cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
'And' or 'or': General use coordination in ASL

In American Sign Language (ASL), conjunction (‘and’) and disjunction (‘or’) are often conveyed by the same general use coordinator (transcribed as “COORD”). So the sequence of signs MARY WANT TEA COORD COFFEE can be interpreted as ‘Mary wants tea or coffee’ or ‘Mary wants tea and coffee’ depending on contextual, prosodic, or other lexical cues. This paper takes the first steps in describing the syntax and semantics of two general use coordinators in ASL, finding that they have a similar syntactic distribution to English coordinators and and or . Semantically, arguments are made against an ambiguity approach to account for the conjunctive and disjunctive readings; instead, I propose a Hamblin-style alternative semantics where the disjunctive and conjunctive force comes from external quantification over a set of alternatives. The pragmatic consequences of using only a prosodic distinction between disjunction from conjunction is examined via a felicity judgement study of scalar implicatures. Results indicate decreased scalar implicatures when COORD is used as disjunction, supporting the semantic analysis and suggesting that the contrast of lexical items in the scale plays an important role in its pragmatics. Extensions to other languages with potential general use coordination are discussed. http://dx.doi.org/10.3765/sp.6.4 BibTeX info
Mass splitting in supersymmetric theories from an effective lagrangian point of view

Abstract Gauge and global internal symmetries, even when spontaneously broken, restrict the possible mass splittings within supermultiplets. A systematic method of analysis is presented which is applicable both for 〈 F 〉- and 〈 D 〉-type supersymmetry breaking, with emphasis on avoiding unacceptable splittings within the quark and lepton supermultiplets. Expressions for gluino and photino masses are also obtained.
Peale's 1799 Theory of the Earth

In 1799, as an outgrowth of his museum in Philadelphia and in conjunction with his interest in public education, C. W. Peale gave a series of lectures. Most were on animals, particularly birds, but the first part of his first lecture included a theory of the earth, hitherto unpublished. Peale suggested that attraction and repulsion by electricity generated by the sun resulted in a varying orbit and speed of rotation for the earth. This electric charge was responsible for the Deluge of Noah. The subsequent changes in the Earth's orbit explained the seemingly long life spans of the early generations mentioned in the bible.
FLAME PROPAGATION AND EXTINCTION IN SPATIALLY-PERIODIC LONGITUDINAL VELOCITY FIELDS

ABSTRACT Propagation of one-dimensional “laminar” flame in combustible mixtures with spatially-periodic longitudinal velocity oscillations is investigated within the thermo-diffusive flame model using the large activation energy asymptotic technique. The ratio of the flame propagation velocity in the periodically disturbed versus undisturbed fields X is examined as a function of the amplitude parameter Γ for the complete range of wavelength parameter y (0, ∞). It is found that for infinitely longwave lengths γ →0 the dimensionless flame velocity X decreases monotonically with Γ from unity towards zero without any extinction. For intermediate wavelengths X first increases to a maximum value above unity and then decreases with Γ and eventually at a critical value Γ > Γe becomes less than unity as it continues to decrease towards zero. Therefore, for a given wavelength a critical amplitude of velocity oscillation is identified that results in a maximum burning velocity for the combustible mixture. In the lim...
Electrospinning and characterization of highly sulfonated polystyrene fibers

Abstract Nanofibers of highly sulfonated (IEC ∼4.5 meq/g) polystyrene (SPS) were successfully electrospun. To accomplish this, the process of electrospinning this difficult-to-spin material was studied in detail. Fiber quality was optimized by manipulating the process and solution variables to fabricate continuous bead-free fibers. Bead-free fibers (average diameter 260 nm) were electrospun from 25 wt% SPS (500 kDa) in DMF at an electrode separation of 10 cm, an applied voltage of 16.5 kV and a flow rate of 0.3 mL/h. With increasing solution concentration, and thereby the solution viscosity, the morphology changed from beads to bead-on-string fibers to continuous cylindrical fibers. Beaded fibers and continuous bead-free fibers of SPS (500 kDa) could be spun at ∼2 C e and 3.5 C e , respectively, where C e is the entanglement concentration determined from solution-viscosity measurements. The onset of formation of beaded fibers coincided with a sharp transition in the scaling of the storage modulus-concentration relationship.
Influence of cure conditions on glass transition temperature and density of an epoxy resin

The glass transition temperature Tg and density of a TGDDM-DDS epoxy resin system were studied as a function of cure times at various cure temperatures. Both Tg and density asymptotically increased toward a maximum value with increasing cure time. The Tg and density measurements were related to the extent of cure, and the relationship in both cases was found to be independent of cure temperature.
The design of ALLHAT may have biased the study's outcome in favor of the diuretic cohort.

