cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross-Cultural Aesthetic Contrasts and Implications for Aesthetic Evolution and Change:

In contrast to small-scale societies, philosophies of art in complex societies tend to be relatively explicit, produced by specialists, and densely textured—a pattern exemplified by the differences between the aesthetic systems of Aboriginal Australian versus pre-Columbian Aztec societies. These differences may parallel the gradual changes in aesthetics that occurred as some small, pre-neolithic cultures evolved into complex states. Also, when traditional societies undergo the shock of culture contact, their previously profound aesthetic systems, whether explicit or implicit, tend to be replaced by concerns about craftsmanship, intensiveness of work, and market value—as exemplified by pre- and post-contact Aztec culture. Also discussed are possible future developments in each of these dynamic processes, respectively designated “bary-evolution” and “ocy-evolution.”
Tinnitus and hearing survey: a screening tool to differentiate bothersome tinnitus from hearing difficulties.

Purpose Individuals complaining of tinnitus often attribute hearing problems to the tinnitus. In such cases some (or all) of their reported “tinnitus distress” may in fact be caused by trouble communicating due to hearing problems. We developed the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (THS) as a tool to rapidly differentiate hearing problems from tinnitus problems. Method For 2 of our research studies, we administered the THS twice (mean of 16.5 days between tests) to 67 participants who did not receive intervention. These data allow for measures of statistical validation of the THS. Results Reliability of the THS was good to excellent regarding internal consistency (α = .86–.94), test–retest reliability (r = .76–.83), and convergent validity between the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (Newman, Jacobson, & Spitzer, 1996; Newman, Sandridge, & Jacobson, 1998) and the A (Tinnitus) subscale of the THS (r = .78). Factor analysis confirmed that the 2 subscales, A (Tinnitus) and B (Hearing), have strong internal structure, e...
Non-linear conjugate gradient inversion for global EM induction: Resolution studies

SUMMARY We develop a non-linear conjugate gradient inversion for global long period electromagnetic induction studies. The scheme requires computation of derivatives of the regularized penalty functional. We derive analytical and numerical expressions for these derivatives, and the associated Jacobian, and show how these can be efficiently implemented by generalizing and extending an existing finite difference forward solver. Using layered spherical harmonics to parametrize the model space, we invert a range of synthetic data sets to test the inversion, and to study vertical and horizontal resolution of currently available data sets. We conclude that the currently available long-period global geomagnetic observatory data in the period range 5–107 d can resolve large scale (300–500 km vertically, thousands of km horizontally) heterogeneities in mantle electrical conductivity reliably at depths ∼ 670–1600 km. By extending induction response to 0.2–5 d (including daily variation periods), upper-mantle structure could also be resolved.
Arginine Transport in Human Liver: Characterization and Effects of Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors

Objective Arginine transport was characterized and studied in human liver. Summary Background Data Plasma arginine uptake may regulate hepatocyte intracellular availability and the subsequent biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO), but little is known about arginine transport across the human hepatocyte plasma membrane. Methods The authors characterized plasma membrane transport of 3 [H]-L-arginine in hepatic plasma membrane vesicles (HPMVs) and in hepatocytes isolated and cultured from human liver biopsy specimens. They also studied the effects of the NO synthase inhibitors ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and N-methylarginine (NMA) on arginine transport in HPMVs and in cultured cells
Is Use of Both Pulpwood and Logging Residues Instead of Only Logging Residues for Bioenergy Development a Viable Carbon Mitigation Strategy

This study adopts an integrated life-cycle approach to assess overall carbon saving related with the utilization of wood pellets manufactured using pulpwood and logging residues for electricity generation. Carbon sequestered in wood products and wood present in landfills and avoided carbon emissions due to substitution of grid electricity with the electricity generated using wood pellets are considered part of overall carbon savings. Estimated value of overall carbon saving is compared with the overall carbon saving related to the current use of pulpwood and logging residues. The unit of analysis is a hectare of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) plantation in southern USA. All carbon flows are considered starting from forest management to the decay of wood products in landfills. Exponential decay function is used to ascertain carbon sequestered in wood products and wood present in landfills. Non-biogenic carbon emissions due to burning of wood waste at manufacturing facilities, wood pellets at a power plant, and logging residues on forestlands are also considered. Impacts of harvest age and forest management intensity on overall carbon saving are analyzed as well. The use of pulpwood for bioenergy development reduces carbon sequestered in wood products and wood present in landfills (up to 1.6 metric tons/ha) relative to a baseline when pulpwood is used for paper making and logging residues are used for manufacturing wood pellets. Avoided carbon emissions because of displacement of grid electricity from the electricity generated using wood pellets derived from pulpwood fully compensate the loss of carbon sequestered in wood products and wood present in landfills. The use of both pulpwood and logging residues for bioenergy development is beneficial from carbon perspective. Harvest age is more important in determining overall carbon saving than forest management intensity.
Usefulness of dobutamine echocardiography in distinguishing severe from nonsevere valvular aortic stenosis in patients with depressed left ventricular function and low transvalvular gradients

