cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attentional ERPs distinguish aging and early Alzheimer's dementia

The early detection of Alzheimer's disease requires our distinguishing it from cognitive aging. Here, we test whether spatial attentional changes might support that distinction. We engaged young normal (YN), older normal (ON), and patients with early Alzheimer's dementia (EAD) in an attentionally cued, self-movement heading discrimination task while we recorded push-button response times and event related potentials. YNs and ONs show the behavioral effects of attentional shifts from the cue to the target, whereas EAD patients did not (p < 0.001). YNs and ONs also show the shifting lateralization of a newly described attentional event related potentials component, whereas EAD patients did not (p < 0.001). Our findings suggest that spatial inattention in EAD patients may contribute to heading direction processing impairments that distinguish them from ONs and undermine their navigational capacity and driving safety.
Comparative toxicity assessment of novel Si quantum dots and their traditional Cd-based counterparts using bacteria models Shewanella oneidensis and Bacillus subtilis

Quantum dots are crystalline semiconductor nanoparticles with unique optical properties due to quantum confinement effects. They have several advantages compared to traditional organic fluorescent dyes, such as high fluorescent brightness, photostability, and tunable emission wavelengths, dependent upon particle size. Their unique optical properties have led to an increased use in a variety of devices, including diode lasers and television displays, as well as in biomedical research. The most commonly used quantum dots (QDs) are made of cadmium selenide (CdSe) and have cadmium selenide core with zinc sulfide shell (CdSe/ZnS), containing inherently toxic cadmium. This work focuses on comparison of the toxic effects of conventional CdSe and CdSe/ZnS QDs and silicon QDs, which are emerging as a potentially benign alternative, using bacteria as model organisms. The bacteria models used for our studies are Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a Gram-negative bacterium, and Bacillus subtilis SB 491, a Gram-positive bacterium. This research assesses changes in cell viability, respiration pattern, and cell membrane integrity in the presence of the nanoparticles using colony counting, respirometry and membrane integrity assays, respectively. The association of the QDs with bacterial cell membranes was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results indicate that the silicon QDs are benign to the bacteria considered, and they do not associate with the cell membranes. The CdSe cores exhibit significant toxicity to the bacterial cells, whereas the CdSe/ZnS QDs are comparatively less toxic.
Plasma Membranes from Hepatomas and Cultured Cells by Aqueous Two-Phase Partition

Neoplastic cultured cells and tissues often exhibit altered plasma membrane morphologies and biochemical activities when compared to non-transformed counterparts [1]. However, accurate interpretation and reliability of data collected for such comparisons may be influenced greatly by the purity and composition of the plasma membrane fractions utilised. Non-uniform homogenisation, contamination by organelles other than plasma membrane and changes in culture conditions, together with the transformation process itself, all tend to confound the fractionation of plasma membranes from cells and hepatomas.
53-OR: DONOR SPECIFIC ANTIBODY IS A PREDICTOR OF DE-NOVO AUTOIMMUNE HEPATITIS FOLLOWING PEDIATRIC LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

Aim The role of donor-specific HLA antibodies (DSA) following liver transplantation (LTx) is not clearly established. Our aim was to assess the presence of DSA in pediatric LTx recipients. We hypothesized that DSA would be detected (+DSA) in patients with late allograft dysfunction due to de-novo autoimmune hepatitis (d-AIH). Methods Serum was collected at routine clinic visits from 50 pediatric LTx recipients a mean of 11.8 ± 5.3 years post LTx, and classified into four clinical phenotypes: non-tolerant with biopsy-proven late acute cellular rejection (n = 6) and/or d-AIH (n = 12); stable with normal liver function on maintenance tacrolimus (n = 25); tolerant with normal liver function off immunosuppression ⩾2 years (n = 7). Samples were blinded and antibody detection was performed using LABScreen HLA Class I and II Single Antigen beads (One Lambda) and Luminex multiplex technology. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were performed with results reported as means and odds ratios (OR). Results HLA antibodies were detected in 28/50 (56%) of patients, with the majority of DSA directed against HLA Class II DR or DQ loci (40% and 52%, respectively). Patients with +DSA had a mean of 1.8 (range 1-4) DSA with a mean MFI of 11681 ± 8227. Patients with +DSA were younger at LTx (2.4 ± 2.9 vs 5.4 ± 5.4 years, p = 0.01). There were no differences in other clinical variables including sex, primary diagnosis, history of re-LTx, and early acute rejection. Age in years at LTx (OR 0.5, p = 0.01), history of post transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (OR 0.1, p = 0.01) and late rejection (OR 27, p = 0.02) are the strongest predictors of +DSA. Patients with d-AIH tended to be +DSA (10/12 patients, p = 0.05), a trend that was not observed in the other phenotypes. +DSA is the strongest multivariate predictor of d-AIH (OR 19, p = 0.03). Conclusions DSA are common after pediatric LTx and detected more frequently in patients with d-AIH, suggesting d-AIH may be a form of antibody-mediated rejection.
Virtual Travel

