cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comment-Profiler: Detecting Trends and Parasitic Behaviors in Online Comments

Can we detect anomalies and abuse among users of commenting platforms? Commenting has become a significant activity and specialized platforms provide commenting capability to many popular websites, such as Huffington Post. These platforms have become a new type of online social interaction, but have received very little attention. We conduct an extensive study on 19M comments from Disqus, one of the largest commenting platforms. Our work consists of two thrusts: (a) we identify features and patterns of commenting behavior, and (b) we detect peculiar and parasitic users. First, we study and evaluate features of user behavior that capture different aspects: user-user interaction (“social”), user-article interaction (“engagement”), and temporal properties. We also develop a method which we call, DownTimeFinder, to determine users’ downtime (think night-time) in their daily behavior, which helps identify three major groups of users based on their utilization (3, 9, 15 h of up-time). Second, we identify surprising and abnormal behaviors using our features. Interestingly, we find: (a) two tightly collaborative groups of size at least 29 users that seem to be promoting the same ideas, (b) 38 users with behavior that points to spamming and trolling activities, and (c) 19 different instances where Disqus is used as a chat room. The goal of our work is to highlight commenting platforms as an ignored, but information-rich, online activity.
Source-channel coding for algebraic multiterminal binning

This paper addresses practical code design problems for multiterminal communication networks. The basic element of a multiterminal network code is the binning scheme. We aim to develop a unified practical code design paradigm for related problems in multiterminal networks based on source-channel coding for algebraic binning. First, a framework based on Slepian-Wolf coded quantization is highlighted for Wyner-Ziv coding and multiterminal source coding (e.g., the CEO problem). Then, a nested turbo scheme is proposed for Costa coding by exploiting the duality between Costa coding and Wyner-Ziv coding.
Surgical Treatment for Patients with Moyamoya Syndrome and Type 1 Neurofibromatosis.

Introduction The current study describes the impact of surgery in preventing follow-up ipsilateral transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)/strokes in an East Coast North American cohort of patients with both moyamoya syndrome (MMS) and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) (MMS-NF1). Methods We retrospectively reviewed records of patients with MMS and NF1 at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions from 1990–2014. Baseline characteristics and follow-up results including subsequent ipsilateral strokes were collected and compared between a revascularization group (group 1) and a conservatively managed group (group 2) on a per-hemisphere basis. Results A total of 9 patients (14 hemispheres) were included in our study. The average age of all patients at NF1 diagnosis was 2.1 ± 7.7 years, with 6 being female (66.7%). The average age of all patients at MMS diagnosis was 10.4 ± 16.6 years with the median age being 7.7 years (range: 4.1–27.0 years). Race distribution was: White ( n = 4, 44.4%), Black ( n = 3, 33.3%), and Asian ( n = 2, 22.2%). Four patients (44.5%) experienced cerebrovascular manifestations of MMS before MMS diagnosis. Group 1 was younger at MMS diagnosis ( P = 0.009), likely with a more acute symptom onset ( P = 0.077). Management strategies were: pial synangiosis ( n = 3, 21.4%) and conservative ( n = 11, 78.6%). During an average follow-up period of 6.28 ± 2.0 years, no ipsilateral TIAs/strokes were observed for group 1; conversely, 2 ipsilateral TIAs (18.2%) and 2 ipsilateral strokes (18.2%) occurred in group 2. Conclusions In our study of non-Asian patients with MMS-NF1, revascularization reduced stroke recurrence and deterioration of symptoms. However, more studies are warranted to further explore the role of revascularization procedures given the rarity of this disease combination.
Plant species differ in early seedling growth and tissue nutrient responses to arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungi.

Experiments with plant species that can host both arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) are important to separating the roles of fungal type and plant species and understanding the influence of the types of symbioses on plant growth and nutrient acquisition. We examined the effects of mycorrhizal fungal type on the growth and tissue nutrient content of two tree species (Eucalyptus grandis and Quercus costaricensis) grown under four nutrient treatments (combinations of low versus high nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) with different N:P ratios) in the greenhouse. Trees were inoculated with unidentified field mixtures of AMF or EMF species cultivated on root fragments of AMF- or EMF-specific bait plants. In E. grandis, inoculation with both AMF and EMF positively affected belowground plant dry weight and negatively affected aboveground dry weight, while only inoculation with AMF increased tissue nutrient content. Conversely, Q. costaricensis dry weight and nutrient content did not differ significantly among inoculation treatments, potentially due to its dependence on cotyledon reserves for growth. Mineral nutrition of both tree species differed with the ratio of N to P applied while growth did not. Our results demonstrate that both tree species’ characteristics and the soil nutrient environment can affect how AMF and EMF interact with their host plants. This research highlights the importance of mycorrhizal fungal-tree-soil interactions during early seedling growth and suggests that differences between AMF and EMF associations may be crucial to understanding forest ecosystem functioning.
Romantic Reﬂ ections: Toward a Cultural History of Introspection in Mind Science

