cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Smelling themselves: Dogs investigate their own odours longer when modified in an "olfactory mirror" test.

Abstract While domestic dogs, Canis familiaris, have been found to be skillful at social cognitive tasks and even some meta-cognitive tasks, they have not passed the test of mirror self-recognition (MSR). Acknowledging the motivational and sensory challenges that might hinder performance, even before the question of self-recognition is broached, this study creates and enacts a novel design extrapolated from the species' natural behaviour. Given dogs' use of olfactory signals in communication, this experiment presents dogs with various canisters for approach and investigation. Each holds an odorous stimulus: in the critical test, either an “olfactory mirror” of the subject − the dog's own urine − or one in which the odour stimulus is modified. By looking at subjects' investigation times of each canister, it is shown that dogs distinguish between the olfactory “image” of themselves when modified: investigating their own odour for longer when it had an additional odour accompanying it than when it did not. Such behaviour implies a recognition of the odour as being of or from “themselves." The ecological validity of this odour presentation is examined by presenting to the subjects odours of other known or unknown dogs: dogs spend longer investigating the odour of other dogs than their own odour. Finally, in a second experiment, subjects spent longer with the modified stimulus than with the modified odour by itself, indicating that novelty alone does not explain the dogs' behavior. This study translates the MSR study for a species whose primary sensory modality is olfaction, and finds both that natural sniffing behaviour can be replicated in the lab and that dogs show more investigative interest in their own odours when modified.
Multi-resolution analysis of the SAC steel frames with RBS connections under fire

Abstract Vulnerability of steel-framed buildings in many recent fire events has motivated structural engineers to understand their performance under such hazard. Numerical finite element models have been relied upon heavily to evaluate fire behavior of steel structures. Previous studies utilized either isolated models of connections or line-element based models of frames to assess structural response under fire. This paper aims to combine both modeling approaches to evaluate the performance of three SAC steel moment-resisting frames, designed for LA region. These frames are of particular importance since they have been the focus of many previous research studies under earthquake excitations. All moment-resisting connections in the frames are redesigned to reflect post-Northridge design where reduced beams section connections are typically employed. A multi-resolution modeling technique is devised where detailed 3-D representation of the connection is seamlessly integrated with line elements to create full frame models. This technique allows for investigating the global response of the frames under various fire scenarios while accurately evaluating the local behavior of the RBS connections. The results indicate that the beams and columns do not satisfy the fire design limit states in accordance with Appendix 4 of the AISC 360-16 Specification. The RBS connection exhibits significant local buckling developed in the flange and web of the reduced section. The axial force and bending moment assessment at the location of the reduced section and beam-to-column interface reveal very large demand on the RBS connections that needs to be addressed during the structural fire design process. The results support better understanding of the response of steel moment-resisting frames with RBS connections under fire loads.
An Analysis of Scalar Memory Accesses in Embedded and Multimedia Systems

In an earlier chapter about the FlexCache project [24], we described our vision of a multipartitioned cache where memory accesses are separated based on their static predictability and memory footprint, and managed with various compiler-controlled techniques supported by instruction set architecture extensions or with traditional hardware control.
Telling the Truth About Pain: Informed Consent and the Role of Expectation in Pain Intensity

Health care providers are expected both to relieve pain and to provide anticipatory guidance regarding how much a procedure is going to hurt. Fulfilling those expectations is complicated by the cog...
Alkali-activated natural pozzolan/slag binders: limitations and remediation

To address issues related to fast setting time of high-calcium-based alkali-activated binders and low-calcium-based alkali-activated binders' need for curing at elevated temperatures, this study ai...
Calcium in Pregnancy and Lactation

Pregnancy and lactation are times of high calcium demand. Approximately 25 to 30 g of calcium are transferred to the fetal skeleton by the end of pregnancy. The fetus accumulates 2–3 mg/d of calcium during the first trimester, increasing to 250 mg/d during the third trimester (1). Maternal calcium losses to breast milk are approx 200–240 mg/d (2). Considering that the maternal skeleton contains about 900 g of calcium, the loss of calcium during pregnancy and 6 mo of lactation are equivalent to 3 and 5%, respectively, of a mother’s total skeletal calcium content.
How White People Refuse to Understand Black Mourning

This chapter shows how white people in the United States tend to respond to expressions of black mourning by claiming it is unintelligible. The claim of unintelligibility often appears in the forms of: voyeurism (“let me look longer”), appropriation (“I will explain it for you”), gas-lighting (pathologizing), tone-policing (“I cannot hear you when you say it like that”), and militarization (repression). What these forms have in common is that they are ways of managing and suppressing mourning. Luttrell urges that white understanding of black mourning must evolve from victim creating, victim blaming, and respectability politics in general. Drawing from both the Abrahamic tradition, in the book of Jeremiah, and forms of Greek tragedy, she shows how mourning involves the whole range of human emotion and can be a source of agency.
Neural Computing With Magnetoelectric Domain-Wall-Based Neurosynaptic Devices