If homogenization is making real tourism pointless, will virtual tourism suffer the same fate?
An empirical examination of the relationships between Adult Attention Deficit, Personal Task Management Systems and Role Stress

Adult attention deficit disorders (AAD) and stress are pervasive and significant experiences with mostly harmful consequences for both employees and organizations as a whole. This research study proposes a link between AAD and role stress. Adults who are experiencing the core symptoms of AAD (difficulties with task activation, concentration, effort, emotional interference and accessing memory) are less likely to develop an effective task management system. This in turn should lead to higher levels of role stress. Both the association between AAD and total role stress (r = 0.34, p < 0.01), and the more specific associations between AAD and role overload (r = 0.26, p < 0.01), role ambiguity (r = 0.31, p < 0.01) and role conflict (r = 0.26, p < 0.01), were statistically significant. The associations between the lack of an effective task management system and both AAD (r = 0.41, p < 0.01) and total role stress (r = 0.64, p < 0.01) were statistically significant. The Sobel test (Z = 6.57, p < 0.00) provides support for the hypothesis that the lack of an effective task management system fully mediates the relationship between AAD and role stress. Future research needs to draw samples from a variety of work situations.
DNA LIGASE IV SYNDROME: A RARE CAUSE OF GROWTH FAILURE & HYPOGONADISM.

ABSTRACT Objective: DNA ligase IV syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by pronounced radiosensitivity, growth failure, pancytopenia, hypogonadism, and immunodeficiency. Here, we descri...
First Report of Trissolcus japonicus Parasitizing Halyomorpha halys in North American Agriculture

Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), the brown marmorated stink bug, an invasive agricultural pest in America and Europe, is reaching a global distribution. In the US, the first detection of H. halys was in the mid–1990s, and it has become a serious pest in multiple crop systems. In 2014, an exotic egg parasitoid, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), was documented parasitizing sentinel H. halys egg masses in a wooded habitat in Beltsville, Maryland, USA. The parasitoid has since been reported in several other locations in the eastern and western US, and its population appears to be expanding in geographic range. However, there have been no reports of T. japonicus parasitizing H. halys egg masses within cultivated crops in the US. Whereas attack of H. halys in non-agricultural habitat may provide important biological control services in the landscape, if T. japonicus is not able to successfully forage for H. halys eggs within crops, its impact as a biological control agent may be limited. Here we report on successful parasitism of egg masses deployed in 2 peach orchards in New Jersey, USA. Egg masses were deployed as part of an experiment investigating the efficacy of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy utilizing border insecticide sprays in apple and peach. While overall egg parasitism was low, the majority of successfully developing parasitoids (97.4% of total adult parasitoids emerging, and from 75% of successfully parasitized sentinel egg masses) were T. japonicus.
Area melting with multi-laser arrays to increase build rate for metal powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

Printing functional, metal parts for mass production using powder bed fusion additive manufacturing requires the ability to deposit more energy at the working plane to increase build rate. Conventional approaches serially add fiber lasers and scanners to create dual and quad laser machines, but scaling this strategy is limited by the size of powder bed while current scan parameters do not utilize the full output potential of available laser sources. Instead, a processing head containing an array of lower power laser sources can melt wider regions of a powder bed simultaneously to increase build rate. A 16 channel processing head comprised of fiber-coupled direct diodes capable of outputting up to 960W of combined power is presented. Fiber arrays arranged to melt widened tracks of CoCr powder demonstrated builds with >99% density at 2x the build rate of conventional, single laser systems. Details of the array layout, optical system and controls are presented along with scan strategies for melt tracks of varying widths. Most importantly, the array configuration can be scaled to multi-kW outputs spread over larger areas without requiring new parameter development as the energy per unit area remains unchanged with channel count.
Spatial Dependency of Glenohumeral Joint Stability during Dynamic Unimanual and Bimanual Pushing and Pulling.

Degenerative wear to the glenoid from repetitive loading can reduce effective concavity depth and lead to future instability. Workspace design should consider glenohumeral stability to prevent initial wear. While stability has been previously explored for activities of daily living including push-pull tasks, whether stability is spatially dependent is unexplored. We simulated bimanual and unimanual push-pull tasks to 4 horizontal targets (planes of elevation: 0o, 45o, 90o, and 135o) at 90o thoracohumeral elevation and 3 elevation targets (thoracohumeral elevations: 20o, 90o, 170o) at 90o plane of elevation. The 45o horizontal target was most stable regardless of exertion type and would be the ideal target placement when considering stability. This target is likely more stable because the applied load acts perpendicular to the glenoid, limiting shear force production. The 135o horizontal target was particularly unstable for unimanual pushing (143% less stable than the 45o target), and the applied force acts parallel to the glenoid, likely creating shear forces. Pushing was less stable than pulling (all targets except sagittal 170o for both task types and horizontal 45o for bimanual) (p<0.01), which is consistent with prior reports. For example, unimanual pushing at the 90o horizontal target was 197% less stable than unimanual pulling. There were limited stability benefits to task placement for pushing, and larger stability benefits may be seen from converting pushing to pulling rather than optimizing task layout. There was no difference in stability between bimanual and unimanual tasks, suggesting no stability benefit to bimanual operation.
Complete Reoperation in Orthognathic Surgery.