Provides a sketch for a cultural history of introspection from Descartes through Wordsworth to cognitive poetics and neurophenomenology.
Dermatomyositis and Malignancy

In summary, it can be stated that: 1. Dermatomyositis is probably associated with an increased incidence of malignancy. 2. Tumor types found seem to roughly approximate the frequencies of those found in the general population. 3. If present, the malignancy can precede, occur concurrently with, or follow the diagnosis of dermatomyositis. 4. Treatment of associated malignancy may or may not have an effect on myositic or cutaneous disease. 5. Dermatomyositis and associated malignancy may share a common pathogenesis resulting from abnormal immune function. 6. Search for malignancy should be carried out on the basis of abnormal findings on history and physical examination or screening laboratory.
Real-World Criminal Law and the Norm against Punishing the Innocent: Two Cheers for Threshold Deontology

This paper assesses how a deontological retributivist might elaborate the norm against punishing the innocent and explains how that norm can be reconciled with the practicalities of the criminal law. While something like the Doctrine of Double Effect has been deployed for that purpose, the doctrine is controversial and may not reach far enough to justify all the instances in which a robust norm against punishing the innocent confronts real-world difficulties, including in the framing of criminal prohibitions. The paper considers the role that threshold deontology might play in the process. Along the way, it responds to an extended critique of threshold deontology.
Synthetic Biology in Aqueous Compartments at the Micro- and Nanoscale

Aqueous two-phase systems and related emulsion-based structures defined within micro- and nanoscale environments enable a bottom-up synthetic biological approach to mimicking the dynamic compartmentation of biomaterial that naturally occurs within cells. Model systems we have developed to aid in understanding these phenomena include on-demand generation and triggering of reversible phase transitions in ATPS confined in microscale droplets, morphological changes in networks of femtoliter-volume aqueous droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) formulated in microfluidic channels, and temperature-driven phase transitions in interfacial lipid bilayer systems supported on micro and nanostructured substrates. For each of these cases, the dynamics were intimately linked to changes in the chemical potential of water, which becomes increasingly susceptible to confinement and crowding. At these length scales, where interfacial and surface areas predominate over compartment volumes, both evaporation and osmotic forces become enhanced relative to ideal dilute solutions. Consequences of confinement and crowding in cell-sized microcompartments for increasingly complex scenarios will be discussed, from single-molecule mobility measurements with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to spatio-temporal modulation of resource sharing in cell-free gene expression bursting.
The Role of Light-Dark Regulation of the Chloroplast ATP Synthase.

The chloroplast ATP synthase catalyzes the light-driven synthesis of ATP and is activated in the light and inactivated in the dark by redox-modulation through the thioredoxin system. It has been proposed that this down-regulation is important for preventing wasteful hydrolysis of ATP in the dark. To test this proposal, we compared the effects of extended dark exposure in Arabidopsis lines expressing the wild-type and mutant forms of ATP synthase that are redox regulated or constitutively active. In contrast to the predictions of the model, we observed that plants with wild-type redox regulation lost photosynthetic capacity rapidly in darkness, whereas those expressing redox-insensitive form were far more stable. To explain these results, we propose that in wild-type plants, down-regulation of ATP synthase inhibits ATP hydrolysis, leading to dissipation of thylakoid proton motive force (pmf) and subsequent inhibition of protein transport across the thylakoid through the twin arginine transporter (Tat)-dependent and Sec-dependent import pathways, resulting in the selective loss of specific protein complexes. By contrast, in mutants with a redox-insensitive ATP synthase, pmf is maintained by ATP hydrolysis, thus allowing protein transport to maintain photosynthetic activities for extended periods in the dark. Hence, a basal level of Tat-dependent, as well as, Sec-dependent import activity, in the dark helps replenishes certain components of the photosynthetic complexes and thereby aids in maintaining overall complex activity. However, the influence of a dark pmf on thylakoid protein import, by itself, could not explain all the effects we observed in this study. For example, we also observed in wild type plants a large transient buildup of thylakoid pmf and nonphotochemical exciton quenching upon sudden illumination of dark adapted plants. Therefore, we conclude that down-regulation of the ATP synthase is probably not related to preventing loss of ATP per se. Instead, ATP synthase redox regulation may be impacting a number of cellular processes such as 1) the accumulation of chloroplast proteins and/or ions or 2) the responses of photosynthesis to rapid changes in light intensity. A model highlighting the complex interplay between ATP synthase regulation and pmf in maintaining various chloroplast functions in the dark is presented.
Induction Machine for More Electric Aircraft: Enabling New Electrical Power System Architectures