Conventional von-Neumann computing models have achieved remarkable feats for the past few decades. However, they fail to deliver the required efficiency for certain basic tasks like image and speech recognitions when compared with the biological systems. As such, taking cues from the biological systems, novel computing paradigms are being explored for the efficient hardware implementations of the recognition/classification tasks. The basic building blocks of such neuromorphic systems are neurons and synapses . Toward that end, we propose a leaky-integrate-fire (LIF) neuron and a programmable non-volatile synapse using the domain-wall (DW) motion induced by the magnetoelectric effect. Due to the strong elastic pinning between the ferromagnetic DW (FM-DW) and the underlying ferroelectric DW (FE-DW), the FM-DW is dragged by the FE-DW on the application of a voltage pulse. The fact that FE materials are insulators allows for pure voltage-driven FM-DW motion, which in turn can be used to mimic the behavior of the biological spiking neurons and synapses. The voltage-driven nature of the proposed devices allows the energy-efficient operation. A detailed device to the system-level simulation framework based on the micromagnetic simulations has been developed to analyze the feasibility of the proposed neurosynaptic devices for implementing the neuromorphic systems. A key highlight of the presented work as opposed to the prior works on the DW neurons and synapses is that the proposed device can seamlessly incorporate the “controlled leaky” behavior both in neurons and synapses, leading to the improved bioplausible behavior.
Fabrication and Analysis of a Novel High Voltage Heterojunction p-NiO/n-Ga 2 O 3 Diode

A novel heterojunction NiO/βGa 2 O 3 diode was fabricated using p-type NiO deposited by ion-assisted e-beam evaporation on n-type βGa 2 O 3 epitaxial wafer. The fabricated diodes exhibited excellent rectifying current-voltage characteristics, with rectifying ratio greater than 106 at ± 4V. The breakdown voltage of the heterojunction diode was 525V for an un-terminated device. The measured specific on-resistance is 2.90m $\Omega\cdot cm^{2}$. The leakage current demonstrates one order of magnitude lower value than that of the comparison Ni/ βGa 2 O 3 Schottky barrier diode. The breakdown voltage of the heterojunction NiO/βGa 2 O 3 diodes is 4.5 times higher than that of the Ni/ βGa 2 O 3 Schottky barrier diode.
SP_0916 Is an Arginine Decarboxylase That Catalyzes the Synthesis of Agmatine, Which Is Critical for Capsule Biosynthesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae

The global burden of invasive pneumococcal diseases, including pneumonia and sepsis, caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen, remains a major global health risk. The success of pneumococcus as a pathogen can be attributed to its ability to regulate the synthesis of capsular polysaccharide (CPS) during invasive disease. We previously reported that deletion of a putative lysine decarboxylase (LDC; ΔSP_0916) in pneumococcal serotype 4 (TIGR4) results in reduced CPS. SP_0916 locus is annotated as either an arginine or a LDC in pneumococcal genomes. In this study, by biochemical characterization of the recombinant SP_0916, we determined the substrate specificity of SP_0916 and show that it is an arginine decarboxylase (speA/ADC). We also show that deletion of the polyamine transporter (potABCD) predicted to import putrescine and spermidine results in reduced CPS, while deletion of spermidine synthase (speE) for the conversion of putrescine to spermidine had no impact on the capsule. Targeted metabolomics identified a correlation between reduced levels of agmatine and loss of capsule in ΔspeA and ΔpotABCD, while agmatine levels were comparable between the encapsulated TIGR4 and ΔspeE. Exogenous supplementation of agmatine restored CPS in both ΔpotABCD and ΔspeA. These results demonstrate that agmatine is critical for regulating the CPS, a predominant virulence factor in pneumococci.
Comparison of growth and feeding method in infants with and without genetic abnormalities after neonatal cardiac surgery

Introduction: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is multifactorial in origin, resulting from an interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Multifactorial growth delay is common in infants with CHD. The impact of a genetic abnormality and CHD on the growth of an infant is lacking in the literature. The aim of this study is to compare the growth and method of feeding following neonatal cardiac surgery in infants with normal versus abnormal genetic testing. Methods: A retrospective chart review of neonates who underwent a Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery IV–VI procedure between 1 January, 2006 and 22 September, 2016 was performed at our institution. Weight, length, head circumference measurements, and feeding method were collected at birth, time of neonatal surgery, and monthly up to 6 months of age. Results: A total of 53 infants met inclusion criteria, of which 22 had abnormal genetic testing. Approximately 90% of infants were discharged following neonatal cardiac surgery with supplemental tube feeds. At each monthly follow-up visit, more infants were exclusively fed orally: 80% of infants with normal genetics at 5 months post-operative follow-up versus 60% of infants with abnormal genetic testing, although statistically insignificant. Growth was not different among the two groups. Conclusions: Infants with critical CHD with or without genetic abnormalities are at risk for growth delays and many need supplemental tube feeds post-operatively and throughout follow-up. Infants with genetic abnormalities are slower to achieve oral feeds and more likely to require tube feedings. It is important to have a systematic protocol for managing these high-risk infants.
Pouring from an Empty Cup: The Case for Compassion Fatigue in Higher Education

