cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Math fluency through game design

Our goal in this research is to create a comprehensive framework establishing guidelines for the design of math fluency games for adult learners. Our user-centered design approach consisted of focus groups with students, faculty, and administrators from a two-year and a four-year institution to probe more deeply into the ways students perceive the value of math in everyday activities. Using our comprehensive focus group protocol, we evaluated users' perception and understanding of culture-based mathematics to determine value-laden game designs that will promote math fluency among developmental math students. During these sessions, we collected quantitative and qualitative data in the form of survey data, play-test data, and field notes. The data speak to various issues such as games as a learning tool, interests and mismatches between designers and the target audience. Moving forward, our research will provide future directions for defining holistic usability by integrating user-centered design and game design.
THE HAZARD OF PLANT TOXICITIES TO THE HUMAN POPULATION

I. ABSTRACT The magnitude of human hazard from plant ingestion is suggested by the fact that plants are the second most frequent hazardous material ingested by children under 5 years of age and the fifth most frequent hazardous material ingested by humans of all ages. Common household and garden plants are among those most commonly ingested. A variety of potential clinical entities can be produced by most parts of these plants, including digestive tract disorders, cardiac irregularities, hallucinogenic effects, convulsions, and liver damage. To study some of these potential hazards rats were dosed with the flower or fruit, leaf, stem, or root of Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. ), Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum), Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia picta Schott ), Geranium (Pelargonium clonesticum Bailey ), or Philodendron (Philodendron cordatum Kunth ), and did not exhibit overt toxicity. Organ weight/whole body weight ratios were altered for liver, spleen, and heart, but daily weight gain was not affected. There is much to be learned about the relationship between experimentally induced plant ingestion in animals and actual human exposure.
Fanconi's syndrome associated with carburetor fluid intoxication

A patient who ingested carburetor fluid developed methanol intoxication followed by hypouricemia, hypophosphatemia, glycosuria, and hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. Renal clearances of phosphate, uric acid, glucose, and bicarbonate were found to be elevated indicating the presence of Fanconi's syndrome. The authors postulate that the Fanconi's syndrome observed in our patient was the result of the organic solvents present in the mixture.
The Microeconomics of College Choice, Careers, and Wages: Measuring the Impact of Higher Education

Understanding the economic payoff to human investments is very important from the standpoint both of individuals and of society. Correctly estimating these impacts necessitates having a well-developed idea of the microeconomic determinants of human behavior. Without this, empirical analyses of such topics as career choice, college choice, or wage determination will be flawed. We begin with a discussion of why these choice models are important--using examples of similar attempts that do not capture sufficient information--and illustrate their usefulness in a variety of contexts. We also describe the results of our attempts to examine college choice using microeconomic models.
Is quicker better? A NSQIP analysis of anesthesia time and complications following tracheostomy placement.

Abstract Background Increased anesthesia time may lead to respiratory complications in patients receiving tracheostomy, which contributes to patient morbidity. Methods The American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database was queried for cases of planned tracheostomy (CPT 31600) from 2005 to 2012. Patients were stratified into quintiles based on anesthesia duration. Pearson's chi square, Fischer's exact test, one-way ANOVA, and multivariate regression were used to determine the association between patient characteristics with pneumonia and ventilator dependence. Results Out of 752 patients, 83 patients experienced post-operative pneumonia, and 166 experienced ventilator dependence. Following multivariate regression analysis, anesthesia quintiles were not significantly associated with pneumonia or ventilator dependence. Age (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.05, P = .032), dyspnea (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.18–4.13; P = .013), pre-operative ventilator dependence (OR 3.08, 95% CI 1.19–7.98; P = .020), and sepsis (OR 6.68, 95% CI 3.19–14.0; P Conclusions Faster may not be better-- prolonged anesthesia time does not increase the risk of post-operative pneumonia or ventilator dependence in patients receiving a planned tracheostomy in the operating room.
Symmetry Breaking and Active Fano Resonance Tuning in Dolmen Nanostructures

