cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intracellular Theileria annulata Promote Invasive Cell Motility through Kinase Regulation of the Host Actin Cytoskeleton

The intracellular, protozoan Theileria species parasites are the only eukaryotes known to transform another eukaryotic cell. One consequence of this parasite-dependent transformation is the acquisition of motile and invasive properties of parasitized cells in vitro and their metastatic dissemination in the animal, which causes East Coast Fever (T. parva) or Tropical Theileriosis (T. annulata). These motile and invasive properties of infected host cells are enabled by parasite-dependent, poorly understood F-actin dynamics that control host cell membrane protrusions. Herein, we dissected functional and structural alterations that cause acquired motility and invasiveness of T. annulata-infected cells, to understand the molecular basis driving cell dissemination in Tropical Theileriosis. We found that chronic induction of TNFα by the parasite contributes to motility and invasiveness of parasitized host cells. We show that TNFα does so by specifically targeting expression and function of the host proto-oncogenic ser/thr kinase MAP4K4. Blocking either TNFα secretion or MAP4K4 expression dampens the formation of polar, F-actin-rich invasion structures and impairs cell motility in 3D. We identified the F-actin binding ERM family proteins as MAP4K4 downstream effectors in this process because TNFα-induced ERM activation and cell invasiveness are sensitive to MAP4K4 depletion. MAP4K4 expression in infected cells is induced by TNFα-JNK signalling and maintained by the inhibition of translational repression, whereby both effects are parasite dependent. Thus, parasite-induced TNFα promotes invasive motility of infected cells through the activation of MAP4K4, an evolutionary conserved kinase that controls cytoskeleton dynamics and cell motility. Hence, MAP4K4 couples inflammatory signaling to morphodynamic processes and cell motility, a process exploited by the intracellular Theileria parasite to increase its host cell's dissemination capabilities.
Evaluation of magnetic defocusing for a photomultiplier tube with large area semitransparent photocathode

Reduction of the effective cathode area of photomultiplier tubes is known to yield lower dark currents and an improved signal-to-noise ratio. This can be accomplished either by electrostatic or magnetic defocusing of the electron beam between the cathode and the first dynode. Three magnetic lenses with different field geometries were tried with an EMI 9558B photomultiplier tube, and a noise reduction of more than an order of magnitude was observed. Magnetic defocusing changes the pulse height characteristics of the tube as well and improves the discrimination between signal pulses and dark pulses when using simple pulse height discrimination techniques. If the tube is operated as a photon counter, the light-to-dark count ratio may be improved by nearly two orders of magnitude with the application of a suitable magnetic lens.
Voltammetry of extracellular dopamine in rat striatum during ICSS-like electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle

Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in the striatum of anesthetized rats has been used to monitor extracellular dopamine during forced electrical stimulation of the media forebrain bundle using parameters that mimic intracranial self-stimulation. The temporal resolution provided by microelectrodes positioned very near sites of dopamine release allows resolution of the response to individual 500-ms stimulation trains separated by 500-ms intervals. Uptake inhibition by Nomifensine alters the resolution obtained at short times after initiation of stimulation.
A RAY THEORY FOR ELASTODYNAMIC STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS

Elastodynamic stress intensity factors generated by the intersection of wave motions with a crack are analyzed. It is shown that in an asymptotic approximation, which is valid for high frequencies, the stress intensity factors at the edge of a crack are related to the fields of incident rays by a matrix of stress intensity factor coefficients, which can be computed from canonical solutions. The canonical solutions are provided by the fields describing diffraction by a semi-infinite crack of plan body waves and plane surface waves, which are incident under an arbitrary angle with the edge of the crack. Several applications of the theory are presented. For cracks of finite length, the contributions due to the travelling back and forth of rays between the two crack tips is taken into account in a simple manner, to yield results which are in excellent agreement with numerical results obtained by other authors.
Dynactin subunit p150(Glued) is a neuron-specific anti-catastrophe factor.

Regulation of microtubule dynamics in neurons is critical, as defects in the microtubule-based transport of axonal organelles lead to neurodegenerative disease. The microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein and its partner complex dynactin drive retrograde transport from the distal axon. We have recently shown that the p150Glued subunit of dynactin promotes the initiation of dynein-driven cargo motility from the microtubule plus-end. Because plus end-localized microtubule-associated proteins like p150Glued may also modulate the dynamics of microtubules, we hypothesized that p150Glued might promote cargo initiation by stabilizing the microtubule track. Here, we demonstrate in vitro using assembly assays and TIRF microscopy, and in primary neurons using live-cell imaging, that p150Glued is a potent anti-catastrophe factor for microtubules. p150Glued alters microtubule dynamics by binding both to microtubules and to tubulin dimers; both the N-terminal CAP-Gly and basic domains of p150Glued are required in tandem for this activity. p150Glued is alternatively spliced in vivo, with the full-length isoform including these two domains expressed primarily in neurons. Accordingly, we find that RNAi of p150Glued in nonpolarized cells does not alter microtubule dynamics, while depletion of p150Glued in neurons leads to a dramatic increase in microtubule catastrophe. Strikingly, a mutation in p150Glued causal for the lethal neurodegenerative disorder Perry syndrome abrogates this anti-catastrophe activity. Thus, we find that dynactin has multiple functions in neurons, both activating dynein-mediated retrograde axonal transport and enhancing microtubule stability through a novel anti-catastrophe mechanism regulated by tissue-specific isoform expression; disruption of either or both of these functions may contribute to neurodegenerative disease.
A complicated role for the renin–angiotensin system during pregnancy: highlighting the importance of drug discovery

