cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variational Analysis in Nonsmooth Optimization and Discrete Optimal Control

This paper is devoted to applications of modern methods of variational analysis to constrained optimization and control problems generally formulated in infinite-dimensional spaces. The main focus is on the study of problems with nonsmooth structures, which require the usage of advanced tools of generalized differentiation. In this way we derive new necessary optimality conditions in optimization problems with functional and operator constraints and then apply them to optimal control problems governed by discrete-time inclusions in infinite dimensions. The principal difference between finite-dimensional and infinite-dimensional frameworks of optimization and control consists of the “lack of compactness” in infinite dimensions, which leads to imposing certain “normal compactness” properties and developing their comprehensive calculus, together with appropriate calculus rules of generalized differentiation. On the other hand, one of the most important achievements of the paper consists of relaxing the latter assumptions for certain classes of optimization and control problems. In particular, we fully avoid the requirements of this type imposed on target endpoint sets in infinite-dimensional optimal control for discrete-time inclusions.
Effect of reinforcement on wear debris of carbon nanofiber/high density polyethylene composites: Morphological study and quantitative analysis

Abstract Polymeric nanocomposites are promising tribological materials. However, the wear debris generated on the sliding surface of composite materials is highly affected by the nanofillers used (types, surfaces, etc.). In this study, based on the high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites with various carbon nanofibers (CNFs) prepared, the effects of CNF concentration and surface modification on morphology and size distribution of wear debris were examined. The individual wear particle morphology was observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The particle size distributions of the wear debris were statistically analyzed based on the optical microscope imaging for all the debris collected after 24 h of wear testing. In addition, the influence of various CNFs (untreated and organosilane treated) on debris components was analyzed by both differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements. The results revealed that there were less mechanical damage and a lower proportion of large particles in the wear debris for the nanocomposites with heavily organosilane coated CNFs.
Prolonged Postoperative Ileus—Definition, Risk Factors, and Predictors after Surgery

Background Postoperative ileus (POI) remains an inevitable consequence of abdominal surgery. Although the pathogenesis of delayed gastrointestinal transit in the postoperative period has been the subject of considerable study, a clinically useful definition of what constitutes a pathologically prolonged ileus has yet to be established. The objectives of this study were to describe a definition for an abnormally prolonged ileus and to identify risk factors and predictors of prolonged ileus in patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
Hadron-hadron correlations at low and high pT in heavy-ion collisions

The modification of two particle correlations within a jet due to its propagation through dense strongly interacting matter is explored. Different properties of the medium may be probed by varying the momentum of the detected hadrons. Very high transverse momentum ( p T ) correlations sample the gluon density of the medium; the minimal modification on the same side as the trigger is consistent with the picture and parameters of partonic energy loss. Lower momentum hadrons, sensitive to the presence of composite structures in the medium may excite collective modes such as Cherenkov radiation, resulting in conical patterns in the detected correlations.
Use of potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser in management of subglottic hemangiomas.

Abstract Objective: to study the role of KTP laser in management of subglottic hemangioma. Design: retrospective analysis of patients with subglottic hemangioma treated by the senior authors. Setting: tertiary care teaching hospital. Patients: twelve patients with subglottic hemangiomas. Intervention: patients were treated with KTP laser (eight cases), CO 2 laser (two cases) or observation (two cases). Main outcome measure: resolution of symptoms, decrease in size of subglottic hemangioma or tracheotomy decannulation. Results: All patients treated with KTP laser or CO 2 laser had resolution of symptoms and five tracheotomy-dependent children were decannulated. Conclusion: subglottic hemangioma is a potentially life-threatening disease seen in young children. Most authors recommend use of either CO 2 or open surgical excision. There is very little data available on the use of KTP lasers in the management of subglottic hemangiomas. The KTP laser beam is preferentially absorbed by hemoglobin making this laser system more applicable to the treatment of vascular tumors such as the hemangioma. KTP laser is a good tool for management of subglottic hemangioma with a low incidence of complications.
An analysis/synthesis interface for Pascal compilers

Many Pascal compilers are based upon a model which has two unpleasant properties: a large working set of procedures and lack of flexibility in object code structure. In this paper we analyse the source of these faults and describe an alternative model which avoids them. We then present the details of the key interface in the alternative model, as realized by a particular compiler.
Nonstructural Seismic Preparedness of Southern California Hospitals

Abstract This study was conducted to assess the level of adoption of nonstructural seismic hazard adjustments by hospitals in Southern California, and to identify the factors that lead to adoption of these adjustments. Results provide evidence that hospitals in Southern California have partially implemented a variety of earthquake preparedness and mitigation activities. However, many adjustments specific only to earthquake hazard were not commonly implemented, and this is cause for concern. Successful implementation of nonstructural measures is most likely to occur in large hospitals having government or not‐for‐profit ownership, high levels of perceived support for seismic risk reduction from upper administrators, and frequent interaction of the hospital disaster coordinator with those in similar roles at other organizations.
RECOVERY OF PROTEINASE FROM PACIFIC WHITING SURIMI WASH WATER