BACKGROUND Complete reoperation is defined as undergoing reoperative/repeated jaw osteotomies, in a patient who previously underwent orthognathic surgery. The purpose of this study is to (1) describe jaw positions at three time-points (before primary and before and after reoperative surgery), (2) investigate factors necessitating reoperation, and (3) outline the technical challenges. METHODS Repeated orthognathic surgery cases >1-year out were included. Demographic, radiologic, and perioperative data were compiled. Repeated osteotomies (Le-Fort and/or bilateral split sagittal osteotomy, with or without genioplasty), were compared to their respective primary procedures. Statistical analysis was performed using t tests and z-scores. RESULTS Fifteen patients were included (28.1 years; 71 percent female). Reoperative/repeated surgery was most often needed to address iatrogenic bony malposition and asymmetry. Relapse was a less common indication. Time between reoperative and primary surgery was 14 months. Sagittal discrepancies (p = 0.029) were the most frequent reason for primary orthognathic surgery (e.g., mandibular hypoplasia (p = 0.023). Reoperative/repeated orthognathic was performed for asymmetry (p = 0.014). Repeated procedures used more 3-dimensional planning (p < 0.001), required all three osteotomies (p = 0.034), had longer operative times (p = 0.078), and all required hardware removal (p < 0.001). Anatomical outcomes were good with 100% patient satisfaction at long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Reoperative/repeated orthognathic surgery is challenging and underreported in the literature. Whereas primary orthognathic typically addressed sagittal discrepancies, reoperative/repeated osteotomies were needed to correct iatrogenic bone malposition and asymmetries. Challenges include: re-planning, scar burden, need to remove integrated hardware, and repeated osteotomy/fixation. Despite these difficulties, outcomes and patient acceptance were good. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, IV.
Fairness and discrimination in recommendation and retrieval

Fairness and related concerns have become of increasing importance in a variety of AI and machine learning contexts. They are also highly relevant to recommender systems and related problems such as information retrieval, as evidenced by the growing literature in RecSys, FAT*, SIGIR, and special sessions such as the FATREC and FACTS-IR workshops and the Fairness track at TREC 2019; however, translating algorithmic fairness constructs from classification, scoring, and even many ranking settings into recommendation and other information access scenarios is not a straightforward task. This tutorial will help orient RecSys researchers to algorithmic fairness, understand how concepts do and do not translate from other settings, and provide an introduction to the growing literature on this topic.
Laboratory Evidence for Male Infertility

While the semen analysis remains as the cornerstone for the evaluation of male infertility, there have been significant recent advances in diagnostic laboratory techniques, assisted-reproductive technologies, and proteomics. The evolving changes in diagnostic criteria and therapeutic interventions has necessitated a more comprehensive and methodological assessment of infertile men. The aim of this chapter is to discuss modern laboratory exams and techniques available to successfully evaluate and treat male factor infertility.
The mystery of ornate offspring.

Human curiosity, arguably our species’ best feature, invites speculation about nature’s myriad puzzles. Darwin’s twin theories of selection (natural and sexual) provided a solid foundation for understanding how complex structures and behavior can evolve from simpler versions without divine assistance. We can posit plausible pathways by which traits that look engineered might have arisen on their own. But such conjecture, however creative, is only a “just-so story” until its components have been scrutinized and tested. In PNAS, Lyon and Shizuka (1) present a fascinating explanation for one such natural history gem, the startling bright colors of American coot ( Fulica americana ) chicks. Whereas most avian hatchlings have drab, camouflaged natal plumage, these marsh-dwelling youngsters look like floozies, with bright orange neck feathers and blue eyebrows against orange pate skin (Fig. 1). What possible ecological factors might have provided compensating benefits for genes directing such ornamentation? The authors’ long-term study of coots in British Columbia tests predictions from theory and produces compelling evidence that the flamboyant traits probably evolved to serve the parents’ interests within the context of resource competition within and, perhaps, between coot families. Fig. 1. Coot parents feed dependent young on aquatic insect prey via direct (bill-to-bill) transfers. Despite having potential control over which chick receives each item, parents mostly feed the closest individual for the first 7 to 10 d, during which half of the brood starves. That scramble competition phase ends abruptly when the two parents split the remaining brood, each adult skewing its food deliveries thereafter to favor the most ornamented chick in its subbrood. Image courtesy of Bruce Lyon (University of California, Santa Cruz, CA). The within-family pressure stems from general food uncertainty. Avian parents must commit to an integer number of eggs long before the family food budget can be assessed accurately, so the fit between … [↵][1]1Email: dmock{at}ou.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Dissecting the role of PfAP2-G in malaria gametocytogenesis