Introduction: Blood pressure management is recommended to avoid maternal cerebrovascular or cardiovascular compromise during pregnancy. Current antihypertensive treatment during pregnancy with positive safety profiles includes labetalol, hydralazine, methyldopa and nifedipine. Areas covered: Many earlier animal and human studies indicate that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are associated with fetopathy; therefore, these drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy, especially if these medications were taken during the second and third trimesters. The role of the RAS is quite complex, with fetal development heavily dependent on its appropriate expression and function. New findings indicate that the placental unit expresses its own RAS in order to regulate angiogenesis. Multiple studies have shown that women with abnormal uterine doppler sonography produce an agonistic autoantibody to the angiotensin I receptor, implicating a role for RAS function and ...
Ecological Moral Realism : An Alternative Theoretical Framework for Studying Moral Psychology

The authors propose that the empirical study of human moral behavior as undertaken by positive psychologists, psychologists interested in the study of values, and experimental ethicists can be norm...
Skin of patients with large/giant congenital melanocytic nevi shows increased mast cells.

ABSTRACT Nevocytes (NC) and mastocytes (MC) have different progenitors but share stem cell factor as regulator/activator of NC and for differentiation/proliferation of MC. Both cell types express stem cell factor receptor CD117. We hypothesize that large/giant congenital melanocytic nevi (L/GCMN) may associate with MC hyperplasia. Forty-nine L/GCMN were examined, 12 samples from uninvolved skin of L/GCMN patients and 6 control skin samples studied with Giemsa and immunohistochemistry for CD117 and MC-tryptase. Picrosirius red (PR) was used to assess fibrosis. Digital images were used to count MC/mm2 using ImageJ software. Western blot (WB) for MC-tryptase in 12 GCMN and 12 non-nevus samples was performed. Analysis of variance (Tukey) and Pearson statistical tests were applied. Increased MCs were observed in nevus tissue (75.1 ± 35.3 MCs/mm2) and in uninvolved skin (53.74 ± 27.7 MC/ mm2). P = 0.109 from patients with L/GCMN, compared with controls from individuals without L/GCMN (28.74 ± 8.4 MC/mm2); P ...
Effects of Deaeration and Storage Temperature on Quality of Aseptically Packaged Guava Puree

Deaeration of aseptically packaged guava puree did not benefit either color or flavor stability but did aid in the retention of ascorbic acid during the first 6 months of storage. The reduction of headspace O2 was greatest in the samples stored at 23 degrees C followed by lesser decreases in samples stored at 10 degrees and -18 degrees C. Sensory panel scores for color, Hunter color values, dissolved O2, headspace O2, and ascorbic acid were highly correlated with each other showing that color changes were related to O2 consumption and ascorbic destruction.
Intuition and computer models

Abstract Models of pattern-generating cellular sheets were devised to gain insight into the origin of patterns in embryogenesis. Students, many of whom had no previous experience with computers, worked with these models to test the effect of various assumptions. A number of discoveries of possible biological importance were made, but an unexpected discovery was the usefulness of human intuition. When the computer and its program made user interaction easy, the user “played” the model as one might play an arcade game. The model's capabilities and limits were grasped intuitively. Later, analysis led us to new assumptions and new models. Thus the work progressed quite effectively with alternating intuition and cerebration. Microcomputers are particularly effective in this method of research.
Simple nonlinear post-compensator for coherent detection

We present a blind nonlinear compensator to correct electronic amplifier and modulator nonlinearities for high-order QAM optical transmission, easily embeddable into conventional receiver-side decisionfeedback equalizers. Experimental results reported for 16Gbaud PDM-64QAM back-to-back and fiber transmission.
Expression of wild-type and mutant bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Wild-type ribonuclease A and five mutants thereof have been expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins by using a T7 expression system. The five mutants are C[65-72]S, C[40-95]S, C[58-110]S, C[26-84]S, and K41G. The expressed fusion protein formed inclusion bodies which were then cleaved by factor Xa. The cleaved ribonuclease A was isolated as unfolded (sulfonated), soluble protein which was subsequently folded. This expression system can be used to produce mutants of ribonuclease A in yields suitable for folding and structural studies. All four native three-disulfide mutants exhibited enzymatic activity (5-30%), although only two were thermally stable at room temperature, demonstrating that no single native disulfide bond is essential for folding. The K41G mutant was enzymatically inactive with cyclic cytidine monophosphate as substrate.
Highly conducting Li+-rich inorganic glasses