A proteinase from Pacific whiting surimi wash water (SWW) was recovered by ohmic heating, ultrafiltration and freeze drying with overall yield of 0.83 g protein/L SWW and 78% recovery of activity. Ohmic heating conditions were optimized for the maximum recovery of the enzyme. Different applied voltages (50, 70, 90 V) showed no differences in efficiency for removing protein and retaining cathepsin L activity. Cathepsin L activity reached its maximum after ohmic heating to 55C whereas cathepsin B activity decreased constantly with increased temperature. A constant reduction in protein content was observed with the increase in temperatures from 45C to 60C and holding time up to 5 min. The highest retention of both total and specific activity of cathepsin L was obtained with the treatment at 55C for 3 min. Under these conditioner, 193% activity was recovered from SWW although a large amount of the activity was lost by the subsequent steps of ultrafiltration and freeze drying.
Voltage control of nuclear spin in ferromagnetic Schottky diodes

We employ optical pump-probe spectroscopy to investigate the voltage dependence of spontaneous electron and nuclear spin polarizations in hybrid $\mathrm{MnAs}/n$-GaAs and $\mathrm{Fe}/n$-GaAs Schottky diodes. Through the hyperfine interaction, nuclear spin polarization that is imprinted by the ferromagnet acts on conduction electron spins as an effective magnetic field. We demonstrate tuning of this nuclear field from 0.05 to 2.4 kG by varying a small bias voltage across the MnAs device. In addition, a connection is observed between the diode turn on and the onset of imprinted nuclear polarization, while traditional dynamic nuclear polarization exhibits relatively little voltage dependence.
The trajectories of Prevention through Design in construction.

Abstract Introduction Construction Hazards Prevention through Design (CHPtD) is a process in which engineers and architects explicitly consider the safety of construction workers during the design process. Although articles on CHPtD have appeared in top construction journals, the literature has not addressed technical principles underlying CHPtD to help designers better perform CHPtD, to facilitate the development of additional CHPtD tools, and to predict the future path of CHPtD. Method This theoretical paper uses the existing literature on CHPtD and current action research associated with several CHPtD workgroups to analyze how CHPtD will likely evolve over the coming decades. Results There are four trajectories along which CHPtD will progress. (a) Designs will increasingly facilitate prefabricated construction; (b) designers will increasingly choose materials and systems that are inherently safer than alternatives; (c) designers will increasingly perform construction engineering; and (d) designers will increasingly apply spatial considerations to reduce worker hazards. Impact on Industry By understanding how CHPtD may be manifested in the engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) industry, practitioners can better prepare for adopting CHPtD within their organizations and construction and engineering educators can better prepare their graduates to perform CHPtD.
2-D analytic model for inductively coupled plasma sources. II. Effects of 2-D coupled damping and their applications

For pt.I see ibid., vol.23, no.1, p.65-73 (1995). In part I, we developed the electromagnetic model and analyzed the plasma kinetic behavior for the recently developed inductively coupled plasma sources (ICPS). The analytic forms demonstrated that the induced RF wave in ICPS is primarily dampened by a collisionless dissipation mechanism, In this paper, the 2-D coupled damping effect is further discussed. A criterion is given to describe the magnitude of coupled damping relative to collisions. The numerical integrals show that the coupled damping is obvious only as the RF phase velocity is close to plasma thermovelocity. The electron velocity distribution function was calculated for different cases, Also analyzed were the geometry and frequency effects. It was found that appropriately adjusting the reactor height and coil current frequency could strengthen the coupled damping effect so as to benefit extracting the energy from the induced RF wave to the plasmas. >
Lion Kings or puppies: the influence of fantasy on children’s understanding of pretense

Many have thought that children have an early appreciation of the mind in the case of pretend play. Results from several experiments are against this. However, an experiment by Lillard (Body or mind: children’s categorizing of pretense, Child Development, 67 (1996), 1717‐1734, Experiment 4) suggested that when a pretense is about a fantasy character, instead of a real entity, children might have a better understanding of the mind’s involvement. The present experiment tested this, and found that indeed, when pretending to be a fantasy character is at issue, 4-year-olds are significantly more apt to indicate the mind’s involvement. Several possible reasons for this result are discussed.
Gender Differences in Personality and Interests: When, Where, and Why?