With the trend toward more electric aircraft (mea), the onboard electrical power generation and distribution requires increased electrical power-generation capacity; improved electrical power system (EPS) availability and reliability; and optimized system weight, volume, and efficiency. New EPS architectures are needed to fulfill these performance improvement requirements, where the type of electrical generator can have greater impact on the fundamentals of the newly designed EPS architecture. This article explores the option of using an induction generator in a distributed EPS for commercial transport MEA. Induction generator-based electrical power generation and management system architectures for both the main-engine generation system and auxiliary power unit (APU) system are introduced, with a brief explanation of their operation principles and control methods.
Conclusion: Towards a Queer Feminist James

Annie Fields, Emily Dickinson, and Marguerite Duras each recognize Henry James's consistent interest in women's negotiations with the turn-of-the-century imperative of individual self-determination, as complicated by period-specific ideals of femininity. James ambivalently identifies with late-nineteenth-century notions of womanhood, and all of the associated concepts that that idea also represented for him, in ways that are both founded in and resistant to normative paradigms. In this conclusion, I contend that the potential feminism so many women authors, writing in different times and places, have found in James’s work cannot simply be an external imposition by readers trying to force him into conformity with our own era’s sensibilities. In addition, a recognition of the ethnic and class specificity of James’s notion of womanhood, and the limited perspective it provides, must be at the heart of our analyses of what I argue is the queer/feminist potential in his work.
Critical role of integrin CD11c in splenic dendritic cell capture of missing-self CD47 cells to induce adaptive immunity

CD11c, also known as integrin alpha X, is the most widely used defining marker for dendritic cells (DCs). CD11c can bind complement iC3b and mediate phagocytosis in vitro, for which it is also referred to as complement receptor 4. However, the functions of this prominent marker protein in DCs, especially in vivo, remain poorly defined. Here, in the process of studying DC activation and immune responses induced by cells lacking self-CD47, we found that DC capture of CD47-deficient cells and DC activation was dependent on the integrin-signaling adaptor Talin1. Specifically, CD11c and its partner Itgb2 were required for DC capture of CD47-deficient cells. CD11b was not necessary for this process but could partially compensate in the absence of CD11c. Mice with DCs lacking Talin1, Itgb2, or CD11c were defective in supporting T-cell proliferation and differentiation induced by CD47-deficient cell associated antigen. These findings establish a critical role for CD11c in DC antigen uptake and activation in vivo. They may also contribute to understanding the functional mechanism of CD47-blockade therapies.
The Role of Risk Perception, Trust, Innovativeness and Emotion in Developing Consumer’s Satisfaction in Electronic Mediated Environment (EME)

Services section has been mushrooming over the last decades and now dominates economic activity in most industrialized economies. Drawing on an array of interdisciplinary theoretical underpinnings stemming from trust, risk, trying, emotion, and consumer satisfaction, this paper proposes an integrated model to examine the causal relationships amid these constructs. The analysis of data from 415 Chinese consumers reveals that consumer innovativeness and emotions are very significant antecedents of risk perception of service, trust, service quality, and perceived benefits, which ultimately lead to consumer satisfaction of such services in EME. This comprehensive framework contributes to a foundation for future studies to investigate the roles of risk perception and trust vis-a-vis innovativeness and emotion in such an emerging IT artifact as e-services in EME.
Matrix-Fiber Interface Characterization in Metal Matrix Composites Using Ultrasonic Shear-Wave Back-Reflection Coefficient Technique

There are several methods to characterize the interfacial strength between matrix and fiber in metal matrix composites: destructively, using “push-out” tests, or the “fiber fragmentation” technique, by subjecting a single fiber sample (made by diffusion bonding of two matrix plates) to axial loading and by measuring the size of fragments that is linked to the “load transfer behavior”. The critical length of fiber for load transfer is a function of the interfacial shear stress [1]. Recently, ultrasonic imaging of the fiber fragmentation [2], in conjunction with advanced signal processing techniques [3], was performed by the authors.
Arousal, Neural Basis of

Arousal is defined at the neural level as a standby state of neurons for the most efficient detection and processing of incoming information. The early discovery of the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) pointed to a brainstem area that contributed to arousal of the neocortex, which refers to neurons that comprise the outermost layers of the cerebral hemispheres. Neocortical arousal was elicited by electrical stimulation of the ARAS and was characterized by low-voltage fast activity in the electroencephalogram (EEG). This activity is also observed in the alert organism and is distinguishable from high-amplitude slow activity indicative of drowsiness and sleep. Recent research has identified several additional brain areas that contribute to arousal of the neocortex and thalamus, an area recipient of information from the sense organs. These include the nucleus basalis of Meynert and Ch-5 cell group, the neurons of which contain the neurotransmitter, acetylcholilne, the raphe nuclei, the neurons of which contain serotonin, and the locus coeruleus, teh neurons of which contain norepinephrine. Novel and emotionally arousing stimuli excite these neurons, which releases their neurotransmitters. They, in turn, lower the threshold for the activation of neocortical and other brain neurons by incoming information, thereby resulting in arousal at the neuronal level.
Case 5: Limbus to Limbus Corneal Laceration from Nail Gun Injury