The US National High Blood Pressure Education Program currently advocates diuretics as first-line treatment for all patients with hypertension, based mainly on the findings of ALLHAT. This Viewpoint identifies several flaws in the design of ALLHAT that call into question the validity of its conclusions. The authors argue that by encouraging use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers in ways that are not the standard of care, the trial likely exaggerated the benefits of diuretics in this setting.
Glutamate impairs neuronal calcium extrusion while reducing sodium gradient

Abstract The rate of decrease of neuronal [Ca 2+ ] i after an elevation induced by a glutamate pulse is much slower than that after a comparable [Ca 2+ ] i elevation induced by a K + depolarization. To investigate whether the [Na + ] i increase taking place during the glutamate pulse reduces the rate of Ca 2+ extrusion, we monitored simultaneously [Na + ] i and [Ca 2+ ] i during a K + depolarization and a glutamate pulse lasting 1 min. The K + depolarization evoked only a transient increase of [Na + ] i from 4 mM to 13 mM, whereas the glutamate pulse increased [Na+]; to 60 mM, and this increase persisted after glutamate removal. An application of bepridil immediately after glutamate pulse when [Na+]; was greatly elevated, but not 14 min after glutamate removal when a basal [Na + ] i was restored, evoked a [Ca 2+ ]; increase accompanied by a decrease of [Na + ] i , indicating a reverse mode of operation of the Na + /Ca 2+ exchanger. These data suggest that the glutamate-evoked increase in [Na + ] i may play a role in Ca 2+ homeostasis destabilization.
Sex-specific and developmental expression of Dmrt genes in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis

Background The molecular mechanisms underlying sex determination and differentiation in animals are incredibly diverse. The Dmrt (doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor) gene family is an evolutionary ancient group of transcription factors dating to the ancestor of metazoans that are, in part, involved in sex determination and differentiation in numerous bilaterian animals and thus represents a potentially conserved mechanism for differentiating males and females dating to the protostome-deuterostome ancestor. Recently, the diversity of this gene family throughout animals has been described, but the expression and potential function for Dmrt genes is not well understood outside the bilaterians.
Recognition of faces: I. An exploratory study

Shepard’s recognition procedure was applied to photographs to test its usefulness for exploring perception of, and memory for, faces. Recognition was measured as a function of number of faces viewed and of vertical orientation. Recognition accuracy was significantly greater for upright than for inverted photographs, suggesting that faces are not here perceived and stored simply as patterns. Inspection Series length did not significantly affect recognition accuracy. Comparison of upright-viewing-and-upright-recognition with inverted-viewing-and-upright-recognition yielded no significant differences in accuracy, suggesting that unlike information stored during upright viewing, information stored during inverted viewing is not strongly tied to orientation.
French Political Thought at the Accession of Louis XVI

The last coronation of the Old Regime, which took place at Rheims on 11 June 1775, was by all accounts a lavish, costly, and touching affair. The magnificence of the coronation regalia, which drew crowds when exhibited in Paris in the weeks preceding the ceremony, was matched by the ostentatiousness of the festivities in the city of Rheims itself and by the emotional exuberance of the moment when, at the culmination of the coronation service, the great doors of the cathedral were opened and the populace was admitted to hail its king. “At that moment, spontaneous tears of joy ran down every cheek,” the due de Croy recorded in his diary. I am sure that I have never experienced such enthusiasm; I was completely astonished to find myself in tears and to see everyone else in the same condition. The queen was so seized with pleasure that her eyes streamed in torrents; she was obliged to draw her handkerchief, and this increased the general emotion. The king appeared really touched by this beautiful moment, and we saw, finally, something that can only be seen here: our king, clothed in all the radiance of royalty, on the true throne, a vision so powerful that it cannot be expressed. The emotional rapture was really general. Whatever the strength of this emotional tidal wave, however, it did not entirely erase other currents of concern.
Maternal Vocal Feedback to 9-Month-Old Infant Siblings of Children with ASD

R21 DC 08637 - NIDCD NIH HHS; T32 MH073124 - NIMH NIH HHS; R01-DC010290 - NIDCD NIH HHS; R21 DC008637 - NIDCD NIH HHS; R01 DC010290 - NIDCD NIH HHS; U54 HD090255 - NICHD NIH HHS
Thermodynamic sweet spot for high-efficiency, dilute, boosted gasoline engines:

Recent developments in ignition, boosting, and control systems have opened up new opportunities for highly dilute, high-pressure combustion regimes for gasoline engines. This study analytically explores the fundamental thermodynamics of operation in these regimes under realistic burn duration, heat loss, boosting, and friction constraints. The intent is to identify the benefits of this approach and the path to achieving optimum engine and vehicle-level fuel economy. A simple engine/turbocharger model in GT-Power is used to perform a parametric study exploring the conditions for best engine efficiency. These conditions are found in the mid-dilution range, a result of the tradeoff between fluid property benefits of lean mixtures and friction benefits of higher loads. Dilution with exhaust gas is nearly as effective as air dilution when compared using a ‘fuel-to-charge’ equivalence ratio defined as Φ′≡Φ (1-RGF) where RGF is the total residual gas fraction. Optimal brake efficiencies are obtained over a range...
Augmented Markov Chain Monte Carlo Simulation for Two-Stage Stochastic Programs with Recourse