Background: With the global pandemic, higher education has experienced unparalleled changes with abrupt transitions to remote and online learning. Faculty are working to provide continuity of teaching and support to students whose lives have been disrupted; therefore, faculty are finding themselves managing distressed students with a wide range of issues, while also managing their own intrapersonal stress. Consequently, faculty may experience feelings of being psychologically overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted. Aim: This article informs faculty in higher education on the concept of compassion fatigue along with the symptoms, warning signs, and risk factors. In addition, protective factors, including self-care plans and coping strategies are addressed. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature on compassion fatigue was conducted including the application of the construct to teaching and education. The literature review illuminates the use of compassion fatigue, originating from the scientific disciplines of counseling and traumatology, within an emerging line of research findings occurring amongst educators prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The literature demonstrates that compassion fatigue as a prospective, intrapersonal condition may potentially affect some faculty in higher education, and the proposed conceptual application of the construct to teaching and education can assist with acknowledging and understanding an important aspect of faculty mental health. Conclusions: Given the crisis surrounding the pandemic, it's essential for faculty to be aware of compassion fatigue in order to mitigate potential intrapersonal psychological and emotional consequences. Elucidating the symptoms and implications of compassion fatigue for faculty in higher education is part of a broader, overlooked issue on faculty mental health and wellness.
Temporally-specific sequences of neural activity across interconnected corticolimbic structures during reward anticipation

Functional neuroimaging studies indicate that interconnected parts of the subcallosal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), striatum, and amygdala play a fundamental role in affect in health and disease. Yet, while the patterns of neural activity engaged in striatum and amygdala during affective processing are well established, especially during reward anticipation, very little is known about subcallosal ACC. Here we recorded neural activity in non-human primate subcallosal ACC and compared this to interconnected parts of basolateral amygdala and rostromedial striatum while macaque monkeys performed reward-based tasks. Applying multiple analysis approaches, we found that neurons in subcallosal ACC and rostromedial striatum preferentially signal anticipated reward using short bursts of activity that form temporally-specific sequences. By contrast, basolateral amygdala uses a mixture of both sequential and more sustained activity to signal anticipated reward. Thus, sequential patterns of neural activity across populations of neurons are engaged in affect, especially in subcallosal ACC.
Nanoparticle T-cell engagers as a modular platform for cancer immunotherapy

T-cell-based immunotherapy, such as CAR-T cells and bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs), has shown promising clinical outcomes in many cancers; however, these therapies have significant limitations, such as poor pharmacokinetics and the ability to target only one antigen on the cancer cells. In multiclonal diseases, these therapies confer the development of antigen-less clones, causing tumor escape and relapse. In this study, we developed nanoparticle-based bispecific T-cell engagers (nanoBiTEs), which are liposomes decorated with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting T cells, and mAbs targeting the cancer antigen. We also developed a nanoparticle that targets multiple cancer antigens by conjugating multiple mAbs against multiple cancer antigens for T-cell engagement (nanoMuTEs). NanoBiTEs and nanoMuTEs have a long half-life of about 60 h, which enables once-a-week administration instead of continuous infusion, while maintaining efficacy in vitro and in vivo. NanoMuTEs targeting multiple cancer antigens showed greater efficacy in myeloma cells in vitro and in vivo, compared to nanoBiTEs targeting only one cancer antigen. Unlike nanoBiTEs, treatment with nanoMuTEs did not cause downregulation (or loss) of a single antigen, and prevented the development of antigen-less tumor escape. Our nanoparticle-based immuno-engaging technology provides a solution for the major limitations of current immunotherapy technologies.
A case of pleuroperitoneal communication in which establishing a laparoscopic pneumoperitoneum was useful for the detection of a fistula.

Pleuroperitoneal communication (PPC) is rarely observed, accounting for 1.6% of all patients who undergo continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Although there have been several reports concerning the management of this condition, we have encountered several cases in which control failed. We herein report a valuable case of PPC in which laparoscopic pneumoperitoneum with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) was useful for supporting the diagnosis and treatment. The patient was a 58-year-old woman with chronic renal failure due to chronic renal inflammation who was referred to a nephrologist in our hospital to undergo an operation for the induction of CAPD. Post-operatively, she had respiratory failure, and chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) showed right-sided hydrothorax that decreased when the injection of peritoneal dialysate was interrupted. Therefore, PPC was suspected, and she was referred to our department for surgical repair. We planned surgical treatment via video-assisted thoracic surgery. During the surgery, we failed to detect any lesions with thoracoscopy alone; we therefore added a laparoscopic port at her right-sided abdomen near the navel and infused CO2 gas into the abdominal cavity. On thoracoscopy, bubbles were observed emanating from a small pore at the central tendon of the diaphragm, which was considered to be the lesion responsible for the PPC. We closed it by suturing directly. VATS with laparoscopic pneumoperitoneum should be considered as an effective method for inspecting tiny pores of the diaphragm, especially when the lesions responsible for PPC are difficult to detect.
Towards Stability Analysis of Data Transport Mechanisms: A Fluid Model and Its Applications

