cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Service time distributions and the performance of a pull system: a simulation study

Abstract The service times at a work station in a production system can be defined by one or more probability distributions. This paper reports the effect of different service time distributions on the performance of a pull system. Simulation has been used as a tool to investigate the performance of such a system. The measures of performance used in the study are the average machine utilization, waiting times of kanban and work-in-process, and output rate at different coefficients of variation of the service times. Conclusions are made and an indication of further research is given.
Manipulating the Melting Behavior of Metal–Metal Eutectics

Experiments were carried out in order to determine why a given eutectic sample approaches its state of equilibrium either rapidly or slowly during melting-curve determinations. The results of these experiments suggest that, when eutectic liquids are frozen, nonequilibrium solids normally form. The experimental results also suggest that the melting temperatures increase and the reproducibility of the melting curves improves considerably if the nonequilibrium solid is converted into the equilibrium eutectic solid lattice. As specific examples, Al–Cu and Al–Ag eutectic samples were studied.
Maintaining a memory by transcriptional autoregulation

One of the key features of cellular differentiation programs is stability. Although differentiation is reversible in principle, many components of the gene batteries induced upon terminal differentiation are maintained throughout a cell's life. For example, muscle cells continuously express the myosin gene, and GABAergic neurons continuously express genes for GABA synthesis and transport. Maintaining gene expression patterns in the nervous system is a particular challenge given the non-renewing nature and therefore extensive life span of many neuronal cell types.
A molecular motor finds its track

The detailed mechanism by which the molecular motors kinesin and myosin travel along their respective protein tracks as they generate force during motile processes is still poorly understood. In a recent breakthrough, a crystal structure of kinesin in complex with tubulin illuminates the atomic-level details of a motor-track interaction, answering many questions yet leaving a number of mysteries unresolved.
Observations upon Tropical Fishes and Inferences from their Adaptive Coloration.

tribution and more or less evanescent in continuity, to the streams that flowed constantly in one direction and eventually into an unnatural habitat, the sea. They needed a more direct and quicker embryonic development, requiring, it would seem, the abandonment of the nauplius stage. It may therefore well be that the trilobites retaining the nauplius stage did not give rise to these stocks, as is sometimes assumed. We may have to look for this ancestral stock in one still more primitive, and the Protocaris-Apus line of branchiopods suggests itself, but whatever the stock, it would seem to have permanently invaded the rivers of the land either in Proterozoic time, or that postulated intermediate stage in the earth's history previous to the Cambrian but of which we have not a trace of direct evidence, the Lipalian time of Walcott.
Characterization of the spectrum of hemodynamic profiles in trauma patients with acute neurogenic shock

Objective Neurogenic shock considered a distributive type of shock secondary to loss of sympathetic outflow to the peripheral vasculature. In this study, we examine the hemodynamic profiles of a series of trauma patients with a diagnosis of neurogenic shock.
Temporal characteristics of the protective effect of aminoguanidine on cerebral ischemic damage.

We investigated the temporal profile of the reduction in focal cerebral ischemic damage exerted by aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats, the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded distal to the origin of the lenticulostriate arteries. Rats were treated with vehicle (saline) or AG (100 mg kg-1, i.p.) immediately after MCA occlusion and, thereafter, two times per day. Rats were sacrificed 1(n = 7), 2(n = 8), 3 (n = 6) or 4 days (n = 5) after MCA occlusion. Injury volume (mm3) was determined in thionin-stained sections using an image analyzer. Volumes were corrected for ischemic swelling. Administration of AG up to 2 days after MCA occlusion did not reduce cerebral ischemic damage (p 0.05). Administration of AG did not substantially modify arterial pressure, arterial blood gases, pH, hematocrit, plasma glucose and rectal temperature. We conclude that the protective effect of AG is time-dependent and occurs only when the drug is administered for longer than 2 days, starting after induction of ischemia. Because iNOS enzymatic activity develops more than 24 h after MCA occlusion [C. Iadecola, X. Xu, F. Zhang, E.E. El-Fakahany, M.E. Ross, Marked induction of calcium-independent nitric oxide synthase activity after focal cerebral ischemia, J. Cereb. Blood Flow, Metab. 14 (1995) 52-59; C. Iadecola, F. Zhang, X. Xu, R. Casey, M.E. Ross, Inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression in brain following cerebral ischemia, J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 15 (1995) 378-384.], the data support the hypothesis that the protective effect of AG is medicated by inhibition of iNOS in the post-ischemic brain.
Thermal expansion of a viscoelastic gel