Polar-dielectrics have garnered a lot of attention as an alternative to the metal plasmons to support sub-diffractional confinement of light in the mid-infrared to THz regime due to their very low optical losses (Caldwell JD, Lindsay L, Giannini V, Vurgaftman I, Reinecke TL, Maier SA, Glembocki OJ: Nanophotonics 4(44), 2015). The surface phonon polariton (SPhP) in SiC, a polar dielectric, is formed when the optical phonon vibration in the crystal lattice couple with the incident radiation. Recently coupled phononic SiC nanostructures have received enormous attention both in basic research and applied research (Caldwell JD, Glembocki OJ, Francescato Y, Sharac N, Giannini V, Bezares FJ, Long JP, Owrutsky JC, Vurgaftman I, Tischler JG, Wheeler VD, Bassim ND, Shirey LM, Kasica R, Maier SA: Nano Lett 13:3690, 2013; Ellis CT, Tischler JG, Glembocki OJ, Bezares FJ, Giles AJ, Kasica R, Shirey LM, Owrutsky JC, Chigrin DN, Caldwell JD: Sci Rep 6(32959), 2016). In this work, we fabricate a metasurface in the form of SiC nanostructured dolmen structures from a 4H-SiC substrate, which enables creation of new optical modes via periodicity induced symmetry breaking that are active in the Reststrahlen band region (window between the transverse and longitudinal optical phonons). The polarisation dependent far field studies reveal that the nanostructures exhibit very strong dipolar and quadrupolar resonances and the interaction between the radiant, broader dipolar modes with the narrow, sub-radiant quadrupolar modes gives rise to a unique asymmetric Fano type of resonance. By controlling the geometry and spacing of the features in the dolmen we notice that the resonances can be highly tunable, resulting in exceptional optical properties highly desirable to enhance the performance of various nanophotonic applications.
RUSH: Realtime ultrasonic scanning using submergible hydraulic robotic arms for mechanical properties testing

A high percentage of failures and damage propagation in materials and sensors employed in harsh industrial environments and airborne electronics is due to mechanical failure under tension and compression loads. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to test equipment reliability and ensure its survival in long missions in the presence of physical fluctuations. Mechanical testing systems (MTS) employ mechanical load in laboratories and all the scanning tests are performed after removing the sample from MTS machine. However, more precise tracking of failures and damages is possible only the moment the material is under loads. Hence, to systematically characterize and fully understand damage’s behavior, a system capable of Realtime scanning is required. The primary objective of this study is design, fabrication, and testing of a Realtime ultrasonic scanning using hydraulic arms (RUSH), which provides mechanical loads using hydraulic arms on the specimen and simultaneously scans it with ultrasonic scanning system. RUSH consists of two hydraulic pistons (for mechanical loading) and a main control unit that accurately calculates and sets the actuators’ input signals in order to generate desired load on the materials. In this paper, the system’s architecture, its mechanical structure, and electrical components are described. In addition, to verify RUSH’s performance, various experiments are carried out using unidirectional composites.
A Model for Analyzing Diegesis in Digital Narrative Games

Effectively communicating information about the diegetic boundary of a story world is critical to interactive narratives in games. It is crucial to the player’s ability to reason about how the game establishes and limits their options for interaction. However, games have proven difficult to apply traditional models of diegesis to, due to their interactive nature. Having a model for analyzing diegesis in interactive storytelling games could prove beneficial for the examination of communication between designer and player. In this paper, we present possible foundations of such a model, using film theory and the Interaction Model for Interactive Narratives as a lens. We define constructs and components that can be used to identify, isolate, and examine elements of a narrative game that define its diegetic experience and, through four case studies, demonstrate the utility of the model in analyzing the effects of diegesis and include observations on how to improve communication about diegetic boundaries between designer and player.
Dispersion from Sources in Nonuniform Seepage Flow

The concentration distribution due to dispersion of contaminant from a line source or a point source in a nonuniform flow through a porous medium is found to be described by rather simple equations. Although these equations have been derived with a few approximations, comparison with accurate numerical solutions shows that these simple solutions are adequate for engineering purposes. Because of the variation of velocity and soil properties along the streamline of contamination, the maximum concentration at a cross-section is modified. And because of lateral velocity variation among the streamlines, the trail of contaminant is shifted away from the streamline of contamination. The distribution of concentration is not symmetrical in the trail. Examples of application of the solutions are presented.
BRIDGING THE GENDER GAP IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE: WHY DO WOMEN HAVE WORSE OUTCOMES FOLLOWING PCI?

Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death among women, and mortality rates due to Acute Myocardial Infarction are higher in women than in men. However, women's older age and higher rates of comorbidities have confounded efforts to delineate the driving force for these poor outcomes. We
Predictive value of 0.35 T magnetic resonance imaging radiomic features in stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy of pancreatic cancer: A pilot study.

