cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Processing Method on Recovery of Bacteria from Wipes Used in Biological Surface Sampling

Environmental sampling for microbiological contaminants is a key component of hygiene monitoring and risk characterization practices utilized across diverse fields of application. However, confidence in surface sampling results, both in the field and in controlled laboratory studies, has been undermined by large variation in sampling performance results. Sources of variation include controlled parameters, such as sampling materials and processing methods, which often differ among studies, as well as random and systematic errors; however, the relative contributions of these factors remain unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the relative impacts of sample processing methods, including extraction solution and physical dissociation method (vortexing and sonication), on recovery of Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus) and Gram-negative (Burkholderia thailandensis and Escherichia coli) bacteria from directly inoculated wipes. This work showed that target organism had the largest impact on extraction efficiency and recovery precision, as measured by traditional colony counts. The physical dissociation method (PDM) had negligible impact, while the effect of the extraction solution was organism dependent. Overall, however, extraction of organisms from wipes using phosphate-buffered saline with 0.04% Tween 80 (PBST) resulted in the highest mean recovery across all three organisms. The results from this study contribute to a better understanding of the factors that influence sampling performance, which is critical to the development of efficient and reliable sampling methodologies relevant to public health and biodefense.
Small angle neutron scattering from nanophase titanium as a function of oxidation

Nanophase titanium, prepared by the gas-condensation method both as aggregated powder and in lightly compacted discs, has been studied by conventional small angle neutron scattering, and by use of contrast variation methods. The contrast has been changed (a) isotopically, by means of deuterated/protonated solvents distilled into the specimen and (b) by progressive incremental oxidation of the Ti particles using fixed doses of low-pressure oxygen. It was shown that some evolution of the small angle pattern for lightly compacted nanophase Ti occurred over a period of several months at 300 K. Contrast matching by external solvent works well and has allowed the scattering lengths of oxidized and unoxidized specimens to be followed. The results imply that the scattering from metal and oxide can be separated under suitable conditions. The partial oxidation experiments indicate that there is both a fast and slow oxidation at 300 K. Also, during slow oxidation, high scattering length density scattering centers were formed whose number increased, but whose size remained the same at about 2 nm; these centers are tentatively assumed to be TiO/sub 2/. 5 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.
Korean Shamans and the Spirits of Capitalism

Recent studies have taught us that “religion” is not a fixed category but an instrument of popular consciousness. While the studies' subjects have often been victims of colonialism and capitalist exploitation, cultural production through magical means need not be restricted to a society's most oppressed elements. Counter to the expectations of Max Weber, for whom capitalism marched to the drumbeat of “rationalization,” many of the clients who patronize the shaman shrines of Seoul, Republic of Korea, are engaged in high-risk petty-capitalist enterprises. Shamans, clients, and spirits address the seemingly arbitrary fluctuations of good and bad fortune that can bring sudden wealth or ruin, and offer wry commentary upon what their world has become.
An across-the-bay flight support structure designed specifically for the Spartan program

The preliminary design of an across-the-bay Flight Support Structure optimized to the specific requirements of the Spartan program has been completed. Although approximately 15 percent heavier than the initial goal, preliminary analysis indicate very low stress levels and significant reduction in weight should be possible in the final design. This structure is capable of supporting two Spartan 200-class spacecraft or attached payloads of equivalent total weight. The inherent structural efficiency of monocoque type construction is utilized. The minimization of fabrication and assembly costs and provision for simple and versatile payload interfacing where given significant considerations. Modularity of this structure allows it to be readily adapted for use as the primary structure of an Aries-class Spartan free-flyer utilizing the Orbit trunning latch mechanisms, thus eliminating the need for a flight support structure.
The GIOD Project: Globally Interconnected Object Databases

The GIOD (Globally Interconnected Object Databases) Project, a joint effort between Caltech and CERN, funded by Hewlett Packard Corporation, has investigated the use of WAN-distributed Object Databases and Mass Storage systems for LHC data. A prototype small-scale LHC data analysis center has been constructed using computing resources at Caltech's Centre for Advanced Computing Research (CACR). These resources include a 256 CPU HP Exemplar of ~4600 SPECfp95, a 600 TByte High Performance Storage System (HPSS), and local/wide area links based on OC3 ATM. Using the Exemplar, a large number of fully simulated CMS events were produced, and used to populate an object database with a complete schema for raw, reconstructed and analysis objects. The reconstruction software used for this task was based on early codes developed in preparation for the current CMS reconstruction program, ORCA. Simple analysis software was then developed in Java, and integrated with SLACs Java Analysis Studio tool. An event viewer was constructed with the Java 3D API. Using this suite of software, tests were made in collaboration with researchers at FNAL and SDSC, that focused on distributed access to the database by numerous clients, and measure-ments of peak bandwidths were made and interpreted. In this paper, some significant findings from the GIOD Project are presented, such as the achievement of the CMS experiment's 100 MB/sec database I/O milestone.
Isolation and cross-species characterization of polymorphic microsatellites for the orchid bee Eulaema meriana (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini)