Abstract Several glasses containing B2O3 with combinations of lithium oxide and lithium salts are shown to have unusually high electrical conductivities. At 200°C they exceed those of all but the most successful polycrystalline lithium conductors. Glasses containing as little as 15 mol % B2O3 are included, but the exceedingly high Li+ contents in such glasses appear detrimental to conductivity.
Relations between serial and paired-associate learning in children

Fourth grade subjects learned a serial list of six words, then a paired-associate list of six word pairs. The first three words of the serial task became correct responses for three PA pairs, while other PA words were new. Significant negative transfer was obtained for those PA pairs containing responses from the serial list. While serial and PA learning were not correlated, both serial and PA learning were significantly correlated with IQ.
Backward Shift of Head Direction Tuning Curves of the Anterior Thalamus: Comparison with CA1 Place Fields

The head direction cell system is composed of multiple regions associated with the hippocampal formation. The dynamics of head direction tuning curves (HDTCs) were compared with those of hippocampal place fields. In both familiar and cue-altered environments, as a rat ran an increasing number of laps on a track, the center of mass (COM) of the HDTC tended to shift backward, similar to shifting observed in place cells. However, important differences existed between these cells in terms of the shift patterns relative to the cue-altered conditions, the proportion of backward versus forward shifts, and the time course of shift resetting. The demonstration of backward COM shifts in head direction cells and place cells suggests that similar plasticity mechanisms (such as temporally asymmetric LTP induction or spike timing-dependent plasticity) may be at work in both brain systems, and these processes may reflect a general mechanism for storing learned sequences of neural activity patterns.
Radiofrequency exposure and mammalian cell toxicity, genotoxicity, and transformation.

The published in vitro literature relevant to the issue of the possible induction of toxicity, genotoxicity, and transformation of mammalian cells due to radiofrequency field (RF) exposure is examined. In some instances, information about related in vivo studies is presented. The review is from the perspective of technical merit and also biological consistency, especially with regard to those publications reporting a positive effect. The weight of evidence available indicates that, for a variety of frequencies and modulations with both short and long exposure times, at exposure levels that do not (or in some instances do) heat the biological sample such that there is a measurable increase in temperature, RF exposure does not induce (a). DNA strand breaks, (b). chromosome aberrations, (c). sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), (d). DNA repair synthesis, (e). phenotypic mutation, or (f). transformation (cancer-like changes). While there is limited experimental evidence that RF exposure induces micronuclei formation, there is abundant evidence that it does not. There is some evidence that RF exposure does not induce DNA excision repair, suggesting the absence of base damage. There is also evidence that RF exposure does not inhibit excision repair after the induction of thymine dimers by UV exposure, as well as evidence that indicates that RF is not a co-carcinogen or a tumor promoter. The article is in part a tutorial, so that the reader can consider similarities and discrepancies between reports of RF-induced effects relative to one another.
Contributions of Parenting and Campus Climate to Freshmen Adjustment in a Multiethnic Sample

The role of parental support, hostile campus racial climate, and sense of belonging to campus in predicting psychological adjustment and drug use was examined in a sample of 319 African American and White college freshmen. No ethnic-group differences were found for mean levels of parental support, racial hostility, belonging to campus, or psychological adjustment. White adolescents reported higher levels of drug and alcohol use than did African American adolescents. Drug use was related to anxiety and depression for White adolescents but not for African American adolescents. For both ethnic groups, higher perceptions of racial hostility were related to higher levels of adjustment problems and binge drinking. Higher levels of parental support were related to lower levels of depression and loneliness for both ethnic groups. Modest support for belonging to campus as a mediator between parental support and hostile racial climate and the outcomes was found, with more evidence for African American adolescents t...
A PEBP2α/AML-1-related Factor Increases Osteocalcin Promoter Activity through Its Binding to an Osteoblast-specific cis-Acting Element (∗)