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential and feasibility of radiomic features extracted from low field strength (0.35 T) magnetic resonance images (MRIs) in predicting treatment response for patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Methods Twenty patients with unresected, non-metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were enrolled, all of whom received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by five-fraction MR-guided SBRT with a radiation dose range of 33-50 Gy. For each patient, five daily setup scans were acquired from a hybrid 0.35 T MRI/radiotherapy unit. Tumor heterogeneity quantified with radiomic features extracted from the gross tumor volume (GTV) was averaged over the course of treatment. Random forest (RF) and adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) classification models were constructed to identify radiomics features predictive of treatment response. Predictive capability of the top-performing features was then evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic area under curve (AUC) obtained using leave-one-out cross-validation. Results Half of the 20 patients showed response to treatment, defined by tumor regression on histopathology or tumor response on follow-up dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT). The most predictive features selected by the RF method were GLCM energy and GLSZM gray-level variance. The RF-based model achieved an AUC = 0.81 with a 95% confidence interval of [0.594 to 1] The LASSO algorithm selected GLCM energy as the only predictive feature, achieving an AUC = 0.81 with 95% confidence interval of [0.596 to 1]. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that radiomic features extracted during MR-guided SBRT may contain predictive information about response of PDAC patients to treatment. Using the images acquired during treatment of PDAC patients supports continued expansion of radiomic analysis based on low field strength MR images and may hold the potential for providing timely indications of response to treatment.
Incarceration and the Life Course: Age-Graded Effects of the First Parental Incarceration Experience

Research shows that parental incarceration can produce adverse effects across the life course. One question that remains largely unaddressed, however, is whether these effects are age-graded. Drawing on developmental and life-course scholarship, we argue that parental incarceration will exert different effects depending upon the developmental stage that it is first experienced. This study employs regression techniques using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 11,670). Specifically, we examine whether the effects of parental incarceration are greater if it is experienced during the early childhood (i.e., before age 6). The outcomes examined include adult offending, marijuana use, depression, educational attainment, and earnings. The results revealed an apparent age-graded effect of parental incarceration during adulthood. However, post hoc tests indicated that the apparent differences are only statistically significant for criminal offending, lending only limited support for an age-graded effect of parental incarceration. Although experiencing parental incarceration during childhood may not exert an age-graded effect on adult outcomes, the results lend support to theoretical arguments that parental incarceration may serve as an event that is especially salient—or a “turning point”—in the lives of children.
Schrödinger Equations in Nonlinear Optics

Using global optimization, we are able to find nontrivial solutions of the nonlinear steady-state Schrodinger equation arising in optics for wide ranges of the parameters. Our results hold in arbitrary dimensions.
Technology Roadmap: Hyperloop One

There are many reasons for humans’ search for alternative modes of transportation across the globe and in the USA specifically, including (but not limited to) the following: as population densities continue to increase, traffic conditions continue to deteriorate with the existing infrastructure; a societal shift toward adoption of new methods utilizing green energy demands development of efficient modes of transportation utilizing renewable energy; we need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels; and the logistical obstacles of airlines’ long security checking lines create enormous inconvenience for air travelers. All of these issues point toward the need for an intelligent, comfortable, and autonomous means of transport; that is people’s impression of the transport of tomorrow. That automobile will drive us into the future one vision of a new mode of transportation seems promising. A hyperloop is a train capable of reaching the speed of sound. While many people are skeptical about this concept, researchers and entrepreneurs from all over the world are working on making the hyperloop a reality. This chapter describes a study with the goal of developing a technology roadmap for a hyperloop company, in order to prioritize items on the basis of an expert panel’s judgment. With use of multielement tables, the team was able to shape a final hyperloop roadmap for the next 20 years. This roadmap is divided into 5-year intervals on the basis of the importance, feasibility, and availability of the necessary technologies.
Static and Dynamic Mechanical Characterization of a Spark Plasma Sintered B 6 O–B 4 C Composite

The microstructure and mechanical properties of a 70 wt.% B6O–30 wt.% B4C composite are compared to a monolithic B6O, both prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Optical and scanning electron micrographs showed significant phase segregation in the composite material along with extensive porosity in regions containing larger amounts of B6O. Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) indicated the presence of distinct B4C-dominant and B6O-dominant phases as well as near-homogeneous matrix interphase. The porous structure of the B6O resulted in a lower hardness of the B6O-dominant phase (11.3 GPa) and matrix interphase (16.7 GPa) as compared to the B4C-dominant phase (29.8 GPa) and the monolithic B6O sample (34.3 GPa). Contrary to theoretical predictions made elsewhere in the literature, the current mechanical testing of both samples indicated no improvement in hardness or compressive strength in the composite material as compared to the monolithic B6O material; however, the incomplete sintering and resulting porosity in the B6O phase of the composite had significant deleterious effects on its properties.
The Classical World

The topic of this book is AI, which is rooted in classical ML. In order to understand AI better, it is important to revisit the classical techniques. This chapter will take you on a brief journey through the ideas and methods, which laid the foundations of ML. The fundamental difference from AI is that one is working in a carefully designed feature space.
Prediction of Laser Induced Damage by Comparison of Laser Fluence Profile to Damage Spot Radius

