cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceived Drug Assignment and Treatment Outcome in Smokers Given Nicotine Patch Therapy

This study assessed the relationship between treatment outcome and perceived drug assignment in smokers (nicotine patch [NP] or placebo) using abstinence and relapse status. Smokers (N = 424) were randomly assigned to receive either NP or placebo as part of a study that examined the effects of combining NP with self-help programs. Beliefs about drug assignment, assessed at the 12-month follow-up, were obtained from 384 participants. Beliefs were related to abstinence at the 2-month, p < .05, and 6-month follow-ups, p < .05, for the NP group, but not the placebo. Beliefs were not related to abstinence at 12 months for either group. Survival analysis assessing relapse revealed that beliefs were related to relapse status, regardless of actual group assignment. Our results suggest that there is a relationship between perceived drug assignment and treatment outcome. Future studies using multiple treatment outcome measures and assessments of beliefs over time are warranted.
Amorphous Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOS) Deposited at T ⩽ 100 °C

We have employed a combinatorial high-throughput approach to explore transparent conducting oxide (TCO) materials deposited at TS ⩽ 100 °C. For In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films deposited by sputtering from ceramic metal oxide targets at 100 °C in argon, a broad maximum in the as-deposited conductivity is found for x ~ 0.55 to 0.85 in InxZn1-xOy with σmax ≈ 3000 Ω-1-cm-1 for x ≈ 0.8. This conductivity maximum correlates with the composition range found to be amorphous. These amorphous In-Zn-O (a-IZO) films are smooth, with an RMS roughness of ~ 0.3 nm. Post-deposition annealing experiments show that the a-IZO materials remain amorphous after 1 hour anneals at up to 600 °C in either air or argon.
Rectal epithelial apoptosis in familial adenomatous polyposis patients treated with sulindac

BACKGROUND—Sulindac regresses colorectal adenomas in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), although the mechanism of polyp regression is unclear. AIMS—To determine whether differences occur in alteration of rectal epithelial apoptotic index and expression of apoptosis related proteins in FAP patients treated with sulindac compared with placebo. PATIENTS—Twenty one FAP patients; 12 had not undergone colectomy. METHODS—Patients with FAP were treated with sulindac 150 mg orally twice a day for three months (n=10) or placebo (n=11). Colorectal polyp number was determined and biopsies of the normal rectal mucosa were performed before and after three months of treatment. Response to treatment and alteration of the apoptotic ratio (index in base of crypt divided by index in surface epithelium) were evaluated. Bcl-2, bax, p21/WAF-1, and p53 proteins were assessed semiquantitatively by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS—Significant decreases in polyp number and in the apoptotic ratio were seen in patients treated with sulindac compared with controls. The mean percentage change in polyp number from baseline was −46% in the sulindac group and +13% in the placebo group (p=0.005). Mean percentage change in the apoptotic ratio was −8% and +25% in the sulindac and placebo treated patients, respectively (p=0.004). No differences in expression or compartmentalisation of apoptosis related proteins were noted between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS—Sulindac regression of colorectal adenomas is accompanied by alteration of the rectal epithelial apoptotic ratio with relative increase in apoptosis in surface cells compared with the deeper crypt. The utility of the apoptotic ratio as an intermediate biomarker for colorectal tumorigenesis deserves further study. Keywords: apoptosis; familial adenomatous polyposis; sulindac; intermediate biomarker; tumorigenesis
Application of monoclonal antibodies against major basic protein (BMK-13) and eosinophil cationic protein (EG1 and EG2) for quantifying eosinophils in bronchial biopsies from atopic asthma.

Summary A monoclonal antibody prepared against the eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) was compared with the anti-eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) antibodies (Eg1 and EG2) in immunostaining of bronchial biopsies from atopic asthma and controls. Anti-MBP (designated BMK-13) did not cross-react with other eosinophil basic proteins (i.e. ECP, eosinophil peroxidase [EPO] or eosinophil-derived neurotoxin [EDN]) and stained more than 98% of peripheral blood eosinophils irrespective of their degree of activation. EG2 stained 15% of resting and 75% of activated eosinophils; EG1 recognized 74% and 78% of resting and activated cells, respectively. The numbers of BMK-13, EG1 or EG2-positive staining cells in bronchial biopsies from asthma were significantly greater than atopic non-asthmatics (P EG1 > EG2. BMK-13 stained significantly more cells from bronchial biopsies of atopic asthma and atopic non asthma when compared to EG2(P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Since only a proportion of BMK-13+ cells were EG2+, these results suggest that not all tissue eosinophils are actively secreting. Thus, BMK-13 can serve as a useful pan-eosinophil marker in tissue sections since it appears to stain most eosinophils.
Investigating American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Nest Failure on Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia, USA

Abstract. Nest failure has often been identified as a factor affecting American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) survivorship. To examine causes of nest failure, small digital cameras were deployed between 6 April and 15 July 2005 on American Oystercatcher nests on Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge located in Northampton County, Virginia. Twenty-five attempts, representing 22 different pairs, were recorded resulting in 7,570 hr of video footage. Nest survivorship was 44% (n = 11). High tide events associated with coastal storms were the largest source of nest loss (24%, n = 6), followed by predation on eggs (16%, n = 4). Nest abandonment, unknown factors, and infertile eggs accounted for the remaining 16% (n = 4) of nests. The main predator was Fish Crows (Corvus ossifragus). While American Oystercatchers were incubating, 211 instances were recorded where individuals of 22 species entered the field of view of video cameras. The most common species entering included Boat-tailed Grackle (Oidscal...
Microtubule-associated protein-2 is a sensitive marker of primary and metastatic neuroblastoma.