To identify osteoblast-specific cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors, we initiated an analysis of the promoter of a mouse osteocalcin gene, an osteoblast-specific gene. In this promoter, we identified two osteoblast-specific cis-acting elements (Ducy, P. and Karsenty, G.(1995) Mol. Cell. Biol. 15, 1858-1869). The sequence of one of these elements, OSE2, is identical to the DNA-binding site of the PEBP2α/AML-1 transcription factors, the mammalian homologues of the Drosophila Runt protein. Here we show, using nuclear extracts, recombinant protein, and a specific antiserum against AML-1 proteins in DNA-binding assays, that one member of this family, AML-1B, binds specifically to OSE2 and is immunologically related to OSF2, the factor present in osteoblast nuclear extracts that binds to OSE2. By DNA cotransfection experiments, we also demonstrate that AML-1B can increase the activity of a short osteocalcin promoter through its binding to OSE2. Lastly, the different mobilities of osteoblast nuclear extract-DNA complexes compared with T-cell nuclear extract-DNA complexes, along with the inability of OSF2 to be up-regulated by retinoic acid, unlike the other PEBP2α factors, suggest that OSF2 is a new member of this family of transcription factors. Thus, this study demonstrates that AML-1B can increase gene expression of an osteoblast-specific gene through its binding to an osteoblast-specific cis-acting element and presents evidence that OSF2 is a member of the PEBP2α/AML-1 family of transcription factors.
The word-superiority effect does not require a T-scope

Six experiments examined the possibility of obtaining a word-superiority effect (WSE) without the use of brief stimulus exposures or a poststimulus mask. In each experiment, subjects were presented a stimulus string and two alternative strings that differed by a single letter (Reicher, 1969). The alternatives and stimulus remained in view until subjects responded, and subjects were under no pressure to respond quickly. In Experiments 1–3, the stimuli were presented in very small type so that they were difficult to see. Subjects were significantly more accurate with words than with nonwords, letters embedded among digits, or letters embedded among number signs (#s). In Experiments 4 and 5, the stimuli were embedded in a simultaneously present pattern mask. Subjects were significantly more accurate with words than with single letters by themselves. In the final experiment, the stimuli were presented in a mask with specific spatial frequency characteristics, and performance was significantly better with words than with nonwords. The WSE is a more general phenomenon than previously supposed; it is not limited to a tachistoscopic exposure.
Contextual Dependencies in Unsupervised Word Segmentation

Developing better methods for segmenting continuous text into words is important for improving the processing of Asian languages, and may shed light on how humans learn to segment speech. We propose two new Bayesian word segmentation methods that assume unigram and bigram models of word dependencies respectively. The bigram model greatly outperforms the unigram model (and previous probabilistic models), demonstrating the importance of such dependencies for word segmentation. We also show that previous probabilistic models rely crucially on sub-optimal search procedures.
Neurocognitive differences between pedophilic and nonpedophilic child molesters.

Although some evidence exists that child molesters may be characterized by structural and functional brain abnormalities, fi ndings across studies are inconsistent. Past cognitive research in this area has been extensively criticized for relying on conceptually weak batteries, measures of questionable reliability, and poorly defi ned samples (i.e., failing to distinguish between pedophilic and nonpedophilic child molesters). The present study aimed to address the weaknesses of past research by comparing 40 child molesters (20 pedophilic and 20 nonpedophilic) and 20 demographically matched nonoffender controls on six well-defi ned neurocognitive composite scores of comparable reliability (i.e., semantic knowledge, executive functioning, processing speed, motor speed, auditory memory, and visual memory). Results indicated that pedophilic child molesters exhibit slower processing speed, nonpedophilic child molesters exhibit poorer semantic knowledge, and both molester groups exhibit executive weaknesses as compared to nonoffender controls. This study is the fi rst to compare the two molester types on neurocognitive functions. The observed differences between the molester groups help explain inconsistencies in past research and demonstrate the need to distinguish between the two types of child molesters when studying neurobiologic underpinnings of sexual offending. ( JINS , 2009, 15 , 248– 257 .)
Measurement of the free energy of formation of silicon carbide using liquid gold as a silicon potentiometer

The free energies of formation of 3C- and 6H-silicon carbide were determined between 1,623 and 1,898 K by measuring the silicon solubility in liquid gold at equilibrium with silicon carbide and graphite. The solution behavior of the Au-Si system provides a wide compositional range for the small difference in the activity of silicon exhibited by the two polytypes, thus offering greater experimental precision over previous similar methods. For 6H-SiC, [Delta]G(J/mol) = [minus]116,900([plus minus] 7.2) + 38.2([plus minus] 4.1)T (where T is in K) relative to liquid silicon and graphite standard states is in excellent agreement with other investigations, indicating that the method is capable of determining the free energy of formation with a precision of about 0.7 kJ/mol. The measurements on 3C-SiC exhibited greater experimental scatter, which may have been due to variations in the density of nonequilibrium defects of the crystals used, although experimental problems encountered with the complex crystal shapes may have also contributed. Nevertheless, the precision of the technique is sufficient to address some issues of polytype stability and perhaps free energy contributions of nonequilibrium defects.
A characterization study of the native Oxide layer formed on chemically Etched InP (111)