In this method, the laser induced damage threshold for a material is obtained by determining the fluence within the damaging beam at a radial distance equal to the radius of the damage spot. The energy profile of the laser pulse is determined by translating a slit across the beam and reading the energy passing through the slit with 2 position. The laser profile is then quantified into fluence squares of area 400um in a two dimensional fluence grid. The radius of the damage site is then applied to the fluence grid, indicating the fluence square that corresponds to the edge of damage and it is this value that is the predicted damage threshold.
Climate, Technology, and the Evolution of Economic and Political Institutions

Why are some societies characterized by enduring democracy, while other societies are either persistently autocratic or experiment with democracy but then quickly fall back into autocracy? I find that there is a systematic, non-linear relationship between rainfall levels, human capital, property rights institutions and regime types such that stable democracies overwhelmingly cluster in a band of moderate rainfall (540 to 1200 mm of precipitation per year). I advance a theory to explain this outcome that focuses on how differences in the crops that could be grown in different rainfall bands affected societies’ institutional paths of development. I then test that theory against a unique cross-country dataset, a comparison of democracies and autocracies in antiquity, and a series of natural experiments.This paper builds upon an earlier collaboration with Victor Menaldo (University of Washington). Our joint paper, “Rainfall, Human Capital, and Democracy,” is available on SSRN. I also gratefully acknowledge discussions with Ran Abramitzky, Isa Chavez, Roy Elis, Stanley Engerman, Rob Fleck, Avner Greif, Tim Guinnane, Mark Kleinman, Dorothy Kronick, Naomi Lamoreaux, Ross Levine, Joseph Manning, Ian Morris, Josh Ober, Robert Packenham, Paul Sniderman, William Summerhill, and Barry Weingast. Nicholas Baldo, Kevin Cook, Roy Elis, Anne Given, and Scott Khamphoune, Dorothy Kronick, and Cole Lupoli, provided invaluable research assistance.
Using quarterly earnings to assess racing performance in 70 thoroughbreds after modified laryngoplasty for treatment of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.

Objective To validate and then use quarterly earnings to assess racing performance of Thoroughbreds after modified laryngoplasty for treatment of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Animals Thoroughbred racehorses after modified laryngoplasty (N = 70), and untreated cohorts (N = 210). Methods Medical (2005–2008) and race records of 70 Thoroughbred racehorses treated by modified laryngoplasty were reviewed. Postsurgery data were collated as the number of starts and the dollar race winnings for each quarter after the date of surgery. Comparisons were made to an untreated cohort population. Initial comparisons were made between subgroups of the untreated cohort to ensure that one randomly selected group of untreated horses would not differ significantly from another untreated group. Results In the last race before surgery, treated horses performed significantly (P < .001) worse than untreated horses. When data were examined by quarter, with the exception of the first quarter after surgery, there were no significant differences in race starts or dollars earned between treated horses and untreated cohorts. All treated horses had at least 1 race after surgery and there was no difference in cumulative survival up to 40 races after surgery between treated and untreated groups Conclusions Quarterly earnings can be used to provide a more detailed longitudinal assessment of a racehorse's performance. Horses treated by modified laryngoplasty for recurrent laryngeal neuropathy return to similar level of performance as their untreated cohorts by the second quarter after surgery, and continue to compete as long as their cohorts.
Multiagent Flight Control in Dynamic Environments with Cooperative Coevolutionary Algorithms

Dynamic environments in which objectives and environmental features change with respect to time pose a difficult problem with regards to planning optimal paths through these environments. Path planning methods are typically computationally expensive, and are often difficult to implement in real time if system objectives are changed. This computational problem is compounded when multiple agents are present in the system, as the state and action space grows exponentially with the number of agents in the system. In this work, we use cooperative coevolutionary algorithms in order to develop policies which control agent motion in a dynamic multiagent unmanned aerial system environment such that goals and perceptions change, while ensuring safety constraints are not violated. Rather than replanning new paths when the environment changes, we develop a policy which can map the new environmental features to a trajectory for the agent while ensuring safe and reliable operation, while providing 92% of the theoretically optimal performance.
Motion parameterization with inverse blending

Motion blending is a popular motion synthesis technique which interpolates similar motion examples according to blending weighs parameterizing high-level characteristics of interest. We present in this paper an optimization framework for determining blending weights able to produce motions precisely satisfying multiple given spatial constraints. Our proposed method is simpler than previous approaches, and yet it can quickly achieve locally optimal solutions without pre-processing of basis functions. The effectiveness of our method is demonstrated in solving two classes of problems: 1) we show the precise control of end-effectors during the execution of diverse upper-body actions, and 2) we also address the problem of synthesizing walking animations with precise feet placements, demonstrating the ability to simultaneously meet multiple constraints and at different frames. Our several experimental results demonstrate that the proposed optimization approach is simple to implement and effectively achieves realistic results with precise motion control.
We Thought It Could Never Happen Here