The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) utilizes a congestion avoidance and control mechanism as a preventive measure against congestive collapse and as an adaptive measure in the presence of changing network conditions. The set of available congestion control algorithms is diverse, and while many have been studied from empirical and simulation perspectives, there is a notable lack of analytical work for some variants. To gain more insight into the dynamics of these algorithms, we: (1) propose a general modeling scheme consisting of a set of functional differential equations of retarded type (RFDEs) and of the congestion window as a function of time; (2) apply this scheme to TCP Reno and demonstrate its equivalence to a previous, well known model for TCP Reno; (3) show applications of the new framework to the widely-deployed congestion control algorithm TCP CUBIC, for which analytical models are few and limited; as well as to H-TCP, another high-speed congestion control algorithm; and (4) validate the model using simulations. Our modeling framework yields a fluid model for window- or rate-based congestion control variants. From a theoretical analysis of this model with TCP CUBIC, we discover that CUBIC is locally uniformly asymptotically stable – a property of the algorithm previously unknown. Through further analysis, we derive a sufficient condition for H-TCP’s stability, but observe via a numerical analysis and simulations that H-TCP rarely converges to an equilibrium and is usually not asymptotically stable in practical high-speed settings.
Challenges to Miracles

“Challenges to Miracles” After clarifying the concept of miracle and connecting it to revealed theology, Lorkowski presents an argument against miracles having conversionary power, that is, of providing evidence for belief. The author does this by first drawing out the normal requirement of interpreting events as non-miraculous when there are natural explanations that are commonly experienced and reasonable. However, acknowledging this requirement not only radically undercuts the accounts of miracles provided by revealed texts but also delineates what it would mean for an event to be plausibly interpreted as a miracle. Lorkowski then briefly argues that, whether or not such events may be theoretically possible, in practice, no event has come close to fulfilling these criteria in modern times.
Long-term clinical outcome of minimally invasive versus open single-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for degenerative lumbar diseases: a meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Context Minimally invasive surgical transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) was developed in addition to open-TLIF to minimize iatrogenic soft-tissue damage. A potential disadvantage of MIS-TLIF is inadequate visualization, which may lead to incomplete neural decompression and a less robust arthrodesis. This may cause long-term problems and result in decreased patient satisfaction. Purpose To evaluate the long-term clinical outcome, measured by patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), of patients with degenerative lumbar diseases treated with single-level TLIF (open vs. minimally invasive) with a minimum follow-up of 2-years. Study Design Meta-analysis. Methods The systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were identified from Pubmed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL from the date of inception to August 2019. The inclusion criteria were (1) longitudinal comparative studies of MIS-TLIF versus open-TLIF approach for degenerative spine disease (2) outcomes reported as PROMs, (3) minimum follow-up of 2-years. Results Sixteen studies were included in the analysis. In total, 1,321 patients were included (660 MIS-TLIF& 661 open-TLIF). The following PROMS were analyzed: EQ-5D, SF, ODI, and VAS. Both techniques resulted in significant improvement in PROM, which remained significant at 2-years follow-up. However, no significant differences were found in all PROMs at 2-years follow-up. Both treatments resulted in a high rate of spinal fusion (80.5% vs. 91.1%; p=.29) and low rate of reoperation (3.0% vs. 2.4%; p=.50) or adjacent segment disease (12.6% vs. 12.40%; p=.50). Conclusions MIS-TLIF and open-TLIF have comparable long-term clinical outscomes. Both operations can significantly reduce pain and positively improve PROMs. No significant differences were found between both treatments in clinical outcomes at a follow-up of minimal 2-years. Therefore, MIS-TLIF seems to be an effective and safe alternative to traditional open-TLIF in the long-term.
An Unsupervised Learning Based Deformable Registration Network for 4D-CT Images

Four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) has been used in radiation therapy, which allows for tumor and organ motion tracking through the breathing cycle. Based on the motion trajectory analysis of tumor and normal tissues, an adaptive treatment planning may be improved in terms of the accuracy of tumor delineation, or gating radiation. Image registration can be used to compensate the motion and supply the transformation between different scans in 4D-CT to help further analysis. The motion in the 4D-CT is mainly caused by the respiration, which requires deformable image registration. As the accurate and fast function facilitated by GPU, deep learning based deformable image registration methods are widely used for 4D-CT. In this paper, we apply a deep learning based deformable registration network (Reg-Net) to estimate the deformation field for the given scan pair of 4D-CT. The proposed network was trained in an unsupervised manner without the need of any expert annotation. For evaluation, 10 subjects are used for training, 5 subjects for testing. We use the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and intersection over union (IoU) over regions of interest (i.e., gross target volume) to evaluate the registration performance. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed deformable Reg-Net can potentially improve the organ tracking performance.
Case 63: An Overdose with Witch Doctor Medicine

