cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The rationalization of meaning and understanding: Davidson and Habermas

To the doctrinal schisms that always divided philosophers, the twen tieth century added a cultural rift that bifurcated the philosophical world into mutually indifferent factions. Alongside the differences in interests and tradition which still separate Anglo-American from Continental philosophy, however, there are many areas of in vestigation which they share. Prominent among these is the analysis of meaning and understanding, which has been among the central, if not the central, concern in both traditions this century. It is this area of philosophy, accordingly, that contains especially promising possibili ties for the rapprochement that is already underway. This is evidenced by the recent convergence in the doctrines of two philosophers, each a prominent member of one of the two traditions. Donald Davidson's theory of meaning forms one of the major paradigms in analytic philosophy of language. Its two most salient features are, first, construing meaning as given by truth conditions, and, second, treating understanding as an undertaking that necessarily finds its object to be rational. J?rgen Habermas has recently produced a theory of meaning and understanding that has two highly similar features and that draws out the consequences attending the second.1 For him, meaning is constituted by satisfaction or validity conditions, and understanding is essentially a critical undertaking. Despite their differences, these two philosophers form a united front extending across the Anglo-Continental divide, a front which can be labeled "the rationalization of meaning and understanding". Davidson and Habermas not only share a theory of meaning and understanding, but they do so within the framework of highly similar projects. For Davidson, one cannot understand another person's actions unless one can interpret his or her speech. Understanding language, in other words, is part of the wider project of understanding miman beings. So Davidson advances the idea that a theory of interpretation, together with a theory of decision, form a comprehen sive theory for interpreting human action in general.2 Habermas, too, aims at a comprehensive theory of action, in particular social action.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Hatched and Fed by a Red-winged Blackbird

Abstract I observed a Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) nest in southcentral Wisconsin, USA that received a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) egg. The cuckoo egg was laid after the blackbird clutch was complete and the female had begun incubation. The parasitic egg was considerably different in size and color, but was accepted by the female Red-winged Blackbird. The female, but not the male, also cared for the nestling, which was strikingly different in plumage, gape markings, and begging behavior, and which grew despite its 3–4 day hatching delay relative to its nest mates. Rapid development and exaggerated begging behavior of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo nestling may enable a parasitic cuckoo nestling to compete successfully with host nestlings for food.
Micro-Particle Fabrication for Tissue Engineering Applications Using Rapid Prototyping and Soft Lithography Principles

The goal of this study was to develop an efficient and repeatable process for fabrication of micro-particles from multiple materials using rapid prototyping and soft lithography. Phase change three-dimensional printing was used to create masters for PDMS molds. A photocrosslinkable polymer was then delivered into these molds to fabricate geometrically complex three-dimensional micro-particles. This repeatable process has demonstrated the ability to generate micro-particles with greater than 95% repeatability with complete pattern transfer. This process was illustrated for three shapes based on the extrusion of two-dimensional shapes. These particles will allow for tailoring of the pore shapes within a porous scaffold utilized in tissue engineering applications. In addition, the different shapes may allow control of drug release by varying the surface to volume ratio, which could modulate drug delivery. While soft lithography is currently used with photolithography, its high precision is offset by high cost of production. The employment of rapid prototyping to a specific resolution offers a much less expensive alternative with increased throughput due to the speed of current rapid prototyping systems.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease in 15 Arab children

The study includes 15 children (8 males, 7 females) with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (APRKD) whose ages at diagnosis ranged from 2 days to 7 years (median 10 months). Eleven (73.3%) patients were hypertensive on admission and 1 developed hypertension 4 months later; 5 patients became normotensive after receiving treatment for 18–36 months (mean 23.2 months). Patients were followed for a period of 1–48 months (mean 20.9 months). Glomerular filtration rate remained normal in 7 patients, improved in 4 and deteriorated in 1. Two patients died soon after diagnosis and 1 was lost to follow-up and is assumed dead. Of the 4 patients less than 6 months old at the time of diagnosis, only 1 is alive compared with 10 of 11 presenting after 6 months of age. The cumulative chance of survival from the time of diagnosis was 85% at 3 months and 77% at 6 months. The study highlights the reversible nature of hypertension in ARPKD. Survival is better in patients older than 6 months at the time of diagnosis and those surviving 6 months follow-up.
Vibrational Quenching of Glory Undulations in Scattering of Na from Polyatomic Gases

The velocity dependence of total cross sections has been measured for the molecular‐beam scattering of Na atoms from Ar, Kr, and eight polyatomic gases. The glory undulations observed for Ar and Kr agree well with other recent work. The molecular systems studied fall into three categories with regard to the appearance of undulations: (a) strong: CF4, SiF4, C2F6, and BF3; (b) weak: GeH4 and C4F8; and (c) very weak or absent: C(CH3)4 and CF3Cl. It seems plausible that damping of the undulations occurs when the polarizability of the molecule changes appreciably during a relatively slow vibration. A semiempirical quench parameter q is defined for molecules of the form ABn to give a relative measure of the effectiveness of spherically symmetric vibrations in damping the glory undulations. q is proportional to (1) an estimate of the derivative of the polarizability with respect to the symmetric stretching coordinate; (2) a semiclassical measure of the vibration amplitude; and (3) the inverse of the symmetric stretching frequency. The values of q for molecules studied here are in qualitative agreement with our experimental results.
Substituent effects on the nonradical reactivity of 4-dehydropyridinium cation.

