cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microarray immunoassay for phenoxybenzoic acid using polymer- functionalized lanthanide oxide nanoparticles as fluorescent labels

Fluorescent properties and low production cost makes lanthanide oxide nanoparticles attractive labels in biochemistry. Nanoparticles with different fluorescent spectra were produced by doping of oxides such as Y 2 O 3 and Gd 2 O 3 with different lanthanide ions (Eu, Tb, Sm) giving the possibility for multicolor labeling. Protein microarrays have the potential to play a fundamental role in the miniaturization of biosensors, clinical immunological assays, and protein-protein interaction studies. Here we present the application of fluorescent lanthanide oxide nanoparticles as labels in microarray-based immunoassay for phenoxybenzoic acid (PBA), a generic biomarker of human exposure to the highly potent insecticides pyrethroids. A novel polymer-based protocol was developed for biochemical functionalization of the nanoparticles. Microarrays of antibodies were fabricated by microcontact printing in line patterns onto glass substrates and immunoassays were successfully performed using the corresponding functionalized nanoparticles. The applicability of the fluorophore nanoparticles as reporters for detection of antibody-antigen interactions has been demonstrated for phenoxybenzoic acid (PBA)/anti-PBA IgG. The sensitivity of the competitive fluorescent immunoassay for PBA was similar to that of the corresponding ELISA.
Visualizing trends in student performance across computer science courses

Student retention is an important topic in Computer Science departments across the country. Keeping strong students and helping struggling students perform better are two fundamental components of improving retention. Isolating the cause(s) of students leaving the major is an important area of research. We endeavor to explore this problem using a visualization tool to probe student data within the beginning course sequence in Computer Science. We would like to see what patterns exist amongst students, focusing on success, failure, and repetition patterns throughout the first three courses. Identifying these patterns can help isolate some of the causes of decreased retention within the department, allowing us to address individual projects, courses, or exams that may be causing students exceptional difficulty or loss of interest. Due to the large amount of data and the variety of students' paths through their courses, it is essential that a visualization be developed to represent the data. Using graph layouts, parallel coordinates, color-mapping, and interactive selection, users can explore and query the data. Users can discover patterns within the data by selecting subgroups of students and examining the event sequences to find patterns of success, failure, and repetition amongst those students. Departments can use this information to isolate profiles of students for retention, remediation, and recruitment efforts as well as identify areas of the curriculum or instruction that can be improved.
Acting Out Abstinence, Acting Out Gender: Adolescent Moral Agency and Abstinence Education

This article explores faith-based, performance-oriented abstinence education through the lens of feminist theology by drawing on fieldwork with an urban, young adult dance and drama team whose mission is to promote abstinence through performances at high schools and church rallies. Through observation of performances and interviews with performers and program leaders, I examine abstinence education by looking at the way gender is performed both on stage and in everyday life. I argue that the performances observed in this setting can provide a space by which to examine the gendered nature of abstinence pledges. I then ask how the gendered nature of abstinence-only education affects limitations of agency as I argue that the gender roles present within faith-based abstinence education programs could be the greatest obstacle in encouraging a delay of sexual debut among adolescents and young adults.
RESEARCH: Land Use Characteristics and Water Quality: A Methodology for Valuing of Forested Buffers

In this study, water quality and basin characteristics data from different basins of the Fish River basin, Baldwin County, Alabama, were used to develop a valuation model. This valuation model is based on the effectiveness of “contributing zones” identified and delineated using methods described by Basnyat and others (Environmental Management]1999] 23(4):539–549). The “contributing zone” delineation model suggests that depending on soil permeability, soil moisture, depth to water table, slope, and vegetation, buffer widths varying from 16 m to 104 m must be maintained to assimilate or detain more than 90% of the nitrate passing through the buffers. The economic model suggests the value of retiring lands (to create the buffers) varies from $0 to $3067 per ha, depending on the types of crops currently grown. The total value of retiring all areas identified by the contributing zone model is $1,125,639 for the study area. This land value will then form the basis for estimates of the costs of land management options for improving (or maintaining) water quality throughout the study area.
Metabolic engineering: The sweet smell of biosynthesis

Metabolically engineered cells are yielding an expansion of specialty chemicals that rival or supplement traditional petroleum-derived chemicals. New results establish a biosynthetic route to volatile esters and larger acetate esters equivalent in size to biodiesel, providing an intriguing new direction to create fragrances, chemicals or fuels.
Motor neuron targeting of IGF-1 attenuates age-related external Ca2+-dependent skeletal muscle contraction in senescent mice.

