cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Airfoil Precomputational Analysis Methods for Optimization of Wind Turbine Blades

The objective of this research was to develop and compare various airfoil precomputational parameterization and analysis techniques for aerostructural optimization of wind turbine blades. The airfoils along the blade were added as optimization design variables through precomputational parameterization methods using thickness-to-chord ratios and blended airfoil family factors. The airfoils’ aerodynamic performance was analyzed with three methods of increasing fidelity: a panel method (XFOIL), Navier–Stokes-based computational fluid dynamics (RANS CFD), and wind tunnel data. The optimizations minimized mass over annual energy production ( $m/AEP$ ) and thereby approximated the minimization of cost of energy. The results were compared to the NREL 5-MW reference turbine and a conventional optimization where the airfoils were fixed. Results showed an average $m/AEP$ reduction of 1.7% over conventional optimization methods. The primary benefit in adding the airfoil shape was through an increase in annual energy production (1.6%) with a similar decrease in turbine mass (1.8%). Using the precomputational airfoil parameterization methods provided significant reductions in the cost of energy with relatively minor additional computational cost.
Angular distributions of 3-jets in e + e − annihilation and the spin of the gluon

Angular distributions of jet axes with respect to the beam axis for 3-jet events ine + e − annihilation provide a more sensitive indication of the spins of the underlying particles than the commonly used energy flow variables. Closed expressions for the angular distributions of quark and gluon jet axes are given in both single and double differential form. The angular distributions for undistinguished jets, e.g. the least energetic jet, are calculated. Vector gluons (QCD) and scalar gluons are contrasted to illustrate sensitivity to the gluon spin in each case.
RATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND ADAPTATION IN THE COPEPOD EURYTEMORA AFFINIS

The calanoid copepod Eurytemora affinis (Poppe) is a year-round inhabitat of the Chesapeake Bay, experiencing temperatures ranging from 0 C to 30 C. Since the generation time is only about three weeks at 15 C, much less than the seasonal cycle, individuals do not experience the entire range of temperatures. Adaptation to seasonal variation could be at least partly genetic. However, although seasonal differences in adaptation, measured as temperature tolerance, were found, these differences were not genetic (Bradley, 1981), in spite of the presence of a large amount of genetic variance in temperature tolerance in Eurytemora (Bradley, 1978b). The apparent absence of short-term selection effects raises the question of whether temperature tolerance can in fact be changed genetically by selection. Morrison and Milkman (1978) were able to alter heat resistance in Drosophila lines, especially in the downward direction and, earlier, Dallinger (1887) selected populations of flagellates for temperature tolerance over a seven-year period, beginning at 16 C. When the culture temperature reached 70 C the selected populations would no longer grow at 16 C, their original optimum. The results reported here show genetic adaptation to several constant and fluctuating temperatures. Based on other experiments, genetic response in Eurytemora seems to depend on the rate of environmental change.
Effects of Culture Age on PRL and GH Responses to Bromocriptine and Somatostatin from Primary Cultures of Rat Anterior Pituitary Cells

AbstractTo study the effects of time in culture on prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) responses to exogenous stimuli, bromocriptine (10−7M) or somatostatin (10−7M) were added to primary cultures of dispersed rat anterior pituitary cells (DC). Cells which had been in culture for 3, 6, or 9 days were then incubated for 6 hr and the media were radioimmunoassayed for PRL and GH. The inhibitory effects of bromocriptine on PRL release (76% decrease) and somatostatin on GH release (62% decrease) from cultured cells were maximal on Day 3 and decreased with age of the culture. In addition, the inhibitory effect of bromocriptine on GH release (32% decrease) was slight but maximal on Day 3 and decreased with time in culture. In contrast, somatostatin showed slight and stable inhibition of PRL release (26 to 29% decrease) at each of the three time periods. At the end of each incubation, the media were replaced with Ham's F-10 medium lacking bromocriptine or somatostatin and the cultures were incubated again for ...
Bedside Differentiation of Heart Murmurs

How can innocent heart murmurs be differentiated from those of organic heart disease? A vexing question, but one that can sometimes be answered by determining the location and duration of the murmur and listening for changes in intensity with respiration, during a Valsalva maneuver, after a premature ventricular contraction, with postural changes, and after giving such drugs as amyl nitrite and phenylephrine.
Learning Words from Speakers with False Beliefs.