Recent studies have shown that the reactivity of the 4-dehydropyridinium cation significantly differs from the reactivities of its isomers toward tetrahydrofuran. While only hydrogen atom abstracti...
Operant conditioning of trigeminally-evoked cortical potentials: correlated effects on facial nociception.

Abstract The effects of operant conditioning somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) amplitude on nociceptive sensitivity were studied in albino rats. SEPs were evoked by stimulation to the descending trigeminal tract. Rewarding medial forebrain bundle stimulation (at intensities predetermined to sustain bar pressing) was made contingent upon the animal making the amplitude of the SEP 0.5 standard deviation (S.D.) larger (uptraining) or 0.5 S.D. smaller (downtraining) than the predetermined mean value. Nociceptive sensitivity was measured immediately following the conditioning session by heating the rat's face and noting the latency of a defensive face rubbing response directed at the area of the face. Increasing the amplitude of the SEP (uptraining) was associated with a decrease in noxious sensitivity. Decreasing the amplitude of the SEP (downtraining) was associated with an increase in noxious sensitivity.
Pathology of spleen and liver in turkeys inoculated with Escherichia coli.

Lesions of spleen and liver were studied by light and electron microscopy in 3-week-old turkeys inoculated intravenously with Escherichia coli. Spleen and liver of turkeys given avirulent E. coli were hyperaemic and had increased numbers of heterophils. Aggregates of heterophils were in the splenic red pulp and hepatic sinusoids. Turkeys given virulent strains of E. coli had intense heterophil infiltration in spleen and slightly increased numbers of heterophils in liver. In these spleens, reticular sheaths . (ellipsoids) contained large aggregates of heterophils, fibrin, and thrombocytes 2 to 8 hours postinoculation. Turkeys given virulent E. coli and killed in extremis had hypaeremic red pulp and fibrinopurulent exudates and haemorrhage in splenic white pulp. Livers of birds killed in extremis were turgid, friable and engorged with dark blood. Centrolobular hepatocytes were individualised and vacuolated. The dilated sinusoids contained fibrin, erythrocytes, heterophils and bacterial colonies. Phagosomes of hepatic macrophages contained up to 10 structurally normal bacilli, whereas heterophils contained bacilli with altered cell walls. Thrombi, composed of thrombocyte aggregates and fibrin, were common in small hepatic veins. These studies indicate that early bacteraemia with virulent E. coli leads to intense fibrinopurulent splenitis. Progressive bacteraemia is associated with pooling of blood in viscera, intravascular coagulation, and venous thrombosis and bacterial colonisation in liver.
Cellular suppression of murine ADCC and NK activities induced by Corynebacterium parvum.

Administration of a single dose of C. parvum (CP) induces depression of splenic NK activity in mice after a lag period of 3–5 days and this depression lasts about 2 weeks. The depressed levels of NK activity noted in this study depended on time of CP administration and were associated with the induction of suppressor cell activity. Neonatally thymectomized or sublethally irradiated mice had unimpaired ability to generate suppressor cells following CP treatment. Depletion of adherent/phagocytic cells by carbonyl iron plus magnetism, Sephadex G-10 filtration, or both neither enriched NK activity nor removed suppressor activity from the spleens of CP-treated mice. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against lymphoma targets was also depressed in CP-treated mice, accompanied by a concomitant appearance of suppressor cells that interfere with ADCC at the effector level.
Processing flow behavior and modeling of polyethylene melts

This paper presents experimental observations and numerical simulations of six polyethylene melts with different molecular structures in the planar flow with a confined slit. The polyethylene melts investigated include three low-density polyethylene grades (LDPE), two high density polyethylene grades (HDPE), and one linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). The objectives are to reveal the differences in the rheological and processing flow properties of these polyethylene melts, and correlate those properties with their molecular structures. Through this study, the author would also like to present a successful approach using simple shear data, in terms of a Wagner integral constitutive equation, to predict processing flow behaviors of polymer melts at a reasonable accuracy.
A 0.5-to-3 GHz Software-Defined Radio Receiver Using Discrete-Time RF Signal Processing

