the other hand, morphogenic activity was very low or absent in gelfoam extracts until 15 days postlesion. Both mitogenic and morphogenic factors were nondiffusible and were partly temperature and trypsin sensitive, i.e. they had the properties of protein-like substance, but seemed different from both epidermal and fibroblast growth factors. As judged by their filtration behavior on Amicon membranes, the molecular weight of mitogens and morphogens ranged from lower than 30,000 to greater than 100,000. Inhibitors of both mitogenic and morphogenic activities with molecular weight lower than 30,000 seemed to be also present in the brain extracts. The factors described here can account for the processes of astrocytosis and astrogliosis observed in vivo in response to CNS injury.
College students' perception of AIDS victims

Male and female college students ( N = 60) provided baseline ratings on the appearance, personality and characteristics of a male target projected on a screen. Afterwards, subjects read one of five scenarios, four of which identified the target person as contacting the autoimmune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) disease by one of the following means: homosexual contact. heterosexual contact, intravenous drug use, or a blood transfusion. A fifth control scenario identifying the target as having an unspecified genetic deteriorating disease. Following presentation of scenarios, again subjects rated the target (Non-deteriorated Condition) as well as after viewing the male model cosmetically doctored to appear near death (Near Death Condition). Results indicated that in the nondeterioration condition, targets who contracting the AIDS disease via sexual encounters or illicit drug injection (internal causes) were perceived to be less trustworthy, less moral, and less desirable as a prospective friend than the target described as contracting the disease from a blood transfusion (external cause) A "sympathy effect" did not occur when victims physically deteriorated, as predicted, and even the blood transfusion AIDS victim came to be socially rejected in the near death condition.
Once more into the breach: doubts about liaison psychiatry.

Abstract The author, a consultation/liaison psychiatrist, reviews five important questions about liaison work which are pressing, but remain unanswered. With some trepidation, he seeks to temper the enthusiasm of his colleagues who, by prematurely promising more than can ever be delivered in the name of “holistic” and “biopsychosocial” medicine, may lead our discipline astray.
Purification and Characterization of Rat Kidney Sphingosine Kinase

Sphingosine kinase catalyzes the formation of the bioactive sphingolipid metabolite sphingosine 1-phosphate, which plays important roles in numerous physiological processes, including growth, survival, and motility. We have purified rat kidney sphingosine kinase 6 x 10(5)-fold to apparent homogeneity. The purification procedure involved ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by chromatography on an anion exchange column. Partially purified sphingosine kinase was found to be stabilized by the presence of high salt, and thus, a scheme was developed to purify sphingosine kinase using sequential dye-ligand chromatography steps (since the enzyme bound to these matrices even in the presence of salt) followed by EAH-Sepharose chromatography. This 385-fold purified sphingosine kinase bound tightly to calmodulin-Sepharose and could be eluted in high yield with EGTA in the presence of 1 M NaCl. After concentration, the calmodulin eluate was further purified by successive high pressure liquid chromatography separations on hydroxylapatite, Mono Q, and Superdex 75 gel filtration columns. Purified sphingosine kinase has an apparent molecular mass of approximately 49 kDa under denaturing conditions on SDS-polyacrylamide gel, which is similar to the molecular mass determined by gel filtration, suggesting that the active form is a monomer. Sphingosine kinase shows substrate specificity for D-erythro-sphingosine and does not catalyze the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol, diacylglycerol, ceramide, DL-threo-dihydrosphingosine, or N,N-dimethylsphingosine. However, the latter two sphingolipids were potent competitive inhibitors. With sphingosine as substrate, the enzyme had a broad pH optimum of 6.6-7.5 and showed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with Km values of 5 and 93 microM for sphingosine and ATP, respectively. This study provides the basis for molecular characterization of a key enzyme in sphingolipid signaling.
Demonstration of four wave mixing line narrowing spectroscopy - the nonlinear analogue of fluorescence line narrowing

Abstract Fully resonant four wave mixing techniques have been developed that have the same site selective capabilities as laser excited fluorescence and laser induced fluorescence line narrowing.
Kill-safe synchronization abstractions

When an individual task can be forcefully terminated at any time, cooperating tasks must communicate carefully. For example, if two tasks share an object, and if one task is terminated while it manipulates the object, the object may remain in an inconsistent or frozen state that incapacitates the other task. To support communication among terminable tasks, language run-time systems (and operating systems) provide kill-safe abstractions for inter-task communication. No kill-safe guarantee is available, however, for abstractions that are implemented outside the run-time system.In this paper, we show how a run-time system can support new kill-safe abstractions without requiring modification to the run-time system, and without requiring the run-time system to trust any new code. Our design frees the run-time implementor to provide only a modest set of synchronization primitives in the trusted computing base, while still allowing tasks to communicate using sophisticated abstractions.
The Supervisor's Role in the Transfer of Training