During communication, hearers try to infer the speaker's intentions to be able to understand what the speaker means. Nevertheless, whether (and how early) preschoolers track their interlocutors' mental states is still a matter of debate. Furthermore, there is disagreement about how children's ability to consult a speaker's belief in communicative contexts relates to their ability to track someone's belief in non-communicative contexts. Here, we study young children's ability to successfully acquire a word from a speaker with a false belief; we also assess the same children's success on a traditional false belief attribution task. We show that the ability to consult the epistemic state of a speaker during word learning develops between the ages of three and five. We also show that false belief understanding in word-learning contexts proceeds similarly to standard belief-attribution contexts when the tasks are equated. Our data offer evidence for the development of mind-reading abilities during language acquisition.
Resiniferatoxin: The Evolution of the “Molecular Scalpel” for Chronic Pain Relief

Control of chronic pain is frequently inadequate or can be associated with debilitating side effects. Ablation of certain nociceptive neurons, while retaining all other sensory modalities and motor function, represents a new therapeutic approach to controlling severe pain while avoiding off-target side effects. transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) is a calcium permeable nonselective cation channel expressed on the peripheral and central terminals of small-diameter sensory neurons. Highly selective chemoablation of TRPV1-containing peripheral nerve endings, or the entire TRPV1-expressing neuron itself, can be used to control chronic pain. Administration of the potent TRPV1 agonist resiniferatoxin (RTX) to neuronal perikarya or nerve terminals induces calcium cytotoxicity and selective lesioning of the TRPV1-expressing nociceptive primary afferent population. This selective neuroablation has been coined “molecular neurosurgery” and has the advantage of sparing motor, proprioceptive, and other somatosensory functions that are so important for coordinated movement, performing activities of daily living, and maintaining quality of life. This review examines the mechanisms and preclinical data underlying the therapeutic use of RTX and examples of such use for the management of chronic pain in clinical veterinary and human pain states.
Perspectives on Promoting Hospital Primary Vaginal Birth: A Qualitative Study.

Background One in three women will deliver by cesarean, a procedure that can be life saving, but which also carries short- and long-term risks. There is growing interest in preventing primary cesarean deliveries, while optimizing the health of the mother and infant. The primary aim of this study was to use participatory action strategies and ethnographic interview data collected from diverse stakeholders in birth (caregivers, women, policymakers) about facilitators and barriers to the achievement of primary vaginal birth in first-time mothers in hospital settings. The secondary aim was to use the findings to identify strategies to promote primary vaginal birth and future areas of research. Methods Individual and small group interviews were conducted with caregivers and policymakers (N = 79) and first-time mothers (N = 24) at a northeastern hospital. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Atlas.ti. Results Four broad themes were identified: 1) preparation for childbirth, 2) early labor management, 3) caregiver knowledge and practice style, and 4) birth environment (physical, cultural/emotional). The first two were closely linked from caregivers' perspectives. If the woman was not prepared for childbirth, it was perceived she would be more likely to present to the hospital in early labor. Once there, it was hard to prevent admission and interventions. A woman's knowledge and confidence were perceived as powerful mediators for vaginal birth. Conclusion Caregivers and first-time mothers identified early labor management and childbirth preparation as important factors to promote primary vaginal birth in hospital settings. Both deserve further inquiry as potential strategies to decrease rising cesarean delivery rates.
Vessel wall MRI of an inflamed aneurysm with atherosclerosis in a patient with ischemic stroke.

A 69-year-old woman presented with right leg weakness and ataxia. CT angiogram revealed a 6-mm left middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm. Intracranial vessel wall MRI (IVWM) (figure) showed ischemic strokes in the left MCA region, inflammatory changes in the aneurysmal wall, and adjacent atherosclerosis. IVWM is a high-resolution black-blood MRI technique that allows visualization of the arterial vessel wall. Postcontrast enhancement of unruptured aneurysms is associated with instability,1 and atherosclerotic plaque enhancement is associated with ischemic stroke.2 This report of a patient with ischemic stroke shows the association of a symptomatic inflamed aneurysm with atherosclerotic plaque on IVWM.
Small‐Scale Array Experiments in Seismic‐Wave Gradiometry

Three small‐scale refraction and gradiometry experiments were performed to investigate whether off‐the‐shelf exploration geophones and seismographs can be used to perform meaningful gradiometry measurements. Relative calibration of the geophones was attempted through huddle tests and spectral measurements of ambient ground motions. The results show that relative gains cannot be completely characterized because of geophone/ground interaction. Numerical tests show that typically observed 4.5% gain errors introduce a standard deviation of 0.03 s/km and 1.97° about the correct input slowness and azimuth, respectively, for 100,000 realizations of synthetic array data. A standard linear refraction experiment was performed to investigate the slowness of P and Rayleigh waves from hammer sources to compare with measurements taken from two gradiometer designs. One design consists of four 6‐instrument gradiometers in a linear array to investigate the spatial and temporal variation of horizontal slowness and propagation azimuth for sources close to the array as well as to test the location abilities of the entire gradiometer array. Its location estimate for a shot 10 m from the center of the array using the two closest cells was close to the actual source position with a 1.38‐m error. The gradiometers were able to correctly determine the slowness values of the P and surface waves identified in the refraction profile. A second gradiometer experiment involves superimposed cells to explore precision in calculation of spatial gradients. Significant increases in the precision of the wave attributes occur when a larger number of averaged time‐shifted waveforms are used as the reference‐station displacement in place of a single‐reference‐station displacement waveform. The concept of center‐station correlation is introduced to avoid spurious amplitude errors from drastically affecting the wave parameter estimates. We conclude that the off‐the‐shelf equipment can be used to construct small dense gradiometer arrays that can be used to infer wave attributes that are important for the interpretation of wavefields in exploration seismology experiments.
The closo-Si12C12 molecule from cluster to crystal: Effects of hydrogenation and oligomerization on excited states