Abstract The safety of dobutamine echocardiography in coronary artery disease is well established. 27 This study shows that dobutamine can be given safely to patients with AS during noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring. The small number of patients in this study preclude assessment of the effect of dobutamine echocardiography on outcome. A large prospective study is indicated. Although the continuity equation does not contain a flow-dependent constant, its limitations include underestimation of LV outflow diameter and failure to properly align the Doppler beam. 18 However, even if errors in velocity measurement occurred, directional changes should be valid since the transducer locations were identical at baseline and dobutamine infusion.
Improved sensitivity in a gravitational wave interferometer and implications for LIGO

Sensitivity enhancements in the laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory (LIGO) project's 40 m interferometer have been achieved through two major instrumental improvements. Improved vibration isolation has reduced the noise due to ground motion. New test masses with less mechanical dissipation were installed to lower the thermal noise associated with mirror vibrations. The minimum interferometer noise (square root of the spectral density of apparent differential displacement) reached 3 x 10^(-19) m/Hz^(1/2) near 450 Hz.
Ontology-Based Aggregation of Biological Pathway Datasets

The massive accumulation of biological data in the past decades has generated a significant amount of biological knowledge which is represented in one way as biological pathways. The existence of over 150 pathway databases reflects the diversity of the biological data and heterogeneity of data models, storage formats and access methods. To address an intriguing biological question, it is not uncommon for a biologist to query more one pathway database to acquire a more complete picture of current understanding of biology. To facility life scientists in searching biological pathway data, we designed a biological pathway aggregator which aggregates various pathway datasets via the BioPAX ontology, a community-developed ontology based upon the concept of semantic Web for integrating and exchanging biological pathway data. Our aggregator is composed of modules that retrieve the data from various sources, transform the raw data to BioPAX format, persist the converted data in the persistent data store, and enable queries by other applications
Effect of Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Coinfections on Performance of Three Commercially Available Immunosorbent Assays Used for Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2-Specific Antibody in Men Attending Baltimore, Maryland, STD Clinics

Two hundred seventy-nine serum samples from men attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in Baltimore, Maryland, were tested for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)-specific antibody by three immunosorbent glycoprotein G-2-based assays (the Kalon, Focus, and Biokit assays). The results for all samples with positive results were confirmed by Western blotting (91/279; 32.6% HSV-2 seroprevalence). All patients were also tested for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and hepatitis C virus. The Kalon assay performed very well with samples from this population (90.8% sensitive, 99.4% specific), whereas the Focus assay had a sensitivity (82.6%) much lower than that shown previously. For 19.7% of the samples, the Biokit assay gave an indeterminate result. It was found that the odds of a sample having a Biokit assay indeterminate result compared to that of having a definitive positive or negative results were 3.88 times greater for subjects concurrently infected with N. gonorrhoeae, after the effects of other STDs were controlled for (P = 0.001; 95% confidence interval, 1.78, 8.45). Unfortunately, we were unable to control for HSV-1 infection status in the regression model, which, on the basis of χ2 analysis, might also affect the clarity of the Biokit test. The recommended index cutoff value of 1.1 for the Focus and Kalon assays was found to be optimal for this population.
A convex optimization-based nonlinear filtering algorithm with applications to real-time sensing for patterned wafers

The paper is concerned with nonlinear filtering under unknown dynamics and high-complexity observations. We propose a convex optimization-based filtering algorithm, and show that the algorithm yields a bounded error if the disturbances are small and bounded, and if the observations are redundant. An experimental result is presented to demonstrate that the algorithm is capable of accurate real-time estimation of patterned wafer parameters in a plasma etching process with optical observation.
Ethical dilemmas in education: standing up for honesty and integrity

Beverley H. Johns, Mary Z. McGrath and Sarup R. Mathur, 2008 Lanham, MD, Rowman & Littlefield $29.95 (pbk), 210 pp. ISBN‐13: 978‐157‐88‐6783‐7 Joan Poliner Shapiro and Steven Jay Gross, 2008 New Yo...
Processing fuzzy set membership functionals as vectors