In this paper, we develop a simulation-based approach for two-stage stochastic programs with recourse. We construct an augmented probability model with stochastic shocks and decision variables. Simulating from the augmented probability model solves for the expected recourse function and the optimal first-stage decision. Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, together with ergodic averaging, provide a framework to compute the optimal solution. We illustrate our methodology via the two-stage newsvendor problem with unimodal and bimodal continuous uncertainty. Finally, we present performance comparisons of our algorithm and the sample average approximation method.
A 20 GHz Steerable Array Antenna Using 3-bit Dielectric Slab Phase Shifters on a Coplanar Waveguide

A simple steerable array antenna is designed and developed using a movable dielectric phase shifter. The change of effective dielectric constant at different dielectric slab positions on a coplanar waveguide is used as the phase shifter. The impedance matching and desired phase shift conditions are satisfied at two slab heights, and the reflection is designed to be minimized at these slab positions. The low-loss dielectric material is used as the dielectric slab and is placed close to a coplanar transmission line with airgap. The 4times4 steerable array antenna with the phase shifters is designed and fabricated at 20 GHz. The H-plane radiation patterns are measured at different phase shift positions and compared with the expected results
Examples of Low-Level Computer Vision on Media Processors

In this paper we describe a practical approach to processor selection for embedded computer vision applications. This approach is based on expected production volumes and other requirements. We then present several popular lowlevel computer vision techniques that have been algorithmically optimized for implementation on an emerging class of embedded architectures, media processors.
Neural Correlates of Food Addiction

Context Research has implicated an addictive process in the development and maintenance of obesity. Although parallels in neural functioning between obesity and substance dependence have been found, to our knowledge, no studies have examined the neural correlates of addictive-like eating behavior. Objective To test the hypothesis that elevated“food addiction” scores are associated with similar patterns of neural activation as substance dependence. Design Between-subjects functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Setting A university neuroimaging center. Participants Forty-eight healthy young women ranging from lean to obese recruited for a healthy weight maintenance trial. Main Outcome Measure The relation between elevated food addiction scores and blood oxygen level–dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging activation in response to receipt and anticipated receipt of palatable food (chocolate milkshake). Results Food addiction scores (N = 39) correlated with greater activation in the anterior cingulate cortex, medial orbitofrontal cortex, and amygdala in response to anticipated receipt of food (P Conclusions Similar patterns of neural activation are implicated in addictive-like eating behavior and substance dependence: elevated activation in reward circuitry in response to food cues and reduced activation of inhibitory regions in response to food intake.
ANOMALIES PECULIAR TO MULTIPLE GESTATIONS

Congenital anomalies occur twice as often in twin pregnancies as in singletons. In addition to the large range of structural malformations that are described in singleton fetuses, multiple gestations are at risk for additional anomalies that are unique to the twinning process. These unique anomalies include twin-twin transfusion syndrome, twin-reversed-arterial-perfusion syndrome, and conjoined twinning. This article reviews and describes each of these unique abnormal conditions in detail.
Slepian transverse vector spherical harmonics and their application to near-field scanning

We introduce the Slepian transverse vector spherical harmonics (TVSH). Unlike the classical TVSH, they are orthogonal over a given truncated spherical surface and the orthogonality constants can be computed. We apply the Slepian TVSH to the problem of reconstructing the far field from spatially truncated near-field samples and show that the far field can be reconstructed accurately over the entire angular sector where the near-field samples are available.
A Novel Slow Coherency Based Graph Theoretic Islanding Strategy

Slow coherency analysis is used to effectively determine the slowly coherent generator groups among weak connections for any given power system. A novel graphic theoretic method is proposed in this paper to simplify a large scale power system into a smaller network without losing optimal solutions. A multi-level recursive bisection graph partition method is employed to partition the reduced network into desired sub-networks with minimum generation-load imbalance. The relevant simplification rules and partitioning procedure are presented. The strategy is tested on the pre-cascading August 14, 2003 scenario for the eastern interconnection. The simulation results show that the proposed islanding strategy is effective.
An ultrawideband, polarimetric radar for the study of sea scatter

An ultrawideband radar system is described which has the capability of making pulse-to-pulse polarimetric measurements of the dynamic water features responsible for radar backscatter from the sea. The fast risetime voltage step produced by a Tektronix time-domain reflectometer (TDR) is used to excite a 6-12-GHz amplifier, producing a short (15 cm) radar pulse, A pair of 2- to 18-GHz antennas and appropriate pulse-to-pulse transmit and receive switching capability allows the collection of four consecutive equivalent-time-sampled pulses, one for each combination of the linear transmit and receive antenna polarizations. A polarimetric scattering matrix is then obtained at a sequence of frequencies across the 6-12-GHz band through the Fourier transform of each of the four waveforms and the application of an ultrawideband, polarimetric calibration procedure. The effect of motion on the computed scattering matrix is discussed and quantified, as this is an important consideration for polarimetric investigations of the water features responsible for radar sea scatter, A technique is then presented which compensates for the effects of target translation during the sampling interval. Scattering measurements of several rigid targets and of small breaking waves in a wave tank are used to illustrate the unique capabilities of this system and its applicability to sea scatter studies. >
Autoradiographic localization of δ opioid receptors in the rat brain using a highly selective bis-penicillamine cyclic enkephalin analog