You are working in northern Uganda. You are called to the emergency room (ER) for an immediate endotracheal intubation. It is in the middle of the day and the sun is shining from a clear blue sky. The ER is a just like a carport. In other words, a structure without any walls, which is very well lit by the sunshine.
A Phase-based Approach to ECM across CP in Korean

ECM across a CP in Korean poses difficulties from the standpoint of the locality of A-movement/agreement. A phase-based analysis is developed which requires two steps: (i) in the embedded CP, VP/vP containing its VP-internal subject first moves to Spec-CP, which renders the subject accessible to the matrix v, in accordance with Chomsky's Phase Impenetrability Condition; (ii) ECM takes place in a local relation between the matrix v and the embedded subject. It is shown that the otherwise puzzling fact that ECM across a CP, but not Passivization across a CP, is affected by the type of the embedded verb in Korean is accounted for in a principled way, based on the assumption that CP and vP, but not TP and VP, are phases.
Nutritional stress factors and food processing.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses nutritional stress factors and food processing. The characterization, identification, and synthesis of most of the essential nutrients and the progress made toward the elucidation of their mode of action is a fabulous and revolutionary achievement that has opened up new research vistas to the attention of nutritional investigators. The chapter provides three processes that are involved in the transfer of essential nutrients from the environment to the cell. Each one of these processes is subject to disturbance by many different kinds of unfavorable factors, namely, stress factors, which increase nutritional requirements by decreasing the absorption of essential nutrients, decreasing the digestion of food, and decreasing the intake of food. The chapter discusses from where many of these stress factors originated. Processing may destroy or create stress factors. For example, heat, when properly applied, will destroy a great many stress factors, especially those that are proteins, and may, in addition, create positive values such as the synthesis of desirable flavors. Improperly applied heat will create stress factors by destroying essential nutrients or making them unavailable and by decreasing the digestibility of food.
Study of One Dimensional Molecular Properties Using Python

One of the attractions to the study of one dimensional systems is the technological interest of their possible effects in nanoelectronics [1]. There are myriads or papers on the solution to the problem of the electronic properties of one dimensional systems. Few of these papers use python for visualization but none has used python as a tool for solving this problem from first principle. In this paper, we present several techniques of using Python as a tool in computational analysis. We report the results of using python to study the electronic properties of an infinite linear chain of atoms. We use the principles of nearest neighbor and directly calculated the eigenvalues of our system. We also derived the green function for the system and compared the eigenvalues obtained from the green function with those directly calculated. Visualization of our results was achieved using Matplotlib, a powerful yet, easy to use Python plotting library. Our results show an agreement between the eigenvalues obtained by direct calculation and those obtained using our derived green function for the system. The results also show the simplicity of Python as an analytical tool in computational sciences.
Quasiparticle relaxation across the spin-density-wave gap in the itinerant antiferromagnet U Ni Ga 5

Time-resolved photoinduced reflectivity is measured for the itinerant antiferromagnet $\mathrm{U}\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{5}$ $({T}_{N}\ensuremath{\approx}85\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K})$ from room temperature to $10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. The relaxation time $\ensuremath{\tau}$ shows a sharp increase at ${T}_{N}$ consistent with the opening of a spin-density-wave (SDW) gap. The temperature dependence of $\ensuremath{\tau}$ below ${T}_{N}$ is also consistent with the opening of a SDW gap leading to a quasiparticle recombination bottleneck as revealed by the Rothwarf-Taylor model. This contrasts with canonical heavy fermions such as $\mathrm{Ce}\mathrm{Co}{\mathrm{In}}_{5}$ where the recombination bottleneck arises from the hybridization gap.
Effect of α-Ketoisocaproate and Leucine on the in Vivo Oxidation of Glutamate and Glutamine in the Rat Brain

Leucine and α-ketoisocaproate (α-KIC) were perfused at increasing concentrations into rat brain hippocampus by microdialysis to mimic the conditions of maple syrup urine disease. The effects of elevated leucine or α-KIC on the oxidation of L-[U-14C]glutamate and L-[U-14C]glutamine in the brain were determined in the non-anesthetized rat. 14CO2 generated by the metabolic oxidation of [l4C]glutamate and [14C]glutamine in brain was measured following its diffusion into the eluant during the microdialysis. Leucine and α-KIC exhibited differential effects on 14CO2 generation from radioactive glutamate or glutamine. Infusion of 0.5 mM α-KIC increased [l4C]glutamate oxidation approximately 2-fold; higher concentrations of α-KIC did not further stimulate [14C]glutamate oxidation. The enhanced oxidation of [14C]glutamate may be attributed to the function of α-KIC as a nitrogen acceptor from [14C]glutamate yielding [14C]α-ketoglutarate, an intermediate of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. [14C-]glutamine oxidation was not stimulated as much as [14C-]glutamate oxidation and only increased at 10 mM α-KIC reflecting the extra metabolic step required for its oxidative metabolism. In contrast, leucine had no effect on the oxidation of either [14C]glutamate or [14C]glutamine. In maple syrup urine disease elevated α-KIC may play a significant role in altered energy metabolism in brain while leucine may contribute to clinical manifestations of this disease in other ways.
OPTIMIZATION FOR SPARSE SYSTEMS