A 23-year-old-man presented with a large Zone I-II open globe injury of the left eye after a nail gun injury. The patient underwent repair of his corneal limbus to limbus laceration. During this time, the posterior lens capsule was noted to be violated with lens material and vitreous in the anterior chamber. Given the known posterior lens capsule violation, the lens was not taken primarily. The patient was then referred to retina and underwent a pars plana vitrectomy and lensectomy and was left aphakic. After three months of post-operative follow up, corneal suture removal was initiated. Suture removal was approached in a staged fashion over three visits spanning a month’s time. The patient was then referred to the contact lens service for evaluation six weeks after final suture removal and was fitted with a contact lens, resulting in best corrected vision of 20/25. Limbus to limbus lacerations require slow and staged suture removal to prevent wound leaks or complete dehiscence.
The Contributions of Internal Intussusception, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Pelvic Floor Dyssynergia to Obstructed Defecation Syndrome.

BACKGROUND:Recently, there has been a trend toward surgical management of internal intussusception despite an unclear correlation with constipation symptoms.OBJECTIVE:This study characterizes constipation in patients with obstructed defecation syndrome and identifies whether internal intussusception
Assessing the feasibility of using deformable registration for onboard multimodality-based target localization in radiation therapy

Aim: This study aims to explore the feasibility of using prior images and deformable image registration to generate onboard multimodality images to improve the soft tissue contrast of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), for target localization in radiation therapy. Methods: B-spline-based deformable registration is used to register magnetic resonance/computed tomography (MR/CT) images with CBCT images to generate synthetic onboard MR/CT images for onboard target localization. Liver, prostate, and breast patient data were used in the study to investigate the feasibility of the method. Results: Most of the tumor volume defined by the onboard synthetic images was covered by the planning target volume (PTV) based on the shifts applied in clinical practice. For 6 liver cases, 5 prostate cases, and all the breast cases, the synthetic images allowed the reduction of the PTV margin to 1.5–7 mm, 1–4 mm, and 1–1.5 mm, respectively. The dose to the normal tissue can be reduced based on the optimized margin. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the feasibility of using onboard synthetic multimodality imaging to improve the soft tissue contrast for target localization in low contrast regions. This new technique holds great promises to optimize the PTV margin and improve the treatment accuracy in radiation therapy.
Motivation of Hearing Students Learning American Sign Language in Community Colleges

This is a qualitative case study on the motivation to learn American Sign Language (ASL) by hearing students at a community college in the United States. Nine ASL students, attending a community co...
Youth weight status and family functioning in paediatric primary care

The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between family functioning and youth overweight and obesity in a sample of primary care paediatric patients. Specially, we hypothesize that caregivers of youth with an overweight/obese weight status will report more impaired family functioning. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 329 caregivers of youth ages 2 to 18 seen in paediatric primary care. Caregivers completed the Family Assessment Device General Functioning Scale and clinical demographics, including parent-reported youth height and weight to calculate body mass index (BMI). Family functioning was used as a continuous total variable, and as a dichotomous variable based on clinically impaired or healthy family functioning. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlations, and independent t tests. Caregivers who reported impaired family functioning based on the clinical cutoff score were more likely to report that their youth had a higher BMI and BMI z-score. Caregivers with impaired family functioning and who identified as being in two-parent families, with at least a Bachelor's degree, and a moderate to high family income were more likely to report their youth was a higher weight status. Further screening and assessment of family functioning in combination with youth weight status among a larger diverse sample of primary care paediatric patients over time will provide insight into what aspects of family functioning may contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle or adopting new health behaviours to prevent and/or treat obesity in youth.
Phenotypic evolution of cancer cells: structural requirements for survival

Abstract Enhancing the sensitivity of tumor cells to therapies has been a challenge. Major progress has been in the development of drugs specific to cancer types and new approaches for tumor targeting. But acquired tumor resistance is still eluding all attempts to prevent or overcome this phenomenon. We present information on physical constraints in the tumor microenvironment that have been associated with cancer progression and resistance to treatment and how these constraints might be mediated via mechanotransduction to the genome, hence influencing cell survival. The necessity of a careful knowledge of nuclear alterations linked with microenvironmental conditions and drug resistance phenotypes is emphasized to identify markers for the optimization of cell culture models and the measurement of the efficacy of drug treatments. The biological conditions that lead to different levels of drug sensitivity are placed in the context of drug development and delivery. Notably, in vitro three-dimensional cell culture models developed with proper materials to mimic microenvironmental constraints are likely to be superior models to readily test new drugs and drug-delivery methods. Moreover, in the future, targeted drug delivery could be designed with smart materials that adapt to microenvironmental conditions for better efficacy.
Attorney Argumentation and Supreme Court Opinions