It was previously shown [J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 130, 157 (1991)] that the permeability of a saturated gel can be determined from a measurement of its rate of expansion during a change in temperature. The existing analysis assumes that the solid network of the gel behaves elastically, but in many cases the gel is likely to be viscoelastic, especially when the gel exhibits syneresis. In this paper, the expansion kinetics are determined for a gel with a viscoelastic (VE) network. Sample calculations for a silica gel containing ethanol indicate that a naive application of the elastic analysis could result in errors exceeding a factor of two in the estimate of the permeability of a VE gel. However, in such cases, there are qualitative features in the experimental data that alert the experimenter to the existence of significant VE relaxation. Therefore, it is possible to avoid errors by careful examination of the data.
Newly characterized products and composition of secondary aerosols from the reaction of α-pinene with ozone

Secondary aerosols from the reaction of α-pinene with ozone were generated in a 190 m3 outdoor Teflon chamber, and products of these aerosols were characterized. Products were separated by gas chromatography and detected with electron-impact mass spectrometry, chemical-impact mass spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Because products from the reaction of α-pinene with ozone contain oxidized functional groups such as carboxylic acids and carbonyls, these products are poorly resolved by standard gas chromatography. To use standard chromatographic techniques, derivatization of oxidized functional groups was necessary. Carbonyl products were derivatized with O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl) hydroxylamine hydrochloride and carboxylic acids with pentafluorobenzyl bromide. The major identified products were nor-pinonic acid, pinonic acid, 2,2-dimethylcyclobutane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid, pinic acid, and pinonaldehyde. Dicarboxylic acids have lower vapor pressures than either their corresponding di-aldehydes or mono-acids, and have only recently been identified in α-pinene–ozone aerosols. Given their comparatively low vapor pressures, diacids contribute significantly to the aerosol formation process from the reaction of α-pinene with ozone. The composition of these secondary aerosols is strongly influenced by temperature. During the summer experiments, the aerosol composition is dominated by diacids. During the cooler winter experiments, the di-carbonyl and carbonyl-acid products also contributed to the aerosol composition.
Frontal signals east of Iceland from the GEOSAT altimeter

Frontal Sea Surface Height signals were identified in the Iceland-Faeroe region for height differences from the three sets of GEOSAT tracks (July-May 1987). These signals were verified with in situ measurements and then combined with them for an improved and synoptic estimate of frontal location. The data assimilation context made the weak signals quantitatively useful. Real time analysis of GEOSAT data contributed to a frontal nowcast and forecast scheme.
Selective formation of radicals in irradiated single crystals: 5,5′-dihydroxybarbituric acid trihydrate

Abstract A single crystal ESR study of the title compound shows that the oxy radical RO· is selectively formed in one of the two OH groups attached to the same carbon atom. In relation to this observation, selective formation of radicals in some symmetrical molecules is discussed. It is suggested that a slight deviation from exact symmetry causes highly selective reactions in the crystalline media. Irradiated single crystals offer us a well defined chemical reaction field in which selective reactions take place. Studies from such a view may be of considerable interest in relation to enzymatic activity.
Listening to Our Literature, Listening to Our Clients: An Interview With Barry Duncan and Scott Miller

In this interview, prominent authors and therapists Barry Duncan and Scott Miller share their views on how decades of counseling outcome research should inform therapeutic practices and shape the future of the metal health service delivery.
Purification and Properties of Phosphorprotein Phosphatases with Different Substrate and Divalent Cation Specificities from Canine Heart

Three phosphoprotein phosphatases have been isolated from canine heart by a procedure involving treatment of the enzyme preparation with 80% ethanol at room temperature. They are a divalent-cation-independent, nonspecific enzyme (Mr= 35000) referred to as phosphatase S, an Mg2+ -activated enzyme (Mr= 49300) with activity predominately toward phosphocasein and an Mn2+ -activated enzyme (Mr= 61000) with activity predominately toward phosphohistone. Phosphatase S has been purified over 10000-fold and the two divalent-cation-dependent enzymes have been purified over 1000-fold from the crude extract. The purified preparation of phosphatase S showed a single broad protein stain band which coincided with the enzymic activities when examined with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of the enzyme preparation also showed a single protein band corresponding to a molecular weight of 35000. Phosphatase S exhibited a broad specificity and was about equally active toward phosphorylase a, phosphorylated histone, casein and cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. Phosphatase S showed an optimum between pH 6.5–8 and was inhibited by ATP, other nucleoside phosphates, Pi, PPi and NaF. The Km values of phosphatase S for phosphorylase a, phosphorylated histone, and casein are 4, 27, and 16 μM, respectively. Evidence indicates that phosphatase S is a catalytic subunit of several nonspecific, divalent-cation-independent enzymes reported previously [Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 483, 337–347 (1977)]. The present findings indicate that at least three basic catalytic entities of phosphorprotein phosphatase can be isolated from canine heart extract. These phosphatases which differ from one another in substrate specificity and divalent cation dependence may play different roles in the regulations of protein dephosphorylation in the cell.
Using speech in noise to improve understandability for elderly listeners