A framework is presented for processing fuzzy sets for which the universe of discourse X = {x} is a separable Hilbert Space, which, in particular, may be a Euclidian Space. In a given application, X would constitute a feature space. The membership functions of sets in such X are then "membership functionals", that is, mappings from a vector space to the real line. This paper considers the class ? of fuzzy sets A, the membership functionals μ A of which belong to a Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) F(X) of bounded analytic functionals on X, and satisfy the constraint $$0\,\leqslant \mu (x) \leqslant 1,x \in X$$ . These functionals can be expanded in abstract power series in x, commonly known as Volterra functional series in x. Because of the one-to-one relationship between the fuzzy sets A and their respective μ A , one can process the sets A as objects using their μ A as intermediaries. Thus the structure of the uncertainty present in the fuzzy sets can be processed in a vector space without descending to the level of processing of vectors in the feature space as usually done in the literature in the field. Also, the framework allows one to integrate human and machine judgments in the definition of fuzzy sets; and to use concepts analogous to probabilistic concepts in assigning membership values to combinations of fuzzy sets. Some analytical and interpretive consequences of this approach are presented and discussed. A result of particular interest is the best approximation $$\hat{\mu}_{A}$$ of a membership functional μ A in F(X) based on interpolation $$\hat {\mu}_{A} (v^{i}) = u^{i}$$ on a training set {(v i , u i ),i = 1, . . . , q} and under the positivity constraint. The optimal analytical solution comes out in the form of an Optimal Interpolative Neural Network (OINN) proposed by the author in 1990 for best approximation of pattern classification systems in a F(X) space setting. An example is briefly described of an application of this approach to the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
Molecular analysis of deletions in human chromosome 3p21 and the role of resident cancer genes in disease

Epithelial cancers inflict a heavy human and social burden. It was estimated [Tyczynski JE, Bray F, Parkin DM. Lung cancer in Europe in 2000: epidemiology, prevention, and early detection. Lancet Oncol 2003;4:45^55 (Review)] that in Europe, in the year 2000, 347 000 persons died of lung cancer alone, the deadliest cancer disease. Loss of heterozygosity and large homozygous deletions of the human chromosome region 3p21 are especially frequent in epithelial cancers of several organs. In fact, 3p21 is a very peculiar region of the genome harbouring, tightly clustered, several types of cancer-causing genes (CCG) (Lerman MI, Minna JD. The 630 kb lung cancer homozygous deletion region on human chromosome 3p21.3: identification and evaluation of the resident candidate tumour suppressor genes. The International Lung Cancer Chromosome 3p21.3 Tumor Suppressor Gene Consortium. Cancer Res 2000;60:6116 ^33). Current results show that, unlike it was thought initially, many tumour suppressor genes (TSG) are located close by even in small genomic regions. They may be involved, perhaps with varying role, in different types of tumour, and may be influenced by the genetic background of different human populations as well as by environmental pollutants (cigarette smoking, professional exposure). This review will discuss methods of molecular analysis of genomic deletions to uncover CCG at 3p21, will summarize the present knowledge regarding the TSGs located in this region, and will describe a possible model of epithelial cancer pathogenesis.
Social and geographic contexts of adolescent substance use: The moderating effects of age and gender

Abstract This study investigates whether age and gender moderate the effects of social network and neighborhood contexts on adolescent substance use using a spatially embedded, egocentric social network data set comprised of 254 urban adolescents. Results indicate that substance use is enhanced by being older and male, as well as the presence of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage and interaction with substance using peers at adolescents’ perceived risky places. Older adolescents are more strongly influenced by social and neighborhood contexts than younger adolescents, where ages 14–16 appear to be a key transition age for the emergence of contextual effects on substance use.
Political Diagnosis: Applications in Organizational Development

The political side of OD intervention is receiving more consideration by those in the field. Most of this attention focuses on how the consultant can increase and use his or her power in the client system. Little attention has been given, however, to the diagnostic requirements of effective political action. An overview of issues and techniques is provided here for the political diagnosis of client systems.
Field Evaluation of Transgenic Tobacco Containing Genes Encoding Bacillus thuringiensis -Endotoxin or Cowpea Trypsin Inhibitor: Efficacy Against Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Transgenic tobacco plants expressing Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-73 delta-endotoxin or cowpea, Vigna unguiculata , trypsin inhibitor (CpTI) were evaluated for efficacy against artificial infestations of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) under field conditions. Mortality of H. zea larvae was significantly higher and leaf damage significantly lower for the genotype containing Bacillus thuringiensis gene compared with nontransgenic control. Few H. zea larvae survived beyond first instar on the Bacillus thuringiensis genotype. Larval mortality was also higher and leaf damage lower on the CpT1 genotype than its corresponding control, but the effect was less consistent and less pronounced than that produced by the Bacillus thuringiensis genotype. Neither transgenic genotype had a significant effect on natural infestations of the other phytophagous or predacious insects that were monitored.
High-speed (/spl ges/1 GHz) electrical and optical adding, mixing, and processing of square-wave signals with a transistor laser

This letter reports the common-emitter operation (gain beta=DeltaIC/DeltaIB>1, 20degC, IB =36 mA, lambda=970 nm) of a dual-input transistor laser, arranged with a separate base contact on either side of a single emitter, that adds, mixes, and processes high-speed square-wave electrical inputs and delivers separate electrical and optical outputs. Applying a square-wave electrical input X1(t) to one base contact and X2(t) at a second base input, we obtain, with the pulsewidth modulated because of mixing, an electrical output proportional to betatimes[X1(t)+X2(t)] and a laser output tracking the electrical output (hnutimesf[X1(t)+X2(t)]) and exceeding it in bandwidth (pulse sharpness)
MANAGEMENT OF ELDERLY DIABETIC PATIENTS IN THE SUBACUTE CARE SETTING