A pioneering approach to the design of a ligand selective for the 8 opioid receptors was implemented by Mosberg et al. (1983) who demonstrated that the cyclic conformationally restricted enkephalin analog (2-D-penicillamine,5-D-penicillamine)enkephalin (DPDPE) displayed extremely high specificity toward the 8 opioid receptors. Recently Akiyama et al. (1985) provided the first in vitro characterization of tritium labeled DPDPE binding to 8 opioid receptors in the rat brain and neuroblastoma-glioma hybrid (NG 108-15) cells. In the present study we examined the light microscopic autoradiographic distribution of opioid receptors in the rat central nervous system employing the highly selective 8 agonist [3H]DPDPE (S.A.= 40 Ci /mmol , Amersham Corp, Arlington Heights, IL.). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (150-200 g) were killed by decapitation, and the brain was removed and coated with plastic embedding medium (OCT Compound, Lab-Tek Products) onto microtome chucks and frozen by immersion into liquid nitrogen. Saggital and coronal sections (20 #m) were cut, thawed and moun ted onto chromealum/gelatin coated glass slides and air dried at room temperature. Slide-mounted sections were preincubated for 15 min at 25°C in 50 mM TrisHCI buffer (pH 7.4 at 25°C) containing 5 mM MgC12, 2 m g /ml BSA, 20 g g / m l bacitracin and 100 mM NaC1, to reduce any endogenous opioids
Native SILAC: Metabolic Labeling of Proteins in Prototroph Microorganisms Based on Lysine Synthesis Regulation

Mass spectrometry (MS)-based quantitative proteomics has matured into a methodology able to detect and quantitate essentially all proteins of model microorganisms, allowing for unprecedented depth in systematic protein analyses. The most accurate quantitation approaches currently require lysine auxotrophic strains, which precludes analysis of most existing mutants, strain collections, or commercially important strains (e.g. those used for brewing or for the biotechnological production of metabolites). Here, we used MS-based proteomics to determine the global response of prototrophic yeast and bacteria to exogenous lysine. Unexpectedly, down-regulation of lysine synthesis in the presence of exogenous lysine is achieved via different mechanisms in different yeast strains. In each case, however, lysine in the medium down-regulates its biosynthesis, allowing for metabolic proteome labeling with heavy-isotope-containing lysine. This strategy of native stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (nSILAC) overcomes the limitations of previous approaches and can be used for the efficient production of protein standards for absolute SILAC quantitation in model microorganisms. As proof of principle, we have used nSILAC to globally analyze yeast proteome changes during salt stress.
Towards sensor based coverage with robot teams

We introduce an algorithm to cover an unknown space with a homogeneous team of circular mobile robots. Our approach is based on a single robot coverage algorithm, a boustrophedon approach, which divides the target two-dimensional space into regions called cells, each of which can be covered with simple back and forth motions. Single robot coverage is then achieved by ensuring that the robot visits each cell. The new multi-robot coverage algorithm uses the same planar cell-based approach as the single robot approach, but also prescribes the methods by which multiple robots cover a cell, teams are allocated among cells, and sub-teams of robots share information in a minimalistic manner. The advantage of this method is that planning occurs in a two dimensional configuration space for a team of n robots, bypassing the need to plan in a 2n dimensional configuration space. The approach is semi-decentralized: robot teams cover the space independent of each other, but robots within a team communicate state and share information.
Effectiveness of short-term aeration in treating swine finishing manure to reduce odour generation potential

Abstract The work presented here is to elucidate removals of organic matter, nitrogen and odour generation potential in swine manure treated by short-term aeration. The experiment was composed of a 4 × 3 factorial design, with solids levels ranging from 0.5 to 4.0% and aeration lengths from 0.5 to 4.0 days at an airflow rate of 1.2 L s−1 m−3. Manure samplings were conducted on days 5, 10, and 20 during the storage. Solids (TS: total solids; TVS: total volatile solids), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) for manure samples were measured to characterize the effectiveness of aeration. According to this study, solids (TS and TVS), BOD5, TKN and VFAs were reduced in varying degrees with respect to the aeration length and storage time. Removal ratios of VFAs from 46.6 to 78.5, 49.4 to 86.9, and 48.8 to 95.6% were achieved under the aeration length of 0.5, 2.0, and 4.0 days, respectively. The variation of odour generation potential in the manure treated by short-term aeration can be linearly evaluated by the concentrations of solids, BOD5, and/or TKN, but the feasibility could be impaired for manure with high solids content. Meanwhile, foaming was found troublesome during the process of short-term aeration. Four-day aeration is recommended to treat manure with a total solids level of less than 2.0% for odour control because over 70% of VFAs removal efficiencies can be achieved.
Accessory fissures of the lung.