Abstract This article is a case study of the crisis communications response that took place following the Thurston High School shootings in Springfield, Oregon, in May 1998. It addresses the challenges faced by public information officers, in the Springfield/Eugene, Oregon area, who dealt with the communications aftermath of the Thurston shootings and looks at the emotional impact a crisis of this magnitude can have on those responding to it from an information dissemination and news gathering perspective.
Energy transduction in ATP synthase

Mitochondria, bacteria and chloroplasts use the free energy stored in transmembrane ion gradients to manufacture ATP by the action of ATP synthase. This enzyme consists of two principal domains. The asymmetric membrane-spanning Fo portion contains the proton channel, and the soluble F1 portion contains three catalytic sites which cooperate in the synthetic reactions1. The flow of protons through Fo is thought to generate a torque which is transmitted to F1 by an asymmetric shaft, the coiled-coil γ-subunit. This acts as a rotating ‘cam’ within F1, sequentially releasing ATPs from the three active sites1,2,3,4,5. The free-energy difference across the inner membrane of mitochondria and bacteria is sufficient to produce three ATPs per twelve protons passing through the motor. It has been suggested that this protonmotive force biases the rotor's diffusion so that Fo constitutes a rotary motor turning the γ shaft6. Here we show that biased diffusion, augmented by electrostatic forces, does indeed generate sufficient torque to account for ATP production. Moreover, the motor's reversibility — supplying torque from ATP hydrolysis in F1 converts the motor into an efficient proton pump7 — can also be explained by our model.
An In Situ Evaluation of the Settling of Loose-Fill Rock Wool Insulation in the Attics of Two Manufactured Home Units

The effect of vibrations due to manufacturing and transport on the thickness, density, and calculated thermal resistance (R-value) of loose-fill rock wool insulation installed in two manufactured home units has been determined. Thickness and density measurements on blown attic insulation were made after installation, at the end of the manufacturing process, and after the units were towed 426.5 km (265 miles). These measurements were used to calculate R-values for the attic insulation. The end sections of the two units showed an overall insulation thickness decrease of about 16% and an average R-value change from 5.50 to 5.08 K m 2 /W (31.2 to 28.8 ft 2 .h.°F/Btu). An estimated R-value greater than 5.29 K.m 2 /W (30 ft 2 .h.°F/Btu) resulted from averaging the end and middle sections of the two units. The effect of reduced thickness along the edges of the attic space was not included in the estimate.
Measurement of Sister Chromatid Exchanges at Very Low Bromodeoxyuridine Substitution Levels Using a Monoclonal Antibody in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

A monoclonal antibody to bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) incorporated into DNA allowed visualization of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) when as little as 0.6% of the thymine in a single DNA strand has been substituted. Measurement of the SCE frequency as a function of BrdUrd substitution in a normal Chinese hamster ovary cell line showed a plateau of six SCEs per cell for substitution levels up to at least 20%. A clear elevation in frequencies was noted at 60% substitution. However, in the mutant line EM9, previously shown to have a highly elevated frequency of SCE, the level of exchanges declined continuously as the percentage of BrdUrd substitution decreased. At 0.6% substitution, the frequency of SCE was still 4-fold higher than that of the parental cells. The antibody procedure described here should be useful in evaluating the extent to which SCEs induced by mutagenic agents result from interactions between the DNA damage caused by the agent and the BrdUrd routinely used for measuring SCE.
Optimal robust controller design of a high performance vector controlled synchronous permanent magnet motor drive

Summary form only given. A critical evaluation of the cascade decentralized controller now commonly used in high-performance drives has been undertaken. It has been shown that this structure is only useful for drives where (a) the disturbances are significant and nonexciting, i.e. constant, and (b) part of the model has non-minimum-phase characteristics and the portion of the model that has minimum-phase characteristics has much uncertainty associated with it. A controller design methodology that is based on linear quadratic formulation and that accommodates constraints on inverter voltage and currents has been proposed for vector-controlled AC drive. A multivariable-frequency-domain approach using singular value techniques applied to the loop transfer function of the closed-loop system and the bounded norm of possible parameter variations has been used to ensure stability robustness, disturbance rejection, low- and high-frequency modeling errors, and sensitivity reduction over the entire operability region. This has been combined with certain stabilizability conditions of the closed-loop system to obtain the optimal achievable controller performance. A controller design of a vector-controlled permanent-magnet synchronous motor drive driven by a sine-triangle-current-regulated PWM inverter using the proposed methodology has been undertaken and compared with a design based on the cascade and decentralized controller for both unexciting and time-limited-exciting reference and disturbance signals. >
Absence of IFN-γ Increases Brain Pathology in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis–Susceptible DRB1*0301.DQ8 HLA Transgenic Mice through Secretion of Proinflammatory Cytokine IL-17 and Induction of Pathogenic Monocytes/Microglia into the Central Nervous System