Sparse matrices with special structure arise in almost every application of large scale optimization. In linear programming, these problems usually are solved by pivoting procedures, most notably the simplex method, refined and modified in various ways to exploit structure. More recently iterative relaxation methods and dual ascent algorithms have been proposed for certain applications. In surveying several algorithms from each of these categories, this paper demonstrates the potential for investigating and applying sparse system techniques in optimization.
The Merger Tax Status Decision

In this study, the influence of the federal tax code on reorganization tax status chosen for a merger is examined with a logit model. Findings indicate that the potential to step up the depreciable...
Damaged aircraft control using a QFT designed flight controller

A controlled plant's dynamics can very significantly if the operating points change. This presents problems for flight control system synthesis procedures based on pointwise designs, as aircraft dynamics vary widely within the flight envelope. This paper addresses flight control system synthesis and the accommodation of controlled plant variation in its design envelope by using the frequency domain based quantitative feedback theory multiple-input multiple-output robust control system design method. Plant variations considered include varying flight conditions in the flight envelope and damage to aerodynamic control surfaces. The aircraft used in the design is an unmanned research vehicle owned by the United States Air Force Wright Laboratory. Digital flight controllers for the aircraft's longitudinal and lateral channels and an outer-loop autopilot are designed and validated with simulations containing nonlinear saturation elements. >
Evolution of the ASR decoder design

The ASR decoder is one of the fundamental components of an ASR system and has been evolving over the years to address the increasing demands for larger domains as well as the availability of more powerful hardware. Though the basic search algorithm (i.e. Viterbi search) is relatively simple, implementing a decoder which can handle hundreds of thousands of words in the active vocabulary and hundreds of millions of n-grams in the language model in real time is no simple task. With the emergence of embedded platforms, some of the design concepts used in the past to cope with limitations of the available hardware can become relevant again, where such limitations are similar to those of workstations of early days of ASR. In this paper we will describe various basic design concepts encountered in various decoder implementations, with the focus on those which are relevant today among the fairly large spectrum of available hardware platforms.
The Intense Microwave Prototype (IMP) free electron laser, 140 gigahertz microwave system for the Microwave Tokamak Experiment (MTX)

The authors present the design, construction, and magnetic test results of the Intense Microwave Prototype (IMP) free electron laser (FEL) and all of the microwave system special hardware developed for operation as a plasma heating source for the MTX. FELs have produced high-power (200 MW) microwave frequency (140 GHz) pulses that have been successfully transported with greater than 89% efficiency into the MTX tokamak through a windowless, quasi-optical system. IMP will increase the capabilities from 1 pulse at 1/2 Hz to 50 pulses at 5 kHz and with a linear taper on the FEL be able to reach an estimated peak power of up to 5.9 GW. >
Consideration of ancillary services in Screening Curve Method

Screening Curve Method (SCM) is a simple, fast and powerful model that estimates the least-cost generation mix. Many developments have been proposed in recent years for SCM modeling. However, with more renewable resources being integrated into the grid, ancillary services' impact on generation system becomes more and more crucial. This paper proposes two SCM based approaches for modeling the long-term impact of the ancillary services, targeting the least-cost generation mix. A co-optimized model and an ancillary services-only model are developed. Numerical calculations are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed models.
Modeling field-scale dense nonaqueous phase liquid dissolution kinetics in heterogeneous aquifers

[1] This study investigates field-scale DNAPL dissolution kinetics using high-resolution numerical simulations of DNAPL releases and dissolved phase transport. A percolation model is employed to simulate the distribution of TCE within 10 × 10 × 10 m source zones with spatially heterogeneous aquifer properties following a release event. Distributed aquifer properties and DNAPL saturations are utilized to simulate coupled groundwater flow and long-term dissolved phase transport. Grid-scale dissolution rates are computed based on published bench-scale relationships. Effective field-scale mass transfer coefficients are computed from simulated TCE fluxes at the downstream source zone boundary. Heterogeneity in groundwater velocity and DNAPL distributions leads to field-scale mass transfer coefficients that are much lower than laboratory-scale values. Field-scale mass transfer coefficients are observed to vary in direct proportion to the mean groundwater velocity, in contrast to laboratory studies that indicate proportionality with velocity to a power of ∼0.7. Computed field-scale mass transfer coefficients vary approximately in proportion to relative DNAPL mass raised to an empirical depletion exponent, which is 1 for more randomly oriented residual DNAPL regions. The former DNAPL geometries exhibit slow reductions in source concentration and contaminant flux with time as mass depletion proceeds. The latter DNAPL geometries exhibit significant and steady declines in source concentration and contaminant flux with time as depletion occurs.
An approach for determination of warranty length