In the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the switch from asexual multiplication to sexual differentiation into gametocytes is essential for transmission to mosquitos. The transcription factor PfAP2-G is a key determinant of sexual commitment that orchestrates this crucial cell fate decision. Here we identify the direct targets of PfAP2-G and demonstrate that it dynamically binds hundreds of sites across the genome. We find that PfAP2-G is a transcriptional activator of early gametocyte genes, and identify differences in PfAP2-G occupancy between gametocytes derived via next-cycle and same-cycle conversion. Our data implicate PfAP2-G not only as a transcriptional activator of gametocyte genes, but also as a potential regulator of genes important for red blood cell invasion. We also find that regulation by PfAP2-G requires interaction with a second transcription factor, PfAP2-I. These results clarify the functional role of PfAP2-G during sexual commitment and early gametocytogenesis.
What's eating you? blister beetles revisited

Blister beetles are a group of insects that include the Meloidae, Oedemeridae, and Staphylinidae families. The most well-known family, Meloidae, has more than 200 species known for causing a blistering dermatitis in humans by emitting the substance cantharidin, which has been pharmacologically used as a vesicant and can cause deleterious effects if ingested. Most recently, blister beetles have been studied for their anticancer properties.
Cefiderocol Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii: Roles of β-Lactamases, Siderophore Receptors, and Penicillin Binding Protein 3.

Cefiderocol is a siderophore cephalosporin active against many multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens. We examined the resistance mechanisms in 12 Acinetobacter baumannii strains with cefiderocol MICs ranging from ≤0.03 to >32 μg/ml. Cefiderocol resistance could not be explained by β-lactamase activity. Cefiderocol resistance was associated with reduced expression of the siderophore receptor gene pirA Mutations involving PBP3 may have contributed to resistance in one strain. Additional studies are needed to assess the role of other siderophore receptors.
SOBRE LA CERTEZA: READY-MADE Y PROBLEMAS GEOMÉTRICOS EN 2666

“La parte de los crimenes”, una de las cinco secciones de la novela 2666 de Roberto Bolano, es el pretexto para investigar sobre temas como duda y certeza, mano y mecanizacion industrial, cadaveres como presencias reales o espectrales, o cadaveres como elementos performaticos, alejados del realismo mimetico y de la narrativa de denuncia social. A contracorriente de la critica especializada, que solo ve en esta novela el horror, el miedo, la abyeccion, los cuerpos como mercancias y el capitalismo salvaje, propongo una lectura que intenta reconstruir un dialogo con la vanguardia y, en especial, con los ready-made de Marcel Duchamp.
Optimizing the speed of a Josephson junction

We review the application of dynamical mean-field theory to Josephson junctions and study how to maximize the characteristic voltage IcRn which determines the width of a rapid single flux quantum pulse, and thereby the operating speed in digital electronics. We study a wide class of junctions ranging from SNS, SCmS (where Cm stands for correlated metal), SINIS (where the insulating layer is formed from a screened dipole layer), and SNSNS structures. Our review is focused on a survey of the physical results; the formalism has been developed elsewhere.
Wave-induced shallow-water monopolar vortex: large-scale experiments

Numerous field observations of tsunami-induced eddies in ports and harbours have been reported for recent tsunami events. We examine the evolution of a turbulent shallow-water monopolar vortex generated by a long wave through a series of large-scale experiments in a rectangular wave basin. A leading-elevation asymmetric wave is guided through a narrow channel to form a flow separation region on the lee side of a straight vertical breakwater, which coupled with the transient flow leads to the formation of a monopolar turbulent coherent structure (TCS). The vortex flow after detachment from the trailing jet is fully turbulent ( represents time. The azimuthal velocity, vorticity and free surface elevation profiles are well described through an idealised geophysical vortex. Kinematic free surface boundary conditions predict weak upwelling in the TCS-centre, followed by a zone of downwelling in a recirculation pattern along the water column. The vertical confinement of the flow is quantified through the ratio of kinetic energy contained in the secondary and primary surface velocity fields and a transition point towards a quasi-two-dimensional flow is identified.
Pediatric Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma: A National Database Inquiry on Current Treatment Approaches in the United States.

BACKGROUND Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytomas (PXAs) account for <1% of primary brain tumors, occurring predominantly in children and young adults. Surgical resection serves as the primary treatment for PXAs, while radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy protocols remain poorly defined. AIM This study aims to determine current care patterns utilized for pediatric patients (≤ 18 years) diagnosed with PXAs and their effect on overall survival. METHODS The United States National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried between 2004 and 2015 for pediatric patients (≤18 years) diagnosed with PXAs. RESULTS From the 224 qualifying patients, most patients proceeded with surgery only (78.1%), while 11.6% of patients received both adjuvant RT and chemotherapy. In the 2010-2015 cohort, patients with subtotal resection were associated with poorer prognosis than those with gross-total resection (hazard ratio = 17.44, 95% confidence interval = 2.10-144.90, p < .001). RT and chemotherapy recipients were similarly associated with poorer survival than those treated with surgery only, with p-values of <.001 and respective hazard ratios of 3.82 (95% confidence interval = 1.85-7.90) and 6.68 (95% confidence interval = 3.21-13.89). The key factors impacting the probability of RT delivery involved WHO grade (p < .001) and chemotherapy administration (p < .001). However, WHO grade alone did not significantly impact survival (p-value = .088). CONCLUSION Maximally safe resection is the current treatment goal for patients with PXAs. RT and chemotherapy are poorly utilized but had a greater role in managing more aggressive cases of PXAs. Additional research focusing on the impact of adjuvant therapies on tumor progression is needed to better guide treatment decisions.
The Four Essential Aristotelian Syllogisms, via Substitution and Symmetry