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the CNS of presumed autoimmune origin. Of all the genetic factors linked with multiple sclerosis, MHC class II molecules have the strongest association. Generation of HLA class II transgenic (Tg) mice has helped to elucidate the role of HLA class II genes in chronic inflammatory and demyelinating diseases. We have shown that the human HLA-DRB1*0301 gene predisposes to proteolipid protein (PLP)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), whereas HLA-DQβ1*0601 (DQ6) was resistant. We also showed that the DQ6 molecule protects from EAE in DRB1*0301.DQ6 double-Tg mice by producing anti-inflammatory IFN-γ. HLA-DQβ1*0302 (DQ8) Tg mice were also resistant to PLP(91-110)-induced EAE, but production of proinflammatory IL-17 exacerbated disease in DRB1*0301.DQ8 mice. To further confirm the role of IFN-γ in protection, we generated DRB1*0301.DQ8 mice lacking IFN-γ (DRB1*0301.DQ8.IFN-γ(-/-)). Immunization with PLP(91-110) peptide caused atypical EAE in DRB1*0301.DQ8.IFN-γ(-/-) mice characterized by ataxia, spasticity, and dystonia, hallmarks of brain-specific disease. Severe brain-specific inflammation and demyelination in DRB1*0301.DQ8.IFN-γ(-/-) mice with minimal spinal cord pathology further confirmed brain-specific pathology. Atypical EAE in DRB1*0301.DQ8.IFN-γ(-/-) mice was associated with increased encephalitogenicity of CD4 T cells and their ability to produce greater levels of IL-17 and GM-CSF compared with DRB1*0301.DQ8 mice. Further, areas with demyelination showed increased presence of CD68(+) inflammatory cells, suggesting an important role for monocytes/microglia in causing brain pathology. Thus, our study supports a protective role for IFN-γ in the demyelination of brain through downregulation of IL-17/GM-CSF and induction of neuroprotective factors in the brain by monocytes/microglial cells.
ADVANCES IN MODELLING AND SIMULATION OF LARGE PARALLEL/DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS

Many systems being designed today are extremely large and are being used to solve huge computational problems. The new system architectures being proposed are huge distributed and parallel systems with thousands of processors distributed widely over space and executing large applications. These new systems are used to solve the Grand Challenge problems. Significant emphasis has been placed on the evaluation of the performance of these systems. This paper surveys recent performance evaluation tools that have been developed to evaluate the performance of such parallel and distributed systems. A new methodology of performance evaluation using hardware description languages is proposed and its advantages over the existing approaches are discussed.
Optimal microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device for achieving high pyroelectric response of AlN

This paper discusses research being conducted on aluminum nitride (AlN) as a pyroelectric material for use in detecting applications. AlN is being investigated because of its high pyroelectric coefficient, thermal stability, and high Curie temperature. In order to determine suitability of the pyroelectric properties of AlN for use as a detector, testing of several devices was conducted. These devices were fabricated using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication processes; the devices were also designed to allow for voltage and current measurements. The deposited AlN films used were 150 nm – 300 nm in thickness. Thin-films were used to rapidly increase the temperature response after the thermal stimulus was applied to the pyroelectric material. This is important because the pyroelectric effect is directly proportional to the rate of temperature change. The design used was a face-electrode bridge that provides thermal isolation which minimizes heat loss to the substrate, thereby increasing operation frequency of the pyroelectric device. A thermal stimulus was applied to the pyroelectric material and the response was measured across the electrodes. A thermal imaging camera was used to monitor the changes in temperature. Throughout the testing process, the annealing temperatures, type of layers, and thicknesses were also varied. These changes resulted in improved MEMS designs, which were fabricated to obtain an optimal design configuration for achieving a high pyroelectric response. A pyroelectric voltage response of 38.9 mV p-p was measured without filtering, 12.45 mV p-p was measured in the infrared (IR) region using a Si filter, and 6.38 mV p-p was measured in the short wavelength IR region using a long pass filter. The results showed that AlN’s pyroelectric properties can be used in detecting applications.
Textiles and computing: background and opportunities for convergence