A population of fast muscle fibers from aging mice is dependent on external Ca 2+ to maintain tetanic force during repeated contractions. We hypothesized that age-related denervation in muscle fibers plays a role in initiating this contractile deficit, and that prevention of denervation by IGF-1 overexpression would prevent external Ca 2+ -dependent contraction in aging mice. IGF-1 overexpression in skeletal muscle prevents age-related denervation, and prevented external Ca 2+ -dependent contraction in this work. To determine if the effects of IGF-1 overexpression are on muscle or nerve, aging mice were injected with a tetanus toxin fragment-C (TTC) fusion protein that targets IGF-1 to spinal cord motor neurons. This treatment prevented external Ca 2+ -dependent contraction. We also show evidence that injections of the IGF-1-TTC fusion protein prevent age-related alterations to the nerve terminals at the neuromuscular junctions. We conclude that the slow age-related denervation of fast muscle fibers underlies dependence on external Ca 2+ to maintain tetanic force in a population of muscle fibers from senescent mice.
Enteropancreatic circulation of digestive enzyme as a conservation mechanism

THE permeability of the intestine to pancreatic digestive enzymes has been known for some years1–7. Recently it was demonstrated8 that chymotrypsinogen and amylase are transported across the pancreatic acinar cell as well. Taken together these observations suggest that some of the digestive enzymes which are secreted into the intestinal lumen are circulated by way of the bloodstream and acinar cell back into the intestine. This prediction was borne out experimentally. 3H-chymotrypsinogen instilled into the intestinal lumen reappeared in pancreatic secretion within minutes8. The question remained, however, whether this “enteropancreatic circulation” was a trace process either of a trivial nature or serving a regulatory function; or, whether —analogous to the enterohepatic circulation of bile salts—it was a process in which substantial amounts of digestive enzyme could be circulated and thereby conserved. The experiments reported here are consistent with this latter view and suggest the circulation of approximately 60% of a mixture of digestive enzymes instilled into the duodenum (82–92% at steady state).
Kinetic model for laser-assisted reactions

Abstract A bimolecular expression has been developed for the prediction of reactive rate constants and cross sections in non-resonant laser fields. The result is a function of the laser power density, the electronic transition moment, the spectral detuning and the parameters which define the internuclear potential. The final form is based on a phenomenological model and is the result of treating the reaction as a unimolecular process. Available data are discussed in terms of a van der Waals potential and are correlated as a function of the long-range attraction. Agreement with published results is very good. The model is used to make predictions of branching ratios in several systems and a discussion of the molecular properties requisite to successful experiments is presented.
Analysis of a concentrated winding induction machine for adjustable speed drive applications. II. Motor design and performance

For pt.I. see ibid, vol.6, no.4, p.679-83 (1991). The performance of multiphase machines designed for operation with static power converters is described. The winding distributions are intentionally rectangular to better accommodate the rectangular waveforms of solid-state inverters. Fourier analysis is used for investigation of the effects of different air-gap-field spatial distributions and time harmonics in the supply. The approach to analysis of such machines, derived in Part I, is implemented by means of a digital-computer simulation. Compound results indicate that when operating in conjunction with a converter supply, a specially wound five-phase machine is theoretically capable of a 10% improvement in torque per root-mean-square ampere assuming the same peak air-gap-flux density level in the air gap of the machine as in a conventionally designed induction motor of the same rating. >
ChaMeleons-01 Team Description

The following paper describes the ChaMeleons-01 Robocup 2001 simulation league team. Development was concentrated in two main areas: the design and implementation ofan action-selection architecture and the development of the online coach. The architecture was designed in such a way to support the integration ofad vice from an external agent. Currently, the only external agent the ChaMeleons-01 support is an online coach offering advice using the standard coach language. The online coach offers advice in the form of passing rules, marking assignments, and formation information.
Diffusion coefficients of retinoids.