There being no limit to the number of categories, there is no limit to the number of Aristotelian syllogisms. Aristotle showed that this potential infinity of syllogisms could be obtained as substitution instances of finitely many syllogistic forms, further reduced by exploiting symmetry, in particular the premises’ independence of their order. A consensus subsequently emerged that there were 24 valid assertoric syllogistic forms. A more modern concern, completeness, showed that there could be no more. Using no additional principles beyond substitution and symmetry, we further reduce these 24 to four forms. A third principle, contraposition, allows a further reduction to two forms, namely the unconditional form and the conditional form, conditioned on one of the terms being inhabited. We achieve these reductions via a regularly organized proof system in the form of a graph with 24 vertices and three kinds of edges corresponding to the three principles.
CO2 injection for enhanced oil recovery in Bakken tight oil reservoirs

The combination of horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing have boosted the oil production from Bakken tight oil reservoirs. However, the primary oil recovery factor is very low due to the extremely tight formation, resulting in substantial volumes of oil still remaining in place. Hence, it is important to investigate the potential of applying enhanced oil recovery methods to increase oil recovery in the Bakken formation. Although carbon dioxide (CO2) is widely used in conventional reservoirs to improve oil recovery, it is a new subject and not well-understood in unconventional oil reservoirs such as the Bakken formation. In this paper, we use numerical reservoir simulation to model CO2 injection as a huff-n-puff process with typical reservoir and fracture properties from the Bakken formation. Effects of CO2 molecular diffusion, number of cycle, fracture half-length, permeability and reservoir heterogeneity on the well performance of CO2 huff-n-puff are examined in detail. The results show that the CO2 diffusion plays a significant role in improving oil recovery from tight oil reservoirs, which cannot be neglected in the reservoir simulation model. Additionally, the tight oil formation with lower permeability, longer fracture half-length, and more heterogeneity is more favorable for the CO2 huff-n-puff process. This work can provide a better understanding of the physical mechanisms and key parameters affecting the effectiveness of CO2 injection for enhanced oil recovery in the Bakken formation.
A Review of “ Seminal Zinc as a Screening Instrument for the Preliminary Identification of Semen Traces ”

This is the author's thesis for the degree of doctor of medical knowledge at the Catholic University of Louvain. As such, it displays the virtues and deficiencies of that genre of scientific literature. It is the fifty-fifth in the series Acta Biomedica Lovaniensia, all of which are evidently doctoral theses from the University of Louvain.
Mathematical discussion and perspective drawing in primary school

The aim of this paper is to analyse the functions of semiotic mediation in a long term teaching experiment on the plane representation of three-dimensional space by means of perspective drawing, that has been tried out from grade 2 to grade 5 in three different classrooms within the research project Mathematical Discussion. On the one side, drawing has a functional role in the overall development of the child; on the other side, perspective drawing has a phenomenological role in the genesis of modern geometry. The experiment aims at connecting (1) pupils' spatial experiences to the development of the geometry of three-dimensional space and (2) pupils' drawing experiences to the geometry of two-dimensional space, up to the mastery of early geometrical strategies of plane representation of space. Classroom activity alternates individual problems and classroom discussions orchestrated by the teacher. The paper is divided into several parts: after a brief introduction containing some contextual information (§§ 1, 2), the problem of the social construction of knowledge is addressed and some theoretical constructs mainly borrowed from the Vygotskian school are elaborated (§ 3); then two analyses of the experiment are made, according to the motives of activity (§ 4) and to the sequence of actions (§ 5); finally the role of semiotic mediation in the whole experiment is analysed (§ 6); in the final section (§ 7) some results are recapitulated and compared with the literature on the teaching and learning of geometry and the function of semiotic mediation is discussed with reference to the other distinctive features of the teaching experiment.
The Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC): Creating a Shared Research Foundation

This article explains the history and development of the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) as a research foundation for reading, writing, and researching the Caribbean and thus as part of the scholarly cyberinfrastructure for Caribbean Studies. As a research foundation, dLOC includes technical, social, governmental, and procedural supports including open source tools, executive and scholarly advisory boards for governance, permissions-based rights model to support intellectual property as well as cultural and moral rights, and a core support team. As a research foundation, dLOC supports new forms of research as well as new ways of reading and writing Caribbean Studies.
Integrating constraint satisfaction and spatial reasoning