Excited state properties of chain and cyclic oligomers of closo-Si12C12 moieties are calculated using time-dependent density functional theory methods. Ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared photo-absorption properties are described for oligomers that form by linking closo-Si12C12 monomer moieties through Si–Si bonds. Natural transition orbitals for electron and hole states of stationary-state excitons in oligomers were compared to understand how exciton states are influenced by oligomer structure. Depending on the structure, some prominent excited states have large electron-hole charge separation while others do not; some exhibit exciton delocalization while others do not. With increasing oligomer length, the character of the transition between silicon and carbon regions tends to be maintained. And the extent of exciton delocalization and charge separation for an excitation is strongly influenced by the number and types of Si–Si links between oligomer units. We find that cyclic quadramers have spectrosc...
The timing of stimulation and IL-2 signaling regulate secondary CD8 T cell responses (LYM5P.701)

Memory CD8 T cells provide protection to immune hosts by eliminating pathogen-infected cells during re-infection. While parameters influencing the generation of primary (1 o ) CD8 T cells are well established, the factors controlling the development of secondary (2 o ) CD8 T cell responses remain largely unknown. Here, we explored the mechanisms involved in the generation and development of 2 o memory (M) CD8 T cells. We observed that the time at which 1 o M CD8 T cells recognize Ag and become activated impacts their fate and differentiation into 2 o M CD8 T cells. Late-entry of 1 o M CD8 T cells into an immune response not only facilitated the expression of transcription factors associated with memory formation in 2 o effector CD8 T cells, but also influenced the ability of 2 o M CD8 T cells to localize within the LN, produce IL-2, and undergo Ag-driven proliferation. The timing of stimulation of 1 o M CD8 T cells also impacted the duration of expression of the high-affinity IL-2 receptor (CD25) on 2 o effector CD8 T cells and their sensitivity to IL-2 signaling. Importantly, by blocking or enhancing IL-2 signaling in developing 2 o CD8 T cells, we confirmed the role of IL-2 in controlling the differentiation of 2 o CD8 T cell responses. Thus, our data suggest that the process of 1 o M to 2 o M CD8 T cell differentiation is not fixed and can be manipulated, a notion with relevance for the design of future prime-boost vaccination approaches.
The continuity of work: Class consciousness in service and non-service jobs:

Service work is seen by many to be less generative of working-class consciousness than non-interactive labor. This article interrogates that hypothesis using an original survey (N = 177) of New York State workers. Deploying intrinsic indicators for the intensity of service interaction and for working-class consciousness, the study finds that both the former and major demographic features fail to predict the latter while managerial status, workplace pain and discomfort, union membership, and job insecurity do. This supports an emergent view that services are broadly continuous with other forms of wage work and an older one that work itself is central to the production of class consciousness.
Extracellular Vesicles and Tissue Organ Regeneration

Marrow cells are a rich source of vesicles (released from their surface or endosomal compartment that may deliver proteins, ribonucleic acid (RNA), and microRNA (miRNA) into damaged organs. Based on this, paracrine effects probably make major contributions in most of the currently reported positive results in clinical trials employing adult hematopoietic stem cells. In this chapter, we will discuss our data showing that extracellular vesicles might have significant therapeutic potential in various tissue injuries as well as in treatment of cancer.
Abstract 262: GRK5 is a Novel Regulator of Fibroblast Activation

Pathological remodeling of the heart is a hallmark of heart failure (HF) and these structural changes of the heart further perpetuates the disease. Cardiac fibroblasts are the critical cell type th...
Analysis of Numerical Errors in Strongly Coupled Numerical Models

This manuscript focuses on the degrading effects of discretization errors on the simulation results of strongly coupled models. Coupled simulation models, be they multi-scale or multi-physics in nature, in recent years, have gained significant attention for their ability to predict the behavior of complex physical systems by implementing mature, independently developed, constituent models. This investigation evaluates the numerical errors inherent in the predictions of the constituent models and their effects on the predictions of the coupled model. Not only are the discretization errors of each constituent model quantified as they propagate from one constituent to the other during coupling iterations, but their effects on the computational requirements of the coupling procedure are also considered. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the coupled model predictions to each constituent is determined allowing a thorough evaluation of the impact of discretization errors on coupled model predictions. These relationships are demonstrated through a case study of a strongly coupled dynamical system.
Influence of rate and placement of phosphate fertilizer on growth and yield of hard red spring wheat in diverse tillage systems