John Kay's invention of the flying shuttle in 1733 sparked the first Industrial Revolution, which led to the transformation of industry and subsequently of civilization itself. Yet another invention in the field of textiles - the Jacquard head by Joseph Marie Jacquard (circa 1801) - was the first binary information processor. At any given point, the thread in a woven fabric can be in one of two states or positions: on the face of the fabric or on the back. Pattern cards were punched or cut according to the required fabric design. A hole in the card signified that the thread would appear on the face of the fabric, while a blank meant that the end would be left down and appear on the back of the fabric. The Jacquard head was used on the weaving loom or machine for raising and lowering the warp threads to form desired patterns based on the lifting plan or program embedded in the cards. Thus the Jacquard mechanism set the stage for modern day binary information processing. Ada Lovelace, the benefactor for Charles Babbage who worked on the Analytical Engine (the predecessor to the modern day computer), is said to have remarked, "The Analytical Engine weaves algebraic patterns just as the Jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves." The Jacquard mechanism that inspired Babbage and spawned the Hollerith punched card has been instrumental in bringing about one of the most profound technological advancements known to humans, viz., the second Industrial Revolution also known as the Information Processing Revolution [1]. In fact, when Intel introduced its Pentium class of microprocessors, one of the advertisements had a "fabric of chips" emerging from a weaving machine; this picture eloquently captured the essence of chip making - a true blending of art and science - much like the design and production of textiles.
Territoriality and monogamy among agile gibbons hylobates agilis

I simulated territorial intrusions by mated pairs, solitary males and solitary females through song playback to investigate the behaviors that agile gibbons (Hylobates agilis) use to maintain territoriality and monogamy. Mated male and female gibbons approached and duetted in response to a simulated territorial intrusion by a neighboring group. Strange solitary females elicited similar approach and singing responses from mated pairs. In contrast, the simulated presence of a solitary male consistently evoked approaches by mated males only. Females and males did not contribute equally to pair movements or to answering songs; males led the majority of approaches, while females initiated all duets. I hypothesize that carrying small, vulnerable infants may inhibit females from leading approaches. These results are consistent with previous studies which suggest that female territoriality prevents male gibbons from becoming polygynous.
Production of butene oligomers as transportation fuels using butene for esterification of levulinic acid from lignocellulosic biomass: process synthesis and technoeconomic evaluation

Levulinic acid (LA) is a valuable platform chemical upon which biorefining strategies for the production of chemicals, fuels and power can be established. Herein, we report the results of process synthesis and technoeconomic analysis studies for the conversion of lignocellulose derived LA to liquid fuels through the intermediate formation of levulinate esters. In this strategy, esterification of levulinic and formic acids with alkenes (i.e., butene) produces hydrophobic esters, which extract the unconverted LA from the aqueous sulfuric acid solution. Following the γ-valerolactone (GVL) production from LA and levulinate esters, GVL is converted to butene, hence providing the butene required for esterification and butene oligomers. The minimum selling price of butene oligomers from a 1365 dry tons per day of loblolly pine processing facility is calculated to be $4.92 per gallon of gasoline equivalent. Our analysis shows that the biomass feedstock price is the main cost driver.
A Prospective Randomized Comparison of Bilateral Subtotal Thyroidectomy Versus Unilateral Total and Contralateral Subtotal Thyroidectomy for Graves’ Disease

To reduce the chance of recurrent hyperthyroidism, two methods of subtotal thyroidectomy were performed and compared. From January 1998 to December 2002, 340 patients were operated on with subtotal thyroidectomy. They were prospectively randomized into two groups. Group A included 166 patients and group B 174 patients. Group A patients had a 2.5 × 1 × 1 cm thyroid remnant on each side and group B patients had a 2.5 ×1 × 1 cm remnant on one side plus total lobectomy on the other side. Thyroid function tests including T3, T4, TSH, and antimicrosomal antibody (AMA) were checked preoperatively and in the follow-up period of 3 months, and later up to 26.4 ± 1.1 months (mean ± SE). The age, sex, duration of oral medicine, and blood loss of the two groups were not significantly different during surgery and the follow-up period. The operative time was less in group A (113 ± 3.3 minutes) than that in group B (131 ± 3.2 minutes) (p < 0.001). In the long-term follow-up period, recurrent hyperthyroidism was noted in 15 patients in group A and 3 patients in group B. The difference was significant (p = 0.003). Hypothyroidism was noted in 35 of the group A patients and in 46 of the group B patients. The differences between the two groups regarding hypothyroidism was not significant (p = 0.181). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed preoperative titers of AMA ≥ 6400, which was the only factor affecting the incidence of hypothyroidism in the later follow-up period. In consideration of hypothyroidism, recurrent hyperthyroidism, and postoperative complications, subtotal thyroidectomy with total lobectomy plus subtotal lobectomy provides a better outcome than bilateral subtotal lobectomy.
Vital status ascertainment through the files of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration.