How big are gender differences in personality and interests, and how stable are these differences across cultures and over time? To answer these questions, I summarize data from two meta-analyses and three cross-cultural studies on gender differences in personality and interests. Results show that gender differences in Big Five personality traits are ‘small’ to ‘moderate,’ with the largest differences occurring for agreeableness and neuroticism (respective ds = 0.40 and 0.34; women higher than men). In contrast, gender differences on the people–things dimension of interests are ‘very large’ (d = 1.18), with women more people-oriented and less thing-oriented than men. Gender differences in personality tend to be larger in gender-egalitarian societies than in gender-inegalitarian societies, a finding that contradicts social role theory but is consistent with evolutionary, attributional, and social comparison theories. In contrast, gender differences in interests appear to be consistent across cultures and over time, a finding that suggests possible biologic influences.
Paternal Relationship Quality as a Protective Factor: Preventing Alcohol Use Among African American Adolescents:

This study examines the effects of father involvement on alcohol consumption in African American adolescents. A representative sample of 1,027 students was selected from a national longitudinal study of adolescents in grades 7 through 12. Family structure and relationship quality were examined for three groups of fathers: nonresidential fathers, residential fathers, and father figures. The study explores the extent to which a father’s presence and relationship quality serves as protective factors for adolescent alcohol use. The data supports the hypothesis that having a positive father-child relationship decreases the likelihood that an adolescent uses alcohol, and it is a greater deterrent to adolescent alcohol use than family structure. Through this study’s findings, it was determined that a positive child relationship is not dependent on whether or not the father resides in the home.
Guest Editorial Green Communications and Networking Series

A substantial amount of research exists in the area of energy efficiency in communications and networking. In recognition of this fact, the IEEE Communications Society has decided to publish a Series on Green Communications and Networking (SGCN) as three issues of the IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications (JSAC). The first issue of JSAC SGCN was published in December 2015 with 39 papers. The second issue was published in May 2016 with 52 papers. This third and last issue has a total of 71 papers, covering a wide selection of topics. These topics can be characterized in six categories, with one subcategory appearing in one of the six main categories.
Diffusion Mechanisms in Transition-Metal Oxides

Results are presented for cation self-diffusion in Cu/sub 2/O and Cr/sub 2/O/sub 3/ as a function of temperature and deviation from stoichiometry. A defect model for Cu/sub 2/O involving neutral and singly charged copper vacancies, electron holes, and singly charged oxygen-interstitial ions is developed and fit to the tracer-diffusion data, the electrical-conductivity data, and the stochiometry data yielding concentrations and mobilities of these defects. The diffusion results for Cr/sub 2/O/sub 3/ single crystals indicate that cation self-diffusion takes place by triply charged vacancies and that previous diffusion results for polycrystalline Cr/sub 2/O/sub 3/ are dominated by grain-boundary diffusion. 25 references, 5 figures.
Sensory ecology and perceptual allocation: new prospects for neural networks

Sensory ecology provides a conceptual framework for considering how animals ought to design sensory systems to capture meaningful information from their environments. The framework has been particularly successful at describing how one should allocate sensory receptors to maximize performance on a given task. Neural networks, in contrast, have made unique contributions to understanding how ‘hidden preferences’ can emerge as a by-product of sensory design. The two frameworks comprise complementary techniques for understanding the design and the evolution of sensation. This article reviews empirical literature from multiple modalities and levels of sensory processing, considering vision, audition and touch from the viewpoints of sensory ecology and neuroethology. In the process, it presents modifications of extant neural network algorithms that would allow a more effective integration of these diverse approaches. Together, the reviewed literature suggests important advances that can be made by explicitly formulating neural network models in terms of sensory ecology, by incorporating neural costs into models of perceptual evolution and by exploring how such demands interact with historical forces.
Development of epoxy-based electrets

The use of a diepoxide resin in the form of 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether as the epoxy resin, lithium perchlorate (20 wt.%) as the ionic salt, a hardener (4,7,10-trioxatridecane-1,13-diamine, 15 wt.%) as the curing agent, and a poling DC electric field of 720 V/m gives an electret that exhibits a maximum voltage of 3.4 V during poling (30 min) and a stabilized voltage of 0.67 V after depoling (7.0 h). An epoxy system that hardens slowly (such as one with less hardener) is preferred, due to the longer time during poling for the ions to remain mobile. The rate of hardening rather than that of curing is the governing factor. The lithium salt hastens the curing, but it provides the ions and stabilizes the electret voltage, particularly during the first 30 min of depoling. After the first 30 min of depoling, crosslinking significantly enhances the stability of the electret voltage. The time constant for depoling is 0.8 h during the first 30 min of depoling and is 9 h afterward. Decrease of the lithium salt proportion from 20 to 10 wt.% still provides an effective electret, although the performance is reduced. An epoxy resin produced from Bisphenol F and epichlorohydrin is ineffective due to the high viscosity and fast hardening.
Enhancing the Relevance and Value of Marketing Curriculum Outcomes to a Liberal Arts Education

Could marketing coursework be part of the general education requirements for all college students? This article describes the ways in which the professional school marketing curriculum model (Schib...
Using molecular epidemiology in assessing exposure for risk assessment.