Management of P is a major issue for crop producers who grow hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestrivum, L.) with conservation tillage. Compared to the use of the moldboard plow, tillage that leaves crop residue on the soil surface can cause changes in soil chemical, biological, and physical properties. These changes may affect management practices for fertilizer P. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of rate and placement of fertilizer P on hard red spring wheat production in various tillage systems. In one study, P rates of 0, 5.5, 11.0, 16.5, and 22.0 kg ha−1 were: (1) broadcast and incorporated, or (2) applied in a subsurface band prior to tillage, or placed with the seed at planting. The chisel plow was used for primary tillage in this study. In a separate study, P rates of 0, 20, 40, and 60 kg ha−1 were: (1) broadcast and incorporated, (2) applied in a subsurface band, or (3) applied with the seed at planting. These P rates and placements were used in a moldboard plow, chisel plow, and no-till planting system. There was a positive response to rate of fertilizer P used in both studies, with a higher rate needed for optimum yield when soil test levels for P were in the low rather than the medium range. Tillage system had an effect on yield with no-till < chisel plow < moldboard plow. There was no interaction between: (1) tillage system and rate of P applied, (2) tillage system and P placement, and (3) rate and placement of P fertilizer. The data collected from these studies lead to the conclusion that the recommended rate of fertilizer P should not be adjusted for either method of placement or tillage system.
Optimization and validation of in-situ derivatization and headspace solid-phase microextraction for gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of 3-MCPD esters, 2-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in edible oils via central composite design

Abstract This study aimed to develop a headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS–SPME–GC–MS) method for the quantification of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol fatty acid esters (3-MCPDEs) and 2-monochloropropane-1,3-diol fatty acid esters (2-MCPDEs), and semi-quantification of glycidyl fatty acid esters (GEs) in edible oils. A central composite design was implemented to optimize the derivatization temperature and extraction time, which were 100 °C and 80 min, respectively. HS–SPME coupled with in-situ derivatization was more straightforward (three steps) and sensitive, with a limit of detection of 16% (3.9 µg/L) and 11% (5.3 µg/L) higher than that of liquid injection method, for 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD, respectively. The recoveries of 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD were in the range of 91.1% to 102.1%, with a relative standard deviation ranging from 0.08 to 9.29%. The validated methodology was successfully applied to oil samples. Further efforts will focus on shortening the extraction time, as 80 min is relatively long.
YIELDING AND LOCKING OF CONFINED SAND

Experimental results of the stress-strain behavior of sand during confined compression, starting from some initial stress, show that the stress-strain curve is S-shaped, with yielding for small stress changes and locking as the stress change is increased further. In addition, the modulus during small stress changes is found to be consistent with the modulus backfigured from seismic wave velocity. Theory for the behavior of a regular array of elastic spheres is used to help explain these results. The effect of rate of loading is shown by experiment. On the basis of these findings, either plastic or shock waves can occur in sand, depending on the magnitude of the initial stress and the stress change. The modulus of compression during a dynamic loading can be significantly less than indicated by seismic velocity.
Barriers to sexual recovery in men with prostate, bladder and colorectal cancer

Abstract Background Survivors of prostate, bladder, and colorectal cancer endure many sexual side-effects of treatment that negatively impact their relationships and diminish their quality of life. Multiple barriers exist in addressing men's sexual concerns in oncological care. Objective To describe barriers of sexual recovery in men with prostate, bladder, and colorectal cancer. Methods We searched PubMed for peer-reviewed, English-language articles published from 1999 to 2019 using the following search terms: “prostate cancer,” or “bladder cancer,” or “colorectal cancer,” and “male,” and “sexual function,” or “sexual barrier” or “sexual dysfunction.” Criteria for inclusion consisted of peer-reviewed articles (review, cross-sectional, longitudinal, interventional, or pilot studies) addressing sexual issues in men with a history of prostate, bladder, or colorectal cancer. Results Barriers to sexual recovery in men with prostate, bladder, and colorectal cancer include psychosocial barriers such as the feeling of loss, grief, depression and anxiety, the poor utilization, and excessive cost of pro-erectile aids, a diminished sense of masculinity and reluctance to seek help for sexual problems, as well as poor couple coping. Barriers in healthcare also exist, as healthcare providers often do not effectively address sexual issues due to poor communication, lack of comfort in discussing sexual issues, time constraints, and patients’ hesitation to initiate discussions on sexual dysfunction. Patients with stomas and gay, bisexual, and queer men face additional challenges in their recovery of sexual intimacy. Barriers to sexual recovery are present in men during all stages of cancer and all modalities of treatment including surgery, radiation, or androgen deprivation therapy. Conclusion There are multiple overlapping psychosocial and healthcare system barriers to sexual recovery after prostate, bladder, and colorectal cancer treatment. Oncological providers must be cognizant of these complex barriers so they can facilitate patients’ access to resources needed for successful sexual recovery after genitourinary cancer treatment. Evidence based interventions, such as couple psychosexual counseling and peer support should be implemented via multidisciplinary care.
The Development of the CASVE-CQ: A CIP Perspective on Assessing Decision-Making Progress:

The CASVE-Cycle Questionnaire (CASVE-CQ) was developed to assess career decision-making progress and operationalizes the Cognitive Information Processing Theory’s CASVE Cycle decision-making approa...
LAViTeR: Learning Aligned Visual and Textual Representations Assisted by Image and Caption Generation.

Pre-training visual and textual representations from large-scale image-text pairs is becoming a standard approach for many downstream vision-language tasks. The transformer-based models learn inter and intra-modal attention through a list of self-supervised learning tasks. This paper proposes LAViTeR, a novel architecture for visual and textual representation learning. The main module, Visual Textual Alignment (VTA) will be assisted by two auxiliary tasks, GAN-based image synthesis and Image Captioning. We also propose a new evaluation metric measuring the similarity between the learnt visual and textual embedding. The experimental results on two public datasets, CUB and MS-COCO, demonstrate superior visual and textual representation alignment in the joint feature embedding space
Worldwide Consumption of Sweeteners and Recent Trends

Added sugar intake is decreasing in the United States. Overall only 13 % of the US population had added sugar intake above the recommended 25 % of energy. While specific nutrient intake was less with each 5 % increase in added sugar intake above 5–10 % and higher added sugar intake was associated with higher proportions of individuals with nutrient intakes below the EAR, the overall high calorie and low quality of the US diet remained the predominant issue. Consumption (availability) of sweeteners is declining among developed countries but increasing among many developing countries. The double concern of undernutrition and increased consumption of sweeteners in specific subpopulations globally warrants attention.
Problems in the fingerprints based polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons source apportionment analysis and a practical solution

This work intended to explain the challenges of the fingerprints based source apportionment method for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the aquatic environment, and to illustrate a practical and robust solution. The PAH data detected in the sediment cores from the Illinois River provide the basis of this study. Principal component analysis (PCA) separates PAH compounds into two groups reflecting their possible airborne transport patterns; but it is not able to suggest specific sources. Not all positive matrix factorization (PMF) determined sources are distinguishable due to the variability of source fingerprints. However, they constitute useful suggestions for inputs for a Bayesian chemical mass balance (CMB) analysis. The Bayesian CMB analysis takes into account the measurement errors as well as the variations of source fingerprints, and provides a credible source apportionment. Major PAH sources for Illinois River sediments are traffic (35%), coke oven (24%), coal combustion (18%), and wood combustion (14%).
Two Hundred Years of Forest Change: Effects of Urbanization on Tree Species Composition and Structure

Despite their importance, the dynamics of urban floras are not well understood and quantitative historical data are rare. The current study used three data sets for trees in Indianapolis/Marion County, Indiana, U.S., to document change over 200 years to the original beech-maple forest and to examine future implications of contemporary tree planting efforts in light of these changes. Data on tree composition and size collected before significant settlement in the early 1800s are compared with recent surveys of trees in remnant natural areas and with trees found on city streets and rights-of-way. All the species recorded in historical surveys are still present in either remnant natural area forests or among city street trees, but frequencies and sizes have changed and many additional species are now present. Comparison of the composition of the original forest with current remnants shows a 95% decline of American beech (Fagus grandifolia), the most common species in presettlement forests. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) has more than doubled in number. Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) is the most important street tree, with eight species of non-native broadleaf trees among the most common on city streets, along with evergreen gymnosperms that are not documented in the presettlement flora. Data for contemporary tree planting efforts in the city show a focus on native species that targets replacement of species that have declined in frequency, especially oaks, in proportions that should be sustainable. Patterns reported here are likely representative of those in many forested areas undergoing land conversion and development, so the findings apply to many cities.
Medical Model of Mental Disorders

The medical model of mental disorders is multifaceted. Saying that a mental disorder is an illness may mean one or more of the following: that the condition is undeniably substandard, that the affected person has reduced responsibility, that the condition is categorical, that its symptoms are mere indications of an underlying condition, that the condition is physical and biological, or that society's economic and legal structures should handle it as they handle physical and biological illnesses. Keywords: abnormal; classification; diagnosis; medical model; modeling; stigma
The origin and evolution of safe-yield policies in the Kansas groundwater management districts