Abstract Veterans of US military service are a valuable resource for epidemiologic studies, and the Department Veterans Affairs (VA) files provide an effective way to gather mortality information on veterans, so long as these files provide reasonably complete death reporting. To determine the completeness of VA death reporting, we assembled an independent sample of known veteran deaths among males born between 1936 and 1955 and assessed the performance of VA death reporting in this sample. We also compared VA death ascertainment to Social Security Administration (SSA) ascertainment. Based on the more than 4300 deaths in our study, we found VA death reporting to be approximately 90% complete by itself and 96% complete when used in conjunction with SSA death reporting. In addition, we found no evidence that VA death reporting changed substantially after passage of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, which limited eligibility for VA death benefits. Because veterans make up a large segment of the US population, our findings have particular relevance for studies in which mortality is a primary end point.
The effects of N-dodecane pretreatment on the metabolism and distribution of benzo(A) pyrene in the isolated perfused rabbit lung

Abstract B(a)P is an ubiquitous potent carcinogen that has been associated with the increased incidence of human bronchiogenic carcinoma in occupational and urban populations. An isolated perfused rabbit lung preparation (IPL) was used to study the influence of pretreatment with a cocarcinogen, n-dodecane, on the metabolism of benzo (a)-pyrene (B(a)P). 14C-B(a)P was administered intratracheally to the IPL following biweekly inhalation exposure of the rabbits to n-dodecane. Results from n-dodecane pretreatment group were compared to those from the no-pretreatment group and an intratracheally administered B(a)P pretreatment group (B(a)P IT). Metabolites were isolated from serial blood samples up to 3 hours after administration of the 14C-B(a)P to the IPL. Patterns of B(a)P metabolites were determined using thin layer and high performance liquid chromatography, and liquid scintillation counting. The rates of appearance of B(a)P metabolites in the blood and the B(a)P metabolic pattern for n-dodecane groups were compared to B(a)P IT and no-pretreatment groups. The rates of appearance of metabolites in the blood (ng/hr/g of lung) were similar for B(a)P IT and n-dodecane pretreatment groups, but were five and four times greater, respectively, when compared to rates of appearance of metabolites for the no-pretreatment group. The B(a)P metabolic pattern of n-dodecane pretreatment showed an increase in the dihydrodiol and nonextractable formation and a decrease in the monohydroxy and diones compared to the no-pretreatment group. The metabolite pattern for B(a)P IT pretreatment group was similar to the metabolite pattern for the n-dodecane pretreatment group. The significance of the findings is that a known cocarcinogen, n-dodecane, appears to be as good an enzyme inducer as B(a)P in stimulating metabolism of B(a)P in lung. Therefore, man's risk in developing cancer may not be solely a result of exposure to a carcinogen, but may be dependent upon other constituents in his environment.
Discrete Bessel-based modified Arnoldi method

For modeling of cylindrical beam propagation, we have applied Discrete Bessel transformation to the Modified Arnoldi method. We demonstrate its performance with propagation in (3+1)-dimensional nonlinear pulse propagation as well as in grade index waveguides.
Initiation of Alcohol Use Among Urban American Indian Youth: A Discrete Time Hazards Model

This study uses data collected over 8 time periods to examine time-varying and time-invariant predictors of alcohol initiation among urban American Indian youth, an understudied population. Similar socialization risk and protective factors were found to be related to initiation as other American youth. However, a nuclear family was not found to be protective against initiating alcohol use and living with a father only and having an alcoholic father significantly increased initiation odds. In general, these urban Indian youth are much like other American youth in their initiation of alcohol use, although they may initiate alcohol use at slightly lower rates.
CCK-X receptors in the endothermic mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus).

By mapping the distribution of cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor types onto an established phylogenetic hypothesis of vertebrate relationships, we tested two hypothesis about the evolution of CCK receptors: (1) A single CCK receptor type, CCK-X, is the ancestral receptor, while CCK-A and CCK-B receptors represent derived receptor types; (2) the evolution of two separate CCK receptors is functionally related to the evolution of endothermy. Specifically, we localized and characterized 125I-CCK-binding sites in the gut and brain of mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), a warm-blooded chondrichthyean fish. Competitive inhibition studies of 125I-CCK binding showed that the CCK receptor in the mako shark brain, gallbladder, pyloric stomach, and intestine binds sulfated CCK-8 and sulfated gastrin-17 (gastrin-17-II) with much higher affinity (K(i) ranging from 0.05 to 2.02 nM) than unsulfated gastrin-17 (gastrin-17-I, K(i) ranging from 4.63 to 62.17 nM). These results indicate that the mako shark expresses a single CCK-X receptor in all tissues. Additional competitive inhibition studies showed that the mako CCK-X receptor has very low affinities for the following nonpeptide agonist and antagonists: A71623, L364,718, A57696, A65186.72, Cam-1481, and SR 27897B (specific for some mammalian CCK-A receptors) and L365,260 and CI-988 (specific for some mammalian CCK-B receptors), confirming the pharmacological differences between the CCK-X receptor and the CCK-A and -B receptors. Based on the mapped phylogenetic distribution of CCK receptor types, we conclude that CCK-X is the ancestral receptor type and that two receptor types, e.g. CCK-A and CCK-B, are not part of the suite of characters necessary for evolution of endothermy in fishes.