This paper describes work designed to improve understandability of spoken output, specifically for the elderly, by using a speaking style employed by people to improve their understandability when speaking in poor channel conditions. We describe an experiment that shows the understandability gains that are possible using naturally-produced examples of this style. Additionally, we describe how to model this style, and evaluate the differences in understandability for speech synthesis produced using those models
Comparison of three species of dietary fish: effects on serum concentrations of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein in normotriglyceridemic subjects

Limited information is available comparing the effect of different species of fish on serum low-density-lipopro- tein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (apo B) concen- trations. We fed 21 normotriglyceridemic males diets containing different species of fish (200 g Dover sole, Chinook salmon, or sablefish) for 18 d in a three-period crossover design. Concen- trations of apo B and LDL-C rose on the salmon and sablefish diets compared with the sole diet (P = 0.02 for apo B, 0.08 for LDL-C). These increases were parallel to each other: apo B rose 14% and LDL-C rose 16% on the salmon diet and 17% and 14%, respectively, on the sablefish diet compared with the diet con- sumed before the study. These results suggest that the con- sumption of fish with a moderate amounts of n-3 fatty acids may cause a deleterious rise in LDL-C and apo B concentrations in normotriglyceridemic males. Am J C/in Nutr 199 l;54: 334-9.
Sensitivity Problems in Distributive Systems

ABSTRACT The effects of parameter variations on the external characteristics of distributive systems are considered. It is shown that this class of problems can be brought within the framework of modern system sensitivity analysis. The interaction between feedback and system sensitivity is analysed.
Adapting the Neuman Systems Model for Family Nursing

Family nursing is in the early stages of development, and there is often difficulty in translating nursing conceptual frameworks into terms that are less abstract and more readily usable in the family practice arena. Yet the conversion of abstract ideas to concrete descriptions is necessary if nursing theory-based practice is to expand. This article describes the client system known as family within the Neuman systems model. Based on clinical data and the experience of nurses using the Neuman model in practice, a description of the family as client is developed. The five variables of Neuman's model are identified and the terms used in describing the family system are clarified. A rationale for the application is also presented.
Working With(out) a Net: Improvisational Theater and Enhanced Well-Being

Improvisational theater (improv) fits well into an academic definition of improvisation: “the process and product of creativity occurring simultaneously” (Lewis and Lovatt, 2013). The simultaneity in improv comes from the lack of scripting: players appear on stage, ask the audience for a suggestion, for example, “any object smaller than a breadbox,” and begin a frolic of their own that often lasts about 30 min. This article highlights several parallels between practices in improv and practices in several domains of applied psychology: body awareness and mindfulness, positive psychology interventions, and person-centered psychotherapy. What accounts for these parallels? Here I conclude that both improv and applied psychology practices aim to increase personal awareness, interpersonal attentiveness, and trust among members of the ensemble. The metaphor of “working without a net” certainly seems to apply to improv. For example, a respected improv manual says, “True improvisation is getting on-stage and performing without any preparation or planning… Strictly speaking, improvisation is making it up as you go along” (Halpern et al., 1994). Nervous anticipation of performing without a memorized script is the felt sense of working without a net. But there is more to the story than that; we return to a reversal of the metaphor at the end of the article. Spontaneity, like luck, favors the well-prepared. The virtuoso pianist who improvises brilliantly may be one who practiced more than 10,000 h as a youngster, on fire with a “rage to master” (Ericsson et al., 1993; Winner, 1996). Or perhaps not; there is dispute about the relationship between talent and practice at the high-end of performance skill in some fields (Epstein, 2013). Nevertheless, all forms of improvisation and competitive performance require basics to be learned and practiced until they become “second nature.” Improv actors practice their form repeatedly but don't repeat or rehearse the content of their scenes. The concept of spontaneity needs to be considered in this context: spontaneous creative content is grounded in improv fundamentals that are practiced repeatedly. It is form, not content, that is rehearsed. Many of these practices, also called “games,” are also used by actors training for scripted theater (e.g., Stanislavski, 1989). Our inquiry is whether there is a positive relationship between improv practice and well-being in other life domains. There is a good reason to think so: important theatrical skills are represented, with different names, in the methods of body awareness and other meditations, applied positive psychology, and psychotherapy. If particular practices in these domains are psychologically healthy, then practicing them through improv might also increase well-being. Finally, because improv is unavoidably social, performers are always embedded in the social milieux of improv communities. There are transitions from classroom and small stage to what is after all “but a stage”: life itself.
Achieving robustness and capacity gains in covert timing channels