The management of groundwater resources in Kansas continues to evolve. Declines in theHigh Plains aquifer led to the establishment of groundwater management districts in themid-1970s and reduced streamflows prompted the enactment of minimum desirable streamflowstandards in the mid-1980s. Nonetheless, groundwater levels and streamflows continued todecline, although at reduced rates compared to premid-1980s rates. As a result, “safe-yield”policies were revised to take into account natural groundwater discharge in the form of streambaseflow. These policies, although a step in the right direction, are deficient in several ways.In addition to the need for more accurate recharge data, pumping-induced streamflow depletion,natural stream losses, and groundwater evapotranspiration need to be accounted for in therevised safe-yield policies. Furthermore, the choice of the 90% flow-duration statistic as ameasure of baseflow needs to be reevaluated, as it significantly underestimates mean baseflowestimated from baseflow separation computer programs; moreover, baseflow estimation needsto be refined and validated.
A System of Systems approach to model an Artificial Immune System using Discrete Event Specification

An Artificial Immune System (AIS) is a biological inspiration of the human immune system and continues to emerge as a technique for a wide area of applications. This paper presents a model of AIS as it applies to a multi-agent formation problem, similar to predator and prey scenario. Successful multi-agent formations are discovered in conjunction with the artificial immune system's agents and their behaviors. The hierarchy of agents within the artificial immune system support; a System of Systems (SoS) based development strategy. The AIS SoS model is implemented based on Discrete Event Specification (DEVS) and simulated using the DEVSJAVA software framework. The resulting model and simulation demonstrates successfully created multi-agent formations of predator around a single prey.
Radiation sensitivity of resting and activated nonspecific cytotoxic cells of T lineage and NK lineage

Natural killer (NK) cell-mediated killing of tumor cells is a radiation-sensitive function that in most subjects is completely abrogated by treatment of the effector cells with 3,000 cGy. The radiation sensitivity of LAK (lymphokine-activated killer) cells and their precursors, the bulk of which are NK cells, is undetermined. In this study, functional cytotoxicity assays and electron microscopy were used to determine the effect of radiation on the cytotoxic function of NK cells, LAK cells (generated by three-day culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes with IL-2), and LAK cell precursors (lymphocytes irradiated prior to culture with IL-2). For comparison, we analyzed the radiation sensitivity of lectin-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (LDCC), which is primarily a function of CD3+ CD8+ granular lymphocytes. We also analyzed the radiation sensitivity of nonspecific cytotoxicity mediated by mitogen-activated T cells (AK activity). Following 3,000 cGy irradiation, NK cells retained their ability to bind to tumor cell targets but, as shown by both morphologic and functional analyses, they did not undergo activation after conjugate formation, and were unable to release the content of their granules. In order to evaluate LDCC, lymphocytes were depleted of CD16+ cells and tested in a cytotoxicity assay in the presence of Con A. The radiation sensitivity curve was comparable to that of NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. IL-2-treated lymphocytes (LAK cells) were relatively radioresistant as compared with untreated NK cells, and their cytotoxic function was not abrogated until treatment with greater than 10,000 cGy. Cells receiving such radiation doses displayed cytoplasmic blebbing and damage of their cytoskeletal structures, with disruption of centrioles and microtubules, and disarray of the intermediate filaments. As was shown with NK cells, irradiated LAK cells formed conjugates with tumor targets but failed to degranulate. The radiation sensitivity of nonspecific cytotoxicity mediated by mitogen-activated T cells was identical to that of LAK effector cells. Doses up to 2,000 cGy did not prevent generation of LAK cells from blood lymphocytes, but 3,000 cGy did so. Blast transformation similar to that observed in IL-2-stimulated controls occurred when lymphocytes irradiated with 3,000 cGy were cultured with IL-2. These transformed cells were not cytotoxic and displayed a normal cytoskeletal apparatus but did not bear electron-dense granules.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
An Experimental Analysis of Rule-Governed Behavior

Contingency-shaped behavior is behavior directly controlled by the relations between responses and their consequences. But behavior may also come under the control of antecedent stimuli, stimuli in the presence of which responses produce their consequences. We find important examples of such stimuli in human verbal communities, which arrange contingencies that bring behavior under the control of antecedent verbal stimuli called commands, instructions, or rules.
Synthesis of 13C labeled sulfur and nitrogen mustard metabolites as mass spectrometry standards for monitoring and detecting chemical warfare agents