: Quantitative estimation of health risks depends on exposure characterization, the nature of the dose response relationships, and the toxicity of the agents involved. The greatest uncertainties in risk assessment almost always arise from sparse or inadequate exposure data, inadequate understanding of exposure mechanisms, and insufficient understanding of the exposure-dose-response pathway. Additional sources of uncertainty arise when mixed or multiple exposures are implicated in the disease pathway, and as a result of variability in both exposures and responses within and between individuals. Here we consider the role of exposure assessment in the risk assessment process, the use of biological markers or molecular epidemiology to contribute to improvements in exposure assessment for risk assessment, and uncertainties associated with the use of biological markers.
Origin and diversification of the cryptic ant genus Stenamma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), inferred from multilocus molecular data, biogeography and natural history

The genus Stenamma Westwood comprises a group of cryptic, cold tolerant ants that occur throughout the Holarctic and Middle American regions. Traditional approaches to taxonomy and phylogeny are confounded by multiple factors, including the conservative and often convergent morphology of workers and the rarity of reproductive castes in collections. Monophyly of Stenamma and relationships within the genus are uncertain as nearly all previous taxonomic work has been regional in scope. Furthermore, the sister group to Stenamma has not been well established. Here an extensive molecular dataset consisting of ten genes (∼8 kb of data), 48 ingroup taxa (20 Nearctic, 6 Palaearctic and 22 Neotropical) and 8 outgroup taxa (6 closely related non-Stenamma and 2 additional myrmicines) is used to investigate the broad-scale phylogeny and evolutionary history of Stenamma. Phylogenetic analysis is performed under maximum likelihood and Bayesian frameworks on individual genes and several alternate concatenated datasets, which are used to investigate the effects of inclusion or exclusion of COI and intronic regions. The timing of Stenamma evolution is inferred in beast and ancestral areas are reconstructed using both the s-diva and DEC methods, as implemented in the programs rasp and lagrange, respectively. Stenamma is revealed as monophyletic with high support and tentatively is sister to a group of New World species placed currently in Aphaenogaster Mayr and Messor Forel. Within Stenamma, two major clades are recovered: a ‘Holarctic clade’ (HOC) and a ‘Middle American clade’ (MAC). The HOC consists of the European S. striatulum Emery sister to two well-supported groups, the informal ‘debile’ and ‘brevicorne’ clades. The ‘brevicorne’ clade is entirely Nearctic, whereas the ‘debile’ clade includes both Nearctic and Palaearctic representatives. The MAC occurs from the southern United States to northern South America and, with the exception of S. huachucanum Smith, is almost completely isolated geographically from the HOC. It includes a depauperate northern clade and the ‘MAC core’, which is a diverse assemblage of wet forest adapted species found throughout Central America. Divergence dating and biogeographic reconstruction show that Stenamma is most likely to have originated in the Nearctic at the Eocene–Oligocene boundary (∼35 Ma) and diversified more rapidly at 16 and 8 Ma for the HOC and MAC, respectively. Potential environmental factors affecting the evolution of Stenamma include the intense global cooling of the late Eocene combined with aridification and mountain building. The phylogenetic results are discussed in relation to the current Stenamma species groups and several new morphological characters are presented to help in identification.
Anthracnose disease of centipedegrass turf caused by Colletotrichum eremochloae, a new fungal species closely related to Colletotrichum sublineola

Colletotrichum is a cosmopolitan, anamorphic fungal genus responsible for anthracnose disease in hundreds of plant species worldwide, including members of the Poaceae. Anthracnose disease of the widely planted, non-native, warm-season lawn grass, Eremochloae ophiuroides (centipedegrass), is commonly encountered in the southern United States, but the causal agent has never been identified. We use DNA sequence data from modern cultures and archival fungarium specimens in this study to determine the identity of the fungus responsible for centipedegrass anthracnose disease and provide experimental confirmation of pathogenicity. C. eremochloae sp. nov., a pathogen of centipedegrass, is proposed based on phylogenetic evidence from four sequence markers (Apn2, Apn2/ Mat1, Sod2, ITS). C. eremochloae isolates from centipedegrass shared common morphology and phenotype with C. sublineola, a destructive pathogen of cultivated sorghum and Johnsongrass weeds (Sorghum halepense, S. vulgaris). Molecular phylogenetic analysis identified C. eremochloae and C. sublineola as closely related sister taxa, but genealogical concordance supported their distinction as unique phylogenetic species. Fixed nucleotide differences between C. eremochloae and C. sublineola were observed from collections of these fungi spanning 105 y, including the 1904 lectotype specimen of C. sublineola. C. eremochloae was identified from a fungarium specimen of centipedegrass intercepted at a USA port from a 1923 Chinese shipment; the multilocus sequence from this specimen was identical to modern samples of the fungus. Thus, it appears that the fungus might have migrated to the USA around the same time that centipedegrass first was introduced to the USA in 1916 from China, where the grass is indigenous. The new species C. eremochloae is described and illustrated, along with a description and discussion of C. sublineola based on the lectotype and newly designated epitype.
Reconstructing a radiation: the chiton genus Mopalia in the north Pacific