A software-defined radio (SDR) wireless receiver leveraging discrete-time (DT) RF signal processing is introduced. The proposed DT signal processor, which applies switched capacitor techniques to radio frequencies, achieves harmonic rejection, image rejection, and frequency translation simultaneously. A frequency tunable high-Q 2nd-order bandpass input impedance is synthesized by the DT RF signal processor, which enhances the front-end interference rejection and frequency selectivity. A proof-of-concept SDR receiver prototype, including a 65 nm LP CMOS chip and a custom designed board, is presented. The highly programmable chip allows independent control of individual block parameters and bias operating points for optimum performance under various signal scenarios. The 0.5-to-3 GHz SDR receiver achieves out-of-band IIP3 > 11 dBm, IIP2 > 46 dBm, uncalibrated 3rd and 5th order harmonic rejection exceeding 46 dB and 51 dB, respectively, and can handle up to -5 dBm blockers with less than 5 dB degradation in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) when the blocker offset frequency is 10 times the signal bandwidth irrespective of the center frequency.
Induced pluripotent stem cells as a source of hepatocytes

During the past decade, a series of discoveries has established the potential of the so called terminally differentiated cells to transition to more primitive progenitor cells. The dramatic demonstration of the ability to reprogram differentiated somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) that can then give rise to cells of all three germ layers has opened the possibility of generating virtually any cell type in culture, from any given individual. Taking advantage of these concepts, researchers have generated iPSCs by reprogramming a wide variety of somatic cells. In addition to their practical implications, these studies have provided crucial insights into the mechanism of cell plasticity that underlies the transition from one cell type to another. Using concepts derived from research on embryological development, investigators have differentiated iPSCs to cells resembling hepatocytes in many ways. Such hepatocyte-like cells could be of enormous value in disease modeling, drug discovery and regenerative medicine. However, the currently available methods do not yield cells that fully reproduce the characteristics of adult primary hepatocytes. Thus generating hepatocytes from iPSCs is very much a work in progress. In addition to chronicling these exciting developments, this review will discuss the emergent new approaches to generating iPSCs, improving their differentiation to hepatocyte-like cells and maintaining the hepatocyte-like cells in culture for longer survival and better function.
A particulate isotopic standard of uranium and plutonium in an aluminosilicate matrix

Mixed-actinide microstandard particles have been produced for calibration and performance testing of isotope-ratio mass spectrometers and ion and electron microprobe instruments. The spherical micrometer-size particles consist of an aluminosilicate matrix loaded with 2.2% by weight of isotopically certified uranium and 0.11% by weight of isotopically certified plutonium. The uranium and plutonium isotopic compositions have been verified by both thermal ionization mass spectrometry and secondary ionization mass spectrometry (SIMS). The elemental composition of the microspheres has been determined by both electron microprobe and SIMS analysis.
3D reconstruction from a monocular vision system for unmanned ground vehicles

In this paper we present a 3D reconstruction technique designed to support an autonomously navigated unmanned system. The algorithm and methods presented focus on the 3D reconstruction of a scene, with color and distance information, using only a single moving camera. In this way, the system may provide positional self-awareness for navigation within a known, GPS-denied area. It can also be used to construct a new model of unknown areas. Existing 3D reconstruction methods for GPS-denied areas often rely on expensive inertial measurement units to establish camera location and orientation. The algorithm proposed---after the preprocessing tasks of stabilization and video enhancement---performs Speeded-Up Robust Feature extraction, in which we locate unique stable points within every frame. Additional features are extracted using an optical flow method, with the resultant points fused and pruned based on several quality metrics. Each unique point is then tracked through the video sequence and assigned a disparity value used to compute the depth for each feature within the scene. The algorithm also assigns each feature point a horizontal and vertical coordinate using the camera's field of views specifications. From this, a resultant point cloud consists of thousands of feature points plotted from a particular camera position and direction, generated from pairs of sequential frames. The proposed method can use the yaw, pitch and roll information calculated from visual cues within the image data to accurately compute location and orientation. This positioning information enables the reconstruction of a robust 3D model particularly suitable for autonomous navigation and mapping tasks.
Exploring the Contribution of Estrogen to Amyloid-Beta Regulation: A Novel Multifactorial Computational Modeling Approach