This study investigates the relationship between argumentation advanced in the briefs and oral argument of four Supreme Court cases and the reasoning proffered by the Court in the opinion justifyin...
Conditional survival analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide with an approximate 5-year survival of greater than 50% in patients after surgical resection. Survival estimates have limited utility for patients who have survived several years after initial treatment. We analyzed how conditional survival (CS) after curative-intent surgery for HCC predicts survival estimates over time. Methods NCDB (2004-2014) was queried for patients undergoing definitive surgical resection for HCC. Cumulative overall survival (OS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and CS at x years after diagnosis was calculated as CS1 = OS (X+5) /OS(X) . Results The final analysis encompassed 11 357 patients. Age, negative margin status, grade severity and radiation before surgery were statistically significant predictors of cumulative overall conditional survival (P ≤ .0001). Overall unconditional 5-year survival was 65.7%, but CS estimates were higher. A patient who has already survived 3 years has an additional 2-year, or 5-year CS, estimate of 86.96%. Conclusion Survival estimates following hepatic resection in HCC patients change according to survival time accrued since surgery. CS estimates are improved relative to unconditional OS. The impact of different variables influencing OS is likewise nonlinear over the course of time after surgery.
Measuring teacher beliefs about coding and computational thinking

This study sought to identify factors that affect teachers’ beliefs about teaching computing in their classrooms. By reviewing existing scales and research on computing, we created the Teacher Beli...
An Unfortunate Case of Reactivation of Tuberculosis in a Postpartum Female.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a widely prevalent disease, especially in resource-limited settings. It poses a big burden to the community and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnant females due to their immunosuppressed state. During pregnancy, the immune system is suppressed to prevent fetal rejection, and it gets reconstituted postpartum. During this reconstitution phase, reactivation of TB may occur, making it quintessential to test peripartum females for latent TB, especially those belonging to endemic regions. We describe an unfortunate case of reactivation of TB in a postpartum female from Central America.
The Community Reinvestment Act: Questionable Premises and Perverse Incentives

In this paper we will argue that the CRA as it is currently understood and enforced is no longer an appropriate tool for dealing with discrimination in the lending market and the lack of access to credit in neighborhoods dominated by minorities and people of modest, or minimal means. The statute is based on premises that are questionable in today's lending market, and thus it is not clear that the social benefits provided by the statute are significant. Further, enforcement of the statute generates certain perverse incentives that are costly to society. We emphasize the costly incentive effects in this paper. While the goals of the CRA remain desirable, the current enforcement framework should be reformed.
Distinct DNA Methylation Patterns of Rheumatoid Arthritis Peripheral Blood and Synovial Tissue T Cells.

Objective To study epigenetic patterns in T lymphocytes that accumulate in the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium, we characterized DNA methylation of CD3+ T cells in peripheral blood and synovial tissue in patients with RA and osteoarthritis (OA). Methods Genomic DNA of CD3+ T cells was isolated from patients with RA (n = 8) and OA (n = 5) from blood or the synovium at the time of an arthroplasty using antibodies and magnetic beads. Methylation was measured by using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC Kit. Differentially methylated loci (DML) and differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were identified by using Welch's t-test. Principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering, and pathway analysis were used to determine relationships among groups. Results When we compared DNA methylation of CD3+ T cells between peripheral blood and synovial tissue within each disease, 4615 and 164 DML were identified in RA and OA samples, respectively, resulting in 832 and 36 DMGs. A principal component analysis showed that methylation differences in T cells were greater on the basis of on location (blood vs synovium) rather than disease (RA vs OA). Differentially modified pathways were significantly enriched between RA blood and synovial T cells, especially in genes related to complement, integrin cell surface interactions, and the P53 pathway. The limited number of DMGs identified between OA blood and synovial T cells did not conform to biologic pathways. Conclusion The patterns of DNA methylation in RA show location-specific differences related to immune pathways, whereas methylation differences in OA are limited. The RA joint-specific signatures could be due to selective accumulation of T-cell populations or expansion of differentially marked adaptive immune cells. Understanding epigenetic patterns could provide clues to the types of T cells that accumulate in the RA joint and identify potential therapeutic targets.
Manufacturing 'Orderliness' at the New York Stock Exchange

Stock markets are often thought to follow a "random walk." Recent events like the 2010 "flash crash" suggest price changes are discontinuous. To resolve this apparent paradox, we analyze the institutional details of the stock market. The design of trading mechanisms varies across exchanges because of the different ownership forms of exchanges. Different ownership generates different incentives to produce orderliness, or price stability. The implementation of Reg. NMS relaxed a constraint on trading NYSE-listed shares and allowing us to examine this hypothesis. Spreads for NYSE-listed shares that traded on the Nasdaq widened by 10% compared to trades on the NYSE.
Vibrotactile Display of Patterned Surface Textures with Kinesthetic Haptic Devices using Balanced Impulses.