We describe and characterize eight polymorphic microsatellite loci for the orchid bee species Eulaema meriana, an abundant species and important pollinator in wet lowland forests in tropical America. We also tested the cross-species amplification of these microsatellite loci in seven other species of the genus Eulaema. For E. meriana, number of alleles per locus ranged from four to nine and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.377 to 0.854. Seven out of the eight loci described amplified in all seven other Eulaema species. These microsatellite loci will be of practical use for population structure, mating system and inbreeding studies in euglossine bees.
Relaxin increases the release of plasminogen activator, collagenase, and proteoglycanase from rat granulosa cells in vitro.

Relaxin (Rlx) is shown in vitro to increase the release of plasminogen activator (PA) activity from granulosa cells obtained from 28-day-old rats after priming 48 h before with PMSG. Priming with PMSG was essential for the subsequent marked increase in PA by the addition of Rlx to these cells in vitro. Under the same conditions Rlx also increased the release of both total collagenase and total proteoglycanase activities but not of β-glucuronidase activity. The total collagenase and proteoglycanase activities of control cells are made up of essentially equal amounts of their respective active and latent enzymes. Rlx stimulation increases the amounts of the respective active enzymes while the latent collagenase and proteoglycanase activities are unchanged or decreased, respectively. The enzyme β-glucuronidase was not stimulated by Rlx and appears not to be involved in follicular proteoglycan degradation. Granulosa cells harvested from preantral follicles responded most to FSH by PA production whereas cells ...
Fibroblast growth factor inhibits expression of neural markers in cultures of zebrafish early embryo cells.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) regulation of developmental markers in cell cultures derived from early zebrafish embryos was examined with the goal of in vitro culture of zebrafish embryonic stem cells and gaining an understanding of extracellular influences on early embryonic development. Markers were stem/primordial germ cell markers pou-2 and vas, neural markers zp-50,pax[zf-a], en-3, and wnt-1, and mesodermal markers gsc and myoD. Previously we had shown that FGF prevents the development of zebrafish pigment cells in vitro. In our culture system, FGF reduced expression of neural-specific markers, possibly implicating the FGF family in suppression of early neural cell development. Exposure to FGF for 24 hours at the time of seeding the cells was sufficient to suppress neural marker expression for a subsequent 4 days of culture, while absence of FGF for the first 24 hours of culture nullified the effect of FGF added subsequently. FGF predictably increased expression of gsc and myoD. Vas expression was unaffected, while pou-2 expression decreased with time in culture in the presence or absence of FGF. However, in situ hybridization identified a subpopulation of cells expressing pou-2, suggesting the possible continued existence of undifferentiated stem cells in the cultures.
New players in TLR-mediated innate immunity: PI3K and small Rho GTPases.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a crucial role in the innate immune system as a first line of defense against pathogens. TLR activation in phagocytes produces pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that contribute directly to elimination of infectious agents and activation of adaptive immune responses. However, a sustained inflammatory response can result in tissue damage and generalized sepsis. This review summarizes the complex and sometimes conflicting links of TLR signaling with two important regulators of immune cells functions: phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) and small GTPases of the Rho family. A unified model of hierarchical organization of these signaling participants is still premature, given that the tools for delineating how control of TLR-mediated pathways is achieved are just emerging. Critical progress in our understanding of spatial-temporal propagation of TLR signaling will certainly be provided in the near future by pharmacological targeting of PI3Ks using recently characterized, second-generation PI3K inhibitors in combination with gene-targeting strategies for PI3K subunits and Rho GTPases targeted to the murine myeloid compartment.
Solid state fermentation of apple pomace for citric acid production

A solid state fermentation process is described for the production of citric acid from apple pomace byAspergillus niger NRRL 567. The yields of citric acid varied with the pomace varieties, and were dependent on (1) the amount of methanol present in the pomace, and (2) the fermentation time and temperature. The process yielded as much as 90 g citric acid/kg apple pomace fermented in the presence of 3–4% methanol at 30°C in five days.
GEOSAT altimeter sea-ice mapping