Type 2 diabetes is a commonly encountered condition in the subacute care setting. The results of the landmark UK prospective studies have confirmed that aggressive glycemic and blood pressure control delayed diabetes-related microvascular and macrovascular complications and significantly improved diabetic outcomes. Within the past few years, new drugs have been developed to address both aspects of the type 2 diabetes syndrome: insulin resistance and insulin secretory defect. C-peptide analysis may be useful to predict a successful response to therapy with insulin sensitizers or the need to initiate therapy with insulin or insulin stimulators. The issues regarding the general approach to elderly diabetics and the strategies of dealing with diabetic complications encountered in the subacute care program are discussed and updated. It is hoped that diabetic management can be improved and that suggested alternate therapies can be used in the subacute care facilities.
To Love and Look After: Exploring the Pathways Linking Family Relationship Quality to Maternal Health in India

Domestic violence, which is one aspect of family relationship quality, is now well established as a determinant of maternal health in non-Western contexts. However, the potential health benefits of positive aspects of relationship quality remain neglected. Thus, this study uses qualitative data to explore the pathways linking high-quality family relationships to maternal health in one non-Western context, namely, one Indian village. The exploration suggests that high-quality family relationships may benefit maternal health in a variety of ways. Potential mechanisms include improving women’s subjective happiness, increasing nutritional intake, facilitating communication about sensitive health matters, and increasing the use of health care and attention inside and outside the home. High-quality family relationships can also act as a barrier to hospital delivery however. More broadly, high-quality relationships appear to motivate family members to do their best for women, but their best may not always be ben...
The Effectiveness of Early Educational Intervention in Improving Future Physicians' Attitudes Regarding CFS/FM

AbstractObjective: To assess the effects of an early educational intervention program's ability to alter the perceptions and attitudes of future physicians regarding chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia (CFS/FM), improve their understanding and acceptance of these diseases, make them feel more comfortable in diagnosing and treating patients.Method: Third-year medical students were surveyed before and after an educational intervention program. The three questions posed to the students in the survey were: (1) How comfortable do you feel you are in diagnosing and treating patients with CFS /FM?, (2) Do you consider CFS/FM legitimate illnesses?, and (3) Do you want to treat patients with CFS/FM?Results: The educational intervention program helped about half of the future physicians feel comfortable in diagnosing and treating patients with CFS/FM and improved by over 25% their willingness to treat patients with CFS.Conclusion: An educational intervention program appeared to improve future physicians' understa...
Self-Organized Ultrathin Oxide Nanocrystals

Sub-2-nm (down to one-unit cell) uniform oxide nanocrystals and highly ordered superstructures were obtained in one step using oleylamine and oleic acid as capping and structure directing agents. The cooperative nature of the nanocrystal growth and assembly resulted in mesoscopic one-dimensional ribbon-like superstructures made of these ultrathin nanocrystals. The process reported here is general and can be readily extended to the production of many other transition metal (TiO2, ZnO, Nb2O5) and rare earth oxide (Eu2O3, Sm2O3, Er2O3, Y2O3, Tb2O3, and Yb2O3) systems.
Contrasting drought survival strategies of sympatric willows (genus: Salix): consequences for coexistence and habitat specialization

Many willow species (genus: Salix) co-occur within habitats (α-diversity) and across the landscape (β-diversity) throughout North America. This high diversity is challenging to explain because closely related species often share similar functional traits and thus experience heightened competition and shared pest and pathogen susceptibility. To investigate whether traits related to drought survival are important in maintaining diversity, we conducted an experimental dry-down on six willow species in a greenhouse. We compared species' growth rates, stem and leaf hydraulics, leaf function and dieback and examined potential associations between their drought responses and habitat affinities. Habitat affinities were characterized based on species occurrence in randomly established field plots in central Minnesota. Overall, species that occur in drier, more seasonally variable habitats tended to have higher water-use efficiency, and faster growth rates than species from wetter habitats. However, the greatest difference in drought survival strategies was found between two species with similar habitat affinities. We conclude that differences in willow species could be important in both driving habitat differentiation and permitting temporal differentiation in resource utilization within habitats. Therefore, species' water-use strategies could be important in maintaining both α- and β-diversity across the landscape.
A dynamic lot sizing model with learning setups

This paper considers the dynamic lot sizing problem of H. M. Wagner and T. M. Whitin with the assumption that the total cost of n setups is a concave nondecreasing function of n. Such setup costs could arise from the worker learning in setups and/or technological improvements in setup methods. An efficient dynamic programming algorithm is developed to solve a finite horizon problem and results are presented to find decision/forecast horizons. Several new results presented in the paper have potential use in solving other related problems.
Biological and physical dynamics of domoic acid production off the Washington coast