Kinesthetic haptic devices are designed primarily to display quasistatic and low-bandwidth forces and moments. Existing methods for vibrotactile display sometimes introduce haptic and/or audio artifacts. In this paper, we propose a method to display vibrotactile stimulus signals of moderate to high frequency (20--500Hz) using kinesthetic haptic devices with a standard 1kHz haptic update rate. Our method combines symmetric square-wave signals whose periods are even multiples of the haptic update period with asymmetric square-wave signals whose periods are odd multiples of the haptic update period, while ensuring that the positive and negative impulses are balanced in both cases, and utilizing the just noticeable difference in frequency discrimination to avoid the need to display other frequencies. For frequencies at which the above method is insufficient, corresponding to a small band near 400Hz for a 1kHz update rate, we utilize a signal-mixing method. Our complete method is then extended to render haptic gratings by measuring scanning velocity, converting the local spatial frequency to its equivalent instantaneous temporal frequency, and displaying a single full-period vibration event. In a series of human-subject studies, we showed that our proposed method is preferred over existing methods for vibrotactile display of signals with relatively high-frequency content.
Lipase selectivities

One considerable advantage that enzymes potentially have over conventional chemical methods resides with the inherent selectivities of the natural catalysts. The methods for gauging these parameters are sometimes tedious, and often are not without ambiguity. Prompted by projected needs of those engaged in protein engineering to alter lipolytic activity, a number of compounds were evaluated as pseudolipids using reactivity with commercial lipases as a criterion for suitability. These then were employed to assess fatty acid- and stereoselectivities of thse lipase preparations. Lipases indeed show small but significant stereobiases with esters of the acetonide of glycerol, compounds whose reactivities with lipases are comparable to, and sometimes exceed, those of the corresponding triglycerides.
Skyrmionics—Computing and memory technologies based on topological excitations in magnets

Solitonic magnetic excitations such as domain walls and, specifically, skyrmionics enable the possibility of compact, high density, ultrafast, all-electronic, low-energy devices, which is the basis for the emerging area of skyrmionics. The topological winding of skyrmion spins affects their overall lifetime, energetics, and dynamical behavior. In this Perspective, we discuss skyrmionics in the context of the present-day solid-state memory landscape and show how their size, stability, and mobility can be controlled by material engineering, as well as how they can be nucleated and detected. Ferrimagnets near their compensation points are promising candidates for this application, leading to a detailed exploration of amorphous CoGd as well as the study of emergent materials such as Mn4N and inverse Heusler alloys. Along with material properties, geometrical parameters such as film thickness, defect density, and notches can be used to tune skyrmion properties, such as their size and stability. Topology, however, can be a double-edged sword, especially for isolated metastable skyrmions, as it brings stability at the cost of additional damping and deflective Magnus forces compared to domain walls. Skyrmion deformation in response to forces also makes them intrinsically slower than domain walls. We explore potential analog applications of skyrmions, including temporal memory at low density—one skyrmion per racetrack—that capitalizes on their near ballistic current–velocity relation to map temporal data to spatial data and decorrelators for stochastic computing at a higher density that capitalizes on their interactions. We summarize the main challenges of achieving a skyrmionics technology, including maintaining positional stability with very high accuracy and electrical readout, especially for small ferrimagnetic skyrmions, deterministic nucleation, and annihilation and overall integration with digital circuits with the associated circuit overhead.
Sexual Arenas, Alcohol (Ab)use, and Predatory Leadership: Facilitators of US Military Sexual Violence:

Scholars argue that, historically, military women have not been considered equals to men in kinship and, therefore, have and will likely continue to experience more violence and greater fear of vio...
Characterization of the recognition of target cells sensitive to or resistant to cytolysis by activated macrophages. II. Competitive inhibition of macrophage-dependent tumor cell killing by mitogen-induced, nonmalignant lymphoblasts.

Abstract We have previously reported that tumoricidal rat macrophages can distinguish quiescent normal lymphocytes from concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated lymphocytes and thymic lymphoma cells on the basis of their ability to compete for the macrophage-dependent cytolysis of a sensitive tumor cell line. The present study was undertaken to determine (a) whether recognition was related to the proliferative response induced by Con A stimulation and (b) whether the competition of cytolysis was dependent upon the binding of sensitive target cells to activated macrophages. These possibilities were tested by examining Con A-treated lymphocytes in different functional stages of the Con A response with respect to their ability to compete either for cytolysis or binding of a tumor cell line susceptible to both activities. The results show that the ability to compete for either function was acquired coincidentally with the Con A-induced proliferative response. This competitive activity was not due solely to the presence of Con A in the culture medium nor to culture of unstimulated lymphocytes but rather required a blastogenic response to the mitogen. Blast-transformed nonproliferative cells (96 hr post-Con A stimulation) were as competitive as cells which had been stimulated to reinitiate DNA replication by treatment with Interleukin 2. Thus, competition for cytolysis is a consequence of blastogenesis rather than proliferation per se and operates mechanistically by competing for the binding of target cells to activated macrophages, an event known to be a necessary prerequisite to cytolysis.
Oral fungus infection; candidiasis albicans.