The efforts to use GEOSAT data to refine an ice index that is applicable to widely varying ice conditions are detailed. The sea-ice mapping requirements, the present US Navy ice-index operational utilization, and ongoing and future work that promises to provide additional sea-ice measurement capabilities are discussed. Possibilities include discrimination among water, land, ice, combination water/ice, and water/land, as well as distinguishing various ice concentrations and possibly ice types. Coincident airborne passive microwave and synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) data have been collected to test several methods which appear to be promising. >
Divergent cAMP Signaling Pathways Regulate Growth and Pathogenesis in the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe grisea

cAMP is involved in signaling appressorium formation in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea. However, null mutations in a protein kinase A (PKA) catalytic subunit gene, CPKA , do not block appressorium formation, and mutations in the adenylate cyclase gene have pleiotropic effects on growth, conidiation, sexual development, and appressorium formation. Thus, cAMP signaling plays roles in both growth and morphogenesis as well as in appressorium formation. To clarify cAMP signaling in M. grisea , we have identified strains in which a null mutation in the adenylate cyclase gene ( MAC1 ) has an unstable phenotype such that the bypass suppressors of the Mac1 − phenotype ( sum ) could be identified. sum mutations completely restore growth and sexual and asexual morphogenesis and lead to an ability to form appressoria under conditions inhibitory to the wild type. PKA assays and molecular cloning showed that one suppressor mutation ( sum1-99 ) alters a conserved amino acid in cAMP binding domain A of the regulatory subunit gene of PKA ( SUM1 ), whereas other suppressor mutations act independently of PKA activity. PKA assays demonstrated that the catalytic subunit gene, CPKA , encodes the only detectable PKA activity in M. grisea. Because CPKA is dispensable for growth, morphogenesis, and appressorium formation, divergent catalytic subunit genes must play roles in these processes. These results suggest a model in which both saprophytic and pathogenic growth of M. grisea is regulated by adenylate cyclase but different effectors of cAMP mediate downstream effects specific for either cell morphogenesis or pathogenesis.
Drug Use Among African American Teenagers and Their Mental Health

Drug use among African American youth has been found to be lower than in their White counterparts. However, little information exists on the correlation between drug use and mental health, especially among the African American population. This study is an analysis of data collected by the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to explore the prevalence of use of various drugs among African American youth and its co-occurrence of mental distress and mental disorders in comparison with White youth. Findings confirmed a low level of drug prevalence among the study population, a negative relationship of drug use and psychological distress, and different odds of co-occurring mental disorders as represented by overnight hospital stay for mental problems related to the use of different drugs. Whereas family structure, parental role, and religiosity are considered contributing factors to drug use, how they can explain the contradictory findings of comorbid issues from this study is questionable. Further rese...
Observational Evidence for the Coevolution of Galaxy Mergers, Quasars, and the Blue/Red Galaxy Transition

We compile a number of observations to estimate the time-averaged rate of formation or buildup of red sequence galaxies, as a function of mass and redshift. Comparing this with the mass functions of mergers and quasar hosts, and independently comparing their clustering properties as a function of redshift, we find that these populations trace the same mass distribution, with similar evolution, at redshifts 0 < z ≾ 1.5. Knowing one of the quasar, merger, or elliptical mass/luminosity functions, it is possible to predict the others. Allowing for greater model dependence, we compare the rate of early-type buildup with the implied merger and quasar triggering rates as a function of mass and redshift and find agreement. Over this redshift range, observed merger fractions can account for the entire bright quasar luminosity function and buildup of the red sequence at all but the highest masses at low redshift (≳ 10^(11) M_⊙ at z ≾ 0.3) where "dry" mergers appear to dominate. This supports a necessary prediction of theories where mergers between gas-rich galaxies produce ellipticals with an associated phase of quasar activity, after which the remnant becomes red. These populations trace a similar characteristic transition mass, possibly reflecting the mass above which the elliptical population is mostly (≳50%) assembled at a given redshift, which increases with redshift over the observed range in a manner consistent with suggestions that cosmic downsizing may apply to red galaxy assembly as well as star formation. These mass distributions as a function of redshift do not uniformly trace the all/red/blue galaxy population, ruling out models in which quasar activity is generically associated with star formation or is long lived in "old" systems.
Triggered Deformation and Seismic Activity under Mammoth Mountain in Long Valley Caldera by the 3 November 2002 Mw 7.9 Denali Fault Earthquake