In this paper, we introduce a covert timing channel (CTC) algorithm and compare it to one of the most prevailing CTC algorithms, originally proposed by Cabuk et al. CTC is a form of covert channels - methods that exploit network activities to transmit secret data over packet-based networks - by modifying packet timing. This algorithm is a seminal work, one of the most widely cited CTCs, and the foundation for many CTC research activities. In order to overcome some of the disadvantages of this algorithm we introduce a covert timing channel technique that leverages timeout thresholds. The proposed algorithm is compared to the original algorithm in terms of channel capacity, impact on overt traffic, bit error rates, and latency. Based on our simulation results the proposed algorithm outperforms the work from Cabuk et al., especially in terms of its higher covert data transmission rate with lower latency and fewer bit errors. In our work we also address the desynchronization problem found in Cabuk et al.'s algorithm in our simulation results and show that even in the case of the synchronization-corrected Cabuk et al. algorithm our proposed method provides better results in terms of capacity and latency.
Monosymptomatic delusions of parasitosis associated with ischemic cerebrovascular disease

Monosymptomatic delusion of infestation (parasitosis) occur in idiopathic psychoses but have rarely been observed in patients with neurologic or systemic illnesses. A patient was observed in whom the delusion occurred in the presence of demonstrable cerebrovascular disease. The delusional symptoms were contralateral to the principal site of ischemic injury. Delusions of infestation may reflect an acquired neurologic or metabolic disorder, and medical and neurologic evaluation should be pursued in elderly patients presenting with this syndrome.
A systematic review of the efficacy of telemedicine for making diagnostic and management decisions.

We conducted a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the efficacy of telemedicine for making diagnostic and management decisions in three classes of application: office/hospital-based, store-and-forward, and home-based telemedicine. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and HealthSTAR databases and printed resources, and interviewed investigators in the field. We excluded studies where the service did not historically require face-to-face encounters (e.g. radiology or pathology diagnosis). A total of 58 articles met the inclusion criteria. The articles were summarized and graded for the quality and direction of the evidence. There were very few high-quality studies. The strongest evidence for the efficacy of telemedicine for diagnostic and management decisions came from the specialties of psychiatry and dermatology. There was also reasonable evidence that general medical history and physical examinations performed via telemedicine had relatively good sensitivity and specificity. Other specialties in which some evidence for efficacy existed were cardiology and certain areas of ophthalmology. Despite the widespread use of telemedicine in most major medical specialties, there is strong evidence in only a few of them that the diagnostic and management decisions provided by telemedicine are comparable to face-to-face care.
De l’huile de foie de morue aux huiles de poisson concentrées, riches en acides gras polyinsaturés - Vue d’ensemble des techniques de production d’huile de poisson

Traditionally fish oil industry was associated to fish meal industry and the processing methods were mostly adapted to the raw material form: whole fish or part of fish (liver, head, by-products). Now, the processing line are more and more technically advanced when the customer requests for deodorized, uncontaminated and rich in PUFA oils increase. New process of extraction as cold press extraction emerges coming from vegetable oil industry. Refining including Deodorization and Decontamination is completed by stripping and molecular distillation decreasing the level of contaminants close to the detection limit of analytical methods. The lipochemistry allows to concentrate the natural content of omega 3: esterification then concentration by molecular distillation or CO2 supercritical plus transesterification (chemical/enzymatic) for TG form. Possibility of fish oil process is “unlimited” to offer to the market the benefice of omega 3 with safe, traceable, tasty fish oils.
The association of irritable bowel syndrome and somatization disorder.

Background and objective: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and somatization disorder (SD) are defined by nonobjective symptoms that overlap considerably. Psychiatric symptoms associated with IBS may originate from SD in IBS patients. Previous studies of IBS have not considered SD separately from IBS. Methods: This study explored psychiatric symptoms and illness behavior in IBS in relation to SD. A total of 50 outpatients with IBS or ulcerative colitis (UC) were evaluated with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and Illness Behavior Questionnaire. Results: Definite or probable SD was diagnosed in no UC patients and in 42% of IBS patients (confirmed in 25% and lacking one symptom in another 17%). IBS patients with probable or definite SD, but not those without SD, reported more psychiatric symptoms and abnormal illness behaviors than did UC patients. SD accounted for the association of psychiatric symptoms with IBS. Conclusions: In this university-based office setting, the association of psychiatric features with IBS appears heterogeneous predicated on whether SD is present. Future studies of functional bowel diseases should distinguish between patients with and without SD to clarify its relationship to these disorders. Clinicians should consider whether patients with functional disorders have SD, a diagnosis that indicates specific clinical management strategies.
Does the chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome differ from nonbacterial prostatitis and prostatodynia?