According to the amyloid hypothesis, Alzheimer Disease results from the accumulation beyond normative levels of the peptide amyloid-β (Aβ). Perhaps because of its pathological potential, Aβ and the enzymes that produce it are heavily regulated by the molecular interactions occurring within cells, including neurons. This regulation involves a highly complex system of intertwined normative and pathological processes, and the sex hormone estrogen contributes to it by influencing the Aβ-regulation system at many different points. Owing to its high complexity, Aβ regulation and the contribution of estrogen are very difficult to reason about. This report describes a computational model of the contribution of estrogen to Aβ regulation that provides new insights and generates experimentally testable and therapeutically relevant predictions. The computational model is written in the declarative programming language known as Maude, which allows not only simulation but also analysis of the system using temporal-logic. The model illustrates how the various effects of estrogen could work together to reduce Aβ levels, or prevent them from rising, in the presence of pathological triggers. The model predicts that estrogen itself should be more effective in reducing Aβ than agonists of estrogen receptor α (ERα), and that agonists of ERβ should be ineffective. The model shows how estrogen itself could dramatically reduce Aβ, and predicts that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should provide a small additional benefit. It also predicts that certain compounds, but not others, could augment the reduction in Aβ due to estrogen. The model is intended as a starting point for a computational/experimental interaction in which model predictions are tested experimentally, the results are used to confirm, correct, and expand the model, new predictions are generated, and the process continues, producing a model of ever increasing explanatory power and predictive value.
MICROBIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF GROUND PORK PREPARED AND STORED USING THE SOUS VIDE METHOD OF FOOD PROCESSING

The sous vide method of food processing involves placing raw or partially cooked products in a pouch, removing the air, sealing, cooking and then chilling the product for an extended time. This method provides an ideal environment for growth of some pathogenic bacteria. The purpose of this study was to determine the microbiological quality of a ground pork product using the sous vide method of processing. Patties prepared with and without soy hulls were cooked at 62 or 76C and stored chilled for 0, 1, 2 and 3 weeks. Samples were monitored for Listeria spp. with aerobic plate counts (APCs) and coliform counts also being determined. Moisture, pH and fat content of ground pork were measured. For the raw product, no statistically significant difference was found for coliforms, APCs or pH for the 12 trials of the experiment. Listeria spp. were not isolated from the raw product. Statistically significant differences were only found for fat and moisture. No coliforms were found in cooked patties or in cooked patties stored over the 3-week period. However, statistically significant differences were noted for APCs. Over the 3-week storage period, pork patties prepared with and without soy hulls and cooked at the higher temperature had lower APCs than patties cooked at the lower temperature. Pork patties cooked at the lower temperature had unacceptable levels of APCs for all weeks of chilled storage. Sous vide products made under carefully controlled conditions can be of good microbiological quality, even when stored up to 3 weeks.
Demanding Work — The Paradox of Job Quality in the Affluent Economy – Francis Green

Books reviewed: Demanding Work — The Paradox of Job Quality in the Affluent Economy by Francis Green. Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2006, xiii + 225 pp., ISBN 0 6911 17128, £26.95.
Engineering ethos in environmental public policy deliberation

Public policy deliberations are often informed by expert testimony. We explore the role of engineering judgment in the 2013 Congressional hearing on regulating the disposal of coal ash waste. We conclude that engineering testimony in a public policy debate suffers from a reductive, dichotomous distinction between technical judgment and policy ideas-a distinction based on the false assumption that engineers deliver professional verdicts that transcend economic and political interests. We propose that the most credible technical expert in a public policy deliberation is the engineer capable of acknowledging that technical expertise is not disinterested-that complicated interests and incommensurable goals are unavoidable. Consequently, educators preparing student engineers for professional practice are obliged to teach the rhetorical tools enabling students to recognize the interaction of engineering judgment and public policy and the myth of technical objectivity.
Rho-dependent Termination within the trp t‘ Terminator. I. Effects of Rho Loading and Template Sequence†

About one-half of the terminators of the Escherichia coli genome require transcription termination factor rho to function. Here we use the very "diffuse" trp t' terminator of E. coli to show that both template sequence and transcript secondary structure are involved in controlling the template positions and efficiencies of rho-dependent termination. Termination begins in the wild-type trp t' terminator sequence approximately 97 bps downstream of the promoter under our standard reaction conditions, and termination efficiencies for individual positions on three related templates have been determined in the form of quantitative patterns of rho-dependent RNA release. Comparison of these patterns shows that the rho-dependent termination efficiency at individual template positions depends primarily on the nucleotide sequence at and near the putative 3' end of the transcript, although these efficiencies can also be influenced by RNA sequence elements located further upstream. The amplitudes of the peaks of the RNA release patterns at specific template positions are controlled primarily by the effectiveness of the binding of the rho hexamer to the "rho loading site" of the transcript. Introduction of a stable element of secondary structure into the nascent RNA within the loading site both shifts the position of initial rho-dependent termination downstream and decreases the amplitudes of the peaks of the RNA release pattern at the corresponding sequences. These results and others are consistent with the view that rho-dependent terminators contain two essential components: (i) an upstream rho loading site on the RNA that is 70-80 nucleotide residues in length, essentially devoid of secondary structure, and which contains sufficient numbers of rC residues to activate the RNA-dependent ATPase of rho; and (ii) a downstream sequence within which termination actually occurs. In this study we use the trp t' terminator to characterize the involvement of each of these sequence components in detail in order to provide the parameters required to define a quantitative mechanistic model for the function of rho in transcript termination.
Comparison of voltammetry of vacuum-prepared Rh (100) and Rh (111) electrodes