Abstract Candida albicans is found in many mouths. It produces lesions in only a few. These may be membranous or granulomatous type lesions. Naturally, some clinicians, in their zeal for establishing a causative factor for an oral lesion, will, without adequate proof, claim causative relationship. This has been true in the past with respect to perleche, denture palatitis, and antibiotic therapy. However, it has been demonstrated that organisms in and about the oral cavity are not the exciting factors in these conditions. One cannot be positive without careful study that a mucous membrane lesion is due to Candida albicans. There is no known cure for lesions due to Candida albicans.
Parent–offspring correlation estimate of heritability for late blight resistance conferred by an accession of the tomato wild species Solanum pimpinellifolium

With 3 figures and 1 table Abstract Late blight (LB), caused by Phytophthora infestans, is a destructive disease of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). To gain adequate control of LB in tomato, new sources of resistance are being identified and characterized with the aim of introducing resistance genes to elite tomato germplasm. In this study, heritability (h2) of LB resistance conferred by a S. pimpinellifolium resistant accession (PI 270443) was estimated using populations developed from crosses with a LB-susceptible tomato breeding line. In the F2 population, 986 seedlings were evaluated for LB, and 50 resistant and 40 susceptible individuals were selected and self-pollinated to generate F3 progeny. Seedlings of the F3 progeny were evaluated for LB in two separate experiments. Using parent–offspring correlation analysis, h2 of LB resistance was estimated to be 0.86, indicating that this resistance was highly heritable and could be transferred to the cultivated tomato via phenotypic selection. The number of resistance genes involved was estimated to be two. Breeding efforts to transfer this resistance to elite tomato lines and genetic mapping to identify the underlying resistance genes are underway.
Service learning in the library and information science curriculum: The perspectives and experiences of one Multimedia/User Education class

Abstract This article provides a case study of a class project in Multimedia/User Education in the Library and Information Science program at the University of Iowa. The goals of the class were to develop multimedia skills, develop conceptual models for implementing multimedia in libraries, and develop a culture of collaborative teaching and learning within the group of students who were enrolled. The course used service learning pedagogy to achieve these ends. Students developed web sites for public libraries in Iowa that, in many cases, are used in those libraries. In this article, the instructor of the course describes the design of the class, and the students contribute their observations about the service learning experience.
Water Injection into a Low-Permeability Rock - 2: Control Model

In Part 1, we have demonstrated the inevitable growth of the fluid injection hydrofractures in low-permeability rocks. Thus, a smart controller that manages fluid injection in the presence of hydrofracture extension is highly desirable. Such a controller will be an essential part of automated waterflood project surveillance and control. Here we design an optimal injection controller using methods of optimal control theory. The controller inputs are the history of the injection pressure and the cumulative injection, along with the fracture size. The output parameter is the injection pressure and the control objective is the injection rate. We demonstrate that the optimal injection pressure depends not only on the instantaneous measurements, but it is determined by the whole history of the injection and of the fracture area growth. We show the controller robustness when the inputs are delayed and noisy and when the fracture undergoes abrupt extensions. Finally, we propose a procedure that allows estimation of the hydrofracture size at no additional cost.
Effects of beta-lactamase-mediated antimicrobial resistance: the role of beta-lactamase inhibitors

Production of beta-lactamase is the most common mechanism of bacterial resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. Virtually all bacteria have the capability of synthesizing the enzyme. Microorganisms may already possess the native genetic information necessary for beta-lactamase production (i.e., chromosomal), or may acquire the capacity by transfer of DNA from another organism (i.e., plasmid-mediated). The level of beta-lactamase production may be stable and noninducible (constitutive enzyme production), or may be stimulated on exposure to selected beta-lactam antibiotics (inducible enzyme production). Inhibitors such as clavulanic acid and sulbactam prevent antibiotic degradation by the beta-lactamases of many clinically significant pathogens. Therefore, currently available beta-lactam-beta-lactamase-inhibitor combinations exhibit broad spectra of in vitro activity. Ticarcillin-clavulanate possesses clinically significant activity against many bacteria, including streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacteroides fragilis, and numerous Enterobacteriaceae. Amoxicillin-clavulanate and ampicillin-sulbactam demonstrate clinically significant activity against streptococci (including enterococci), S. aureus, B. fragilis, and some Enterobacteriaceae. Ticarcillin-clavulanate is indicated for treatment of serious infections, including septicemia. Amoxicillin-clavulanate is useful in the treatment of upper respiratory, urinary tract, and skin and soft tissue infections. Ampicillin-sulbactam may be used for treatment of intraabdominal, gynecologic, urinary tract, and skin and soft tissue infections.
Law and Curiosity