The chiton genus Mopalia Gray, 1847 is highly speciose despite showing little morphological differentiation. Many of the 24 extant species are conspicuous, large-bodied and ecologically important today, but pre-Pleistocene fossils for the genus are rare. Here, we use a combined analysis of four gene regions (16S and COI mtDNA, 18S and 28S rDNA) to estimate the phylogenetic relationships for Mopalia species and use the inferred phylogeny to analyse the group's biogeography and patterns of speciation. We then use these molecular data to distinguish between two alternative inter- pretations of the fossil record, as there is a large temporal gap between the oldest fossils tentatively identified as Mopalia and the ne xt oldest fossils (Miocene versus Plio-Pleistocene). Based on the estimated substitution rates from a wide variety of other marine animals, we conclude that the observed rates in Mopalia are consistent with a Miocene origin for the genus. Given this age for the group and assuming a molecular clock, most speciation events in Mopalia are inferred to have occurred on average ~5 Mya. The phylogenetic results indicate that most of the speciation events leading to extant species must have occurred along the western North American coast, though there appear to have been multiple spreading events across the Pacific. When considered along with results for the many other near-shore taxa that have similar distributions to Mopalia, our findings suggest the emergence of a coherent historical biogeography of the northern Pacific.
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MEAT | Water-Holding Capacity

Water-holding capacity (WHC), the ability of meat to hold onto water, is integral to product quality in terms of juiciness and tenderness. Postmortem glycolysis produces lactic acid, which reduces pH and results in loss of WHC of proteins via charge shielding. A number of approaches have been taken to increase WHC in postrigor muscle. Enhancement is the direct injection of solutions that usually contain salt and a compound that increases pH (phosphate and ammonium hydroxide) overcoming the charge-shielding effect. High-pressure processing and treatment with cysteine proteases (calpains) have also been used to degrade myofibrillar protein structure allowing water to infiltrate.
Asymptotic Logical Uncertainty and the Benford Test

Almost all formal theories of intelligence suffer from the problem of logical omniscience, the assumption that an agent already knows all consequences of its beliefs. Logical uncertainty codifies uncertainty about the consequences of existing beliefs. This implies a departure from beliefs governed by standard probability theory. Here, we study the asymptotic properties of beliefs on quickly computable sequences of logical sentences. Motivated by an example we call the Benford test, we provide an approach which identifies when such subsequences are indistinguishable from random, and learns their probabilities.
Getting it Right: How the Iowa Supreme Court Correctly Made Room for Common Law State Torts in Clean Air Act Litigation

For centuries, common law torts have provided citizens with a reliable avenue to redress environmental harm. Whether such harm presented itself through water, air, or waste pollution, citizens have long been empowered to seek remedies in state courts, alleging most commonly nuisance, negligence, or trespass. However, recent expansion of federal oversight and regulation in the area of environmental law has compelled courts to consider whether these state common law torts have now been preempted by federal legislation.In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court decision American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut held that the Clean Air Act, which essentially regulates the nation’s air pollution, displaces all federal common law claims seeking relief against air polluters. The Court did not hold whether state common law claims were also preempted by the Clean Air Act, and instead, the Court expressly left the question undecided. Predictably, several lower federal courts have since confronted the question of whether state common law claims are preempted by the Clean Air Act. Although these courts have generally held that the Clean Air Act does not preempt all state common law claims, they have not been unanimous. In June of 2014, the Iowa Supreme Court became one of the first state supreme courts to address this issue in Freeman v. Grain Processing Corporation. In a unanimous decision, the Iowa court held that the plaintiffs’ common law tort claims against a local corn wet milling facility were not preempted by the Clean Air Act or its state law corollary. This Note contends that the Iowa Supreme Court’s preemption analysis was consistent with U.S. Supreme Court principles, and accordingly, that Freeman was correctly decided. The court’s decision reached the correct result for three reasons. First, the court recognized the conceptual and remedial differences between private tort actions and public environmental regulation. Second, the court gave full meaning to the structural framework and statutory language of the Clean Air Act. Third, the Iowa court properly relied on U.S. Supreme Court precedent interpreting the Clean Water Act to interpret the similar Clean Air Act.Freeman now allows Iowa citizens to redress actual harm caused by environmental air pollution through tort instead of relying on an overarching, bureaucratic regulatory system. Whether or not a citizen can actually demonstrate environmental harm — and collect damages from environmental polluters — was beyond the scope of the Freeman decision. As to the threshold question of whether common law claims can even coexist in an immense regulatory framework such as the Clean Air Act, Freeman v. Grain Processing Corporation correctly reaffirmed the role of common law torts in an age of environmental statutory regulation and determined that the Clean Air Act makes room for these state common law claims.
Doxorubicin Redox Biology: Redox Cycling, Topoisomerase Inhibition, and Oxidative Stress