We report here the results from an UHV-electrochemistry investigation of the voltammetric properties of the Rh (100) and (111) surfaces
PUBERTAL GROWTH, ADULT HEIGHT (AH) AND TARGET HEIGHT (TH) IN 50 PATIENTS TREATED FOR ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA (ALL) -A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Several recent reports have indicated, that early puberty and impaired pubertal growth occur in patients treated for ALL. Rarely a long-term longitudinal follow-up has been reported including the adolescent growth-spurt, the AH and TH of patients treated with the same protocol. 50 patients are in 1st CCR after treatment for ALL with the BFM-70 and BFM-76-protocol. Puberty, pubertal growth and AH were evaluated, when peak height velocity (PHV) did not occur within the 1 st year after therapy. All patients received intensive induction chemotherapy and prophylactic cranial irradiation with 18 or 24 Gy. Maintenance chemotherapy consisted of daily purinethoi and weekly methotrexate (BMF-76) or weekly methotrexate and cyclophosphamide (BFM-70) as well as three two week courses of prednisone and vincristine during the first year of therapy. The total duration of therapy was 2 1/2 (BFM-70) or 2 vs. 2 1/2 years (BFM 76). Pubertal growth was documented at different time intervals during puberty including peak height velocity. PHV was 8.8 ± 2.1 cm in girls and 9.1 ± 0.5 cm in boys, comparing favourably with normal standards of 9.8 ± 1.2 cm in boys and 8.1 ± 1.2 cm in girls (Buckler, 1990). Normal growth was also noted for other pubertal periods i.e. menarche to AH, PHV to AH etc., On the other hand the age of PHV was early in girls 10.7 ± 1.4 years vs 12.2 ± 1.0 years (controls) and normal in boys (13.6 ± 10.3 vs 13.9 ± 0.8 years). While growth was normal during puberty the mean height-SDS before, after therapy and AH indicated a continuous loss of height-SDS with 0.74, 0.23 and 0.18 SDS for the total group of boys and girls. In contrast, normal adult height was reached with 179.7 ± 6.4 cm (boys) and 163.5 ± 6.1 cm (girls) which was not different from TH (Tanner method) of 177.5 ± 4.5 cm and 163.2 ± 3.1 cm. We conclude, that height-SDS for CA is a poor predictor of growth and AH, because it indicates a continuous loss of height potential. Since AH is normal and not different from TH, no major loss of height is present. Thus, TH is the most appropriate method in evaluating growth and estimating AH in patients treated for ALL.
3D Design and Modeling of Smart Cities from a Computer Graphics Perspective

Modeling cities, and urban spaces in general, is a daring task for computer graphics, computer vision, and visualization. Understanding, describing, and modeling the geometry and behavior of cities are significant challenges that ultimately benefit urban planning and simulation, mapping and visualization, emergency response, and entertainment. In this paper, we have collected and organized research which addresses this multidisciplinary challenge. In particular, we divide research in modeling cities and urban spaces into the areas of geometrical modeling and of behavioral modeling. The first area overlaps significantly with computer graphics and computer vision—our focus is on algorithms that produce intricate geometry quickly from a compact set of specifications (i.e., procedural modeling). The second area of behavioral modeling centers on understanding the underlying socioeconomic, meteorological, and resource consumption/waste production processes occurring within an urban space. Research in urban modeling, even from a computer graphics perspective, must tie the two areas of geometric and behavioral modeling together in order to ensure that useful 3D modeling techniques are developed and are placed within their needed context. In addition, we discuss the growing trend of inverse procedural modeling and some sample urban applications.
Team Task Analysis: Identifying Tasks and Jobs That Are Team Based

This paper presents initial information on the development and validation of three team task analysis scales. These scales were designed to quantitatively assess the extent to which a group of tasks or a job is team based. During a 2-week period, 52 male students working in 4-person teams were trained to perform a complex highly interdependent computer-simulated combat mission consisting of both individual- and team-based tasks. Our results indicated that the scales demonstrated high levels of interrater agreement. In addition, the scales differentiated between tasks that were predetermined to be individual versus team based. Finally, the results indicated that job-level ratings of team workflow were more strongly related to team performance than were aggregated task-level ratings of team-relatedness or team workflow. These results suggest that the scales presented here are an effective means of quantifying the extent to which tasks or jobs are team based. A research and practical implication of our findings is that the team task analysis scales could serve as criterion measures in the evaluation of team training interventions or predictors of team performance.
Ontogenic Variation in Acute Lethality of Cadmium in C57BL/6J Mice