(1998). The Supervisor's Role in the Transfer of Training. Administration in Social Work: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 1-18.
Second‐order phase transition to a high conductivity state in semiconducting glasses

It is shown that in semiconducting glasses with a sufficient density of charged defects (real glass) a second-order phase transition from a low conductive to a high conductive state may take place when the conductivity reaches a critical value, typically of the order of 10 Ω−1 cm−1. This second-order phase transition may play an important role for the explanation of the Ovshinsky transition in Ovonic switches. Es wird gezeigt, das in halbleitenden Glasern mit einer hinreichenden Dichte geladener Defekte (Real-Glas) ein Phasenubergang zweiter Art von einem Zustand niedriger Leitfahigkeit zu einem mit hoher Leitfahigkeit stattfinden kann, wenn die Leitfahigkeit einen kritischen Wert erreicht, etwa von der Grosenordnung 10 Ω−1 cm−1. Dieser Phasenubergang zweiter Art kann eine wesentliche Rolle bei der Erklarung des Ovshinsky-Ubergangs in Ovonic-Schaltern spielen.
Agglomeration and refragmentation in microscale granular flows

A model is developed to describe dendritic agglomeration in microscale granular flows. The individual particulate grains under consideration are approximated as being spheres that remain spherical after impact. The spheres may adhere to one another, forming branched aggregates (“dendrites”), based upon an empirical contact pressure relation. The possibility for fragmentation is also included in the analysis. The computational model developed is used to demonstrate agglomeration behavior in granular flows for a range of control parameters. The results indicate that there is a transition from size-unstable agglomeration to size-stable agglomeration; which is controlled by the velocity field and the material properties.
Prematurity is associated with abnormal airway function in childhood

To evaluate the long-term effect of prematurity and/or hyaline membrane disease (HMD) on pulmonary function and airway reactivity, we studied 49 prematurely born children aged 10 to 13 years. They were divided into three groups according to birth weight and HMD status: Groups I and II comprised the children weighing less than 1,500 g at birth, and Group III those whose birth weight exceeded 1,500 g. Children without HMD at birth were classified as Group I and those with HMD as Group II or III. We performed both pulmonary function tests and methacholine (MCh) challenges and compared the results with those of 27 age-matched controls born at term. We found that FEV1 and RV/TLC ratios were significantly different from control values in the groups with birth weights less than 1,500 g, regardless of their HMD status (Groups I and II). In Group I, results for FEF25-75%, Vmax50%, and DLCO were lower than those of controls. Airway reactivity was significantly increased in Groups I and II. A 20% drop in FEV1 after MCh challenge was found in 88%, 62%, 53%, and 36% of children in Groups I, II, and III and controls, respectively, and a 35% drop in SGaw occurred in 87%, 88%, 53%, and 59%. We conclude that prematurity and not HMD per se leads to long-term pulmonary abnormalities and to an increase in nonspecific airway reactivity.
Four Human Ras Homologs Differ in Their Abilities to Activate Raf-1, Induce Transformation, and Stimulate Cell Motility

Human cells contain four homologous Ras proteins, but it is unknown whether each of these Ras proteins participates in distinct signal transduction cascades or has different biological functions. To directly address these issues, we assessed the relative ability of constitutively active (G12V) versions of each of the four Ras homologs to activate the effector protein Raf-1 in vivo. In addition, we compared their relative abilities to induce transformed foci, enable anchorage-independent growth, and stimulate cell migration. We found a distinct hierarchy between the four Ras homologs in each of the parameters studied. The hierarchies were as follows: for Raf-1 activation, Ki-Ras 4B > Ki-Ras 4A >>> N-Ras > Ha-Ras; for focus formation, Ha-Ras >/= Ki-Ras 4A >>> N-Ras = Ki-Ras 4B; for anchorage-independent growth, Ki-Ras 4A >/= N-Ras >>> Ki-Ras 4B = Ha-Ras = no growth; and for cell migration, Ki-Ras 4B >>> Ha-Ras > N-Ras = Ki-Ras 4A = no migration. Our results indicate that the four Ras homologs significantly differ in their abilities to activate Raf-1 and induce distinctly different biological responses. These studies, in conjunction with our previous report that demonstrated that the Ras homologs can be differentially activated by upstream guanine nucleotide exchange factors (Jones, M. K., and Jackson, J. H. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 1782-1787), indicate that each of the four Ras proteins may qualitatively or quantitatively participate in distinct signaling cascades and have significantly different biological roles in vivo. Importantly, these studies also suggest for the first time that the distinct and likely cooperative biological functions of the Ki-ras-encoded Ki-Ras 4A and Ki-Ras 4B proteins may help explain why constitutively activating mutations of Ki-ras, but not N-ras or Ha-ras, are frequently detected in human carcinomas.
Regreening of Valencia Orange as Influenced by Potassium Gibberellate.