13C labeled (>M + 4) metabolites of nitrogen and sulfur-based chemical warfare agent metabolites were prepared from readily available and 13C labeled commercial starting materials. The new chemical routes are efficient in the number of chemical steps, can be scaled to afford gram quantities, and occur in good yields on the basis of the 13C label. These labeled compounds are useful as internal standards in mass spectrometry for monitoring chemical warfare agents and their metabolites. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Single-crystal neutron diffraction study of the fast-ion conductor β-Ag2S between 186 and 325°C

Abstract Partial Fourier synthesis of the silver ion density in bcc β-Ag2S at several temperatures reveals cation delocalization in bands along 〈100〉. This density may be analytically represented by use of higher-rank tensors, with partial occupancy of both octahedral and tetrahedral interstices below 200°C, but only tetrahedral occupancy at higher temperatures. R values range from 2.6 to 5.9%. The distribution of mobile ions differs greatly in α-AgI and β-Ag2S, despite similar anion arrays, reflecting the different silver ion concentrations and characteristics of the bonding present in the respective low-temperature phases.
From ‘you’ to ‘we’: A foreign language teacher's professional journey towards embracing inclusive education

Abstract This qualitative case study explores how a novice foreign language teacher negotiated personal and professional identities and positioned herself and students in relation to classroom and broader cultural communities through pronouns. The participants included a Turkish teacher and six students at an American university. The teacher's use of pronouns we , you , and they was explored using video-recorded classroom observations and discourse analysis. The findings indicated the different ways the teacher used pronouns in the classroom to include/exclude or invite students into Turkish community, and how the switches between personal and professional perspectives signaled the teacher's journey towards embracing inclusive education.
Phosphorylation-Dependent Paxillin-ERK Association Mediates Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Stimulated Epithelial Morphogenesis

Activation of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor c-met results in the regulation of cell-matrix interactions, including the MAPK-dependent stimulation of epithelial cell morphogenesis. In the present study we demonstrate that HGF stimulates the localization of ERK to sites of cell-matrix interactions and that this is mediated by the tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent association of inactive ERK and the focal adhesion complex protein paxillin. In addition, paxillin was found to associate with the upstream MAP kinases Raf and MEK, resulting in a complex that can mediate localized ERK activation. Mutation of the ERK binding site in paxillin prevented HGF-stimulated ERK-paxillin association and eliminated HGF-induced cell spreading and branching process formation. These experiments reveal that paxillin-dependent ERK activation at sites of cell-matrix interaction is critical for HGF-stimulated epithelial morphogenesis.
Relations Among Spontaneous Preferences, Familiarized Preferences, and Novelty Effects: Measurements With Forced-Choice Techniques.

We here describe a discrete trial, forced-choice, combined spontaneous preference and novelty preference technique. In this technique, spontaneous preferences and familiarized (postfamiliarization) preferences are measured with the same stimulus pairs under closely parallel conditions. A variety of systematic stimulus variations were used in 16-week-old infants to explore the interrelations among spontaneous preferences, familiarized preferences, and familiarization (novelty) effects. Infants were exposed to pairs of 10° red and blue disks of varying colorimetric purity generated on a video monitor. Pairs of disks were identified for which spontaneous preferences were balanced at about 50–50 or unbalanced at about 75–25, and the magnitudes of familiarized preferences were determined. When spontaneous preferences were balanced at 50–50, novelty effects increased with increasing chromatic separation between the 2 stimuli, showing the independence of these variables. When spontaneous preferences were unbalan...
Indications, limitations and maneuvers to enable extended hepatectomy: Current trends

The liver is a solid organ with a wide variety of primary benign or malignant tumors as well as metastatic lesions. Surgical resection of these tumors remains the only curative modality. Several limitations, however, do not allow the performance of these operations. This review evaluates the indications and limitations regarding these extended hepatic resections, as well as describing all the manipulations that increase the candidates for such operations. A thorough review of the literature was performed in order to define indications for extended hepatectomy, as well as to present all methods that contribute to increasing the volume of the future remnant liver. The role of portal vein ligation, portal vein embolization, two-stage hepatectomy, and in situ liver transection are evaluated in the setting of indications and results. Extended hepatectomies are a necessity due to oncological reasons. All methods developed in order to increase the volume of the remnant liver are safe and efficient. in situ liver transection is a novel and revolutionary two-step procedure for extended hepatic resections. Further clinical studies are required to estimate long-term results and the oncological basis of this technique.
Parent-to-child physical aggression, neighborhood cohesion, and development of children's internalizing and externalizing

Abstract Taking a risk and resilience approach, this study examined (1) whether child age moderates the association between exposure to parent–child physical aggression (PCPA) and initial levels and growth in internalizing and externalizing problems, and (2) whether neighborhood social cohesion is a protective factor for children who experience PCPA. Data came from 2810 caregivers of children aged 3–15 who participated in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN). Multilevel growth models showed that age moderated PCPA's association with internalizing problems, such that the association was stronger in older children than in younger children. Age also moderated PCPA's association with externalizing problems, such that the association was stronger in younger children than in older children. Neighborhood cohesion partially attenuated the association between PCPA and internalizing but only for older children; living in a neighborhood characterized by high cohesion mitigated levels of internalizing for maltreated children aged 11 years and older.
Thrust-fault mechanics and origin of a frontal ramp