Accessory fissures of the lung are commonly observed in lung specimens, but are often unappreciated or misinterpreted in radiographs and computer tomographic (CT) scans. They usually occur at the boundaries between bronchopulmonary segments. Most common are the inferior accessory fissure, which demarcates the medial basal segment; the superior accessory fissure, which demarcates the superior segment; and the left minor fissure, which demarcates the lingula. This essay will illustrate the findings of the common accessory fissures both on plain radiographs and on CT scans.
Profile Guided MPI Protocol Selection for Point-to-Point Communication Calls

Improving communication performance is critical to achieving high performance in message-passing programs. Designing new, efficient protocols to realize point-to-point and collective communication operations has therefore been an active area of research. However, the best protocol for a given communication routine is both application and architecture specific. This paper contributes a new method of selection of the optimal protocol for a given point-to-point communication pair. Our technique analyzes the MPI communication call profile of an application and uses a computation and communication model we have developed to choose the proper protocol for each communication phase. We have applied our system to MPI applications such as CG, Sweep3D and Sparse Matrix multiplication, as well as synthetic applications. Our scheme yields an improvement in total execution time of up to 20% compared to MVAPICH2 and up to 3.2% compared to the best, highly optimized communication protocol for the real applications. Furthermore, experiments on the synthetic applications show that the savings can be much more pronounced.
Linear image sensor optimized for fast color scanning

Scanners are common computer peripherals. The authors describe a linear sensor for scanners generating high resolution, photographic quality, and colorimetrically correct data at high speed. The sensor consists of three independent charge-coupled-device (CCD) imagers, one for each of the three colors, integrated on a single die. The scanner's 2035 active pixels can yield 500 dpi across a 4 inch field, sufficient for cropping and zooming of photographic prints. Sensitivity is very high, providing true 9 bit data at more than 2 Mbyte/s with modest illumination. Color reproduction was excellent, accurately sensing hue over a wide gamut. >
Mitochondrial DNA Relationships in an Emergent Pest of Honey Bees: Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) from the United States and Africa

The hive beetle Aethina tumida Murray is a new pest of honey bee colonies in North America. Specimens of A. tumida were collected throughout its current range in the southeastern United States, and from several sites in South Africa. A 1018-bp section of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene was amplified and sequenced in 26 beetles collected from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, and in 14 beetles collected from seven sites in South Africa. Mitochondrial DNA variation between all A. tumida samples was <0.8%, which was still considered within the range expected for a single species. The U.S. samples showed two distinct haplotypes, differing by 6 bp (0.6%). Both haplotypes were found across and within several geographic regions, a result consistent with a single introduction into the United States. However, a broad survey of 151 beetles from their new range revealed significant heterogeneity in haplotype frequencies, perhaps resulting from multiple introductions. Although the data do not allow a precise estimate of the point from which A. tumida were accidentally exported from Africa, the close genetic similarity between beetles from the United States and South Africa indicates that studies conducted on beetle physiology, parasites, and pathogens in South Africa will have a direct bearing on populations now found in the United States.
Concerning Noble Metals

§ 228. Noble Metals are so-called because they cannot be calcinated per se, and when that [calcination] is brought about [indirectly] by additon [of other substances] they are easily reduced again without addition of phlogiston.
Four. How Selfish an Animal?: The Case of Primate Cooperation

This chapter examines whether animals are selfish. De Waal surveys evidence that a variety of animals behave altruistically (incurring a cost to help another), even without the cognitive machinery to understand the consequences of their actions. The argument is that the motivation in humans to cooperate is ancient and therefore deeply imbedded in us. De Waal uses this framework to discuss how his studies of monkeys and apes reveal their strategies to enforce fairness and punish free riders.
Abstract 16605: Aortic Carboxypeptidase-Like Protein Promotes the Fibroblast to Myofibroblast Transition