The relationship among Pseudo-nitzschia distributions, particulate toxin levels in seawater, and the energetic and highly variable water masses of an upwelling-dominated region are explored using data collected during summer cruises off the Washington coast in 1997 and 1998. In the early summer of both years, an area of maximum domoic acid (DA) accumulation was located approximately 50 km off the coast within a counterclockwise, cold feature known as the Juan de Fuca eddy. The stations in the eddy with the highest domoic acid concentrations coincided with high numbers of Pseudo-nitzschia pseudodelicatissima (Hasle) Hasle (2.7 µg DA equivalents L-1, up to 0.6 X 106 cells L-1 in 1997 and 0.2 µg DA equivalents L-1, up to 0.2 X 106 cells L-1 in 1998), a species known to produce toxin in this region. Other known toxin-producing species were sometimes present, but at ≪5% of the total Pseudo-nitzschia population when ≫0.1 µg DA equivalents L-1 were measured. In 1998, large-scale surveys indicated that high levels of particulate DA in seawater persisted at least until 1 October, covering a maximum area of 100 km2 off the Washington coast in midsummer. The appearance of high levels of DA (up to 2.7 µg DA equivalents L-1), coincident with high numbers of P. pseudodelicatissima (up to 15.4 X 106 cells L-1) at Kalaloch beach on the central coast in late September, was followed by the accumulation of record levels of toxin in razor clams. This toxic episode was preceded by a downwelling-favorable wind event, with associated onshore transport in near-surface layers. We suggest that the Juan de Fuca eddy may be one source of DA to the Washington coast. The duration of upwelling and the exact timing of fall storms likely play an influential role in the intensity of the bloom and the movement of toxic cells from the eddy to the coast.
To Strive … and Not to Yield: A Radiologist's Response to Hard Times

t e f r m o c h t t c r p e b c p g e Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’ We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. —Alfred, Lord Tennyson “Ulysses” [1] Improvise, adapt and overcome. Mantra attributed to units of the US Marine Corps [2]
The lower extremity dexterity test as a measure of lower extremity dynamical capability.

The capability of the lower extremity to dynamically interact with the ground is important for skilled locomotor performance. However, there is currently no test method designed to specifically quantify this sensorimotor ability, which we refer to as lower extremity dexterity. We describe a new method to quantify lower extremity dexterity, examine its reliability (n¼ 10), and evaluate the extent to which it is associated with lower extremity strength and anthropometry in healthy young adults (n¼ 38). The lower extremity dexterity test (LED-test)—an adaptation of the Strength–Dexterity test for the fingers– consists of using the isolated lower extremity to compress a slender spring prone to buckling at low forces. The goal of the LED-test is to sustain the highest compression force possible. Applying higher forces makes the spring increasingly unstable, thus achieving higher compression forces represents better ability to dynamically control instability at low force levels. As such, the LED-test provides a novel way to quantify the capability of the lower extremity to regulate dynamic and unstable footground interactions at submaximal forces. LED-test performance ranged between 88.6 and 119.6 N, test-retest reliability was excellent (ICC (2,3) ¼ 0.94), and the minimal detectable difference was 5.5 N. Performance was not correlated with strength or height (r 2 r 0.053, p4 0.05), and only weakly with body mass (r 2 ¼ 0.116, p ¼0.04). We propose that the unique lower extremity capability quantified by the LED-test could be informative of skilled locomotor performance and injury risk.
STT-RAM Cell Optimization Considering MTJ and CMOS Variations

Spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM) becomes a promising technology for future computing systems for its fast access time, high density, nonvolatility, and small write current. However, like all the other nanotechnologies, STT-RAM suffers from process variations and environment fluctuations, which significantly affect the performance and stability of magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) devices. In this study, we combine magnetic and circuit simulations to quantitatively analyze the impacts of MTJ and CMOS variations on the STT-RAM designs. Both bit-to-bit and cycle-by-cycle variations are considered. A robust STT-RAM design flow is also proposed.
Unsupervised Alignment of Privacy Policies using Hidden Markov Models

To support empirical study of online privacy policies, as well as tools for users with privacy concerns, we consider the problem of aligning sections of a thousand policy documents, based on the issues they address. We apply an unsupervised HMM; in two new (and reusable) evaluations, we find the approach more effective than clustering and topic models.
Quantitative Morphology of Peracute Pulmonary Lesions in Swine Induced by Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae

Twenty-seven six-week-old cesarean-derived, colostrum-deprived pigs were inoculated intratracheally with an isolate of Huemophilus pleuropneumoniae serotype 5 (principles) of high virulence (1-200) or low virulence (B-8) or phosphate buffered saline (controls). Pigs given 1-200 had severe serofibrinous pleuropneumonia at three hours after inoculation; two of three pigs were dead by 24 hours after inoculation. Interalveolar septa in the caudal lung lobes were 4 1 % thicker than septa from control pigs at three hours after inoculation and 79% thicker by 24 hours after inoculation. Interalveolar septal capillaries in caudal lung lobes were 10.2% larger than control capillaries at three hours after inoculation and 25.6% larger by 24 hours after inoculation. Interalveolar septal capillary platelet volume was greater than the platelet volume of controls; 70% of these platelets were aggregated. There was severe diffuse alveolar, interalveolar septal, and interlobular septal edema at three hours after inoculation with fibrin, neutrophils, and macrophages present in later samples. Thirty-three percent of the lung parenchyma was necrotic at 24 hours after inoculation. Endothelial cell degeneration was generally mild, but necrotic in regions of pulmonary infarction. Pigs inoculated with the B-8 isolate did not develop marked macroscopic lesions at any sampling time. Interalveolar septa were 18% thicker than controls nine hours after inoculation and 5% thicker at six and 24 hours after inoculation. Capillary platelet volume was greatest at nine hours after inoculation with 50% of these platelets aggregated; 30% of the platelet volume was aggregated at the 24-hour sample period. Moderate diffuse pulmonary and interlobular septal edema was present at three, six, and nine hours after inoculation, but absent 24 hours after inoculation. Intravascular macrophages were present in the six, nine, and 24-hour lung samples in both B-8 and 1-200 inoculated pigs. These cells were adherent to interalveolar septal capillary endothelial cells and contained phagocytized cellular debris and fibrin. These results indicate the early effects of H. pleuropneumoniae infection involve macrophage and platelet activation, and a marked increase in interalveolar septal capillary permeability.
Beyond the Learning Paradigm: Customizing Learning in American Higher Education: 10 Bellwether Principles for Transforming American Higher Education

ABSTRACT In Fall 1996, Alabama Southern Community College formally created its Teaching/Learning Initiative. This was done by implementing bold new efforts that would lead ultimately to its focus to “customize learning” for every student based upon learning styles and preferences. The 1996 efforts included the following commitments: To assess the learning styles of all entering students. To challenge all faculty to develop the computer skills necessary for teaching in the 21st century. To provide technology for teaching in every classroom and learning environment. This article describes the transformation of the college, and advocates the adoption of customized learning as the logical conclusion of learning paradigm ideas. Finally, it presents 10 Bellwether principles that drove the college transformation and gives examples of how these principles were implemented.
Neuraxial anaesthesia in paediatrics

Neuraxial anaesthesia is a valuable aid in the practice of paediatric anaesthesia. Spinal and epidural blockade are used as either the sole anaesthetic or as an adjunct to general anaesthesia, and often confer significant postoperative analgesia. Caudal epidural anaesthesia is used extensively for lower abdominal, urological, and orthopaedic procedures in the setting of outpatient surgery. Lumbar and thoracic epidural infusions via a catheter can provide analgesia for chest and upper abdominal procedures. Major complications related to neuraxial catheter placement are uncommon in paediatric anaesthesia, even though block placement is typically after the patient is anesthetized. The use of the ultrasound for real-time visualization during paediatric neuraxial blocks provides an opportunity for observing final catheter position or confirming successful injection into the epidural space.
Understanding the content lifecycle in vehicular applications: first steps towards a generic software platform?

We are creating a generic software platform that supports a wide range of applications running on vehicle mounted Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs). A major aspect is selecting the key abstractions that should make writing applications easy. We derive a simple content lifetime model, by examining five example applications, consisting of three overlapping phases: the generation phase, the dissemination phase and the usage phase. This model abstracts away the underlying topology, e.g. vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure. We outline a generic log-based software platform that allows us to support applications that are captured by the simple content model generated.
THE CAUSAL STRUCTURE OF LAND PRICE DETERMINANTS

This paper investigates causation contemporaneously and dynamically to elucidate the persistent lack of agreement about what “causes” changes in farmland prices. The analysis synthesizes and extends previous investigations in this area by employing a combination of directed acyclic graphs (DAG), a recently developed modeling technique, and cointegrated VAR model. DAG theory and algorithms offer a powerful tool for analyzing contemporaneous causal relationships among economic variables. The results from this study confirm the importance of measures of return to farming, financial (credit market constraints) and/or macroeconomic activity as significant determinants of fluctuations in farmland prices. Le present article examine la causalite de facon contemporaine et dynamique pour elucider le manque persistant de consensus quant aux causes de variations du prix des terres. L'analyse est une synthese des etudes anterieures de meme qu'un prolongement effectuea l'aide d'une combinaison de graphes acycliques orientes (DAG), technique de modelisation mise au point recemment, et du modele VAR cointegre. La theorie des DAG et les algorithmes constituent un outil puissant pour analyser les liens causals contemporains des variables economiques. Les resultats confirment l'importance du rendement de l'activite agricole, des contraintes financieres (contraintes du credit) et/ou de l'activite macroeconomique comme determinants significatifs des variations du prix des terres agricoles.
Psychosocial Constraints on the Development of Resilience