Background: Microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) is a protein expressed in high levels in cells derived from the neural crest. To the best of our knowledge, MAP-2 expression has not been thoroughly evaluated in tissues outside of the central nervous tissue. We examined the diagnostic utility of MAP-2 as a marker of neuroblastoma and attempted to characterize the expression of this protein in other tumors in the morphologic differential diagnosis of neuroblastoma. Results: MAP-2 showed significant cytoplasmic reactivity in 95% of primary and 100% of metastatic neuroblastomas. Included within this set of tumors were 3 undifferentiated neuroblastomas, all of which showed strong staining. MAP-2 did not show significant staining in the majority of other small round blue cell tumors within the morphologic differential. Additionally, MAP-2 showed comparable sensitivity in staining primary neuroblastomas as compared with synaptophysin, chromogranin, CD56, and b-catenin. In contrast to other markers of neuroblastoma, MAP-2 did not show significant cross reactivity to native bone marrow precursors, thus eliminating a potential source of confusion. In normal tissues, MAP-2 staining was essentially restricted to organs derived from the neural crest (adrenal medulla, endocrine organs). Variant patterns of staining were seen in exocrine organs, monocyte/ macrophages and solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma family of tumors. Rarely, high-grade adult sarcomas exhibiting strong cytoplasmic MAP-2 staining were seen. Conclusions: MAP-2 is a sensitive and specific marker of neuroblastoma, both in the primary tumor and bone marrow biopsy settings. We think that MAP-2, in conjunction with synaptophysin, is a very powerful immunohistochemical marker in differentiating neuroblastoma from its morphologic mimics.
Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Efficient Photonic Crystal Cavity-Waveguide Couplers

Coupling of photonic crystal (PC) linear three-hole defect cavities to PC waveguides is theoretically and experimentally investigated. An improved coupling is obtained by tilting the cavity axis by 60deg with respect to the waveguide direction
The Faithfulness of the Interpretation of Arithmetic in the Theory of Constructions

In my paper [1], with which I assume the reader is familiar, I defined an arithmetic theory of constructions ATC and gave an interpretation of intuitionistic arithmetic HA in ATC. I proved that, in a suitable sense, every formula provable in HA is also provable in ATC. I proved the converse of this result only for positive sentences. In the present paper I will prove in full generality that any formula of HA which is provable in ATC is already provable in HA. In a later paper I shall use this result to obtain new information about certain extensions of HA by addition of higher types.
The Role of Interleukin-6 in the Formation of the Coronary Vasculature

The formation and the patterning of the coronary vasculature are critical to the development and pathology of the heart. Alterations in cytokine signaling and biomechanical load can alter the vascular distribution of the vessels within the heart. Changes in the physical patterning of the vasculature can have significant impacts on the relationships of the pressure-flow network and distribution of critical growth and survival factors to the tissue. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that regulates several biological processes, including vasculogenesis. Using both immunohistological and cardioangiographic analyses, we tested the hypothesis that IL-6-loss will result in decreased vessel density, along with changes in vascular distribution. Moreover, given the impact of vascular patterning on pressure-flow and distribution mechanics, we utilized non-Euclidean geometrical fractal analysis to quantify the changes in patterning resulting from IL-6-loss. Our analyses revealed that IL-6-loss results in a decreased capillary density and increase in intercapillary distances, but does not alter vessel size or diameter. We also observed that the IL-6−/− coronary vasculature had a marked increase in fractal dimension (D value), indicating that IL-6-loss alters vascular patterning. Characterization of IL-6-loss on coronary vasculature may lend insight into the role of IL-6 in the formation and patterning of the vascular bed.
Differential effects of AT1 receptor and Ca2+ channel blockade on atherosclerosis, inflammatory gene expression, and production of reactive oxygen species.