A panoply of lawyers and jurists over the last several years have exhibited curiosity about law and legal reform. American judicial opinions, legal articles, essays and blogs have also discussed various characteristics of law and curiosity. Indeed, curiosity has been identified as an essential quality of pragmatic approaches to American law. This Article offers a bold new take on law and curiosity for the twenty-first century by offering a discussion of ten ways to look at the subject.
Molecular markers expressed in cultured and freshly isolated interstitial cells of Cajal.

Located within the tunica muscularis of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are networks of cells known as interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). ICC are critical for important basic functions of GI motili...
Noncommutative rings of order p4

Every finite ring can be written as a direct sum of rings which have prime power orders. Consequently, questions about finite rings often reduce to questions about rings with order pn for some prime p. This paper describes all the isomorphism classes of noncommutative rings with unity and order p4. It is shown that for an odd prime p there are p+8 distinct classes of rings with characteristic p and p+4 classes for characteristic p2. For p=2 there are 9 classes for characteristic 2 and 4 classes for characteristic 4.
Chronic Loading of Polypropylene Sutures: Implications for Breakage after Carotid Endarterectomy

Abstract This study compared the breaking force of acutely and chronically loaded 6-O and 5-O polypropylene sutures. It also examined the effect of graded injuries on those sutures. Studies were performed on 134 6-O and 5-O polypropylene sutures subjected to acute loads, 312 6-O and 5-O sutures subjected to chronic loads, and 377 6-O sutures subjected to quantitative “pinches” with DeBakey forceps to produce graded injuries before chronic loading. The lowest acute breaking force for 6-O polypropylene was 192 g. This occurred in 1.3% of acutely loaded sutures. The single lowest chronic breaking force for 6-O sutures was between 150 and 175 g, occurring in 5% of chronically loaded sutures. Thus, chronically loaded sutures are more likely to break than are acutely loaded ones. All of the chronically loaded sutures broke within the first 48 hr of loading, resembling the time of breakage in patients. The lowest chronic breaking force for 5-O sutures was 300 g, 71% greater than the 175 g for 6-O sutures. Graded pinches of 6-O sutures with DeBakey forceps increased the risk of breakage with chronic loads even more. All of the above data were related to the forces imposed upon a suture when it is used to close a carotid arteriotomy. Safety ratios were lower for chronically loaded 6-O sutures than for acutely loaded 6-O sutures or for chronically loaded 5-O sutures. When used to close a carotid arteriotomy, 6-O polypropylene has an acceptable safety ratio with respect to acute loads, but this is markedly reduced with chronic loading, producing a small but finite risk of breakage. The safety ratio may be reduced to dangerously low levels if the suture is handled improperly. Use of 5-O sutures would greatly increase the safety ratio of the suture line, both acutely and chronically, when polypropylene is used to close a carotid arteriotomy.
A gene-sized DNA molecule encoding the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase a in the macronucleus of Oxytricha nova

Abstract We have isolated a gene-sized molecule encoding the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase α from a macronuclear genomic library of Oxytricha nova, by using a 0.7-kb fragment of the corresponding human gene as a hybridization probe. Two different versions of the gene are present in the macronucleus, one with an EcoRI site (RI+) and one without an EcoRI site (RI−). The cloned RI- version has been characterized. It is 4938 bp in length, excluding telomeres. It consists of a 329-bp 5′ leader, a 4479-bp coding region and a 130-bp 3′ trailer. The deduced amino-acid sequence shares conserved regions with the yeast and human polypeptides. We also demonstrate by Southern analysis that gene-sized molecules of similar size, homologous to the isolated O. nova gene are present in the mac genome of closely and distantly related hypotrichs.
An Extension Information Program to Improve Residential Well Water Quality

: Older inland lake communities in Wisconsin are more likely than many areas to have degraded water supplies. Many home sites are on sandy soils with high water tables and have shallow wells close to their own or a neighbor's septic system. Yet unless major rehabilitation is undertaken, these homes are relatively exempt from local codes and regulations. They also are beyond the application of the federal Clean Drinking Water Act. An Extension education program was created in response to the problem. At a community's request, home drinking water “screening tests” are conducted for at least coliform bacteria, chlorides, and nitrate/nitrite-N. Test results, together with explanations and recommendations are reported at a local meeting. Public response has been positive, and a surprising number of wells appear to be contaminated to some degree.