Many problems in AI, including planning, logical reasoning and probabilistic inference, have been shown to reduce to (weighted) constraint satisfaction. While there are a number of approaches for solving such problems, the recent gains in efficiency of the satisfiability approach have made SAT solvers a popular choice. Modern propositional SAT solvers are efficient for a wide variety of problems. However, particularly in the case of spatial reasoning, conversion to propositional SAT can sometimes result in a large number of variables and/or clauses. Moreover, spatial reasoning problems can often be more efficiently solved if the agent is able to exploit the geometric nature of space to make better choices during search and backtracking. The result of these two drawbacks - larger problem sizes and inefficient search - is that even simple spatial constraint problems are often intractable in the SAT approach. In this paper we propose a spatial reasoning system that provides significant performance improvements in constraint satisfaction problems involving spatial predicates. The key to our approach is to integrate a diagrammatic representation with a DPLL-based backtracking algorithm that is specialized for spatial reasoning. The resulting integrated system can be applied to larger and more complex problems than current approaches and can be adopted to improve performance in a variety of problems ranging from planning to probabilistic inference.
GA-based On-line Path Planning for SAUVIM

This paper addresses adaptive, on-line path planning of an autonomous underwater vehicle and presents a GA-based method for it. It is an important module of SAUVIM (Semi-Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for Intervention Missions) which is being developed at the University of Hawaii and will be capable of exploring the ocean at up to 6,000 m depth. In SAUVIM, a genetic algorithm (GA) is employed in order to integrate on-line path planning with off-line planning and make path planning adaptive. We first discuss how sensory information is incorporated into pre-loaded mapping data of the ocean floor. Then, we present a method for updating a path in real time while the vehicle is moving. A prototype of the adaptive, on-line path planning module is also presented.
Studies of ultraslow diffusion of Ne 21 in solid neon using adiabatic magnetization in the rotating reference frame

Nuclear spin-lattice relaxation times ${T}_{1}$ in the laboratory frame and ${T}_{1\mathrm{p}}$ in the rotating frame have been measured for $^{21}\mathrm{Ne}$ in polycrystalline solid neon. Adiabatic demagnetization in the rotating reference frame measurements of ${T}_{1\mathrm{p}}$ extend previous NMR studies of atomic diffusion in neon to lower temperatures. No deviation is observed from Arrhenius behavior between 12 and 23 K. The coefficient of atomic self-diffusion is found to be $D={0.15}_{\ensuremath{-}0.02}^{+0.03} \mathrm{exp}[\frac{\ensuremath{-}(944\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}6)}{\mathrm{RT}}]$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/sec and the monovacancy approximation appears to be valid for diffusion in solid neon. Quadrupolar relaxation via an anharmonic Raman process describes the temperature variation of ${T}_{1}$ from 22 to 11 K. Below 9 K both ${T}_{1}$ and ${T}_{1\mathrm{p}}$ become nearly independent of temperature.
Nephrotoxic and ototoxic effects of hydroxygentamicin in cats

Abstract Hydroxygentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, was administered subcutaneously to cats in doses up to 160 mg base/kg daily for 10 to 13 weeks. Gentamicin and a vehicle solution were tested as positive and negative control, respectively; in one test netilmicin was also included for comparative purposes. Several parameters, including serum urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, organ/body weight ratios, serum and tissue concentrations of the antibiotics, and renal pathology, were determined to ascertain the nephrotoxic potential of the three aminoglycosides. In addition, observation for the onset of ataxia and impairment of righting reflex were made during the course of the studies to compare the vestibular ototoxic effects of the three antibiotics. Although serum urea nitrogen and serum creatinine values increased markedly in those cats which eventually died or were sacrificed moribund, these parameters in survivors were slightly but not significantly higher than controls. Serum concentrations of the drugs were proportional to the doses administered, but renal concentrations were approximately two and five times as high for netilmicin and gentamicin, respectively, as they were for equivalent doses of hydroxygentamicin. The morphological changes observed in the kidney of cats given 60 mg base/kg of hydroxygentamicin were slightly less than those seen in cats administered 10 mg base/kg of gentamicin; similarly, kidney changes in cats given netilmicin were observed approximately twice as frequently as they were in those receiving equivalent doses of hydroxygentamicin. The nephrotoxic effects of aminoglycoside antibiotics were directly related to renal drug concentration and not to serum concentration, which was a function of dose. The reason for the lower incidence of vestibular ototoxic effects with hydroxygentamicin than with gentamicin was not as readily apparent. Vestibular damage resulting from netilmicin administration was restricted to ataxia; the lack of righting reflex impairment in all five cats was not characteristic of the pattern of vestibular ototoxicity associated with aminoglycoside therapy.
Role of the binary H2SO4–H2O homogeneous nucleation in the formation of volatile nanoparticles in the vehicular exhaust

Abstract High concentration of volatile nanoparticles (NPs) formed in vehicular exhaust may lead to adverse health effects, and a clear understanding of the nucleation mechanisms of these particles remains to be achieved. We investigate the role of H2SO4–H2O binary homogeneous nucleation (BHN) in the formation of NPs in the diluting vehicular exhaust, using a recently developed kinetic H2SO4–H2O BHN model suitable for studying the nucleation process in rapidly diluting exhaust. For the vehicles running on the fuel with fuel sulfur content (FSC) of ∼330 ppm we found that BHN may significantly contribute to the NP formation, especially when the ambient temperature is low and the relative humidity is high. Our simulations show that BHN rate is very sensitive to FSC and sulfur to sulfuric acid conversion efficiency (es). For es value of 1%, BHN is negligible under typical conditions when FSC is ∼4% even after FSC is reduced to below ∼50 ppm. The sensitivities of NP formation via BHN to key factors (including ambient temperature and relative humidity, FSC, es and the soot number concentration) are presented.
White plastic flags repel snow geese (Chen caerulescens)