Susceptibility of C57BL/6J mice to the lethal effects of parenterally administered Cd declined as a function of age at exposure. The 7-day LD50 increased from 1.65 mg Cd/kg body wt in 7-day-old mice to 4.08 mg/kg in adult mice. Survival time following treatment with Cd also increased as a function of age. High constitutive concentrations of metallothionein, a transition metal-binding protein, in livers of young mice did not protect against the lethality of Cd. These results suggest that, in the mouse, the interaction between Cd and this metal-binding protein may be affected by age at exposure to this toxic metal.
Methods to temporally align gait cycle data

The need for the temporal alignment of gait cycle data is well known; however, there is little consensus concerning which alignment method to use. In this paper, we discuss the pros and cons of some methods commonly applied to temporally align gait cycle data (normalization to percent gait cycle, dynamic time warping, derivative dynamic time warping, and piecewise alignment methods). In addition, we empirically evaluate these different methods’ abilities to produce successful temporal alignment when mapping a test gait cycle trajectory to a target trajectory. We demonstrate that piecewise temporal alignment techniques outperform other commonly used alignment methods (normalization to percent gait cycle, dynamic time warping, and derivative dynamic time warping) in typical biomechanical and clinical alignment tasks. Lastly, we present an example of how these piecewise alignment techniques make it possible to separately examine intensity and temporal differences between gait cycle data throughout the entire gait cycle, which can provide greater insight into the complexities of movement patterns.
Photochemical damping of inertio-gravity waves

A simple model is developed for the coupling effect of radiative heating and ozone photochemistry on inertio-gravity waves in the region 16-70 km. It is found that the photochemical damping rate is the weighted sum of the rates caused by two individual processes. One, suggested by Craig and Ohring, involves the temperature dependence of ozone reaction rate coefficients; the other, suggested by Leovy, involves the vertical gradient of the ozone mixing ratio. The relative importance of these two processes depends on the ratio of dynamical and chemical relaxation times. Calculations show that the most important region for coupling is near 48 km where the total relaxation time is 8 days for equinox and 6 days for summer midlatitude.
948 HYPERACTIVE PLATELETS ASSOCIATED WITH STROKE IN CHILDREN

We have investigated platelet activity in 13 children (mean age 11 yrs.) who had one or more episodes of unexplained stroke, with arteriograms revealing medium size arterial occlusions. Six children had no associated risk factors while 7/13 had one (migraine, hyperlipldemia, mitral valve prolapse, oral contraceptives). Platelet activity was assessed using electron microscopy (whole blood TEM platelet function test) and platelet aggregometry. The TEM platelet function test snowed platelet hyperactivity in 11 of 13 subjects, with a marked shift from round or abortive forms to spread forms and increase in spontaneous platelet aggregates. In contrast, platelet aggregometry using decreasing concentrations of ADP and epinephrine showed hypo or normo-responsiveness in the majority (11/13) of patients studied. This may reflect in vivo activated & ‘exhausted’ platelets being refractory to such agonists in vitro. Seven of 11 children with marked platelet hyperactivity who received small doses of aspirin and persantine had normalization of platelet activity and clinical improvement. We conclude there is a relationship between platelet hyperactivity and stroke in children. Aspirin in small daily doses (80 mg) may prove useful in preventing recurrent micro infarcts.
A Vision for Cultivating a Nation: Gifford Pinchot’s the Fight for Conservation

Early American conservationist Gifford Pinchot (1865 to 1946) and his book The Fight for Conservation (1910) are featured in this section. Written for a popular audience, The Fight for Conservation...
A Discrete Convolution Model¶for Phase Transitions

We study a discrete convolution model for Ising-like phase transitions. This nonlocal model is derived as an l 2-gradient flow for a Helmholtz free energy functional with general long range interactions. We construct traveling waves and stationary solutions, and study their uniqueness and stability. In particular, we find some criteria for “propagation” and “pinning”, and compare our results with those for a previously studied continuum convolution model.
Mental Health Diagnosis, Medication, Treatment and Placement Milieu of Children in Foster Care

Children in foster care are an especially vulnerable population with multiple levels of emotional, mental, social and behavioral needs. Research indicates that children in foster care have significant developmental, behavioral, and emotional challenges. The results of this Northeast County study indicate that children in foster care settings have a higher rate of mental health diagnosis as compared to children not in foster care, however, these children also consistently receive behavioral health care and psychotropic medication because of their mental health diagnoses. The placement setting for children in foster care does not appear to be affected by a mental health diagnosis. The results of this study provide helpful information about the difficulties (including limited resources) and challenges faced today by both children in foster care and their placement caretakers.
Neuropsychology Review: a Resource for the Clinical, Experimental, and Translational Neuropsychologists