Doxorubicin (also called Adriamycin) is effective in treating a wide range of human cancers and currently considered as one of the most important drugs in cancer chemotherapeutics. The clinical use of doxorubicin is, however, associated with dosage-dependent cardiotoxicity and development of heart failure, which diminish the therapeutic index of this widely used anticancer drug. This article first surveys key research findings on doxorubicin redox biology that may impact its cardiotoxicity as well as anticancer activity. It then discusses emerging concepts, especially the topoisomerase IIb-p53-mitochondrion axis that may lead to the development of mechanistically based novel strategies to protect against cardiotoxicity and enhance the effectiveness of doxorubicin therapy.
Color Studies of Reared Elm Spanworm Larvae and Pupae

Larvae and pupae in field populations of the elm spanworm, Ennomos subsignarius (Hubner), are colored variously. A preliminary study related these variations to population density; individually reared larvae were light and aggregated larvae were dark. The possibility that pheromones controlled color was investigated and discounted. The color relationships between instars, rearing density, and paired rearings with fall cankerworm, Alsophila pometaria (Harris), are discussed.
What Citizens Want to Know about their Government's Finances: Closing the Information Gap

Abstract There is an information gap between citizens and their governments when it comes to government finances. The inherent complexity of fiscal policy makes it exceedingly difficult for effective public participation. Effective public participation in fiscal decision making must address informing or educating the citizenry with accurate and meaningful government financial data. Better understanding citizen wants and perceptions is critical to closing the information gap between users and providers of financial information. This study uses information gathered from focus groups with residents of Norfolk, Virginia that asks what government financial information they want and how to make that information useful. Results suggest that citizens are interested in some types of information over others and that such information must be timely, made relevant and contextualized.
PROPERTIES OF REGENERATED PRIMARY AFFERENTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIONS

1. The tibial and sural nerves in cats were cut, anastomosed to their distal stumps, and allowed to regenerate for 3-17.5 mo. In the terminal acute experiment, individual afferents were impaled in the dorsal root ganglion to study their receptive field properties, somatic spike parameters, and spinal projections using cord dorsum potential (CDP) measurements. Properties of the CDPs provided evidence on whether the afferent fibers were originally proprioceptive or cutaneous (rapidly or slowly adapting). 2. Fibers with the largest conduction velocity were selectively slowly adapting, suggesting that large muscle afferents maintained their adaptation properties regardless of the peripheral structure innervated. Similarly, the relationship of somatic spike configuration to mechanical threshold was largely normal. Cells with narrow spikes innervated low-threshold mechanoreceptors, whereas cells with broad spikes and an inflection on the descending limb innervated high-threshold mechanoreceptors. 3. Spikes with intermediate properties were observed in some cells that innervated low-threshold mechanoreceptors in the periphery. These were classified as "hybrid" spikes. 4. The largest CDPs were evoked by afferents classified as having originally been cutaneous fibers, regardless of whether they had reinnervated cutaneous or subcutaneous receptors. Fibers classified as has having originally been proprioceptive afferents produced much smaller CDPs; however, these afferents never produce CDPs in intact preparations. Afferents nonresponsive to peripheral stimulation, classified putatively as having been cutaneous, also evoked small CDPs. 5. Fibers classified as putatively cutaneous or proprioceptive could reinnervate foreign target tissue (subcutaneous tissue or skin, respectively), but a propensity to reinnervate the original target tissue was observed. 6. Among putative cutaneous afferents, those with rostrocaudal CDP distributions somatotopically correct for the location of their receptive fields evoked the largest CDPs regardless of the peripheral tissue innervated. 7. We conclude that receptive field properties (adaptation, mechanical threshold) of regenerated afferents are well matched with the electrophysiological properties of the soma and axon. The properties of the central projections of these afferents are not as well matched with their peripheral receptor properties. This is discussed in terms of the plasticity of the central projections of axotomized afferents.
Emergency access in pediatrics.

Obtaining i.v. access in children during an emergency situation is a challenge to nurses. It is important for the infusion nurse specialist to understand which devices and sites are appropriate in different circumstances. This article addresses the access sites and devices demanded in pediatric emergency situations and offers an approach to managing the anxiety of children requiring emergency infusion care and their families.
Semantics of Disjunctive Programs: A Unifying Approach

In recent years, various semantics for normal and disjunctive logic programs have been proposed, including the stable, partial stable, well-founded, minimal model, disjunctive stable, stationary and static semantics. These semantics were subsequently enhanced by the addition of a so called “strong negation”.
A public/private benefits framework for the design of polices oriented to sustainability in agriculture: an application to olive growing

• An integrated framework for policy design oriented to olive sustainability is proposed.
Selective Allodepletion by TH9402-Mediated Photosensitization Results in Early Full Donor T Cell Reconstitution in the Absence of High-Grade, Acute GvHD and Is Associated with Favorable Outcome after HLA Matched Sibling SCT for Hematologic Malignancies