Abstract The use of product warranties as a competitive marketing variable has increased substantially during the past decade. Warranty length is often the most visible and marketed warranty element. However, the published literature offers no approach to aid determination of warranty length. This paper treats product warranty as a marketing variable and focuses on aiding decisions on what warranty length to offer. Results on warranty length are derived for three generic warranty types, given information on exogenous factors such as warranty and price elasticities, costs, and product failure rates. Short- and long-run decision-making perspectives are contrasted. Managerial use of the results is illustrated through econometric estimation based on analysis of automobile data. Warranty elasticity in our application is estimated to be 0.143.
Building and Manipulating Three-Dimensional and Linked Two-Dimensional Structures of Nanoparticles Using Scanning Force Microscopy

Manipulation of nanoparticles with the scanning force microscope (SFM) has been limited until now to clearing areas on a surface or to moving single particles sequentially to create two-dimensional patterns. The research reported here uses a previously described setup for nanomanipulation with the SFM to (i) build a simple three-dimensional pyramidal structure by pushing a nanoparticle on top of two others and (ii) rotate and translate a linked two-particle structure. The experiments are conducted in air and at room temperature with gold nanoparticles deposited on silicon previously coated with a silane layer.
A Model of a Mesoscale Lens in Large-Scale Shear. Part I: Linear Calculations

Abstract A simple model is used to study the behavior of a lens-shaped eddy in a background flow with uniform horizontal and vertical shear. The primary motivation for the work is to understand the influence of large-scale shear on Mediterranean salt lenses in the Canary Basin. The model eddy is represented by an isolated three-dimensional patch characterized by anomalous potential vorticity, and its evolution is governed by stratified, f-plane quasigeostrophic dynamics. Guided by the available observations, the potential vorticity field is chosen to be horizontally piecewise constant and is a linear function of depth within the lens. This produces a flow field characterized by a depth-dependent solid body rotation within the core of the eddy, with speeds decreasing monotonically outside the core, in good agreement with observations. A family of linearized solutions is discussed, representing a lens-shaped eddy with a large trapped fluid region, which is deformed due to interactions with external shear. T...
Effect of Substrate on Colonization of Experimental Ponds by Chironomidae (Diptera)

ABSTRACT The influence of substrate type on larval chironomid community structure was studied in a controlled experiment utilizing small artificial ponds. Wading pools containing three types of sterilized sediments of different particle size and organic content were colonized naturally over two eight-week periods. Total abundance and species composition varied with substrate type. Clay treatment ponds had the lowest abundance and were dominated by Chironomus spp. Gravel and sand-silt treatment ponds were dominated by Kiefferulus dux. Results agree with field studies and indicate that substrate is important in structuring chironomid assemblages in lakes and ponds. Data obtained using multiplate samplers did not agree well with data from benthic samples, indicating that artificial substrates do not always provide a representative sample of the benthic habitat.
Performance of calves fed fermented mastitic milk, colostrum and fresh whole milk.

Abstract Weight gains, milk intake, and health of calves fed fermented mastitic milk from cows treated and not treated with antibiotics were compared with those of calves fed fermented colostrum or fresh normal milk at two intakes. Calves fed fermented mastitic milk from cows treated with antibiotics, not treated with antibiotics, fermented colostrum (diluted 1:1 with water), and fresh normal milk gained .13, .14, .13, and .10 kg/day in trial 1 fed at 8% of body weight daily, and .09, .11, .18, and .13 kg/day in trial 2 fed at 10% of body weight daily from birth through 30 days of age. All calves were housed in individual pens during milk feeding. Feeding milk at 10% in trial 2 did not improve gains over those in trial 1. Incidence of health disorders and mastitis in first lactation of cows fed fermented mastitic milk as calves was not different from those of cows fed fresh normal milk or fermented colostrum. Fermented mastitic milk appears to be an economical and safe feed for rearing calves when calves are housed individually during milk feeding.
The Effects of Brand Loyalty on Competitive Price Promotional Strategies