Neuropsychology Review has served the neuropsychology community of scientists, clinicians, and students for nearly two decades. From its inception, the aim of the journal has been to provide insightful, useful reviews on specialized topics in the field. It has achieved this aim with contributions from the likes of Flor-Henry, Luria, Benton, OscarBerman, Signoret and many more and has covered the gamut of neuropsychology. Following the editorships of Gerald Goldstein (founding editor), Antonio Puente, and Ronald Lazar, the journal will continue under my direction as a forum for synthetic and scholarly reviews, with an eye on expanding the relevance of clinical and experimental neuropsychology to the greater neuroscience community that has as its focus the mechanistic understanding of cognitive, sensory, motor, and emotional component processes that comprise neuropsychological functions. Considerations and goals in initiating my role as editorin-chief involve the following five areas:
Multi-level Modeling of Complex Socio-Technical Systems

Abstract The application of multi-level modeling approaches to enterprise systems modeling can support leadership decision making for transformation of defense department operations. In particular, this paper presents a framework for modeling enterprise transformation applied to complex analysis of defense in an era of technology globalization. Large-scale public-private enterprises can generally be described as complex adaptive systems. Multi-level modeling of complex adaptive systems is considered as an approach to inform leadership of actions and consequences of decisions addressing transformative change. An example is elaborated for the domain of secure defense communications. A framework for modeling the secure communications enterprise presents an interesting case for exploration of both multi-level modeling approaches and potential policy guidance at a global level. Finally, the use of these types of models to enable policy exploration is illustrated for the particular case of counterfeit parts in the supply chain of military communication systems. The paper concludes with recommendations for further work in validating the modeling approach and application of the approach to a sample policy flight simulator representing counterfeit parts policy in military systems.
Environmentally-adaptive automated target recognition algorithm using parametric characterization of seabed textures

The undersea survey mission performed with a side scan sonar system can generate large volumes of data. Automating the detection and classification process using automated target recognition (ATR) is desirable to reduce post processing times and manning requirements. Traditionally ATR algorithms are trained using image exemplars representing the intended target, false targets and the expected operating environment. However, given the variability of the undersea environment, training a single ATR on all environments may degrade performance when operating in a specific environment, since operating thresholds are fixed. In this paper, we propose an ATR algorithm that changes its operating thresholds based on seabed texture parameter estimates of the sonar image statistics. A large set of sonar images with targets inserted at various ranges and orientations against various backgrounds was synthesized. The environmentally-adaptive ATR algorithm was trained on these specific environments and the optimal classification thresholds were stored in a look-up table (LUT). Upon encountering a novel test pattern, the environmental parameters of the sonar image texture are estimated and then used to index the LUT for the appropriate ATR operating threshold. Using this methodology, we show a performance increase for an adaptive ATR that encounters variable seabed environments versus an ATR algorithm with fixed operating thresholds trained with sonar images representative of a wide variety of environments.1
Interactions of molecules with nucleic acids. VII. Evaluation and presentation of steric contours and molecules in bonding sites

A technique to generate steric contours is developed and applied to the presentation of molecules that interact with DNA. The contours are generated by a Taylor's expansion in an extrapolation procedure designed to avoid infinite derivatives and correct for reversal in the direction of the drawing of the curve. A solution to the hidden line problem in computer graphics is presented for the case of steric contours ordered in parallel planes. The techniques developed in this article are demonstrated with stereographic orthographic projections for B-DNA, for intercalation complexes of lucanthone and actinomycin-D with DNA, and for the binding of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxides (BPDEs) to guanine. The latter example illustrates the value of steric contours in demonstrating the lack of fit of BPDEs to B-DNA and by the need to unwind DNA to accommodate this molecule. Electrostatic contours in planes may be generated by this same procedure.
Ethics issues in security hospitals.

The term 'security hospital' is used for a variety of facilities including forensic hospitals and prison hospitals, which, because of their mission, the nature of their work, and the populations they serve--or because of the authority under which they operate--place the staff at considerable risk of ethical violations related to either clinical care or to forensic activities. The problem of divided loyalties is of special concern in security hospitals. Ethics principles particularly at risk are confidentiality and informed consent. Where there are cultural disparities between the staff and the patients, differences in background, socioeconomic class, education, and other types of diversity, cultural awareness is required and must be reflected in appropriate treatment and evaluation. To counteract the risks of ethical violations, a security hospital should create an ethical climate and develop means to anticipate, prevent, and deal with ethical violations. These might include detailed and specific policies and procedures, programs of orientation, education, consultation, and liaison as well as its own ethics committee. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Functional DNA Origami Devices

DNA is central to the existence of all life on Earth and uniquely encodes the instructions for producing such life. But it has another set of remarkable properties shared by a much larger class of molecules, most of which are yet to be invented. These “chemically sequenced polymers” (CSPs) are built by adding distinct monomers one at a time and can be programmed in such a way as to assemble into arbitrarily complex and three-dimensional shapes. Nature is far ahead of us in the creation and utility of such molecules, but on page 932 of this issue, Langecker et al. ( 1 ) provide a glimpse of the structural precision and functionality they offer for programmed assembly.
Dissociation of delta EEG amplitude and incidence in rat NREM sleep