Although resilience is usually thought to reside in individuals, developmental research is increasingly demonstrating that characteristics of the social context may be better predictors of resilience. When the relative contribution of early resilience and environmental challenges to later child mental health and academic achievement were compared in a longitudinal study from birth to adolescence, indicators of child resilience, such as the behavioral and emotional self-regulation characteristic of good mental health, and the cognitive self-regulation characteristic of high intelligence contributed to later competence. However, the effects of such individual resilience did not overcome the effects of high environmental challenge, such as poor parenting, antisocial peers, low-resource communities, and economic hardship. The effects of single environmental challenges become very large when accumulated into multiple risk scores even affecting the development of offspring in the next generation.
Stroke-based modeling and haptic skill display for Chinese calligraphy simulation system

The goal of this paper is to study haptic skill representation and display in a Chinese calligraphy training system. The challenge is to model haptic skill during the writing of different strokes in Chinese characters and to achieve haptic rendering with high fidelity and stability. The planning of the writing process is organized at three levels: task, representation and device level to describe the haptic handwriting skill. State transition graph (STG) is proposed to describe switches between tasks during the handwriting. Chinese characters are modeled using 39 typical strokes, which are further grouped into basic and compound strokes. The compound stroke is considered to be sequential combination of the basic strokes. Straight and curve strokes are modeled using line segment and the Bezier curve, respectively. Information from STG is used for real-time collision detection and haptic rendering. Ambiguity of the collision detection at stroke-corner points is prevented using active stroke combined with local nearest point computation. A modified virtual fixture method is developed for haptic rendering. The approach is tested on a prototype training system using Phantom desktop. Initial experiments suggest that the proposed modeling and rendering method is effective.
Evaluating decision support systems: a dielectrical perspective

The paper raises a number of issues about the problem of evaluating a (decision) support system used for supporting unstructured and semi-structured problem-solving. The paper proposes a conceptual framework for the evaluation of support systems. This framework is based on an analysis of the evaluation realms, considered in terms of the whole decision-making process. The framework consists of two dimensions: the evaluation criteria and the evaluation object. The evaluation criteria are on a continuum from objective to subjective. The evaluation object consists of three components: the DSS design; the decision-making process; and the decision outcomes. The framework is then utilized to describe a systematic method for evaluating support systems. In addition to the above, a discussion about the implications of the framework and a comparison of predictive (a priori) versus a posteriori evaluation approaches is also included. >
A Cluster Randomized Controlled Evaluation of the Health Impact of a Novel Antimicrobial Hand Towel on the Health of Children Under 2 Years Old in Rural Communities in Nyanza Province, Kenya

To assess the health impact of reusable, antimicrobial hand towels, we conducted a cluster randomized, yearlong field trial. At baseline, we surveyed mothers, and gave four towels plus hygiene education to intervention households and education alone to controls. At biweekly home visits, we asked about infections in children < 2 years old and tested post-handwashing hand rinse samples of 20% of mothers for Escherichia coli. At study's conclusion, we tested 50% of towels for E. coli. Baseline characteristics between 188 intervention and 181 control households were similar. Intervention and control children had similar rates of diarrhea (1.47 versus 1.48, P = 0.99), respiratory infections (1.38 versus 1.48, P = 0.92), skin infections (1.76 versus 1.79, P = 0.81), and subjective fever (2.62 versus 3.40, P = 0.04) per 100 person-visits. Post-handwashing hand contamination was similar; 67% of towels exhibited E. coli contamination. Antimicrobial hand towels became contaminated over time, did not improve hand hygiene, or prevent diarrhea, respiratory infections, or skin infections.
Exploitation of Ubiquitous Wi-Fi Devices as Building Blocks for Improvised Motion Detection Systems

This article deals with a feasibility study on the detection of human movements in indoor scenarios based on radio signal strength variations. The sensing principle exploits the fact that the human body interacts with wireless signals, introducing variations of the radiowave fields due to shadowing and multipath phenomena. As a result, human motion can be inferred from fluctuations of radiowave power collected by a receiving terminal. In this paper, we investigate the potentialities of widely available wireless communication devices in order to develop an improvised motion detection system (IMDS). Experimental tests are performed in an indoor environment by using a smartphone as a Wi-Fi access point and a laptop with dedicated software as a receiver. Simple detection strategies tailored for real-time operation are implemented to process the received signal strength measurements. The achieved results confirm the potentialities of the simple system here proposed to reliably detect human motion in operational conditions.
Cardiac Output and the Blood Pressure Increase in Deoxycorticosterone Acetate-Salt Hypertension After Nicotine Infusion