Angiotensin II receptor blockade has been shown to inhibit atherosclerosis in several different animal models. We sought to determine if this effect was the result of blood pressure reduction per se or a result of the anti-inflammatory effects of receptor blockade. ApoE-deficient mice were fed a high fat diet and treated with either an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, candesartan (0.5 mg/kg/day, SC) or a calcium channel blocker, amlodipine (7.5 mg/kg/day, mixed with food). Atherosclerotic lesion area, aortic inflammatory gene expression as well as aortic H2O2 and superoxide production were assayed. We found that candesartan but not amlodipine treatment dramatically attenuated the development of atherosclerosis despite a similar reduction in blood pressure. Similarly, candesartan treatment inhibited aortic expression of inflammatory genes and production of reactive oxygen species, effects not seen with amlodipine. These data demonstrate that angiotensin II receptor blockade inhibits atherosclerosis by reducing vascular oxidative stress and inflammatory gene production independent of blood pressure reduction.
Coming Out and the Potential for Growth in Sexual Minorities: The Role of Social Reactions and Internalized Homonegativity.

Coming out is a significant and sometimes difficult process in the lives of sexual minorities, but disclosure can also affect wellbeing in positive ways, including reduced distress and greater relationship satisfaction. This study investigates the possibility of stress-related growth and depreciation following coming out. To obtain a diverse sample with varying coming-out experiences, data were collected from undergraduate students as well as from online sources, including lesbian, gay, and bisexual support groups and Pride groups. Regression analyses indicated that negative social reactions to coming out predicted both growth and depreciation, although they more strongly predicted depreciation. Positive social reactions were positively related to stress-related growth, while internalized homonegativity was inversely associated with growth. Although the two sample sources (online and campus) differed in some ways, sample source was not a significant predictor in the regressions, nor was it indicated as a ...
Adding in-line motion and model-based optimization offers exceptional force control authority in flapping foils

We study experimentally the effect of adding an in-line oscillatory motion to the oscillatory heaving and pitching motion of flapping foils that use a power downstroke. We show that far from being a limitation imposed by the muscular structure of certain animals, in-line motion can be a powerful means to either substantially augment the mean lift, or reduce oscillatory lift and increase thrust; propulsive efficiency can also be increased. We also show that a model-based optimization scheme that is used to drive an iterative sequence of experimental runs provides exceptional ability for flapping foils to tightly vector and keep the force in a desired direction, hence improving performance in locomotion and manoeuvring. Flow visualization results, using particle image velocimetry, establish the connection of distinct wake patterns with flapping modes associated with high lift forces, or modes of high thrust and low lift forces.
Tumor Suppressor HIC1 Directly Regulates SIRT1 to Modulate p53-Dependent DNA-Damage Responses

Hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1) is an epigenetically regulated transcriptional repressor that functionally cooperates with p53 to suppress age-dependent development of cancer in mice. Here we show that the mechanism by which the loss of HIC1 function promotes tumorigenesis is via activating the stress-controlling protein SIRT1 and thereby attenuating p53 function. HIC1 forms a transcriptional repression complex with SIRT1 deacetylase, and this complex directly binds the SIRT1 promoter and represses its transcription. Inactivation of HIC1 results in upregulated SIRT1 expression in normal or cancer cells; this deacetylates and inactivates p53, allowing cells to bypass apoptosis and survive DNA damage. Inhibition of SIRT1 function in cells without HIC1 abolishes the resistance to apoptosis. Since aging increases promoter hypermethylation and epigenetic silencing of HIC1, we speculate that the resultant upregulation of SIRT1 may be a double-edged sword that both promotes survival of aging cells and increases cancer risk in mammals.
Topics in Planar Physics

While the evident goal of physics is to explain phenomena in four-dimensional space-time, where physical Nature resides, and perhaps even to explain why Nature resides in four dimensions, the means that we have come to employ in reaching this goal are sufficiently intricate that it has proven useful to make a detour from the direct path, and to wander into lower-dimensional worlds, with the hope that in the simpler setting we can learn useful things about the agreed upon four-dimensional problem. This indeed has happened, initially in two dimensions, where we first encountered spontaneous gauge symmetry breaking, anomalies, the soliton phenomenon, to name three important examples. Moreover, when it was appreciated that there exist physical environments — not in particle physics but in condensed matter and statistical systems — which are properly described by two-dimensional field theories — e.g. linear chains whose time evolution gives rise to two-dimensional dynamics, or planar arrays in equilibrium whose static properties are governed by two-dimensional Euclidean field theory — a physical application of the pedagogical investigations could be made, for example to solitons and fractional charge in polyacetylene or to conformally invariant critical phenomena. Additionally, mathematical and speculative uses for two-dimensional field theories were found in the string program.
Cryo-electron-microscopy reconstruction of partially symmetric objects.