ISS, AES and angle-resolved ESCA have been used to characterize the native oxide layer formed on the chemically polished and etched InP (111) surface. It is estimated that this oxide layer is about 30 A thick and forms a sharp interface at the oxide/InP boundary. The oxide layer is nonhomogeneous. ISS shows that the outermost surface layer is In rich, and AES combined with the ISS results shows that the region just below the surface layer is P rich. The In is believed to be present in the oxide layer as InP and InPO3 in approximately equal concentrations. Only a small amount of In2O3 is detected. Carbon also comprises the oxide layer, and ESCA shows that it is present as graphite and/or hydrocarbons. The region below the oxide layer is P rich, but depth profiling using AES while sputtering suggests that the composition may approach that of InP with increasing depth.
Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists as analgesics in horses

Administration of alpha-2 agonists to horses produces a variety of behavioral effects (sedation, somnolence, analgesia), and physiological effects. One of the most significant beneficial effects of administering alpha-2 agonists is the degree of analgesia they provide. Alpha-2 agonists have been the mainstay of analgesia for colic pain in horses since their introduction to clinical veterinary medicine. The increased potency of the more recently introduced alpha-2 agonists allows the provision of analgesia for conditions not previously relieved by other drugs. Unfortunately, there are significant side effects associated with alpha-2 agonist administration. Studies are underway to identify the physiologic effects associated with the stimulation of each alpha-2 receptor subtype, in hopes of developing subtype-specific alpha-2 agonists and antagonists.
Fundamental Properties of Fluoroalcohol-Methacrylate Polymers for use in 193nm Lithography

The fundamental properties of a series of hexafluoroalcohol-bearing methacrylate polymers (HFA-MA) are reported here. The material behavior is heavily influenced by the linking group between the methacrylate ester (or polymer backbone) and the hexafluoroalcohol (HFA) group. These materials form the basis for a variety of positive and negative resists, as well as immersion topcoats. Detailed structure/property relationships of these homopolymers and copolymers will be discussed. Finally, polymer blending results of dissimilar homopolymers are compared with copolymers of the same composition.
Simplified 2-bit addressing models of random access and associative memory

We present simplified 2-bit models of addressing that can help students form an understanding of how data stored in different memory locations can be selected by a CPU. While the address decoding is somewhat straightforward in the case of RAM, it is not as simple in the case of associative memory as used in a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) or in cache memory, where selection is based on a “key” or “tag” value instead of an absolute address. Our models simplify these addressing problems to the point that each one can be presented on a single page. We have also developed a Visual Basic application that illustrates the addressing by highlighting the wires that are in the high voltage state (5 volts - logic 1) versus the unhighlighted low voltage state (0 volts - logic 0). By clicking on buttons the user can set the address lines to any combination of ones and zeros and watch the address selection work. INTRODUCTION In classes on Assembly Language and Operating Systems the concept of address decoding is often presented as something mysterious that cannot be understood without extensive training in digital circuitry. While some understanding of simple digital logic is required, address decoding can be understood with only a modest investment both on the part of the student and the instructor. The insight gained by this effort can help the student form models of how digital logic can accomplish complicated tasks. After looking at a number of texts on Computer Organization we found very few examples of address selection logic. In fact, the only one we found was an illustration of a 3-bit RAM address decoder[3]. We found no examples of address decoding for associative memory. While we would expect to find many such examples in electrical engineering texts, our experience is that the majority of our students have not and would not normally encounter these examples of addressing at the logic gate level in our program. We first consider RAM addressing. In a CPU LOAD instruction the typical scenario is that the CPU sets its address lines, waits, then reads its data lines. It is important for students to see that it is up to the addressing circuits of RAM to decode the address and set the voltages on the data bus to the appropriate states. We present a model of addressing logic that shows how the address lines ca be decoded to select the appropriate memory location. Next we consider associative memory. Here the address lines are set and if they match a key stored in the memory unit it will set the voltages on the data bus to match the data stored in the corresponding memory location. We have found this subject particularly difficult for the most students. The fact that all the keys or tags can be checked simultaneously is often met with disbelief. In fact it was the expression of such a sentiment from a student after an Operating Systems lecture that motivated the development of these models. The student's response to the models was very positive and enthusiastic and they are now incorporated into that part of the course.
Digital Video and Teaching

The first moving pictures appeared in the 19th century and transformed the 20th century. Film in the first half of the century was complemented by broadcast television in the second half. Nearly 99 percent of all households had a television by the 1970s, watching more than four hours per day on average. It could be argued that broadcast television not only covered history but altered its course in some instances (Watson, 1997).
Positron Emission Tomography Scans in the Evaluation of Postchemotherapy Residual Masses in Patients With Seminoma

PURPOSE: To assess the ability of positron emission tomography (PET) scans in differentiating between necrosis and viable seminoma in postchemotherapy (PC) residual disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of 29 patients with seminoma at Indiana University. All patients had PC residual disease. Computed tomography and PET scans were performed for 19 patients after primary chemotherapy (group A) and for 10 patients after salvage chemotherapy (group B). RESULTS: In group A, the PC masses were ≥ 3 cm in 14 patients, less than 3 cm in three patients, and not quantified in two patients. All of the patients in group A had negative PET scan results and have had stable or decreasing residual mass size (median follow-up duration, 11.5 months; range, 6 to 26 months). In group B, the PC masses were ≥ 3 cm in four patients, less than 3 cm in five patients, and not quantified in one patient. One patient had a positive PET scan result for a posterior mediastinal mass. Pathologic diagnosis of the ...
God, Justice and Law: Reflections on Christian Legal Thought:

Rowan Williams once asserted that “all that can be said by the Christian about justice rests on a doctrine of God.” This article uses Williams’ argument in support of that statement as a vehicle fo...
From Idea to Action: Promoting Responsible Management Education Through a Semester-Long Academic Integrity Learning Project

The authors describe a semester-long action-learning project where undergraduate or graduate management students learn about ethics, responsibility, and organizational behavior by examining the pol...
Weibull Based Analytical Waveform Model

Current complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor technologies are characterized by interconnect lines with increased relative resistance with respect to driver output resistance. Designs generate signal waveshapes that are very difficult to model using a single-parameter model such as the transition time. In this paper, we present a simple and robust two-parameter analytical expression for waveform modeling based on the Weibull cumulative distribution function. The Weibull model accurately captures the variety of waveshapes without introducing significant runtime overhead and produces results with less than 5% error. We also present a fast and simple algorithm to convert waveforms obtained by circuit simulation to the Weibull model. A methodology for characterizing gates for the new model is also presented. Simulation results for many single- and multiple-input gates show errors well below 5%. Our model can be used in a mixed environment where some signals may still be characterized by a single parameter.
Estimating the influence of attention on population codes in human visual cortex using voxel-based tuning functions.

Abstract In order to form stable perceptual representations, populations of sensory neurons must pool their output to overcome physiological noise; selective attention is then required to ensure that behaviorally relevant stimuli dominate these ‘population codes’ to gain access to awareness. However, the role that attention plays in shaping population response profiles has received little direct investigation, in part because most traditional neurophysiological methods cannot simultaneously assess changes in activity across large populations of sensory neurons. Based on single-unit recording studies, current theories hold that attending to a relevant feature sharpens the population response profile and improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the resulting perceptual representation. Here, we test this hypothesis using fMRI and an analysis approach that is able to estimate the influence of feature-based attentional modulations on population response profiles. We first derive orientation tuning functions for single voxels in human primary visual cortex, and then use these tuning functions to sort voxels according to their orientation preference. We then show that selective attention systematically biases population response profiles so that behaviorally relevant stimuli are represented in the visual system at the expense of behaviorally irrelevant stimuli. Collectively, the present results (1) provide a new approach for precisely characterizing feature-selective responses in human sensory cortices and (2) reveal how behavioral goals can shape population response profiles to support the formation of coherent perceptual representations.
Oil Churning Power Losses of a Gear Pair: Experiments and Model Validation

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on load-independent (spin) power losses of spur gear pairs operating under dip-lubricated conditions. The experiments were performed over a wide range of operating speed, temperature, oil levels, and key gear design parameters to quantify their influence on spin power losses. The measurements indicate that the static oil level, rotational speed, and face width of gears have a significant impact on spin power losses compared with other parameters such as oil temperature, gear module, and the direction of gear rotation. A physics-based gear pair spin power loss formulation that was proposed in a companion paper (Seetharaman and Kahraman, 2009, "Load-Independent Spin Power Losses of a Spur Gear Pair: Model Formulation, " ASME J. Tribol., 131, p. 022201) was used to simulate these experiments. Direct comparisons between the model predictions and measurements are provided at the end to demonstrate that the model is capable of predicting the measured spin power loss values as well as the measured parameter sensitivities reasonably well.
New modeling methods for bounded Gaussian jitter (BGJ)/noise (BGN) and their applications in jitter/noise estimation/testing

We propose a new method for modeling and quantifying bounded Gaussian jitter (BGJ), as well as bounded Gaussian noise (BGN). The validity and accuracy of the method are illustrated and verified both in theory and experiments. We then demonstrate the applications of this new method for jitter and noise estimation and testing, especially for total jitter (TJ) and total noise (TN) at a targeting bit error rate (BER) level. We illustrate the accuracy improvements with this new method over the conventional methods that do not take BGJ or BGN into account.
Routing performance in the presence of unidirectional links in multihop wireless networks

We examine two aspects concerning the influence of unidirectional links on routing performance in multihop wireless networks. In the first part of the paper we evaluate the benefit from utilizing unidirectional links for routing as opposed to using only bidirectional links. Our evaluations are based on three transmit power assignment models that reflect some realistic network scenarios with unidirectional links. Our results indicate that the marginal benefit of using a high-overhead routing protocol to utilize unidirectional links is questionable.Most common routing protocols however simply assume that all network links are bidirectional and thus may need additional protocol actions to remove unidirectional links from route computations. In the second part of the paper we investigate this issue using a well known on-demand routing protocol Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) as a case study. We study the performance of three techniques for AODV for efficient operation in presence of unidirectional links viz. BlackListing Hello and ReversePathSearch. While BlackListing and Hello techniques explicitly eliminate unidirectional links the ReversePathSearch technique exploits the greater network connectivity offered by the existence of multiple paths between nodes. Performance results using ns-2 simulations under varying number of unidirectional links and node speeds show that all three techniques improve performance by avoiding unidirectional links the ReversePathSearch technique being the most effective.
Diagnosis and treatment of Sarcocystis neurona-induced myositis in a free-ranging California sea lion.