Introduction: Organ fibrosis is characterized by the overgrowth, hardening, and scarring of tissues and impacts both cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. Fibrosis is exacerbated by extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and accumulation of active transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) which promote the production of smooth muscle alpha actin (SMA)-positive myofibroblasts and collagen secretion. Aortic Carboxypeptidase-Like Protein (ACLP) is an ECM protein secreted by vascular smooth muscle cells and myofibroblasts. ACLP knockout mice are protected from bleomycin-induced fibrosis and have decreased accumulation of myofibroblasts. However, the mechanism of ACLP action is currently unknown. Hypothesis: Because of ACLP’s expression in the fibrotic ECM and the accumulation of TGFβ in organ fibrosis, we hypothesize that ACLP stimulates the fibroblast to myofibroblast transition by promoting SMA and collagen expression, in part, by activating TGFβ signaling. Methods: We used gain of function and loss of function studies in primary mouse lung fibroblasts and cultured human lung fibroblasts with recombinant protein, co-culture, and siRNA-mediated knockdown. Results and Conclusions: As primary lung fibroblasts differentiate into myofibroblasts, ACLP protein expression precedes SMA and collagen protein expression. Recombinant ACLP (rACLP) induces SMA and collagen protein and gene expression in both primary mouse lung fibroblasts and cultured human lung fibroblasts. Knockdown of ACLP slows and reverts the fibroblast to myofibroblast transition. Treatment of fibroblasts with rACLP induces phosphorylation of Smad3 and Smad1, and both this phosphorylation and induction of SMA expression is dependent on TGFβ receptor kinase activity. In conclusion, these data suggest that ACLP stimulates the fibroblast to myofibroblast transition via the TGFβ receptors. This project has unveiled both novel signaling events that occur in early stages of disease progression and molecules that could serve as targets of drugs designed to slow the progression of organ fibrosis.
Moving beyond transportation: utility network management

Transportation networks and associated analytic algorithms have been extensively studied in the research domain, with numerous systems in widespread production. An equally important domain that has not been well addressed by the research community are network models used to support the utility domain (e.g., water, wastewater, stormwater, gas, electric, pipeline, and telecommunications). The utility domain places a very different set of requirements on a network model and the associated analytic operations than are found with transportation networks. Existing models (e.g., transportation or social graph focused) suffer from a number of limitations and constraints that limit the ability of utility companies from most effectively modeling their network connected infrastructure. Although many utilities have succeeded in implementing systems on top of simple graph models, the solutions have often involved either having to author considerable amounts of custom application code to go with the model (a very expensive and cumbersome proposition), or modifying the workflows in order to compensate for the graph model limitations. This paper proposes the creation of a new utility-centric graph information model to directly support the modeling of utility infrastructures. It is focused on supporting additional requirements for improved performance and scalability (through optimized data models), efficiency and productivity (using a model that supports underground, inside-plant, etc.), data quality (rule-based system which prevents bad data from being created), real-time data acquisition (support for field-based telemetry), enhanced visualization capabilities (schematic visualizations of data), and integration across a services-centric platform model (e.g., RESTful services, desktop, mobile, and web-based clients).
In Situ Study of Hydrogenation of Graphene and New Phases of Localization between Metal–Insulator Transitions

Monolayer graphene synthesized by chemical vapor deposition was subjected to controlled and sequential hydrogenation using RF plasma while monitoring its electrical properties in situ. Low-temperature transport properties, namely, electrical resistance (R), thermopower (S), Hall mobility (μ), and magnetoresistance (MR), were measured for each sample and correlated with ex situ Raman scattering and X-ray photoemission (XPS) characteristics. For weak hydrogenation, the transport is seen to be governed by electron diffusion, and low-temperature transport properties show metallic behavior (conductance G remains nonzero as T → 0). For strong hydrogenation, the transport is found to be describable by variable range hopping (VRH) and the low T conductance shows insulating behavior (G → 0 as T → 0). Weak localization (WL) behavior is seen with a negative MR for weakly hydrogenated graphene, and these WL effects are seen to diminish as the hydrogenation progresses. A clear transition to strong localization (SL) is...
Collective State Atomic Clock: Experimental Investigation and Application to Spin-Squeezing

We describe our effort towards experimental demonstration of an N-atom collective state atomic clock which produces a root-N narrowing of Ramsey fringes, and the application thereof to the generation and efficient detection of spin squeezing.
Ocular pathology, an overview: retina and optic nerve

The goal of this symposium is to present an overview of ocular pathology, and this lecture is dedicated to an overview of the pathology of the retina and optic nerve. The retina is a complex tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. It receives images from the outside world and transmits signals to the visual cortex in the occipital pole of the brain. The retina is basically neuroglial tissue, composed of ganglion cells (neurons) and glia (astrocytes within the nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer, and, Muller radial glia which extend from the inner limiting membrane to the outer limiting membrane). The pathology of some retinal disorders, including retinoblastoma, hemangioblastoma, and age-related macular degeneration, will be presented. The optic nerve is a white matter tract containing glia and axons, but not ganglion cells or Schwann cells. The axons originate from the retinal ganglion cells and course posteriorly within the retinal nerve fiber layer. Optic nerve pathology including optic nerve gliomas, optic nerve meningiomas, optic nerve choristoma, demyelinating disease, granulomatous inflammation, and ischemia, will be presented.
Nutritional and Metabolic Impacts of a Defatted Green Marine Microalgal (Desmodesmus sp.) Biomass in Diets for Weanling Pigs and Broiler Chickens