The 3 November 2002 Mw 7.9 Denali fault earthquake triggered defor- mational offsets and microseismicity under Mammoth Mountain (MM) on the rim of Long Valley caldera, California, some 3460 km from the earthquake. Such strain offsets and microseismicity were not recorded at other borehole strain sites along the San Andreas fault system in California. The Long Valley offsets were recorded on borehole strainmeters at three sites around the western part of the caldera that includes Mammoth Mountain—a young volcano on the southwestern rim of the caldera. The largest recorded strain offsets were 0.1 microstrain at PO on the west side of MM, 0.05 microstrain at MX to the southeast of MM, and 0.025 microstrain at BS to the northeast of MM with negative strain extensional. High sample rate strain data show initial triggering of the offsets began at 22:30 UTC during the arrival of the first Rayleigh waves from the Alaskan earthquake with peak-to-peak dynamic strain amplitudes of about 2 microstrain corresponding to a stress amplitude of about 0.06 MPa. The strain offsets grew to their final values in the next 10 min. The associated triggered seismicity occurred beneath the south flank of MM and also began at 22:30 UTC and died away over the next 15 min. This relatively weak seismicity burst included some 60 small events with magnitude all less than M 1. While poorly constrained, these strain observations are consistent with triggered slip and intrusive opening on a north-striking normal fault centered at a depth of 8 km with a moment of 10 16 N m, or the equivalent of a M 4.3 earthquake. The cumulative seismic moment for the associated seismicity burst was more than three orders of magnitude smaller. These observations and this model resemble those for the triggered deformation and slip that occurred beneath the north side of MM following the 16 October 1999 M 7.1 Hector Mine, California, earthquake. However, in this case, we see little post-event slip decay reflected in the strain data after the Rayleigh-wave arrivals from the Denali fault earthquake and onset of triggered seismicity did not lag the triggered defor- mation by 20 min. These observations are also distinctly different from the more widespread and energetic seismicity and deformation triggered by the 1992 M 7.3 Landers earthquake in the Long Valley caldera. Thus, each of the three instances of remotely triggered unrest in Long Valley caldera recorded to date differ. In each case, however, the deformation moment inferred from the strain meter data was more than an order of magnitude larger than the cumulative moment for the associated triggered seismicity.
Employee wellness program marketing: an organizational theory perspective.

An employee wellness program (EWP) marketing system can be analyzed as an adhocracy, an organizational form proposed by Mintzberg and is characterized by sharing of power, mutual adjustment among its members, and ability to innovate. The design parameters of informal behavior, planning and control, liason, and decentralization appear to be particularly important to the success of EWPs.
Biomarker detection in the integration of multiple multi-class genomic studies

Motivation: Systematic information integration of multiple-related microarray studies has become an important issue as the technology becomes mature and prevalent in the past decade. The aggregated information provides more robust and accurate biomarker detection. So far, published meta-analysis methods for this purpose mostly consider two-class comparison. Methods for combining multi-class studies and considering expression pattern concordance are rarely explored. Results: In this article, we develop three integration methods for biomarker detection in multiple multi-class microarray studies: ANOVA-maxP, min-MCC and OW-min-MCC. We first consider a natural extension of combining P-values from the traditional ANOVA model. Since P-values from ANOVA do not guarantee to reflect the concordant expression pattern information across studies, we propose a multi-class correlation (MCC) measure to specifically seek for biomarkers of concordant inter-class patterns across a pair of studies. For both ANOVA and MCC approaches, we use extreme order statistics to identify biomarkers differentially expressed (DE) in all studies (i.e. ANOVA-maxP and min-MCC). The min-MCC method is further extended to identify biomarkers DE in partial studies by incorporating a recently developed optimally weighted (OW) technique (OW-min-MCC). All methods are evaluated by simulation studies and by three meta-analysis applications to multi-tissue mouse metabolism datasets, multi-condition mouse trauma datasets and multi-malignant-condition human prostate cancer datasets. The results show complementary strength of the three methods for different biological purposes. Availability: http://www.biostat.pitt.edu/bioinfo/ Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information:Supplementary data is available at Bioinformatics online.
Estimating Means of a Set of Measures from Small Samples by Using Multivariate Composite Estimating Concept—The Strong Heart Study ☆

In this study, we describe a method employing the multivariate composite estimating (MCE) concept to estimate the means of a set of measurements based on small samples from different groups in a population as well as the grand means of the measurements for the population. The advantages of these estimators over simple averages used in the literature are that they have lower mean squared errors, and they improve on simple averages by taking account of variations and correlations among the set of measurements as well as differences among groups. An application to the Strong Heart Study baseline exam data is provided.
When competence and love are at stake: Achievement goals and perceived closeness to parents in an achievement context

In two studies, college students’ achievement goals were linked to their perceptions of closeness to their parents following an exam. In Study 1, mastery-approach goals positively predicted perceived closeness immediately after an exam, prior to receiving feedback. In Study 2, mastery-approach goals again positively predicted perceived closeness, but performance–avoidance goals interacted with exam performance in predicting closeness. Specifically, poor exam performance predicted feeling distant from parents among those high in performance–avoidance goals but not among those low in performance–avoidance goals. This suggests that parental attachment may be involved in the achievement strivings of adults.
Evolution of Dispersal: Theoretical Models and Empirical Tests Using Birds and Mammals