Selective allodepletion (SD) is a strategy to eliminate host-reactive donor T-cells from allografts to prevent graft versus host disease (GvHD) while conserving useful donor immunity. We developed a semi-closed, GMP-quality, clinical scale SD process where donor-derived lymphocytes are stimulated with patient-derived T-cell antigen presenting cells in an ex vivo mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Alloactivated donor T cells preferentially retain the photosensitizer 4,5-dibromorhodamine 123 (TH9402), rendering them susceptible to elimination by exposure to visible light in a photodepletion device (Kiadis Pharma Inc, The Netherlands). After Food and Drug Administration and Institutional Review Board approval we initiated a clinical trial where HLA-identical sibling recipients with hematological (non T-cell) malignancies received a CD34-cell selected transplant (Miltenyi, Germany) containing less then 1 × 104 T cells/kg together with 5 × 106/kg viable SD donor T cells on day 0, using an age-adapted, radiation-based preparative regimen (FluCyTBI). Low-dose cyclosporine was used as sole immunosuppression in the absence of GvHD. Eleven patients (median age 43 (28–68) years with ALL, MDS, CML, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), or AML) were transplanted with a median follow-up of 240 (43–400) days. Nine patients were considered high risk. Patients received a stem cell product containing a median of 6.0 (3.9–9.5) ×106/kg CD34+ stem cells in addition to 5×106/kg SD T cells. Absolute lymphocyte recovery was rapid (median 834 (384–2486) cells/μL day 30 post transplant) [Fig A]. Early T cell chimerism was donor-dominated (median 66% (6–95) on day 14, and 97% (82–100) on day 30, and 100% (92–100) on day 45 [Fig B]. One patient received an unmanipulated DLI to treat a delayed fall in T cell chimerism. Three patients developed steroid-sensitive grade II aGvHD of skin (N=2) and gut (N=1) but no grade III–IV aGvHD occurred after transfusion of the photodepleted lymphocytes [Fig C]. Two patients developed limited chronic GvHD. Only one patient, transplanted for refractory MCL, relapsed 340 days after transplant. One patient died of infectious complications and GvHD 330 days after transplant after receiving an unmanipulated DLI in her home country for suspected, but subsequently unconfirmed relapse. Eight patients reactivated CMV but were successfully treated. These results demonstrate for the first time clinical feasibility of photodepletion-based SD stem cell allotransplants in matched siblings. Robust lymphocyte recovery and early donor chimerism with a low relapse incidence in a high-risk population suggest functionality of SD T cells in the absence of severe GvHD, which should allow further reduction of immunosuppression to optimize disease control in future studies.
Biological Mechanisms to Accelerate Tooth Movement

Abstract Decreasing the duration of orthodontic treatment by maximizing biological responses is one of the main goals of contemporary orthodontic treatment, but how to achieve this goal is still controversial. There is a general consensus that the rate of tooth movement is controlled by the rate of bone resorption, which in turn is controlled by the rate of osteoclast differentiation and activation. Factors triggering osteoclast differentiation are not clear. Here, we propose that inflammatory markers are the main factors regulating the rate of osteoclast formation. Indeed, in response to orthodontic forces there is a transient up-regulation of inflammatory markers such as interlukine-1 (IL-1), tumor ­necrosis factor (TNF-α), interlukine-6 (IL-6), interlukin-8 (IL-8), chemokines CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, and prostaglandins. All these markers together play a key role in the recruitment of osteoclast precursors and their differentiation into active osteoclasts. Therefore, it is logical to assume that one way to accelerate the rate of tooth movement is by mimicking nature by increasing the expression of inflammatory markers, and thus the rate of osteoclastogenesis. In this chapter, we will first review the current understanding of the molecular events taking place after the application of orthodontic forces, and how these events proceed to osteoclastogenesis and finally tooth movement. We will then discuss how these findings can be used as a foundation for developing a new methodology to accelerate tooth movement. In addition, we will discuss other approaches that were proposed to increase the rate of tooth movement and the possible biological principals behind them.
The Genomic Fabric Perspective on the Transcriptome Between Universal Quantifiers and Personalized Genomic Medicine

Numerous groups race to discover the gene biomarker whose alteration alone is indicative of a particular disease in all humans. Biomarkers are selected from the most frequently altered genes in large population cohorts. However, thousands of other genes are simultaneously affected, and, in each person, the same disease results from a unique, never-repeatable combination of gene alterations. Therefore, our Genomic Fabric Paradigm (GFP) switches the focus from the alteration of one particular gene to the overall change in selected groups of functionally related genes. Biomarkers are of little therapeutic value, their high alterability indicating low protection by the homeostatic mechanisms as for minor players. Instead of these most alterable genes in all patients, GFP identifies in each patient the genes whose highly protected expression governs major functional pathways by controlling the expression of numerous other genes. Smart manipulation of such (commander) genes would have the maximum therapeutic benefit not for everybody but for the treated person. The genomic fabric is defined as the transcriptome associated with the most interconnected and stably expressed network of genes responsible for a particular functional pathway. The fabric exhibits specificity with respect to race/strain, sex, age, tissue/cell type, and lifestyle and environmental factors. It remodels during development, progression of a disease, and in response to external stimuli. GFP is powered by mathematically advanced analytical tools whose application is illustrated by reprocessing data from previously published gene expression experiments.
Abstract 11666: Targeted Delivery of Rat iPS-Endothelial Cells Overexpressing Neutrophil IL8-RA/RB or Macrophage CCR2/CCR5 Receptors Inhibits Neointima Formation in Balloon Injured Rat Carotid Artery