Two experiments were conducted to determine the nutritional and metabolic impacts of defatted green microalgal (Desmodesmus sp.) biomass (DGM), protease, and nonstarch polysaccharide degrading enzymes (NSPase) in diets for weanling pigs and broiler chicks. Pigs fed 10% DGM for 28 days had growth performance comparable to the controls, but 23-39% lower (P < 0.05) plasma urea nitrogen concentrations. Broilers fed 15% DGM had 16% greater (P < 0.05) gain/feed efficiency than the control (0.78 vs 0.67) over the 42 day period. Supplemental protease (0.06%) decreased (P < 0.03) plasma uric acid concentrations in pigs on day 14, whereas supplemental NSPase showed negative effects in broilers. Dietary inclusions of DGM or enzymes altered (P < 0.05-0.1) hepatic and muscle protein levels of key regulators in the mTOR pathway. In conclusion, weanling pigs and broiler chicks tolerated dietary inclusions of 10 and 15% DGM, respectively, and adding protease might help digestion.
The current status of the inflatable penile prosthesis in the management of impotence: Mayo Clinic experience updated.

AbstractDuring the last 2 years the inflatable penile prosthesis has been implanted at the Mayo Clinic in 63 organically impotent male subjects. Over-all functional success is between 90 and 95 per cent. Experience indicates that 25 per cent of the patients require a second surgical procedure to correct a mechanical problem. Further experience with the technique and improvement in the product design have significantly decreased the number of mechanical problems encountered. Patient partner acceptance of this device continues to be excellent.
“Win China for Christ through Radio”: Religious Broadcasting and the American Missionary Movement in Nationalist China

“Mr. Chang” credited his conversion to Christianity in early 1937 to the Shanghai-based Christian broadcasting station XMHD. The American missionary-affiliated Shanghai Christian Broadcasting Association [SCBA] owned and operated XMHD. The organization celebrated Mr. Chang’s account as an example of harnessing radio’s tremendous power and influence over its listeners in the service of spreading Christianity. “Mr. Chang … having heard talks on public health and hygiene together with the doctrine of Christ became greatly anxious,” the SCBA wrote to the American missionary periodical, The Chinese Recorder. The SCBA further reported that Chang visited their Shanghai office poised to abandon his “false” Buddhist faith and accept the “true” Christian faith. That visit to the SCBA offices ultimately convinced Chang to make the switch. The SCBA touted other success stories as well. A wealthy merchant who lost his fortune when he contracted a debilitating disease found Christ after hearing XMHD’s broadcasts. A former political leader from Jiangsu, once “bitterly opposed Christianity,” also converted after listening to an XMHD program. There was “Mr. Yang,” a printer and “ardent idolator” [sic] who, while recovering from an illness, “casually turned on his wireless.” He heard an XMHD program about good health that also celebrated the virtues of believing in Christ. “Each sentence seemed to fit Mr. Yang exactly,” the SCBA reported. Yang converted, along with his family.1
Specialized system development

Three things characterize the area of specialized system development: it is new, it is huge and it is crucial. This concentration has evolved only lately when people began to realize the importance of scalability and tailorability as opposed to generic strategies and approaches in software development. Modest efforts were there to build primitive taxonomies and frameworks. However, these efforts established a roadmap for forthcoming research. Yet, specialized system development is not only new and broad but also critical for the success of today's businesses and software developers alike. Generic approaches are considered weak strategies unless they are tailored to specific needs in terms of application scope, application nature or the certain requirements of industries or organizations .This requires extensive focus on the application domain of software systems. The rationale for this is the diversity of needs across system stakeholders, levels and types of business problems and resources that make the concept of one -size-fits-all almost obsolete. Some sub-generic super-specific areas can bridge the gap between common software development and specialized development since these areas are global to many industries but have strong focus on a specific application domain.
On Inertia of Some Structured Hermitian Matrices

Two classes of structured Hermitian matrices are considered with the additional property that certain principal submatrices are all singular. Such matrices can be considered as the Pick matrices of certain (interior and boundary) norm constrained interpolation problems for functions meromorphic on the unit disk which the iterative Schur algorithm does not apply to. We characterize these matrices in terms of the parameters determining their structure and present formulas for their inertia.
Calculations of electric dipole moments and static dipole polarizabilities based on the two-component normalized elimination of the small component method

The analytical energy gradient and Hessian of the two-component Normalized Elimination of the Small Component (2c-NESC) method with regard to the components of the electric field are derived and used to calculate spin-orbit coupling (SOC) corrected dipole moments and dipole polarizabilities of molecules, which contain elements with high atomic number. Calculated 2c-NESC dipole moments and isotropic polarizabilities agree well with the corresponding four-component-Dirac Hartree–Fock or density functional theory values. SOC corrections for the electrical properties are in general small, but become relevant for the accurate prediction of these properties when the molecules in question contain sixth and/or seventh period elements (e.g., the SO effect for At2 is about 10% of the 2c-NESC polarizability). The 2c-NESC changes in the electric molecular properties are rationalized in terms of spin-orbit splitting and SOC-induced mixing of frontier orbitals with the same j = l + s quantum numbers.
On finite projective groups