A fundamental question related to ecological and genetic aspects of dispersal is: What are the mechanisms for the evolution of dispersal? In recent years a prodigious number of mathematical models have described the evolution of dispersal. We believe that it is a propitious time to examine these models with respect to their underlying assumptions (Table 1), critical parameters, and predictions. Our objective is to elucidate common themes as well as differences in these models, and to present them in a manner comprehensible to individuals who lack extensive mathematical training, so that others might be encouraged to perform critical experiments in the field. We conclude the review with a summary of empirical work that uses data on birds
F-16 failure detection isolation and estimation study

The authors discuss the evaluation of a modified multiple hypothesis FDIE (failure detection, isolation, and estimation) scheme in a high-fidelity nonlinear six-degree-of-freedom F-16 simulation. They present examples of detection of horizontal tail failure at an air combat maneuver entry flight condition and rudder failure while maneuvering at supersonic speed and low altitude. The simulation results indicate that the FDIE can function properly within a fraction of a second. Thus, further control law reconfiguration and positive pilot alert are possible to benefit the F-16's combat capabilities. >
A review of research on the development of lake indices of biotic integrity

Current methods of ecological health assessment of lakes within the United States are not adequate for meeting the requirements of the 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA) and assessing the condition of aqua...
Impact of the Closure of a Large Urban Medical Center: A Quantitative Assessment (Part II)

This community health needs assessment—the first part of a mixed-methods project—sought to qualitatively examine the impact of the closure of St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center, a large not-for-profit hospital in NYC, on individuals who used its services. Key informant interviews with organizational leaders and focus groups with residents were conducted to understand hospital utilization, unmet health care needs, health care utilization and experiences post closure, perceptions of the most significant effect of the closing, and recommendations for improving health care in the community. Most respondents spoke positively of the hospital’s accessibility, comprehensive, high-quality services, and its close relationship with the community. Conversely, experiences post-closure were largely negative, including decreased access, interrupted care, and loss of emergency and specialty care. Lack of information concerning medical records reflected a larger problem of poor planning and community outreach. Another issue was widespread anxiety in a community now lacking a hospital. Further, while the hospital’s closure might cause inconveniences, these effects were described as more daunting to vulnerable groups. Our findings provide a consistent picture of a hospital highly regarded by residents, patients, and leaders of several health and social services organizations. Regardless of whether it should have been permitted to close (as raised by many respondents), the lack of advance planning and outreach to community members and patients remains a major criticism. Coordinated efforts to provide the community with information about health and social services in the area will respond to a clear need while reducing some of the complexity encountered with utilizing local health care services.
Self-calibration technique for reduction of hold failures in low-power nano-scaled SRAM

Increasing source voltage (source-biasing) is an efficient technique for reducing gate and sub-threshold leakage of SRAM arrays. However, due to process variation, a higher source voltage can significantly increase data flipping in standby mode (hold failures) resulting in faulty memories. This imposes serious concerns in reducing standby power with source-bias. In this paper, we analyze the effect of source bias on hold failures under both inter-die and intra-die variations. We propose a self-calibrating SRAM for aggressively reducing leakage while maintaining the hold failures under control.
191: Difference in the activation of IFN gene expression in response to influenza A and B virus entry

Activation of interferon (IFN) system, which is triggered largely by the recognition of viral nucleic acids, is one of the most important host defense reactions against viral infection. Both influenza A and B viruses have a negative strand RNA genome and they possess significant structural similarities. However, influenza A and B viruses are evolutionally diverged with complete genetic incompatibility. We analysed the mechanisms of activation of innate immunity during the infection with type A and B influenza viruses in human dendritic cells. We have previously shown that IFN responses are induced significantly faster in cells infected with influenza B virus than type A virus. We demonstrated that influenza A virus infection activates IFN responses only after the viral RNA (vRNA) synthesis, whereas influenza B virus induces IFN responses even if the infectivity of the virus is destroyed by UV treatment. Thus, initial viral transcription, replication and viral protein synthesis are not required for influenza B virus-induced antiviral responses. Furthermore, we observed that the early induction of IFN gene expression by influenza B virus is mediated by multiple signalling pathways with strong dependency on NF-κB transcription factor in addition to IRF3. The disturbance of endosomal acidification prevented IFN induction suggesting cytosolic recognition of incoming influenza B virus structures to be important in regulating IFN gene expression. Moreover, influenza B virus NP located in the nuclei already at 15 min postinfection whereas the NP from incoming type A virus was found in nuclear fractions at later time points of infection and in significantly lesser extent. Collectively, our data provides new evidence of the mechanisms of influenza B virus recognition by the host cell providing new insights in the understanding of the pathogenesis of different influenza virus types.
Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV mediated antagonism of BMP signaling regulates lineage and survival of hematopoietic progenitors