Purpose: The new consensus classification considers the chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) based on presence or absence of leukocytes in the expressed prostatic secretions, post-massage urine or seminal fluid analysis. We compared classification based on evaluation of these 3 specimens to the traditional classification based on expressed prostatic secretion examination alone.Materials and Methods: A prospective clinical and laboratory protocol was used to evaluate symptomatic patients who had no evidence of urethritis, acute bacterial prostatitis or chronic bacterial prostatitis.Results: Thorough clinical and microbiological evaluation of 310 patients attending our prostatitis clinic was used to select a population of 140 subjects who provided optimal expressed prostatic secretion, post-massage urine and semen specimens. Inflammation was documented in 111 (26%) of 420 samples, including 39 expressed prostatic secretion samples with 500 or greater leukocytes/mm.3, 32 post-massage urine samples...
Blending Methodology of Linear Parameter Varying Control Synthesis of F-16 Aircraft System

The design of a linear parameter varying (LPV) controller for the F-16 longitudinal axes over the entire e ight envelope, using a blending methodology that lets an LPV controller preserve regional optimal solutions over each parametersubsetand reducescomputationalcostsforsynthesizing anLPVcontroller,ispresented.Threeblending LPV controller synthesis methodologies are applied to control F-16 longitudinal axes. By the use of a function substitution method, a quasi-LPV model of the F-16 longitudinal axes is constructed from the nonlinear equations of motion over the entire e ight envelope, including nontrim regions, to facilitate synthesis of LPV controllers for the F-16 aircraft. The nonlinear simulations of theblended LPV controller show that the desired performance and robustness objectives are achieved across all altitude variations.
A comparison of the dynamic force transmitting properties of subchondral bone and articular cartilage

Compression tests on plugs of bovine articular cartilage and of subchondral bone demonstrated that both are capable of deforming under pressure and thus attenuating peak dynamic forces applied to the plugs. Although cancellous bone is approximately ten times stiffer than articular cartilage per unit of thickness, subchondral bone in vivo is considerably thicker and would, therefore, seem capable of contributing to dynamic force attenuation as much as the cartilage does or more. Under physiological loads and loading rates, a film of synovial fluid on the cartilage added nothing to the ability of cartilage plugs to attenuate peak dynamic force; however, at very low load rates cartilage plugs coated with synovial fluid were consistently stiffer than specimens coated with veronate buffer. It is highly likely, from the evidence presented, that alterations in the quality of the subchondral bone could have a profound effect on the ability of a subchondral bone-articular cartilage system to withstand compressive dynamic forces.
Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Feature-Based Distributions

Motivated by recent work in phonotactic learning (Hayes and Wilson 2008, Albright 2009), this paper shows how to define feature-based probability distributions whose parameters can be provably efficiently estimated. The main idea is that these distributions are defined as a product of simpler distributions (cf. Ghahramani and Jordan 1997). One advantage of this framework is it draws attention to what is minimally necessary to describe and learn phonological feature interactions in phonotactic patterns. The "bottom-up" approach adopted here is contrasted with the "top-down" approach in Hayes and Wilson (2008), and it is argued that the bottom-up approach is more analytically transparent.
The greatly misunderstood erythropoietin resistance index and the case for a new responsiveness measure

Introduction The optimal use of erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) to treat anemia in end stage renal disease remains controversial due to reported associations with adverse events. In analyzing these associations, studies often utilize ESA resistance indices (ERIs), to characterize a patient's response to ESA. In this study, we examine whether ERI is an adequate measure of ESA resistance. Methods We used retrospective data from a nonconcurrent cohort study of incident hemodialysis patients in the United States (n = 9386). ERI is defined as average weekly erythropoietin (EPO) dose per kg body weight (wt) per average hemoglobin (Hgb), over a 3-month period (ERI = (EPO/wt)/Hgb). Linear regression was used to demonstrate the relationship between ERI and weight-adjusted EPO. The coefficient of variation was used to compare the variability of Hgb with that of weight-adjusted EPO to explain this relationship. This analysis was done for each quarter during the first year of dialysis. Findings ERI is strongly linearly related with weight-adjusted EPO dose in each of the four quarters by the equation ERI = 0.0899*(EPO/wt) (range of R(2) = 0.97-0.98) and weakly linearly related to 1/Hgb (range of R(2) = 0.06-0.16). These correlations hold independent of age, sex, hgb level, ERI level, and epo-naive stratifications. Discussion ERI is strongly linearly related to weight-adjusted (and nonweight-adjusted) EPO dose by a "universal," not patient-specific formula, and thus is a surrogate of EPO dose. Therefore, associations between ERI and clinical outcomes are associations between a confounded EPO dose and those outcomes.
The role of interferon-α in a successful murine tumor therapy