Abstract Several features of thrust sheets in nonmetamorphic and relatively low-grade metamorphic terrains indicate that the modes of faulting included both gradual and stick-slip types of motion. A first-order quantitative analysis is made of the mechanics of this type of faulting. In the analysis, part of a wedge-shaped thrust belt slips forward over a fault area of length, L, and unit width, W, producing a strain concentration in subhorizontal strata at the front of the growing thrust, where a frontal ramp develops by shear fracturing. Equations for net slip, X, and the conditions for ramping are evaluated with limit equilibrium principles and coupled oscillator theory. The quantitative analysis takes into account anisotropy resulting from contrasts in competency and facies changes. A special case solution for maximum net slip associated with ‘stick-slip’ is = σLW ∑ki [1−cos ω o t+ ( ω o ω 1 2 (1−cosω 1 t)] where σ is the stress drop, ki are spring constants of the strata, ω0 and ω1 are natural frequencies of the system, and t (evaluated from another equation) is the time for net slip. The spring constants and natural frequencies can be evaluated from seismic and stratigraphic data. A preliminary solution for piggy-back thrusting indicates that ramp spacing can be systematic and that it depends upon the thickness of the deforming package, the elastic parameters of the deforming package, the slope of the topographic surface, and the stresses along the trailing edge of the package.
Functional test generation based on word-level SAT

Functional test generation coupled with symbolic simulation offers a good compromise between formal verification and numerical simulation for design validation. The generation of functional test vectors guided by miscellaneous coverage metrics can be posed as a satisfiability problem (SAT). While a number of efficient Boolean SAT engines have been developed for gate level designs, they are not directly applicable to behavioral and RTL designs containing significant arithmetic components. This paper presents two approaches that enhance the capability of functional test generation by preserving arithmetic operators in the design. They are based on word-level SAT techniques: (1) LPSAT, based on integer linear programming, and (2) CLP-SAT, based on constraint logic programming. The proposed SAT solvers allow to efficiently handle the designs with mixed word-level arithmetic operators and bit-level logic gates. The experimental results are quite encouraging compared to traditional CNF-based and BDD-based SAT solvers. The paper also suggests a method to build an integrated SAT solving framework where different SAT solvers work together to provide a more complete solution to functional test generation and other verification applications.
Control Design for Variations in Structural Natural Frequencies

The lightly damped nature of flexible structures can lead to controllers that are highly sensitive to modeling errors in structural natural frequencies and damping levels. An approach to directly incorporating these modeling errors into the control design process is presented that leads to less sensitive and more robust controllers with improved performance/This approach is used to synthesize controllers for the NASA Langley Mini-Mast experimental structure. The resulting designs obtain good performance in the presence of significant modeling errors in the structural natural frequencies.
Pulmonary Function in HIV-Infected Recreational Drug Users in the Era of Anti-Retroviral Therapy

Background: Individuals with HIV infection commonly have pulmonary function abnormalities, including airflow obstruction and diffusion impairment, which may be more prevalent among recreational drug users. To date, the relationship between drug use and pulmonary function abnormalities among those with HIV remains unclear. Objective: To determine associations between recreational drug use and airflow obstruction, diffusion impairment, and radiographic emphysema in men and women with HIV. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of pulmonary function and self-reported recreational drug use data from a cohort of 121 men and 63 women with HIV. Primary outcomes were the presence (yes/no) of: 1) airflow obstruction, (pre- or post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity 1% of lung voxels <-950 Hounsfield units). Exposures of interest were frequency of recreational drug use, recent (since last study visit) drug use, and any lifetime drug use. We used logistic regression to determine associations between recreational drug use and the primary outcomes. Results: HIV-infected men and women reported recent recreational drug use at 56.0% and 31.0% of their study visits, respectively, and 48.8% of men and 39.7% of women reported drug use since their last study visit. Drug use was not associated with airway obstruction or radiographic emphysema in men or women. Recent crack cocaine use was independently associated with moderate diffusion impairment in women (odds ratio 17.6; 95% confidence interval 1.3-249.6, p=0.03). Conclusions: In this cross-sectional analysis, we found that recreational drug use was common among HIVinfected men and women and recent crack cocaine use was associated with moderate diffusion impairment in women. Given the increasing prevalence of HIV infection, any relationship between drug use and prevalence or severity of chronic pulmonary diseases could have a significant impact on HIV and chronic disease management.