In the current study, we show that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play a role in hematopoiesis that is independent of their function in specifying ventral mesodermal fate. When BMP activity is upregulated or inhibited in Xenopus embryos hematopoietic precursors are specified properly but few mature erythrocytes are generated. Distinct cellular defects underlie this loss of erythrocytes: inhibition of BMP activity induces erythroid precursors to undergo apoptotic cell death, whereas constitutive activation of BMPs causes an increase in commitment of hematopoietic progenitors to myeloid differentiation and a concomitant decrease in erythrocytes that is not due to enhanced apoptosis. These blood defects are observed even when BMP activity is misregulated solely in non-hematopoietic (ectodermal) cells, demonstrating that BMPs generate extrinsic signals that regulate hematopoiesis independent of mesodermal patterning. Further analysis revealed that endogenous calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CaM KIV) is required to negatively modulate hematopoietic functions of BMPs downstream of receptor activation. Our data are consistent with a model in which CaM KIV inhibits BMP signals by activating a substrate, possibly cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), that recruits limiting amounts of CREB binding protein (CBP) away from transcriptional complexes functioning downstream of BMPs.
From Presentations to Publications

Many professionals make presentations at conferences but comparatively few take the next step and transform an oral presentation into a written and publishable piece. This chapter is based on numerous presentations made at international conferences on the topic “From Presentation to Publication.” One of the most frequent questions at any session on writing for publication is how to generate multiple projects from a single review of the literature. In this chapter, we answer that question by leading the reader through the process of converting a successful conference presentation into a publication.
Three Jewish Narrative Strategies in Humboldt’s Gift

Few admirers of Saul Bellow have not encountered, in one of its variations, his famous disclaimer. One version is: "This whole Jewish writer business is sheer invention-by the media, by critics and by 'scholars.' It never even passes through my mind. I'm well aware of being Jewish and also of being an American and of being a writer. But I'm also a hockey fan, a fact which nobody ever mentions."' What is it that enables critics to acknowledge Bellow's discomfort with this label and then proceed to classify him with other JewishAmerican writers in spite of his obvious reluctance to be so defined? Bellow is prominently featured in a recent collection called JewishAmerican Stories.2 The editor justifies the inclusion of Bellow's story, "The Old System," on the grounds of its subject. It shows the familial tensions in two generations of Russian-Jewish immigrants. Although it richly details Orthodox rituals including a consultation with a learned rabbi, it is Jewish in deeper ways. Its underlying structure shares with all of Bellow's fiction three narrative strategies derived from the Yiddish storytellers. These definitive structures are: a characteristic narrative perspective, a characteristic mode of ordering the events, and a characteristic mode of closure. That is, Bellow uses a Jewish point of view, a Jewish plot, and a Jewish ending. These authorial techniques are what mark him as a Jewish writer whatever his subject. How this deep structure disqualifies all disclaimers becomes quite apparent in Bellow's latest novel, Humboldt's Gift. It is quite possible that Bellow's own sensitivity on the point led him to minimize the pronounced Jewishness of the character based upon Delmore Schwartz. Although Bellow recorded his appearance, his conversation, his behavior with incredible accuracy, he deliberately underplayed Delmore's self-chosen role of quintessential Jew. A contrast of Bellow's fictionalized memoir with Schwartz's biography makes clear how careful Bellow has been not to present Schwartz as a Jewish writer.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Epidemiological and Early Clinical Signs are Keys to Treatment and Reduced Mortality

From 1980 to 1984 Rickettsia rickettsiae, the etiologic agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), caused about forty deaths annually in the United States. With 1980 as a sample year, this mortality considerably exceeds the combined number of deaths (not rates) that result from typhoid fever, tularemia, brucellosis, plague, murine typhus, and psittacosis. For each of these serious infectious diseases, there is an effective cure. The only specified treatable, notifiable diseases that exceeded RMSF in annual numbers of deaths per total number of reported cases (1980) were meningococcal infections (384/2,840), syphilis (154/27,204), and tuberculosis (1,987/27,749) [1]. Yet, fatalities occur, many of which could have been prevented with earlier clinical detection and initiation of proper treatment. It is not possible to prevent a certain number of deaths, even if we have an effective cure for any infectious disease; yet, with RMSF it should be possible to reduce the mortality of r4%-8% (varies with age and lack of appropriate therapy) and improve morbidity significantly. In the era before chemotherapy and enlightened supportive care, percentages of deaths from RMSF were high in adults, reaching 70% in some instances [2]. Moreover, earlier assumptions that the illness was mild and relatively nonfatal in children is false. Beginning with chloramphenicol in 1948 [3], and soon thereafter with chlortetracycline, the first tetracycline [4], drastic reductions in mortality and morbidity accrued [5]. Yet, it was apparent that supportive care for the seriously ill had to be planned and delivered rationally because of the patient's compromised vascular system, which resulted from the widespread vasculitis. Hence, when specific chemotherapy was coupled with supportive care, there were considerably fewer deaths; use of
New Trojan Horse Communication Model Based on WebMail System