Case Description—An underweight, lethargic adult female California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) became stranded along the California shore and was captured and transported to a rehabilitation hospital for assessment and care. Clinical Findings—Initial physical assessment revealed the sea lion was lethargic and in poor body condition. Active myositis was diagnosed on the basis of concurrent elevations in activities of alanine aminotransferase and creatine kinase detected during serum biochemical analysis. Infection with Sarcocystis neurona was diagnosed after serologic titers increased 4-fold over a 3-week period. Diagnosis was confirmed on the basis of histopathologic findings, positive results on immunohistochemical staining, and results of quantitative PCR assay on biopsy specimens obtained from the diaphragm and muscles of the dorsal cervical region. Treatment and Outcome—Anticoccidial treatment was instituted with ponazuril (10 mg/kg [4.5 mg/lb], PO, q 24 h) and continued for 28 days. Prednisone ...
CFD modeling of turbidity current deposition

Simulation of the flow and deposition from a laboratory turbidity current, in which dense mixtures of sediment move down a narrow, sloping channel and flow into a large tank. SSIIM CFD software is used to model 3-D flow and deposition. SSIIM predicts the height of the accumulated mound to within 25% of experimental values, and the volume of the mound to 20%∼50%, depending on the concentration of sediment and slope of the channel. The SSIIM predictions were consistently lower than experimental values. In simulations with initial sediment volumetric concentrations greater than 14%, SSIIM dumped some of the sediment load at the entry gate into the channel, which was not the case with the experimental runs. This is likely due to the fact that the fall velocity of sediment particles in SSIIM does not vary with sediment concentration. Further simulations of deposition from turbidity currents should be attempted when more complete experimental results are available, but it appears for now that SSIIM can be used to give approximate estimates of turbidity current deposition.
Engaged African Refugee Youth Negotiating Schooling in America: An Inquiry into the Influence of Culture and Social Structure

This article explores how six ethnically diverse African refugee youth transcended constraining social structural forces and maintained high levels of academic engagement at a high school in a small Northeastern city. Using ethnographically contextualized case study methodology, this article examines the refugee youths’ processes of acculturation and adaptation to American schooling. The article particularly examines the role of pre-resettlement social circumstances in refugee camps, home cultural influences, and parental scholastic expectations in shaping the participants’ scholastic engagement. The findings suggest that the participants’ resilience and optimism about the promise of American schooling in tandem with local community-wide support produced agency with which they transcended countervailing forces in schooling. This phenomenon is conceptualized in this article as agentic scholastic engagement.
A scalable and distributed approach for self-assembly and self-healing of a differentiated shape

As the ability to produce a large number of small, simple robotic agents improves, it becomes essential to control the behavior of these robots in such a way that the sum of their actions gives rise to the desired overall result. These robots are modeled as homogeneous, distributed robots, with only one simple short range sensor. Our simple robots are tasked to form and hold a desired swarm shape, independent of the total number of agents. If this shape is damaged by the removal of some of the robots, the remaining agents will recover the former shape, but on a smaller scale. These shapes can also have a pattern such as a picture or drawing displayed on them by controlling the individual robots color, symbolically representing the differentiation of agents within the swarm. This pattern will resize to fit the existing swarm. With the ability to synchronize in time, the swarm gains the ability to change the pattern displayed, resulting in a moving image.
Methimazole-Induced Concomitant Agranulocytosis and Cholestasis in a Young Female

ABSTRACT Objective: To report a case of methimazole (MMI)-induced agranulocytosis and cholestasis in a patient with Graves disease. Methods: Case-based review of thionamide-induced concomitant agranulocytosis and hepatotoxicity. We performed a PubMed search using the search terms methimazole, carbimazole (CBZ), thionamides, agranulocytosis, hepatotoxicity, and cholestasis. Results: A 31-year-old female with newly di agnosed hyperthyroidism presented to our hospital with fever, odynophagia, and jaundice 8 weeks after she was started on MMI. Physical examination was significant for scleral icterus, tremors, and generalized hyperreflexia. Laboratory tests revealed marked neutropenia; her absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was 24, total bilirubin 3.1 (0.2–1.2 mg/dL), direct bilirubin 1.4 (0–0.2 mg/dL), and free thyroxine had trended down from 3.6 (0.58–1.64 ng/dL) at diagnosis 2 months earlier to 2.27 on admission. MMI was discontinued, and antibiotics and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were start...
The carcinoid syndrome: a treatable malignant disease.