A procedure is described for reconstructing three-dimensional objects from two-dimensional projections. The method is based both on the original Crowther, DeRosier, and Klug (DeRosier, D.J., and Klug, A. (1968), Nature 217, 130-134; Crowther, R.A., DeRosier, D.J., and Klug, A. (1970) Proc. R. Soc. London A 317, 319-340) work on image reconstructions of icosahedral viruses and on the concept of noncrystallographic symmetry (Rossmann, M.G., 1995, Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5, 650-655). The procedure has been applied so far only to test data where the objective has been the determination of particle orientation, both ab initio and through the use of model data.
Corrosion of Superaustenitic Stainless Steel N08367 Brazed with a Nickel-Chromium-Silicon- Phosphorous Alloy: Electrochemical Corrosion Behavior of Isolated and Combined Materials

Abstract The corrosion of superaustenitic stainless steel (SASS) Al-6XN (Fe-24Ni-20Cr-6.3Mo-0.22N in wt%, UNS N08367) brazed with a commercial brazing alloy (with a composition of Ni-22Cr-6.3Si-3.8P) in 0.6 M sodium chloride (NaCl) solution is reported. The SASS sheet material was intrinsically resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion in NaCl solution at room temperature, as indicated by its performance in both multiple crevice assembly exposures and electrochemical polarization testing. The open-circuit potential of isolated SASS (UNS N08367)fell roughly 900 mV below its critical potential for crevice corrosion repassivation (Ecrev,r). Isolated beads of the Ni-22Cr-6.3Si-3.8P braze alloy exhibited open-circuit potentials near its measured Ecrev,r of −0.200 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE) when prepared at 1,150°Cfor 60 min in a vacuum furnace followed by a furnace cool. This was related to both the low pitting resistance equivalent number (PREN) of the solid solution phase as well as the segrega...
Precise integration of undulator Hall probe scans

Procedures are described for obtaining precise magnetic field integral values for Hall probe scans of undulators. A technique is discussed for scaling the even portion of a nonlinear Hall probe calibration based upon sets of scans with the Hall probe installed in opposing orientations. An example is discussed where a 293 G-cm error is corrected by scaling which corresponds to an average adjustment of 0.7 G over a 3.0 T range. An analysis of measurement uncertainty is presented. A quantitative example is presented which shows that the expected level of uncertainty is of the order of 20 G-cm for undulator field integrals using the Advanced Light Source (ALS) magnet measurement facility. Sets of duplicate field integral measurements of ALS undulators demonstrate an accuracy and variation of results of better than 20 G-cm. A comparison of integrated Hall probe scans with integral coil measurements shows good agreement. >
Adolescents With Major Depression Demonstrate Increased Amygdala Activation

Objective Functional neuroimaging studies have led to a significantly deeper understanding of the underlying neural correlates and the development of several mature models of depression in adults. In contrast, our current understanding of the underlying neural substrates of adolescent depression is very limited. Although numerous studies have consistently demonstrated a hyperactive amygdala in depressed adults, the few published pediatric studies have reported opposite results in the amygdala. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to further our knowledge of the underlying neural substrates of adolescent depression by examining the bilateral amygdala specifically and the whole brain in depressed adolescents compared to healthy controls. Method Twelve unmedicated adolescents diagnosed with current major depressive disorder without a comorbid psychiatric disorder and 12 well-matched controls ages 13 to 17 years performed a facial-emotion matching task during functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T. Results Region-of-interest analyses demonstrated: (1) significant bilateral amygdala activation in depressed and healthy adolescents, and (2) significantly greater left amygdala activation in depressed adolescents compared to controls. Whole-brain analysis revealed areas of significantly different brain activity in depressed adolescents compared to controls. Conclusions These results suggest that (1) depressed adolescents without a comorbid psychiatric disorder exhibit an abnormally hyperactive amygdala compared to healthy controls; (2) models of adult depression might be extended to include depressed adolescents; and (3) neuropsychiatric interventions that have been developed in depressed adults should be further examined in adolescents.
A Study Of U.S. Stock Market Volatility, Fall 2008

This is a market volatility study utilizing three measures of assessing volatility in the U.S stock markets prior to and after the month of September 2008 using three proxies. The first is the VIX index, the CBOE options volatility measure. The next two are bearish, or short position strategy, ETF’s based on stock indexes but designed to reflect and benefit from stock market movements in the downward direction. They are the Power Shares index, symbol SDS, and the Rydex Index, symbol RMS. This research evaluates and analyzes weekly movements in the three volatility variables mentioned above for a period of the last eight months of 2008. This includes the four months prior to and the four months after the beginning of September 2008. Specifically, the relative magnitude, volatility and degree of correlation between the three variables will be examined and compared to the movements in NYSE, NASDAQ and S & P stock indexes. The life span and volume of trading, one measure of liquidity, in each of the three variables will also be evaluated. Part of the analysis, and conclusions, will involve analyzing how similar or dissimilar the three behave and whether one may be a better indicator of current or future volatility in the stock market, or financial markets in general and how effective the bear market ETF’s might be as hedging vehicles in a down market.
Typical Pennsylvania German Wills