Abstract The effectiveness of white flags as visual repellents to snow geese (Chen caerulescens) was evaluated. Twelve fields, each 10.12 ha (25 acres) in area, with snow goose damage, were located and proximity was used to create six pairs. Within each pair, one field was selected randomly for treatment (one white plastic flag per acre) and the other served as a control. At 7-day intervals for 5 1 2 weeks, mean vegetation length and mean percentage vegetative cover were estimated for all fields. The results showed that grazing damage was significantly reduced in fields with flags. It is concluded that white plastic flags may be an economical and effective method of reducing snow goose damage.
Unloaded shortening of skinned muscle fibers from rabbit activated with and without Ca2

Unloaded shortening velocity (VUS) was determined by the slack method and measured at both maximal and submaximal levels of activation in glycerinated fibers from rabbit psoas muscle. Graded activation was achieved by two methods. First, [Ca2+] was varied in fibers with endogenous skeletal troponin C (sTnC) and after replacement of endogenous TnC with either purified cardiac troponin C (cTnC) or sTnC. Alternatively, fibers were either partially or fully reconstituted with a modified form of cTnC (aTnC) that enables force generation and shortening in the absence of Ca2+. Uniformity of the distribution of reconstituted TnC across the fiber radius was evaluated using fluorescently labeled sTnC and laser scanning fluorescence confocal microscopy. Fiber shortening was nonlinear under all conditions tested and was characterized by an early rapid phase (VE) followed by a slower late phase (VL). In fibers with endogenous sTnC, both VE and VL varied with [Ca2+], but VE was less affected than VL. Similar results were obtained after extraction of TnC and reconstitution with either sTnC or cTnC, except for a small increase in the apparent activation dependence of VE. Partial activation with aTnC was obtained by fully extracting endogenous sTnC followed by reconstitution with a mixture of aTnC and cTnC (aTnC:cTnC molar ratio 1:8.5). At pCa 9.2, VE and VL were similar to those obtained in fibers reconstituted with sTnC or cTnC at equivalent force levels. In these fibers, which contained aTnC and cTnC, VE and VL increased with isometric force when [Ca2+] was increased from pCa 9.2 to 4.0. Fibers that contained a mixture of a TnC and cTnC were then extracted a second time to selectively remove cTnC. In fibers containing aTnC only, VE and VL were proportional to the resulting submaximal isometric force compared with maximum Ca(2+)-activated control. With aTnC alone, force, VE, and VL were not affected by changes in [Ca2+]. The similarity of activation dependence of VUS whether fibers were activated in a Ca(2+)-sensitive or -insensitive manners implies that VUS is determined by the average level of thin filament activation and that, with sTnC or cTnC, VUS is affected by Ca2+ binding to TnC only.
Traces of the Past: The Cycle of Expectation in Caribbean Tourism Representations

Tourism representations can be highly influential and extremely pervasive. This paper investigates the origins of the vivid imagery common in today's Caribbean tourism representations. The 99-year period from 1815 to 1914 was a key era in the development of tourism for the British West Indies with increased geopolitical stability, improved transportation, and increased demand for new tourism experiences. With the growing popularity of travel, as well as the popularity of travel writing as a genre in British literature, more people travelled to the region as tourists and wrote about their experiences. The detailed descriptions and illustrations in travel narratives created popular geographies about the islands. Tourists were both potential consumers and producers of these popular geographies. They frequently read travel literature prior to and during travel, thereby carrying images with them to recreate the experiences described. Some also chose to write their own travel narratives, thereby reaffirming the...
Internal and 3′ RNA Initiation by Qβ Replicase Directed by CCA Boxes

Abstract RNA initiation by Qβ replicase directed by the short-sequence CCA at the 3′-end of all RNAs amplified by this enzyme has been studied. Most CCA repeats in an RNA consisting of 12 CCAs serve as independent sites of de novo RNA initiation, with initiation occurring opposite the 3′-C residue of each CCA. Qβ replicase is thus capable of internal initiation remote from the 3′-end, although predominant initiation occurs close to the 3′-end. The precise 3′-terminal sequence in (CCA) n -containing RNAs influences the number and position of active initiation sites near the 3′-terminus. C residues are required at the initiation site, whereas the position of purines (especially A residues) influences the selection of initiation sites. The template activity of (CCA) n RNAs is positively correlated with the number of CCA repeats. Three CCA repeats added to the 3′-end of a nontemplate 83-nt RNA are sufficient to activate transcription by Qβ replicase. These experiments show that CCA boxes can act as strong initiation sites in the absence of specific cis -acting signals derived from Qβ RNA, although the efficiency of initiation is modulated by surrounding sequence.
Quantitative automated inspection of standard parts using machine vision