Abstract In the carcinoid syndrome, surgery is often curative when the disease is detected early and it may also provide palliation for some patients with metastatic disease. Often metastatic disease requires no treatment for months or years unless symptoms are serious or troublesome. Chemotherapy with either doxorubicin alone or streptozocin plus 5-FU achieves a response rate of about 23-33%. Hepatic artery occlusion followed by sequential chemotherapy has produced striking relief of symptoms, a higher percentage of regressions, and a longer duration of response. Somatostatin 201-995 is very effective in treating the syndrome and in preventing carcinoid crisis and has the advantage of producing virtually no significant side effects.
“Hope in a hashtag”: the discursive activism of #WhyIStayed

AbstractHashtag feminism, or feminist activism that unfolds through Twitter hashtags, has become a powerful tactic for fighting gender inequities around the world. Feminist media research, however, has yet to grasp the implications of this new form and social movement research has yet to model the conditions under which activists successfully mobilize online. This article builds on research regarding the potential and limitations of hashtag feminism to consider a question that remains understudied: what is the process through which a feminist hashtag develops into a highly visible protest? Through a case study of #WhyIStayed, which arose in response to a 2014 NFL domestic violence controversy, I frame hashtag feminism as an extension of the movement’s historically rooted discursive tactics. Hashtag feminism’s narrative form implies that the conditions for a successful online feminist protest parallel the elements of an effective dramatic performance. Using data collected from Twitter and news media, I ide...
Case 3: Abdominal Pain, Nausea, and Vomiting in a 12-year-old Girl.

1. Izaskun Melania Iglesias, MD, MBA* 2. Alexander Fernandez* 3. Eduardo Smith-Singares, MD, FACS* 4. Kenneth Soyemi, MD, MPH, MBA* 5. Rosibell Arcia, MD* 1. *John H Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL. A 12-year-old girl presents to the emergency department with a 5-hour history of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The pain is periumbilical, radiating to the left lower quadrant, colicky, and rated 5/10 at the onset. In the emergency department, she rates the pain as 8/10 and has two nonbloody, nonbilious episodes of emesis. She denies any fever, constipation, or diarrhea. She is not sexually active, had menarche 2 months ago, and had her last menstrual period end 3 days ago. She denies dysmenorrhea. She has no allergies, hospitalizations, or previous surgeries. On physical examination, the patient is in severe distress, afebrile, and pale. Mucous membranes are moist, and the girl has hyperpigmented perioral and intraoral mucosal lesions, freckles on her face, and macules on the tips of the fingers. Her abdomen is soft, nondistended, and tender to palpation on bilateral lower quadrants with rebound tenderness. No masses are palpable and the Rovsing sign is positive. …
Hosts of Mosquitoes in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina

Serological assays, using antisera produced against host serum proteins, were used to identify bloodmeal sources of 24 species of mosquitoes collected in primarily natural habitats in Duplin County, North Carolina during 1984 and 1985. Culex peccator fed almost exclusively on snakes and frogs. Cx. territans fed on reptiles and amphibians. Aedes triseriatus and Ae. canadensis fed primarily on turtles. Psorophora ferox, Ae. atlanticus , and Ae. fulvus pallens fed primarily on various mammals. Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. restuans, Culiseta melanura , and Ae. dupreei fed primarily on passerine birds. Cx. quinquefasciatus was the only mosquito species that fed in significant numbers on chickens and turkeys, although large numbers of poultry were present. Cx. erraticus and several other species fed opportunistically on a variety of hosts. Seasonal or geographical host-feeding variability was not apparent in any of the species investigated. Multiple feeding occurred at a low rate (<0.2%).
Duration of pseudopregnancy in normal and uterine-traumatized hamsters.

ConclusionAn 8 to 10-day pseudopregnancy period occurs in most hamsters, the 9-day interval predominating. Hamsters rendered pseudopregnant by sterile mating do not exhibit a statistically significant prolongation of pseudopregnancy following uterine trauma, however massive, by interrupted sutures. The observations indicate species differences in luteal function in pseudopregnant hamsters as contrasted with rats.
The Improvement of Newton Iteration Method in the Square Root Calculation of Microcomputer Protection

Based on the analysis of the look-up table method and Newton iteration algorithm the paper improves the Newton iteration method for the square root calculation.The advanced method integrates the look-up table method and Newton iteration method.Only one cycle of Newton iteration is needed in the operation process and the size of the table can been quantificationally determined by the precision require.Examples show that the method has the properties of fast operation,high precision and memory saving,which solves the problems of time waste,low precision and the scope of stored data value difficult to determine in the square root calculation over a long period.