Communication technologies of Trojan horses are studied, and a communication model using WebMail system as a broker is proposed. With the model, the controlled end of the Trojan horse accesses WebMail systems in Internet by HTTP and can easily pass through the firewall of LAN. The controller does not need public or fixed IP addresses, so it can work well in places like cybercafe. To validate the model and evaluate its hazard, a prototype Trojan horse is designed. Some advices on protection against this kind of Trogan horse.
Computer science should stay young

Seeking to improve computer science publication culture while retaining the best aspects of the conference and journal publication processes.
Effects of Sow-Crate Design on Health and Performance of Sows and Piglets

The effects of sow-crate design on certain health and performance traits of 211 sows and their piglets were evaluated with a 2 X 2 X 4 factorial arrangement of crate width (narrow [N = 55 cm] or wide [W = 64] between lowest horizontal pipes), length (short [S = 183 cm] or long [L = 198] from rump stop to front gate) and side type (lower side of sow crate "fingered" [F], "bowed" bottom bar--marking the sow zone 19.3 cm wider at the bottom--20 cm above the floor [B], or straight bottom bar 20 cm [S20] or 25 cm above the floor [S25]). Between d 107 to 110 postcoitum and d 21 postpartum, no crate design variable affected the sow's body-weight change, but side type tended to affect the most prominent head-neck and leg integumentary lesions. Number of stillborn piglets/litter was greater with W crates than with N, except with crates having S20 sides, and was greater with L crates than with S. More piglets were crushed to death in W crates than N crates, and stillbirth frequency was greater in L crates than in S, but overall preweaning piglet mortality was affected by no crate-design feature. At both 7 and 21 d of age, piglets' knee lesions were most severe with S20 crates and least with S25, whereas face-lesion score was unaffected by crate design. Piglet body weight at age 21 d was least with S20 crates and greatest with F and S25. No crate-design variable affected within-litter variation in piglet growth rate. Sow-crate design affected important health and performance traits of piglets through postnatal d 21.
Control of a fuel cell vehicle using adaptive sliding mode control: Servomotor application

The paper deals with controlling an electric power system comprised of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) and boost DC-DC power converter in order to control servomotor speed within a vehicle application. Relative degree approach is applied for direct control of the output load voltage and servomotor speed, as well as the PEMFC current in the presence of the model uncertainties. The system's zero dynamics are analyzed and appear to be stable. The adaptive-gain twisting sliding mode controllers control the current in PEMFC and the servomotor speed. The conventional Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) is designed for controlling the output voltage of the converter. The efficiency and robustness of the proposed SMC and 2-adaptive-gain twisting SMC are confirmed via computer simulations.
Deconstructing the "I" and "SLA" in ISLA: One Curricular Approach.

Instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) has been referenced in the larger field of the SLA literature for over two and a half decades. Currently, there are several theoretical underpinnings accounting for processes assumed to play a role in ISLA and quite an impressive number of studies have empirically addressed some aspect(s) of ISLA. Recently, a lengthy and relatively cohesive treatise of this substrand of SLA research in relation to both theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical perspectives has been published in two books (cf. Leow, 2015a; Loewen, 2015), and a new model of the L2 learning process in ISLA has been proposed (Leow, 2015a). These publications are timely and important given that the concept of ISLA not only needs to be clearly defined but also situated contextually. To this end, this article (a) revisits current definitions of ISLA in the SLA literature with the aim of identifying specific features of ISLA that underlie such definitions, (b) deconstructs ISLA by probing deeper into what comprises the terms instructed and SLA in ISLA, (c) provides a brief summary of the cognitive processes and variables postulated by the theoretical underpinnings of ISLA and pertinent empirical research, (d) recommends that ISLA be observed from one curricular approach together with its empirical and pedagogical ramifications, and (e) provides some measure of direction future ISLA research may follow.
Fraction Multiplication and Division Models: A Practitioner Reference Paper

It is well documented in literature that rational number is an important area of understanding in mathematics. Therefore, it follows that teachers and students need to have an understanding of rational number and related concepts such as fraction multiplication and division. This practitioner reference paper examines models that are important to elementary and middle school teachers and students in the learning and understanding of fraction multiplication and division.
Longitudinal associations among family environment, neural cognitive control, and social competence among adolescents