Combination therapy using reovirus type 3 and the chemo-therapeutic agent 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) is sufficient to cure approximately 80% of EL-4 lymphoma tumor-bearing BD2F1 male mice. Cured animals can be challenged with the EL-4 tumor, in the absence of the therapy, to yield 100% survival, whereas those challenged with heterologous tumor produce 0% survival. These results strongly suggest that a host-immune response is responsible for the observed therapeutic effect. Reovirus, a double-stranded RNA virus, is an efficient inducer of type I interferon. In an effort to determine the role of virus in this therapy, we substituted interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) for reovirus in the therapy. Doses of IFN-alpha from 1000-10,000 U were capable of replacing reovirus to produce cure rates similar to reovirus. Spleen cells isolated from therapy-treated animals demonstrated high levels of cytotoxicity against the natural killer cell-sensitive cell line YAC-1, but not against EL-4 tumor. In vitro stimulation of isolated spleen cells by IFN-alpha resulted in a high level of natural killer cell activity, but no cytotoxicity against the EL-4 tumor. A significant antiproliferative effect against the EL-4 tumor in cell culture was demonstrated by IFN-alpha. Finally, therapy-treated, tumor-bearing mice that were injected with anti-IFN-alpha + -beta antibodies had similar survival levels as control mice, indicating that other cytokines might also play a role in promoting tumor killing. These investigations suggest that IFN-alpha may be a mediator of antitumor activity in the reovirus therapy system.
Cholesterol Lowering with Antacid

Abstract In vitro studies suggest that aluminum hydroxide has a strong affinity for bile acids similar to that of cholestyramine. This study evaluated the efficacy of an aluminum hydroxide-containing antacid in reducing serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL- C) in hypercholesterolemic adults.
Place Learning in Virtual Space: II. Topographical Relations as One Dimension of Stimulus Control☆☆☆

Abstract Three experiments using human participants examined a major prediction derived from cognitive mapping theory of place learning: In the absence of proximal cues, place performance depends on relations among distal cues. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that, after learning to find an invisible target in computer-generated (C-G) space, removing the full set of distal stimuli disrupted place performance but removing subsets of distal stimuli did not. These results demonstrate that the full array of distal cues are critical to stimulus control of place performance in this C-G space whereas individual stimuli are not. Experiment 3 showed that, after learning to find an invisible target in the same C-G space, changes in topographical relations among the distal stimuli disrupted place performance. As predicted by cognitive mapping theory, the results suggest that participants use relations among distal cues to guide place performance in C-G space. In addition, the results support the assertion that place learning in C-G space is comparable to both rat and human place learning in mundane space.
Investigations of Insecticides for Control of the European Corn Borer, at Toledo, Ohio, 1937–1938

As a result of increasing populations of the European corn borer, Pyrausta nubilalis (Hbn.), in early market sweet corn in the lake states area, investigations of insecticides for control of the insect in that area, with particular reference to this crop, were conducted in 1937 and 1938 at the Toledo, Ohio, laboratory. The field plots were laid off at the Experimental Farm, located at Maumee, Ohio, a few miles southwest of Toledo, where the corn borer infestation was heavy enough to make possible the required field experiments. The major considerations involved in these field tests were to study the performance of various spray and dust compounds and the general tolerance of the corn plant to insecticidal materials. The fluorine compounds had previously been found to be the most effective under conditions prevailing in the Ohio-Michigan area and the other compounds tested were selected from the most effective materials used against the European corn borer in the New England area.
Patient facing technologies to improve patient/family engagement in inpatient and outpatient settings

This medical perspective abstract is about two ongoing projects regarding patient centered information technology designs in inpatient and outpatient settings. These novel technologies aim to improve patient/family engagement by empowering them via information technology. We also reported some of the initial results.
R&D and Competition in England and the United States: The Case of the Aluminum Dirigible

This historical comparison of the Vickers and Alcoa experiences with “borrowed” German airship technology highlights the importance of studying the way industrial R&D has been organized, both within industries and inside individual companies. Professor Graham shows that Alcoa's move in 1919 to organize its corporate Technical Department to include balanced research and development capabilities allowed it not only to appropriate Duralumin technology, but also to build on that technology so that it could be used to supply the infant U.S. airframe industry. Lacking such integrated R&D at the corporate level, Vickers obtained only short–term financial returns on its investment in Duralumin expertise. This article suggests that the differences in exploitation of high–strength aluminum derived partly from different national climates for R&D in the United States and England after the First World War.
Ridged Fields in the Rio Guayas Valley, Ecuador

Aerial reconnaissance and photography have established the existence of extensive tracts of ridged fields and planting platforms (bancos), apparently of pre-Columbian origin, in the overflow lands behind the natural levees of the Rio Guayas immediately north and east of Guayaquil, Ecuador. These vestiges of an ancient, labor-intensive agricultural system are similar in character to others that have been described in Bolivia, Colombia, and Surinam.
Bistability and thermal coupling in elastic metamaterials with negative compressibility

When elastic metamaterials are subjected to tension they may respond by undergoing contraction instead of expansion as an ordinary material would (and vice versa). This negative compressibility behavior can only occur if the system moves from one stable state to a different stable state as the force is applied, i.e., displays bistability. With a simple model potential, we demonstrate that this negative behavior leading to a pinched hysteresis on the stress cycle diagram is a solid-to-solid condensation-type phase transformation. In addition, we show that the negative compressibility may disappear in realistic dynamical systems, unless coupling with an external heat sink is strong enough to stabilize the newly formed phase. Such a material is an open thermodynamical system where the condensation process is accompanied by a fast return of the released heat into the ambient. Molecular dynamics with Verlet integration is used to study the dynamics of this behavior.
Performance by males and females on three motor tasks under standard and mirror reversal conditions.