Abstract The delta (1–4 Hz) EEG of nonREM (NREM) sleep was subjected to period/amplitude analysis in 10 Sprague-Dawley rats. During NREM sleep in the 12-h light period, average delta wave amplitude and delta wave incidence (halfwaves/min) both declined; the curves were biphasic with a plateau across hours 4–6. In contrast, the behavior of amplitude and incidence was strikingly different in dark period NREM sleep. At dark onset, amplitude increased sharply and remained at this elevated level without any significant trend across the 12 hours. Delta incidence was low at dark onset and increased with a strong linear trend. These data point to several experiments to test the mechanisms mediating the behavior of delta wave amplitude at the light-dark transition; they also bear on the homeostatic model of delta sleep.
Subexpression ordering in the execution of arithmetic expressions

An arithmetic expression can often be broken down into its component subexpressions. Depending on the hardware environment in which the expression is to be executed, these subexpressions can be evaluated in serials, in parallel, or in a combination of these modes. This paper shows that expression execution time can be minimized only if consideration is given to the ordering of the subexpressions. In particular, subexpressions should be executed in order of decreasing memory and processor time requirements. This observation is valid for configurations ranging from a uniprocessor with an unbuffered main memory to a multiprocessor with a “cache” buffer memory. If the number of subexpressions which can be executed in parallel exceeds the number of available processors, then execution of some of these subexpressions must be postponed. A procedure is given which combines this requirement with the earlier ordering considerations to provide an optimal execution sequence.
N-terminal strands of filamin Ig domains act as a conformational switch under biological forces†

Conformational changes of filamin A under stress have been postulated to play crucial roles in signaling pathways of cell responses. Direct observation of conformational changes under stress is beyond the resolution of current experimental techniques. On the other hand, computational studies are mainly limited to either traditional molecular dynamics simulations of short durations and high forces or simulations of simplified models. Here we perform all-atom discrete molecular dynamics (DMD) simulations to study thermally and force-induced unfolding of filamin A. The high conformational sampling efficiency of DMD allows us to observe force-induced unfolding of filamin A Ig domains under physiological forces. The computationally identified critical unfolding forces agree well with experimental measurements. Despite a large heterogeneity in the population of force-induced intermediate states, we find a common initial unfolding intermediate in all the Ig domains of filamin, where the N-terminal strand unfolds. We also study the thermal unfolding of several filamin Ig-like domains. We find that thermally induced unfolding features an early-stage intermediate state similar to the one observed in force-induced unfolding and characterized by the N-terminal strand being unfurled. We propose that the N-terminal strand may act as a conformational switch that unfolds under physiological forces leading to exposure of cryptic binding sites, removal of native binding sites, and modulating the quaternary structure of domains. Proteins 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Contemporary Effects of Vice-Presidential Nominees: Sarah Palin and the 2008 Presidential Campaign

This paper reviews the politics of vice-presidential selection from the point of view of both the scholar and campaign strategist. Using John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008, we first explore academic theories of vice-presidential selection and assess the ways Palin either succeeds or fails to meet the expectations of those theories. We go on to explore the specific factors the McCain campaign considered when selecting a vice-presidential nominee and assess Palin's performance in addressing those factors. We conclude with a discussion of Palin's impact on the outcome of the 2008 election.
Beyond the Deficit Model: Social Welfare in Post-Soviet Georgia

Two researchers examine several crucial features of the transformation of Soviet welfare provision in post-Soviet Georgia. Institutional analysis and household surveys in two industrial cities in Georgia are used to identify determinants of distribution and access to three sectors of social welfare: water, heat, and education. The data are used to develop a multidimensional conceptional framework for change.
Observer based coordinated adaptive robust control of robot manipulators driven by single-rod hydraulic actuators

This paper studies the coordinated motion control of a hydraulic arm driven by single-rod hydraulic actuators (a scaled down version of an industrial backhoe/excavator arm). Compared to conventional robot manipulators driven by electrical motors, hydraulic arms have a richer nonlinear dynamics and strong couplings among various joints (or hydraulic cylinders). This paper presents a physical model based adaptive robust controller (ARC) to explicitly take into account the strong coupling among various hydraulic cylinders (or joints). In addition, an observer is employed to avoid the need of acceleration feedback for ARC backstepping design. Theoretically, the resulting controller is able to take into account not only the effect of parametric uncertainties coming from the payload and various hydraulic parameters but also the effect of uncertain nonlinearities. Furthermore, the proposed ARC controller guarantees a prescribed output tracking transient performance and final tracking accuracy while achieving asymptotic output tracking in the presence of parametric uncertainties. Simulation and experimental results are presented to illustrate the proposed control algorithm.