This paper analyzes the role played by brand loyalty in determining optimal price promotional strategies used by firms in a competitive setting. Loyalty is operationalized as the minimum price differential needed before consumers who prefer one brand switch to another brand. Our objective is to examine how loyalties toward the competing brands influence whether or not firms would use price promotions in a product category. We also examine how loyalty differences lead to variations in the depth and frequency with which price discounts are offered across brands in the same product category. The analysis predicts that a brand's likelihood of using price promotions increases with an increase in the number of competing brands in a product category. In the context of a market in which a brand with a large brand loyalty competes with a brand with a low brand loyalty, it is shown that in equilibrium, the stronger brand i.e., the brand with the larger loyalty promotes less frequently than the weaker brand. The results suggest that the weaker brand gains more from price promotions. The analysis helps us understand discounting patterns in markets where store brands, weak national brands, or newly introduced national brands compete against strong, well known, national brands. The findings are based on the unique perfect equilibrium in a finitely repeated game. The predictions of the model are compared with the data on 27 different product categories. The data are consistent with the main findings of the model.
On the Description of Shape and Spatial Configuration inside Buildings: Convex Partitions and Their Local Properties

As we move through buildings, we experience not only continuous changes of perspective but also discrete transitions from one space to another. To describe movement as a pattern of such transitions...
Leader election in the presence of n-1 initial failures

We present a deterministic leader election protocol that can tolerate up to n−1 undetectable initial failures, where n is the number of processes. We assume an asynchronous shared memory model that supports only single writer and multi readers regular registers
Effects of atypical infections with Mycoplasma and Chlamydia on asthma

Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae are atypical bacteria that are frequently found in patients with asthma. A definitive diagnosis of infection is often difficult to obtain because of limitations with sampling and detection. Numerous animal studies have outlined mechanisms by which these infections may promote allergic lung inflammation and airway remodeling. In addition, there is mounting evidence from human studies suggesting that atypical bacterial infections contribute to asthma exacerbations, chronic asthma, and disease severity. The role of antimicrobials directed against atypical bacteria in asthma is still under investigation.
Late Paleozoic microfaunas from southernmost Chile and their relation to Gondwanaland forearc development

Newly discovered radiolaria and fusulinids of late Carboniferous–earliest Permian age document ages for off-scraped pelagic sequences within the Chilean parts of the Gondwanaland forearc. Well-preserved radiolarians are illustrated and compared with the only other known correlatives from Japan. These findings provide new insight for paleoenvironments of oceanic assemblages within the forearc as well as new constraints for its temporal development.
Nitrogen oxide formation inside a laboratory pulverized coal combustor

Two series of measurements of NO, HCN and NH3 are reported for a laboratory pulverized coal combustor with a bituminous coal and a water-quench probe. In the first series, the stoichiometric, ratio (SR) was varied from 0.5 to 1.15 and measurements were made near the combustor exit. The second series provided detailed radial and axial profiles of NO, HCN, and NH3 at SR values of 0.7 and 1.15. Data are also reported for gaseous species (CO, CO2, CH4, H2, O2), and char composition (N, H, C, ash). NO and CO2 levels declined while HCN, NH3, CH4, CO and H2 levels increased with decreasing SR values. A minimum in the sum of HCN, NO and NH3 at an SR value of 0.6–0.7 was observed, suggesting maximum N2 formation at this value. Axial profiles suggest early formation of NH3 in the combustor. Locally high values of H2 and CH4 were also observed. Rapid NO formation was associated with coal devolatilization.
Different Racisms and the Differences They Make: Race and “Asian Workers” of Prewar Hawai`i

In the past two decades, the scholarship on prewar Hawai`i, particularly of its workers, took a much needed critical turn toward the study of racial and class confl icts, challenging the long-standing dominance of the assimilationist framework. However, an anachronistic deployment of a pan-Asian racial category and an attenuated conceptualization of racism have impeded the turn, an important consequence of which has been an inadequate grasp of the racial inequality and division between Japanese and Filipino workers. I argue that a key to overcoming these shortcomings is the abandonment of a unidimensional conceptualization of racism that underlies not only the study of Hawai`i but also much of the sociology of race. Focusing on the 1920s and 1930s, this essay seeks to demonstrate why and how Japanese and Filipino workers faced different racisms, different not only in intensity but in kind, and what differences they made in relation to the production and reproduction of working-class racial inequality and ...
Influence of Dietary Fat, Fasting, and Acute Premature Weaning on in Vivo Rates of Fatty Acid Synthesis in Lactating Mice

SummaryIn vivo rates of fatty acid synthesis in liver, removable adipose tissue, and mammary gland were obtained in mice. Liver contributed 60 to 65%, and adipose tissue 35 to 40% of the fatty acids synthesized in virgin mice fed a high-carbohydrate diet. Mice in the 18th and 19th day of gestation synthesized less than half the quantity of fatty acids synthesized in virgin mice, even though the pregnant mice consumed more food than the virgin mice. Rates of fatty acid synthesis were elevated more than threefold in lactating mice and 71 to 83% of the fatty acid synthesis occurred in the mammary gland of the lactating mice. Fasting for 12 hr or consumption of a high-fat diet for 5 days depressed rates of fatty acid synthesis in all three tissues examined. Removal of the pups for 12 hr decreased the rate of fatty acid synthesis in mammary gland and increased the rate in adipose tissue of lactating mice.