Introduction: Interleukin 8 Receptors A and B (IL8RA and IL8RB) and C-C chemokine receptors 2 and 5 (CCR2 and CCR5) found on neutrophil and macrophage membranes respectively, modulate leukocyte che...
Computer System Design

One of the most common digital systems in use today is the computer. A computer accomplishes tasks through an architecture that uses both hardware and software. The hardware in a computer consists of many of the elements that we have covered so far. These include registers, arithmetic and logic circuits, finite-state machines, and memory. What makes a computer so useful is that the hardware is designed to accomplish a predetermined set of instructions. These instructions are relatively simple, such as moving data between memory and a register or performing arithmetic on two numbers. The instructions are comprised of binary codes that are stored in a memory device and represent the sequence of operations that the hardware will perform to accomplish a task. This sequence of instructions is called a computer program. What makes this architecture so useful is that the preexisting hardware can be programmed to perform an almost unlimited number of tasks by simply defining the sequence of instructions to be executed. The process of designing the sequence of instructions, or program, is called software development or software engineering.
Behavior Science and Environmental Health Policy: Methylmercury as an Exemplar

Environmental levels of hazardous chemicals, including methylmercury (MeHg), are manyfold higher now than during the preindustrial era. Behavior analysis and other basic and clinical sciences have contributed significantly to identifying and characterizing the neurobehavioral effects of these chemicals, often well before knowing the biological mechanisms of toxicity. The study of MeHg illustrates how our contemporary understanding of the motor, sensory, and cognitive effects of exposure has come from experimental laboratory models using advanced behavioral techniques, as well as carefully planned studies of exposed populations. These have informed environmental policies related to MeHg’s release into the environment and human consumption of this contaminant. Toxicity assessments based on only existing approaches to human cognitive testing, however, might underestimate its adverse effects because they do not reflect the complete picture of MeHg’s behavioral toxicity. Basic and applied behavioral science sh...
Social Marketing as a Framework for Youth Physical Activity Initiatives: a 10-Year Retrospective on the Legacy of CDC's VERB Campaign.

Purpose of Review In 2002, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the VERB. It’s what you do! campaign to increase physical activity among tweens and concomitantly respond to the rise in childhood obesity. This retrospective study summarizes the history of the VERB campaign’s social marketing approach and its effectiveness in promoting behavior change in the targeted population.
Hardware and software systems for control of assistive robotic devices using point-of-gaze estimation

Eye gaze based interaction has many useful applications in human-machine interfaces, assistive technologies, and multimodal systems. Traditional input methods, such as the keyboard and mouse, are not practical in many situations and can be ineffective for some users with physical impairments. Knowledge of the user point of gaze (PoG) can be a powerful data modality in intelligent systems by facilitating intuitive control, perception of user intent, and enhanced interactive experiences. This research aims to advance the use of non-traditional, multimodal interfaces in assistive robotic devices for the benefit of users with severe physical disabilities. The data modalities which are of particular interest in this work are perception of the environment using 3D scanning and computer vision, estimation of the user point of gaze using video occulography, and perception of user intent during interaction with objects and locations of interest. A novel, mobile headset design is presented that provides both monocular and binocular pupil tracking together with a 3D reconstruction of the user's field of view. Computational methods for obtaining a true 3D gaze vector and final PoG are also discussed, along with a demonstration of practical use.
Oxidative Stress and Diabetes-Induced Vascular Dysfunction: Role in Diabetic Neuropathy

This review will focus on the impact of hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress in the development of diabetes-induced vascular and neural dysfunction. Oxidative stress occurs when the balance between the production of oxidation products and the ability of antioxidant mechanisms to neutralize these products is tilted in the favor of the former. The production of reactive oxygen species has been shown to be increased in patients with diabetes. The possible sources for the overproduction of reactive oxygen species are widespread and include enzymatic pathways, autoxidation of glucose, and the mitochondria. Increase in oxidative stress has clearly been shown to contribute to the pathology of vascular disease not only in diabetes but also in hypertension, stroke, and ischemia. Since the etiology of diabetic neuropathy is considered to have a large vascular component, prevention of oxidative stress in diabetes is considered by many investigators to be a primary defense against the development of diabetic vascular disease. Moreover, increased oxidative stress has been promoted as a unifying hypothesis for diabetic complications.