In Southern California the Valencia orange (Citrus sinensis, L.) attains maximum orange rind color during winter and regreens somewhat by harvest time the following summer. The degree of regreening has been correlated with temperature patterns and with nitrogen nutrition (2, 5). It has also been reported (3) that applications of potassium gibberellate (KGA) to Valencia trees were associated with enhanced regreening of the fruit. The objective of this investigation was to obtain additional information about the influence of KGA on regreening of the Valencia orange fruit.
Control of flexible structures by applied thermal gradients

Thermal, elastic, and feedback analyses are applied to the case of a beam with a distributed thermal actuator. The actuator is capable of producing a thermal gradient across the section of the beam. One candidate for such an actuator uses the Peltier effect, which appears in certain semiconductors. These devices act as heat pumps when a voltage is applied, causing a temperature gradient. It is shown that the thermal gradients can induce deflection in the beam. If the thermal gradients are applied in the proper sense to a vibrating beam, it is possible to increase the vibration damping exhibited by the structure. Experimental results are given for a cantilever beam, whose first vibrational mode damping ratio was increased from 0.81 to 7.4 percent with simple lead compensation.
Multi-layer dialog generation for non-visual web access

People with visual disabilities use screen-readers to browse the Web. The existing screen-readers have limited ways of presenting Web page content. I propose to turn non-visual Web browsing into a multi-layer mixed-initiative dialog-based interaction between users and computers. The suggested layers of dialog navigation are: basic screen-reading, DFS or BFS, and domain-specific. The support of adaptive dialogs is also planned. This research is aimed at improving and accelerating non-visual Web browsing for blind users.
Complete closed-form solutions of the Stark problem

Perturbed two-body problems play a special role in Celestial Mechanics as they capture the dominant dynamics for a broad range of natural and artificial satellites. In this paper, we investigate the classic Stark problem, corresponding to motion in a Newtonian gravitational field subjected to an additional uniform force of constant magnitude and direction. For both the two-dimensional and three-dimensional cases, the integrals of motion are determined, and the resulting quadratures are analytically integrated. A complete list of exact, closed-form solutions is deduced in terms of elliptic functions. It is found that all expressions rely on only seven fundamental solution forms. Particular attention is given to ensure that the expressions are well-behaved for very small perturbations. A comprehensive study of the phase space is also made using a boundary diagram to describe the domains of the general types of possible motion. Numerical examples are presented to validate the solutions.
A tutorial overview of IPA-SQP approach for optimization of constrained nonlinear systems

This paper reviews the integrated perturbation analysis - sequential quadratic programming (IPA-SQP) approach. The IPA-SQP approach has been proposed to address computational challenges in nonlinear model predictive control (MPC) problems. This approach combines the complementary features of perturbation analysis and sequential quadratic programming in a unified framework. An overview of the IPA-SQP approach is provided, its methodological extension to adaptive MPC is discussed, and computational issues related to nonlinear MPC are discussed. Several successful applications of the IPA-SQP will also be highlighted. References to relevant literature are included.
In Vivo Biological Validation and Biophysical Modeling of the Sensitivity and Positive Accuracy of Endocrine Peak Detection. II. The Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Pulse Signal

Despite interest in the in vivo control of gonadotropin release, valid assessment of the physiological regulation of the pulsatile secretion of the gonadotropin FSH has been hampered by the uncertain validity and reliability of available FSH peak detection algorithms. Difficulties in identifying FSH peaks accurately are believed to arise in part because of the slow metabolic clearance of this glycoprotein hormone. Here, we have used two complementary strategies to test the validity of FSH pulse detection. First, by means of a computer-assisted mathematical model for simulating episodic hormone secretion, we evaluated the effects of various putative FSH secretory pulse amplitudes and half-lives on the sensitivity and positive accuracy of peak detection. Secondly, we used an in vivo primate animal model, in which presumptively true FSH pulses were evaluated independently by continuous electrophysiological monitoring of mediobasal hypothalamic multiunit activity. These two approaches allowed us to define optimal pulse analysis parameters that yield maximal sensitivity and positive accuracy for detecting FSH peaks in synthetic and biological time series. We found (as predicted intuitively) that increasing half-times of hormone disappearance decrease both the sensitivity and positive accuracy of peak detection for any given peak detection thresholds and hormone secretory amplitudes. However, adequately sampled episodic FSH time series could be analyzed for FSH pulsatility by an appropriately constrained, objective computerized algorithm with reasonable (less than 10-15%) false negative and false positive errors, such that resultant sensitivity and positive accuracy exceed 85-90%. Of interest, computer simulations and the in vivo animal model exhibited similar discriminative capabilities. We conclude that increasing half-times of hormone (e.g. FSH) removal do impair hormone peak detection sensitivity and positive accuracy. Nevertheless, gonadotropin time series can be analyzed for FSH pulsatility in a valid manner with adequately constrained false negative and false positive error rates.