THE citizens of Pennsylvania German communities were not unl ke other Americans in their desire to p ovide by will for the loved ones remaining behind. In order to illustrate the char acteristics of the typical Pennsylvania German will, the present writer turned to the records of Snyder and Union counties, for there, in a section today still predominantly agricultural, lay a closeness to mother earth and therefore to the struggle for existence. Examination of the recorded wills and testaments in Snyder and Union counties revealed the general simplicity of life in the last century, a history of social customs, the hard struggle for the necessities of life, and an effort to continue to provide them for the closest kin. For this paper, greatest attention was given to the wills recorded at Middleburg (Snyder county) in volume one, covering approximately the period from 1855 to 1871, and to those recorded at Lewisburg (Union county) in Volume A, in the first half of the nineteenth century; that is, before 1855 when Snyder county was carved out of Union county. A comparison of these older wills with those of a later period and even of the present day brought into bold relief changes in values, in cost of living, and in the concern for what seems to us today but ordinary and trivial. Truly, one may paraphrase "there is gold in dem dere hills" with "there is history in dem dere wills," the history largely of Pennsylvania Germans, who showed consideration for the family in their detailed and often quaint enumerations. Wills are a reflection of the period from which they sprang, in that they named and specified the articles peculiar to that pe riod. The earlier wills, those recorded in Union county in the first half of the nineteenth century, mentioned the dough tray, bread baskets, flax, hackled flax and tow, the bucking tub, pounds and shillings, the ten-plated stove, leather for the making of shoes at
Vasoconstrictor and vasodilator sites within anteroventral third ventricle region

Previous studies have shown that electrical stimulation of the rat anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) region produces a characteristic pattern of hemodynamic effects, i.e., renal and mesenteric vasoconstriction, and hindquarters vasodilation. In the present study, we localized the vasoconstrictor and vasodilator effects to specific subregions of the AV3V. In urethan-anesthetized rats prepared with arterial catheters and pulsed Doppler flow probes, we assessed the effects of electrical stimulation of four nuclei within AV3V on mean arterial pressure and renal, mesenteric, and hindquarters resistance. These nuclei were the organum vasculosum lamina terminalis (OVLT), ventral nucleus medianus (median preoptic nucleus), anterior (precommissural) nucleus medianus (median preoptic nucleus), and periventricular preoptic nuclei. Stimulation was carried out by use of a tungsten microelectrode. Stimulation of the OVLT consistently provoked stimulus-locked increases in arterial pressure coupled with increases in mesenteric and renal vascular resistance. Ganglionic blockade with chlorisondamine prevented these responses, demonstrating that they were mediated neurogenically. Stimulation of the three remaining nuclei produced decreases in arterial pressure, hindquarters vasodilation, and little change in mesenteric and renal vascular resistance. No changes in heart rate were observed with stimulation of any of the four nuclei. These results suggest that the vasoconstrictor and pressor functions of the AV3V region are localized in or near the OVLT region, whereas the remaining nuclei of the AV3V region mediate vasodilator and depressor responses.
Anterior Segment Scleral Fluorescein Angiography in the Evaluation of Ciliary Body Neoplasm: Two Case Reports.

Introduction: Anterior segment tumors can be difficult to detect until tumor growth is substantial enough to cause local signs or symptoms. Earlier detection may result in improved outcomes, particularly the ability to option for globe-conserving therapy. Multiple diagnostic modalities such as ultrasound or optical coherence tomography exist to aid for earlier detection of ciliary body tumors, but they also have limitations. Here we describe the potential for scleral angiography as an adjunctive modality to assist in evaluating anterior segment ciliary body tumors. Case Presentations: A 61-year-old Caucasian male and a 57-year-old Hispanic female presented for ciliary body tumor evaluation. The Caucasian male notably had abnormal scleral, episcleral, and conjunctival vessels in the affected eye. Scleral angiography was performed in both cases with the abnormal vasculature highlighted in the Caucasian male. The Hispanic female did not demonstrate abnormal scleral angiographic patterns. Notably, the Caucasian male also had regions of abnormal scleral angiography arising in locations of otherwise normal appearing sclera. Both patients had the affected eyes enucleated. Histology of the enucleated eyes demonstrated a ciliary body melanoma in the Caucasian male associated with abnormal vascular and tumor infiltration of the scleral bed. The Hispanic female had a pigmented ciliary body adenoma without involvement of the scleral bed. Conclusion: With limited sample size, scleral angiography has the potential to detect abnormal scleral vascular patterns in otherwise normal appearing sclera in cases of ciliary body tumor with scleral vascular invasion.
Heat Transfer Through a Multilayer Insulation System as a Function of Pressure in the Cryostat Vacuum Space

When one builds a high quality cryostat, one strives to have a good vacuum (better than 1 mPa) in the space where there is multilayer insulation between the cryogen vessel and the outer vacuum vessel. When designing any cryostat, one should always ask the following question; What happens if the insulting vacuum is not good? This paper presents a technique for analyzing the performance of a cryogenic insulation system when the insulating vacuum is not so good. From the analytical calculations presented in this report, one can improve the insulation system so that acceptable insulation performance can occur even when the pressure in the vacuum space is as high as 100 mPa. Of particular interest is the calculation of insulation performance when the vacuum fails. The difference between an air or nitrogen leak, and a helium leak or a hydrogen leak is illustrated.
Competing for Advantages: From Industry Analysis to Competitive Dynamics