Abstract Nine males and nine females were used as subjects to test the null hypothesis that there would be no significant differences between the performance of college age males and females on three motor tasks. Star tracing, tapping, and rotary pursuit were the tasks used under two conditions: (a) while looking at a mirror that would cause a reversal effect, and (b) under standard conditions without looking at a mirror. Results revealed no differences between males and females on the tasks performed without a mirror. However, the females performed significantly better on the same tasks while looking at a mirror.
Interleukin-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNAs in oxygen-injured rabbit lung

The chemokines interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) are neutrophil and monocyte attractants, respectively. We hypothesized that IL-8 and MCP-1 mRNA expression in alveolar macrophages (AM) lavaged from rabbit lung would be increased by oxygen exposure, which is known to induce inflammation. Adult rabbits were exposed to > 95% oxygen for up to 64 h and allowed to recover in room air for up to 72 h before killing and pulmonary lavage. Numbers of lavageable polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) and AM rose during the exposure protocol. Quantitative in situ hybridization with 3H-labeled cRNA probes showed both IL-8 and MCP-1 mRNA expression in AM during oxygen exposure, with peak levels of IL-8 mRNA at 56-h oxygen exposure and of MCP-1 mRNA at 64-h oxygen exposure with 24-h room air recovery. IL-8 mRNA was present in PMN between 48-h oxygen exposure and 64-h oxygen exposure with 24-h room air recovery. MCP-1 mRNA was not expressed in PMN. This pattern of chemokine mRNA expression emphasizes the importance of inflammatory cells as effectors in the pulmonary response to oxygen exposure.
Histoplasmosis of the Penis

AbstractHistoplasmosis is a common cause of systemic mycosis in endemic areas of the United States. Genitourinary and cutaneous involvement with this dimorphous fungus is rare. We report a case of disseminated histoplasmosis associated with nonpainful ulcerative lesions of the glans and shaft of the penis.
Swimming in Information? Physical Limits to Learning by Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing (QS) bacteria use diffusible signals to gather information about their environment. The QS mechanism is clearly well suited for the regulation of bacterial social behaviors, as it permits the detection of the bacterial population density or the presence of other species and it allows the coordination of group response. Here we ask how an individual cell might benefit from using a QS regulatory circuit. This article reviews some of the basic physical problems that limit the ability of an individual cell to learn about its environment through QS. The kinetics of diffusion, noise in gene regulation, and the nonlinearity of signal response all place limits on the amount of information that the cell can gather. While diffusional signaling allows some remarkable collective behaviors, such as tight synchronization of gene regulation even over macroscopic distances, physical constraints clearly limit the individual cell’s ability to learn about its environment.
Hysteretic Model for Exposed Column–Base Connections

AbstractA hysteretic model formulation is presented for simulation of the cyclic moment-rotation response of exposed column–base (ECB) connections, which are typically used to connect a steel column to a concrete footing in steel moment-resisting frames. The research is motivated by the potential for using these connections as dissipative elements within seismic design. The physical processes responsible for various forms of hysteretic response are outlined; these include: (1) seating and gapping between the base plate and footing leading to pinched hysteresis, and (2) a recentering effect of axial compressive load resulting in flag-shaped hysteresis. The proposed ECB model utilizes: (1) a trilinear backbone curve; (2) hysteretic rules for pinching, unloading, recentering, and reloading; and (3) modes of deterioration for four quantities, including strength and stiffness. The model has 16 parameters, of which 4 are classified as core parameters (meaning they can be determined through physics-based models)...
Flexible Spacecraft Reorientations Using Gimbaled Momentum Wheels

We study the reorientations of flexible spacecraft using momentum exchange devices. A new concise form of the equations of motion for a spacecraft with gimbaled momentum wheels and flexible appendages is presented. The derivation results in a set of vector nonlinear first order differential equations with gimbal torques and spin axis torques as the control inputs. Feedback control laws which result in smooth reorientations are sought with the goal of minimizing structural excitations. We pay special attention to a class of maneuvers wherein the magnitude of the momentum in the wheel cluster is held constant, resulting in a so-called “stationary platform maneuver. “ The advantage of this maneuver is that the platform angular velocity remains small throughout, thereby reducing the excitation of the appendages.
Suppressed ion-scale turbulence in a hot high-β plasma.