This chapter reviews finite projective groups. One of the oldest problems in finite group theory is that of finding the complex finite projective groups of a given degree n , i.e., the finite subgroups L of PGL (n, C). For small n , the finite projective groups L of degree n have been determined. For the most interesting of these, the factor group L / Z ( L ) of L modulo its center Z ( L ) are simple. This leads to the question: To what extent can the problem of finding all finite subgroups L of PGL ( n , K ) be reduced to the special case where L / Z ( L ) is simple? Huppert devised a technique using which problems of this kind can be approached. The technique can be defined as a two part definition: (1) an irreducible subgroup L of GL ( n , K ) is strongly irreducible, if every normal subgroup N not contained in Z ( L ) is irreducible; and, (2) a subgroup L of GL ( n , q ) is quasi-primitive, if it is irreducible, and if in any normal subgroup N of L , any two irreducible constituents are similar.
Deviant Peers as a Mediator of Pubertal Timing-Substance Use Associations: The Moderating Role of Parental Knowledge.

Abstract Purpose Early perceived pubertal timing and faster maturation have been linked to increased risk of adolescent substance use (SU), particularly for girls, but the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. We sought to replicate and extend findings from Westling et al. (2008) showing that peer deviance mediates the link between early puberty and SU with stronger pathways in the context of low parental knowledge of adolescents' whereabouts and activities. Methods Participants (n = 1,023; 52% female, 24% nonwhite, and 12% Hispanic) were recruited through middle schools. Pubertal timing and tempo were derived from repeated measures of perceived pubertal development. Specific sources of parental knowledge included child disclosure and parental solicitation. Two measures of peer deviance (problem behaviors and SU) were obtained. The use of any substances (alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, and other illicit drugs) was coded from all assessments. Results For girls, earlier pubertal timing was associated with higher likelihood of SU but only in girls who disclosed less. For boys, slower tempo predicted greater SU, equally across parental knowledge groups. Pubertal timing and tempo were generally not associated with peer deviance; however, we detected a significant indirect effect such that peer problem behavior mediated the association between girls' early pubertal timing and SU. Parental knowledge did not moderate this effect. Conclusions Peer deviance was not strongly supported as a mechanism underlying atypical pubertal risk for SU (supported in one of the eight models). Parental knowledge appears to serve as a contextual amplifier of pubertal risk, independent of peer influences.
Preparing for Love

Bright purple and yellow mums are being planted before Homecoming, when alumni will return to reminisce about their college experience (see Figure 9.1). As the crimson and fiery orange leaves mark the peak of fall, the beginning of the relationship between the new students and the college is well underway.
Urgent chemotherapy for hospitalized cancer patients in the United States: Analysis of inpatient mortality by tumor type from the 2012 National Inpatient Sample.

e13079Background: Chemotherapy is potentially curative for many and offers palliation for others. Almost all studies that guide chemotherapy use occur in ambulatory settings. The practice of giving...
When the Empty ADR Chair Is Occupied by a Litigation Funder

Discussion about the ethical implications of having a litigation funder support a party in arbitration or mediation. Even though litigation funding has been around for some time and is gaining popularity, little is known about how litigation funding ethically influences settlement. When a litigation funder occupies the empty chair in an arbitration or mediation, the identity of the litigation funder must be disclosed at the onset of the dispute resolution procedure. This should be a question on the forms of all providers. Disclosure is just the beginning. However, disclosure is not the end of the ethics dilemma. Litigation funding agreements are not cookie cutter. Rather, they have varied economic terms and requirements that may implicate different ethical concerns when a dispute resolution participant is receiving the support of a litigation funder. As dispute resolution professionals, we need to examine this topic more thoroughly to preserve the integrity of our work. How Dispute resolution professionals should ethically address litigation funders who are providing financial support for parties in a dispute support for parties in a dispute resolution procedure is a never before broached discussion.
A molecular Debye-Hückel theory of solvation in polar fluids: An extension of the Born model.

A dielectric response theory of solvation beyond the conventional Born model for polar fluids is presented. The dielectric response of a polar fluid is described by a Born response mode and a linear combination of Debye-Huckel-like response modes that capture the nonlocal response of polar fluids. The Born mode is characterized by a bulk dielectric constant, while a Debye-Huckel mode is characterized by its corresponding Debye screening length. Both the bulk dielectric constant and the Debye screening lengths are determined from the bulk dielectric function of the polar fluid. The linear combination coefficients of the response modes are evaluated in a self-consistent way and can be used to evaluate the electrostatic contribution to the thermodynamic properties of a polar fluid. Our theory is applied to a dipolar hard sphere fluid as well as interaction site models of polar fluids such as water, where the electrostatic contribution to their thermodynamic properties can be obtained accurately.