Technical note on industry analysis and competitive dynamics. Excerpt UVA-S-0168 Rev. Jan. 28, 2016 Competing for Advantages: From Industry Analysis to Competitive Dynamics Strategy is about enabling value creation, and a company whose strategy emphasizes value creation for stakeholders should improve its competitive position. Managing this competition and understanding how firms compete for advantages are essential parts of a strategist's job. Two commonly used approaches for analyzing competition in strategic management are the Five Forces Industry Analysis and competitive dynamics. These two approaches are complementary, the former taking a macro view of industry structure, the latter a micro view of action-response; taken together, they provide a comprehensive understanding of business strategy and competition. This note is a brief summary of the two perspectives. . . .
Effects of High Figure of Merit Bi2Te3 Based Superlattices on Thermoelectric Power Generation

We have investigated the power generation characteristics of thermoelectric devices made from high Figure of Merit p-type Bi2 Te3 /Sb2 Te3 and n-type Bi2 Te3 /Bi2 Te2.7 Se0.3 superlattice materials. The Figure of Merit, ZT (where Z is a measure of the material’s thermoelectric properties and T is the absolute temperature) of the p-type and n-type superlattices were each measured at 300K and found to be 2.4 and 1.2 respectively [1]. Sixteen p-n couples were developed using these superlattice materials and they were configured into a 4×4 thermoelectric module. The electrical measurements (Current, Voltage, and Power) of the 4×4 superlattice thermoelectric modules under various resistive loads and temperature differentials in a standard pressure environment are presented and from these, we have determined the peak power and internal resistance of the module. We also discuss other opportunities to further investigate this device as well as its suitability for power applications.Copyright © 2008 by ASME and U.S. Government
Per-symbol ICI mitigation for frequency non-selective time-varying channels

A time domain window optimized at the symbol level of an OFDM signal is proposed for equalizing the ICI over frequency non-selective max-speed bounded time-varying channels. ICI becomes significant when the time variation over the OFDM symbol exhibits multiple cycle oscillations. At practical speeds of motion, the induced channel time variation has a concentrated Doppler spectrum. Knowing the max-speed bound on moving objects in the channel, a parsimonious discrete prolate spheroidal (DPS) based BEM approximation can be attained. A parsimonious representation exposes the true dimensionality of the channel which in many cases is low compared to the number of samples in the OFDM symbol. Leveraging the low dimensionality, an optimization problem is formulated to attain the time domain ICI-mitigation window. For an OFDM signal, pilot-based LS estimation is compromised due to the contamination of pilots by ICI. Our proposed method exceeds the LS method in performance with channel estimation MSE gains up to 10 dB and 4-fold reduction in SER at 40 dB SNR.
Stereoscopy and resolution in electron microscopy

Why do stereoscopic pairs show striking increases in resolution over the individual micrographs of which they are composed? Of course, stereoscopy increases information by permitting a three-dimensional reconstruction of the specimen to be made. Stereoscopic views also tell whether observed variations in image density are due to Bragg reflections in crystalline materials or to differences in electron scattering power in amorphous materials. Also, with two separate exposures, imperfections in photographic materials tend to cancel out; and there is a two-fold gain in the numbers of electrons or photographic grains that contribute to the net image seen. An additional feature is perhaps more subtle but no less important: No matter how many exposures are made from a single point of view, the images of some objects in a threedimensional specimen are inevitably confused with those of other objects such as the supporting film. If, however, two exposures are made from different points of view, i. e., a stereoscopic pair, the previously superimposed images separate from each other. What would have caused confusion in a single exposure may now be ignored by the viewer of the stereo pair. By eliminating confusions like these, stereoscopy increases the yield of information and the effective resolution at all levels in the specimen.
Conditional mean first passage time in a Markov chain

Kemeny and Snell (Markov Chains, Van Nostrand, 1960) developed a computational procedure for calculating the conditional mean time to absorption in a designated absorbing state in an absorbing Markov chain which has multiple absorbing states plus a set of transient states, given that the chain will ultimately end up in the designated absorbing state. This paper extends the computational procedure developed by Kemeny and Snell so that it can be applied to a multichain which has at least one closed communicating class of non-absorbing recurrent states. The paper derives a formula for calculating the conditional mean first passage time from a transient state to a designated recurrent state in a multichain, when it is hypothesized that the multichain will eventually reach the recurrent closed class to which the designated recurrent state belongs. The procedure devised by Kemeny and Snell, augmented by the formula contributed by this paper, is applied to a simplified multichain chain model of a production process.
Lipemia-induced acceleration of intravascular clotting. II. Effect of hypoprothrombinemia.