An economic magnetic fusion reactor favours a high ratio of plasma kinetic pressure to magnetic pressure in a well-confined, hot plasma with low thermal losses across the confining magnetic field. Field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas are potentially attractive as a reactor concept, achieving high plasma pressure in a simple axisymmetric geometry. Here, we show that FRC plasmas have unique, beneficial microstability properties that differ from typical regimes in toroidal confinement devices. Ion-scale fluctuations are found to be absent or strongly suppressed in the plasma core, mainly due to the large FRC ion orbits, resulting in near-classical thermal ion confinement. In the surrounding boundary layer plasma, ion- and electron-scale turbulence is observed once a critical pressure gradient is exceeded. The critical gradient increases in the presence of sheared plasma flow induced via electrostatic biasing, opening the prospect of active boundary and transport control in view of reactor requirements. Magnetic fusion reactors with higher ratio of plasma kinetic pressure to magnetic pressure are economically desirable. The authors demonstrate a path to such a reactor in a field reversed configuration that can attain microstability and reduced particle and thermal fluxes by manipulating the shear flow.
Observability of Charge-Density Waves by Neutron Diffraction

It is shown that atomic displacements $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{A}}sin\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{Q}}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{L}}$ associated with a charge-density wave (CDW) modulation of a metal crystal cause several changes in the anticipated diffraction properties. Very weak satellite reflections should occur at locations $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{Q}}$ from the ordinary (cubic) reflections. However it is found that vibrational excitations, corresponding to phase modulation of the CDW, may weaken the satellite intensities below the level of observation. The structure factors of the cubic reflections are reduced from unity to (the Bessel function) ${J}_{0}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{K}}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{A}})$, where $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{K}}$ is the scattering vector. Measurements of structure factors are difficult to interpret in the alkali metals because of severe primary extinction (mosaic block size \ensuremath{\sim}0.5 mm) and unknown anharmonic contributions to the Debye-Waller factor. Nevertheless, an unambiguous test for CDW structure is possible since $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{Q}}$ (and $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{A}}$) must be orientable by a large magnetic field at 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Consequently high-index Bragg reflections should be turned off or on by a magnetic field rotated parallel or perpendicular to $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{K}}$. Motivation for such an experiment is suggested by a survey of electronic anomalies which have been reported in the alkali metals and which can be explained with the CDW model.
Article 32 [International Cooperation]

Article 32 provides, for the first time in a human rights treaty, a legal framework to sustain inclusive development requiring that international cooperation, including development programs, be inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities. In line with the paradigm shift enshrined in the CRPD, the truly innovative approach of Article 32 is that international cooperation is directed towards the realization of the Convention’s purpose and objectives going beyond the traditional focus on economic, social and cultural rights. Under Article 32, international cooperation is not limited to north–south cooperation, including also north–north and south–south cooperation, and cooperation between States Parties and third States. It also involves universal and regional organizations, and DPOs’.
Civil Forfeiture and the Constitution: Are Individual Rights Really Less Important than the War on Drugs?

Democracy creates an often precarious balance between the needs of the individual and the needs of the whole. To shelter individuals from the passions of the day, the Founding Fathers enumerated certain rights and established constitutional protections. As the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution, the Supreme Court of the United States uses these rights and protections as a tool to weigh the needs of the individual against the needs of the whole. In the last two decades, however, a war on drugs in the United States has been used to justify infringements upon traditional property rights and due process. The antiquated concept of forfeiture has become one of the primary weapons in this drug war and, as such, is often the device by which individual rights are sacrificed.
Critical Theorizing in Family Communication Studies: (Re)Reading Relational Dialectics Theory 2.0

Despite modest growth in interpretive research, the study of family communication remains predominantly situated within postpositivism to the relative neglect of critical approaches. We argue that this inattention derives partly from the limited number of critically inflected family communication theories. In this article, we seek to encourage critical family communication theorizing. We do so by explicating the critical underpinnings of the recent rearticulation of relational dialectics theory, RDT version 2.0 (Baxter, 2011). We frame our (re)reading in terms of critical family communication considerations of power; connection of private familial spheres to larger public discourses and structures; and inherent openness to critique, resistance, and transformation of the status quo (Suter, 2016).
Maneuvering and stabilizing control of a quadrupedal robot using a serpentine robotic tail

This paper analyzes the control of a mobile robotic system that utilizes a serpentine robotic tail to assist in the maneuvering and stabilization of quadrupedal locomotion. The goal of this research is to reduce the design and control complexity required in the robot's legs by providing a separate mechanism to help the mobile robot steer and recover from disturbances. The design and dynamic models for a quadrupedal robotic platform's yaw, pitch and roll are presented, along with the design and dynamic model of the roll-revolute-revolute robotic tail (R3-RT). Dynamic tail configuration controllers are designed to enable different system functionalities, including yaw-angle turning and pitch/roll-angle stabilization. Case studies are simulated in MATLAB to demonstrate the proposed functionalities.