During adolescence, prefrontal cortex regions, important in cognitive control, undergo maturation to adapt to changing environmental demands. Ways through which social-ecological factors contribute to adolescent neural cognitive control have not been thoroughly examined. We hypothesize that household chaos is a context that may modulate the associations among parental control, adolescent neural cognitive control, and developmental changes in social competence. The sample involved 167 adolescents (ages 13–14 at Time 1, 53% male). Parental control and household chaos were measured using adolescents’ questionnaire data, and cognitive control was assessed via behavioral performance and brain imaging at Time 1. Adolescent social competence was reported by adolescents at Time 1 and at Time 2 (one year later). Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that higher parental control predicted better neural cognitive control only among adolescents living in low-chaos households. The association between poor neural cognitive control at Time 1 and social competence at Time 2 (after controlling for social competence at Time 1) was significant only among adolescents living in high-chaos households. Household chaos may undermine the positive association of parental control with adolescent neural cognitive control and exacerbate the detrimental association of poor neural cognitive control with disrupted social competence development.
Convalescence, Mourning, and Sociality

This chapter examines Nietzsche’s concept of convalescence by comparing it with the Freudian work of mourning. In contrast with influential subjectivist readings of Nietzsche—specifically those of Derrida and Deleuze—the comparison with Freud helps to show the suffered nature of socio-historically embedded subjectivity. In his preoccupation with convalescence , Nietzsche is articulating the conditions for the possibility of the overcoming of our bad culture. For Freud , the mournful slowly decathect from all subtle attachments to the lost object ; similarly, the convalescent undergoes a sustained decathexis from ressentiment . That this ordeal is conditioned by its relational context implies an imperative to transform social conditions.
Empirically Assessing the Impact of Photo Identification at the Polls Through An Examination of Provisional Balloting

Despite the Supreme Court's opinion from last term in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, it seems like the debate over laws that require prospective voters at the polls to present government-issued photo identification will continue to rage in both legislatures and courtrooms throughout America. However, one of the fundamental missing pieces in this debate is an empirical assessment of how many prospective voters are unable to cast a countable ballot because of photo identification laws. This article analyzes data related to the 2008 Indiana primary election to determine: (1) how many voters arrived at the polling place without a photo identification and then cast a provisional ballot; and (2) how many of the photo identification-related provisional ballots were ultimately counted. Importantly, the analysis presented here takes a unique empirical approach because as part of this research actual documents related to provisional ballots were obtained. In the end, it is estimated that at the 2008 primary election nearly 400 persons cast provisional ballots because they lacked photo identification and the vast majority (80% of those ballots) were not counted. After presenting the numbers, this Article concludes with a discussion of the limits of this study and how opponents and proponents of photo identification might employ this research in the ongoing debate over photo identification.
RFID-Based Asset Management of Time and Temperature Sensitive Materials

RFID technology enables tracking of individual assets throughout the supply chain and real-time inventory management. However, the potential benefits cannot be realized until +99 % read rate is achieved. The radio frequency interference, signal fading, and harsh environment often result in not detected items, and subsequently incorrect asset management decisions. This paper presents a novel RFID-based smart freezer with a new inventory management scheme for extremely low temperature environments. The proposed solution utilizes a distributed inventory control (DIC) scheme, systematic selection of antenna configuration, and antenna power control in order to addresses those challenges. The performance of the DIC scheme is guaranteed using a Lyapunov-based analysis and verified in simulations and experiments on industrial freezer test bed operating at −100 °F. The proposed RFID antenna configuration design methodology coupled with locally asymptotically stable distributed power control (LASDPC) ensures a 99 % read rate of items while minimizing the required number of RFID antennas in the confined cold chain environments with non-RF friendly materials.
Multi-Informant and Multicultural Advances in Evidence-Based Assessment of Students’ Behavioral/Emotional/Social Difficulties

Abstract. This article presents practical tools for evidence-based assessment of students’ behavioral/emotional/social difficulties and strengths in culturally sensitive ways. The assessment instruments obtain teacher, parent, and student ratings, plus observations in classrooms and other group settings, in interviews, and in testing sessions. To document differences in students’ functioning in school and other contexts, plus differences between teacher, parent, and student perspectives, users can display cross-informant comparisons of ratings of specific difficulties items. Users can also display cross-informant comparisons between bar graphs of scores on empirically derived syndromes, DSM-oriented scales, Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems. Scale scores are standardized according to norms for students’ gender and age, type of informant (teacher, parent, student), and multicultural norms. Multicultural norms are based on teacher, parent, and student ratings of population samples of students...