Summary and conclusions1) Bishydroxycoumarin-induced hypoprothrombinemia may result in a slight delay of fibrin clot in isolated venous segments of anesthetized dogs. 2) The hemorrhagic state produced by the drug fails to prevent acceleration of intravascular clotting caused by intravenous infusion of fat emulsion. This clot acceleration, therefore, may not operate through the mechanism of prothrombin conversion. 3) Our experiments lend support to the concept that anticoagulation with coumarin-type drugs is not synonymous with antithrombotic effect.
Psychophysiologically Determined Classification of Cognitive Activity

Psychophysiological measures and artificial neural networks were used to determine how well higher levels of cognitive activity, such as executive function, spatial and verbal working memory and global workload, could be assessed. A complex uninhabited air vehicle simulator was used in which subjects were responsible for four vehicles simultaneously. The subjects had to evaluate visual images and maintain the status of the vehicles. The results showed that the cognitive states, derived from subjective reports, could be accurately classified. These results have application in human factors environments which demand higher level cognitive processing and may be useful when implementing adaptive aiding in these systems.
Integrating Differentiation in English Education Methods Courses: Learning from the Perceptions and Experiences of Teacher Candidates

The practice of inclusion as a response to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act means that English teachers teach students who demonstrate a wide range of abilities in the same classroom. This qualitative study explored the developing attitudes toward differentiation of English education teacher candidates participating in a methods course cotaught by an English education professor and a special education professor. Findings revealed that their pedagogical beliefs were influenced by having knowledge of individual students, proactively engaging with professional concepts, and attending to students' affective needs in academic contexts. The teacher candidates in this study were able to discuss differentiation, but they struggled to implement it in practice; therefore, we argue that instruction on differentiation must be explicitly integrated into English methods courses. Using cognitive flexibility theory, we suggest ways teacher educators can help future teachers develop advanced knowledge of di...
Interleukin-1beta stimulates phospholipase A2 activity in adult rat ventricular myocytes.

We have examined whether interleukin (IL)-1beta modulates phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity in ventricular myocytes. PLA2 activity was measured in isolated membrane and cytosol fractions with (16:0,...
Blood Group T and TN Antigens are Epithelial Cell-Adhesive, Universal, Clonal, Autoimmunogenic Carcinoma Markers

Abstract The importance of blood group precursor Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) and Tn antigens in carcinoma (CA) diagnosis and patient — CA interaction was first recognized in 1974. T and Tn are present in >90% of human CA tested, and are expressed on the outer surface of cell membranes. They are involved in cancer cell adhesion to healthy epithelium. T and Tn determinants in healthy and non-CA diseased fetal and adult tissues are fully shielded from the immune system. T and Tn permit early immunohistochemical detection and prognostication of the invasiveness of some CAs. All persons have anti-T and -Tn antibodies, evoked by their intestinal flora. Early and throughout the disease, patients mount readily measurable humoral and cellular immune responses against CA-associated T antigen. Sensitivity and specificity of T — anti-T assays in CA detection were both >80%.
Bacterial N-Glycosylation Efficiency Is Dependent on the Structural Context of Target Sequons

Site selectivity of protein N-linked glycosylation is dependent on many factors, including accessibility of the modification site, amino acid composition of the glycosylation consensus sequence, and cellular localization of target proteins. Previous studies have shown that the bacterial oligosaccharyltransferase, PglB, of Campylobacter jejuni favors acceptor proteins with consensus sequences ((D/E)X1NX2(S/T), where X1,2 ≠ proline) in flexible, solvent-exposed motifs; however, several native glycoproteins are known to harbor consensus sequences within structured regions of the acceptor protein, suggesting that unfolding or partial unfolding is required for efficient N-linked glycosylation in the native environment. To derive insight into these observations, we generated structural homology models of the N-linked glycoproteome of C. jejuni. This evaluation highlights the potential diversity of secondary structural conformations of previously identified N-linked glycosylation sequons. Detailed assessment of PglB activity with a structurally characterized acceptor protein, PEB3, demonstrated that this natively folded substrate protein is not efficiently glycosylated in vitro, whereas structural destabilization increases glycosylation efficiency. Furthermore, in vivo glycosylation studies in both glyco-competent Escherichia coli and the native system, C. jejuni, revealed that efficient glycosylation of glycoproteins, AcrA and PEB3, depends on translocation to the periplasmic space via the general secretory pathway. Our studies provide quantitative evidence that many acceptor proteins are likely to be N-linked-glycosylated before complete folding and suggest that PglB activity is coupled to general secretion-mediated translocation to the periplasm. This work extends our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying N-linked glycosylation in bacteria.
Room and ultrahigh temperature mechanical properties of field assisted sintered tantalum alloys