We wished to determine if nicotine exaggerates the blood pressure increase in deoxycorticosterone (DOCA)-salt hypertension. Uninephrectomized, male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with DOCA pellets (75 mg) and placed on a 5.2% salt diet for sixteen days and then infused with nicotine (DOCA-Nicotine; 2.4 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (DOCA-Sham). Control animals were treated with vehicle (Control) or nicotine (Control-Nicotine). The DOCA-Nicotine group had significantly greater tail-cuff blood pressures than the DOCA-Sham group by one week of nicotine infusion. At 2.5 weeks of nicotine infusion the DOCA-Nicotine rats had significantly greater tail-cuff blood pressures, direct arterial blood pressures, and cardiac outputs compared to the DOCA-Sham animals. Renal blood flows were similar in the two groups. Control-Nicotine animals demonstrated no response to nicotine during 2.5 weeks of infusion. We conclude that in the DOCA-salt rat nicotine induces an exaggerated rise in blood pressure and that the mechanism in...
Effect of Microjet Spacing on the Control of a Highly Separated Flowfield

The effect of lateral jet-to-jet spacing in a microjet array has been examined in the context of a separation flow control application. The main mechanism responsible for separated flow reattachment from microjet actuation is the generation of streamwise vorticity due to the counter rotating vortex pair (CRVP) produced by the jet in cross-flow. These CRVPs entrain high momentum freestream fluid to the near wall regions, thus energizing the low momentum boundary layer. As the jet-to-jet spacing changes, the interaction between streamwise vortices and their impact on flow control effectiveness must be examined. Three microjet arrays with 6.25, 12.5, and 25 diameter spacings are investigated. Steady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations modeling the microjets in a zero pressure gradient cross-flow, were performed for the three jet spacings. 12.5d and 25d spacing simulations revealed the presence of coherent streamwise vortices past 80 jet diameters. The 6.25d spacing however, is characterized by a rapid decay of streamwise vorticity downstream of injection with coherent vortices lasting only about 20 jet diameters downstream. This is attributed to enhanced interaction of CRVPs generated by adjacent microjets and, due to their close proximity, their rapid dissipation. This configuration is also characterized by a stretching of streamwise vorticity in the wall normal direction. Experimentally, a highly adverse pressure gradient was imposed on a flat plate for the same three microjet spacings. The effectiveness of each confinguation was examined for controlling the characteristic flow separation. Pressure distributions measured along the flat plate centerline demonstrate that each configuration (corresponding to three microjet spacings) was able to effectively reattach the separated flow. A jet to cross-flow velocity ratio of 10 was found to be effective for all three cases. Similarly, a steady momentum coefficient of about 0.7 was also found to be effective for all three cases. The analysis further reveals that the 25d microjet configuration was the most efficient for this particular application in that it produced the greatest benefit at minimal cost in terms of actuator mass flow rate. Velocity fields measured through Particle Image Velocimetry for the selected optimal control cases reinforced the results from the surface pressure distributions and simulations. As seen in the numerical results, the 6.25d jet configuration showed a substantial velocity deficit downstream of the injection location compared to the larger jet spacing configurations.
A Design of LAN Fire-monitoring-system Based on the LabVIEW Network Technology

LAN fire-monitoring-system is one of the key development direction in the fire-control-safety-systems.A design scheme of the LAN fire-monitoring-system based on the LabVIEW network technology was proposed,in view of the increasingly reliable demand in the residential fire-monitoring-system.The sub-monitoring systems and the main monitoring system were designed in In the building of the residential area.The performance of the system was stable,reliable.This design scheme of the LAN fire-monitoring-system provid ed some research basis for perfecting LAN fire-monitoring-systems.
Abstract CT119: Phase II study of dasatinib in combination with cetuximab in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Preclinical data indicate that activation of Src family kinases (SFKs) provides a mechanism for circumventing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeting in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We performed a Simon two-stage, phase II trial combining dasatinib and cetuximab in patients with recurrent/metastatic HNSCC and analyzed candidate blood and tumor biomarkers for association with response. Significant biomarkers were evaluated in additional cetuximab-treated cohorts to evaluate specificity of association with response. Patients received 150 mg daily dasatinib three days after the loading dose of cetuximab; daily dasatinib and weekly cetuximab were continued until progressive disease (PD). Responses were assessed after 6 weeks and every 12 weeks thereafter until PD. Before and after treatment serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL6), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured by ELISA. Phospho-SFK levels were evaluated in pretreatment archived tumor specimens. Cell line models of HNSCC were assessed for in vitro cell viability following cetuximab-dasatinib treatment and the effects of IL6 modulation on treatment response. Fourteen patients were enrolled and treated during the first stage. The median treatment duration was 47 days. Thirteen patients were evaluable for response: 6 had stable disease (SD) and 7 had PD. No partial or complete response was observed; enrollment was halted according to the pre-specified futility rule. Low baseline serum IL6 levels ( Citation Format: Laura P. Stabile, Ann Marie Egloff, Pei Zhou, William E. Gooding, Jennifer R. Grandis, Julie E. Bauman. Phase II study of dasatinib in combination with cetuximab in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr CT119.