Abstract On line automated visual inspection for quality and process control is becoming a very important requirement in an automated manufacturing environment. This paper examines the possibility of real-time inspection of standard part using machine vision.
PHOTOGENERATION OF SOLITONS IN TRANS-(CH)x : THE REVERSED SPIN-CHARGE RELATION OF THE PHOTOEXCITATIONS

High sensitivity ESR studies of trans-(CH)x have been carried out during photoexcitation with hω > Eg. The results set an upper limit on the number of photoinduced spins and on the quantum efficiency for photoproduction of unpaired spins. We conclude that the charged photoexcitations are spinless and therefore have the reversed spin-charge relation of solitons. The photogeneration branching ratio, charged solitons to neutral solitons, is greater than 102.
Evaluation of a Method for Determination of True Metabolizable Energy of Feed Ingredients

Abstract True metabolizable energy (TME) values for brewer's dried grain, corn, milo, rice bran, soybean meal, stock mash, and water grass seed were determined for adult roosters using 24-hr and 48-hr periods for excreta collection. The values obtained by considering 24-hr excreta period were significantly higher than those from 48-hr excreta collection for brewer's grain, soybean meal, and water grass seed. TME values of corn and soybean meal were significantly reduced in the presence of 2% guar gum or 1% tannic acid, considering the excreta collection over 48-hr period. TME of soybean meal was reduced to the same extent by 1% tannic acid or .05% gossypol. The concept of TME utilizing either 24 or 48-hr periods for excreta collection for all feedstuffs is questionable.
Mice with the Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein Gene Knocked in to Chromosome 11 Exhibit Normal Transmission Ratios

Meiotic recombination between homologous chromosomes can be suppressed within a chosen segment by a regional inversion. In mice, this feature can be engineered and conveniently used in genetic screens to maintain chemically induced mutations within the homologous chromosome. The efficiency of an inversion-based mutagenesis screen can be substantially enhanced provided that the inversion chromosome and its wild-type (WT) homologue are both visibly tagged by two different coat color markers. Dual tagging eliminates labor associated with molecular genotyping. Previously, we reported the generation of the In(11)10Brd strain of mice carrying K14-agouti tagging a 30-cM inversion between the Trp53 and Egfr loci on mouse chromosome 11. Since K14-agouti causes yellowing of ears and tails, the In(11)10Brd mice are easily distinguishable from their WT littermates. In this paper, we describe the construction of a second strain of mice that carry the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgene at the Egfr locus. The EGFP carriers are visually recognizable by emitting green fluorescent light upon UV illumination. We found that the EGFP function was transmitted from one generation to another with expected Mendelian frequencies, and no detrimental effects of EGFP expression were detected in hemizygous or homozygous animals. The EGFP mice together with the previously generated In(11)10Brd inversion carriers constitute a complete set of reagents required for initiation of a regional ENU mutagenesis screen to address functionally more than one-third of mouse chromosome 11.
Nonlinear dynamics of paleocortex manifested in the olfactory EEG

The olfactory bulb is the first central component in a highly sensitive yet markedly stable sensory system. It receives a surge of receptor activity with each inspiration and transmits output as a brief burst of oscillatory activity that is most clearly seen in the EEG. These properties together with the known anatomy and physiology of the bulb are used as design criteria to synthesize, evaluate and solve a set of nonlinear differential equations that represent lumped bulbar dynamics. According to the model bulbar processing is in two stages. In the outer layers the interneurons perform the operations of input range compression, integration, clipping, holding, and bias control. In the inner layers the input surge is converted to a burst, which is transmitted by the mitral cells as a pulse density wave. The phase, frequency, duration, and amplitude of the wave convey information centrally about both the input and the state of the system. The model suffices to replicate the forms of the EEG burst; the pulse probability distributions conditional on the EEG; the waveforms of averaged evoked potentials (AEPs) and post stimulus time (PST) histograms from the bulb and cortex; and the changes in waveform induced by behavioral control of attentiveness and habituation. It is inferred that with selective attention there is a permanent change in the strength of mutually excitatory connections among excitatory neurons, and that with habituation there is a reversible change in the effectiveness of excitatory synapses. The limitations and deficiencies of the model and the need for centrifugal controls of bulbocortical function are discussed.
Stereoselectivity in the intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction: Towards a simple predictive model

Abstract The major product in the intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction of 3,4-disubstituted 1,6-heptenynes to form bicyclo[3.3.0]octenones is highly dependent on the relative configurations of the two stereocenters of the substrate. For example, cycloaddition of the “syn,syn” stereoisomer of 3,5-dimethyl-4-propargyl-1,6-heptadiene gives predominantly an enone containing both substituents in more hindered endo orientations; the “syn,anti” stereoisomer, upon reaction across the “syn” linkage similarly gives mostly endo product, but upon reaction across the “anti” portion of the molecule affords almost exclusively an enone in which the C6 methyl group possesses exo stereochemistry. Parallel results obtain from enynes built upon cyclohexane frameworks. Calculated energies of pre-cycloaddition enynes, metallacycles presumed to be the penultimate intermediates in the cyclization mechanism, and the final products are examined in order to develop a reasonable predictive model.