Abstract Refractory metal alloys such as tungsten and tantalum have long been primary materials of use in high temperature applications. The difficulty of processing tungsten and tantalum alloys makes the job of economically fabricating components from these alloys challenging. Furthermore, despite their intended use at elevated temperatures, limited research work has been to done to evaluate mechanical properties of these alloys at elevated temperatures. In this work, the mechanical properties of three tantalum alloys, pure Ta, Ta-10 vol%W, and Ta-10 vol%W-1.5 vol%TiC are studied using a range of mechanical testing procedures. Pure tantalum is found to display higher ductility at both room and elevated temperatures in comparison to alloyed samples. Addition of both 10 vol%W and 1.5 vol%TiC addition is found to result in comparable high-temperature strength and ductility in comparison to 10 vol%W addition, and improved hardness and flexural strength at room temperature. XRD and EDS analysis paired with microscopy of sintered materials and there fracture surfaces suggest this improvement is associated with solid solution strengthening occurring at Ta-W grain boundary regions. Analysis of sample fracture surfaces reveals indications of increased sample ductility at elevated temperatures for all alloys shown by tearing of tensile bar surfaces near the fracture regime and other ductile features.
Node Kara: An Audiovisual Mixed Reality Installation

Node Kara is an audiovisual mixed reality installation by the artist Anil Camci. It offers a body-based interaction using a 3D imaging of the exhibition space. With a blurred audiovisual scene in its steady state, it invites visitors to interact with the multiplicity of layers it holds within. By moving in the exhibition space, the visitorscandeblurboththesoundandthevisualsastheygetimmersed in the piece. Rather than a detection of discrete events or gestures, Node Kara relies on ﬂuid interactions with continuous visual layers and stochastic audio. This way, the piece reacts to each visitor in a unique way. A video preview of Node Kara can be seen at https://vimeo.com/anilcamci/nodekara(password: nodekara).
Hard Incompatibilism, and the Rejection of Moral Responsibility: A Skeptical Look at an Optimistic Account

In a series of recent papers, Derk Pereboom and Gregg Caruso endorse hard incompatibilism. That is, they accept determinism and reject compatibilism (the compatibility of determinism with the free will required for moral responsibility). They thus deny what they call “basic desert moral responsibility” and reject, as the corollaries of basic desert moral responsibility, both the negative reactive attitudes (blame, indignation, guilt) and their positive counterparts. Despite their rejection of basic desert, negative and positive, and the appurtenant reactive attitudes, Pereboom and Caruso argue other moral judgments, such as good and bad and right and wrong, are not threatened, nor will society’s ability to deal with immoral behavior, including criminal conduct, be hampered. I do not share their sanguine conclusions.
GR effects in supernova neutrino flavor transformations

The strong gravitational field around a proto-neutron star can modify the neutrino flavor transformations that occur above the neutrinosphere via three general relativistic (GR) effects: time dilation, energy redshift, and trajectory bending. Depending on the compactness of the central object, the neutrino self-interaction potential is up to three times as large as that without GR principally due to trajectory bending which increases the intersection angles between different neutrino trajectories, and time dilation which changes the fluxes. We determine whether GR effects are important for flavor transformation during the different epochs of a supernova by using multiangle flavor transformation calculations and consider a density profile and neutrino spectra representative of both the accretion and cooling phases. We find the GR effects are smaller during the accretion phase due to low compactness of the proto-neutron star and merely delay the decoherence; the neutrino bipolar oscillations during the cooling phase are also delayed due to the GR effects but the delay may be more important because the delay occurs at radii where it might alter the nucleosynthesis in the neutrino driven wind.
Systematic adaptation of dynamically generated source code via domain-specific examples

In modern web-based applications, an increasing amount of source code is generated dynamically at runtime. Web applications commonly execute dynamically generated code (DGC) emitted by third-party, black-box generators, run at remote sites. Web developers often need to adapt DGC before it can be executed: embedded HTML can be vulnerable to cross-site scripting attacks; an API may be incompatible with some browsers; and the program's state created by DGC may not be persisting. Lacking any systematic approaches for adapting DGC, web developers resort to ad-hoc techniques that are unsafe and error-prone. This study presents an approach for adapting DGC systematically that follows the program-transformation-by-example paradigm. The proposed approach provides predefined, domain-specific before/after examples that capture the variability of commonly used adaptations. By approving or rejecting these examples, web developers determine the required adaptation transformations, which are encoded in an adaptation script operating on the generated code's abstract syntax tree. The proposed approach is a suite of practical JavaScript program adaptations and their corresponding before/after examples. The authors have successfully applied the approach to real web applications to adapt third-party generated JavaScript code for security, browser compatibility, and persistence.
POSTER: Towards Precise and Automated Verification of Security Protocols in Coq

Security protocol verification using commonly-used model-checkers or symbolic protocol verifiers has several intrinsic limitations. Spin suffers the state explosion problem; Proverif may report false attacks. An alternative approach is to use Coq. However, the effort required to verify protocols in Coq is high for two main reasons: correct protocol and property specification is a non-trivial task, and security proofs lack automation. This work claims that (1) using Coq for verification of cryptographic protocols can sometimes yield better results than Spin and Proverif, and (2) the verification process in Coq can be greatly alleviated if specification and proof engineering techniques are applied. Our approach is evaluated by verifying several representative case studies. Preliminary results are encouraging, we were able to verify two protocols that give imprecise results in Spin and Proverif, respectively. Further, we have automated proofs of secrecy and authentication for an important class of protocols.