Purpose. Diffusion coefficients of various retinoids have not been measured previously. It is important to know the diffusion coefficients of the retinoids because this property might be rate-limiting in dark adaptation. Also, retinoid diffusion is important to explore given that rhodopsin regeneration is not impaired in IRBP knockout mice. Methods. Measurements of lateral diffusion coefficients (D) of 9-cis-retinal, all-trans-retinal, and all-trans-retinol were made by Fourier transform pulsed-gradient spin-echo NMR measurements (FT-PGSE NMR) in several solvents. Also, 3 H-all-trans-retinoic acid was used to measure diffusion from an aqueous agarose matrix and absorption into a toluene based scintillation fluid in a biphase assay. Results. In a 1:1 mixture of CD 3 OD:D 2 O the D’s of the retinoids were, 2.4 to 3.0 × 10 -6 cm 2 /s. In the biphase assay, 3 H-all trans-retinoic acid exhibited a diffusion coefficient of 2.3 × 10 -6 cm 2 /s. Conclusions. The lower than expected D for retinoids and our calcula...
Dropping the ball: Releasing a virtual grasp

We present a method for improved release of whole-hand virtual grasps. It addresses the problem of objects “sticking” during release after the user's (real) fingers interpenetrate virtual objects due to the lack of physical motion constraints. This problem may be especially distracting for grasp techniques that introduce mismatches between tracked and visual hand configurations to prevent visual interpenetration. Our method includes heuristic analysis of finger motion and a transient incremental motion metaphor to manage a virtual hand during grasp release. We incorporate the method into a spring model for whole-hand virtual grasping. We show that the new spring model improves speed and accuracy for a targeted ball-drop task, and users report a subjective preference for the new behavior. In contrast to a standard spring-based grasping method, measured release quality does not depend notably on object size.
The informed muse: The implications of ‘the new museology’ for museum practice

Abstract Theorists of The New Museology, who regard museums as social institutions with political agendas because of inherent shared biases and assumptions, advocate integrating museums more closely with the multicultural social groups which these critics believe they should represent and serve. The New Muscology specifically questions traditional museum approaches to issues of value, meaning, control, interpretation, authority and authenticity. These challenges have implications for both internal operations and external relations of museums. They point up the importance of the ‘information base’ underlying museum missions and functions, and its potential for supporting more cohesive and integrated institutions.
The Cambridge Introduction to Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a key text in African American literature. Its author Zora Neale Hurston has become an iconic figure for her literary works and for her invaluable contribution to documenting elements of black folk culture in the rural south and in the Caribbean. This introductory book designed for students explores Hurston's artistic achievements and her unique character: her staunch individualism, her penchant for drama, her sometimes controversial politics, her philosophical influences and her views on gender relations. Lovalerie King explores Hurston's life and analyses her major works and short stories. Historical, social, political, and cultural contexts for Hurston's life and work, including her key role in the development of the Harlem Renaissance, are set out. The book concludes with an overview of the reception of Hurston's work, both in her lifetime and up to the present, as well as suggestions for further reading.
MEG based brain laterality: Sex differences in normal adults

Magnetoencephalographic (MEG) auditory evoked fields produced by short tone pips were recorded from 34 normal adults (17 males, 17 females) and the 100 msec latency component (M100) localized in left and right hemispheres. Absolute M100 location in the antero-posterior dimension was calculated for each subject. M100 sources were significantly further anterior in the right hemisphere of males. Magnetic resonance (MR) based anatomy of the superior temporal gyri (STG) in a subset of 17 subjects showed that in the left STG of both males and females M100 sources were located approximately midway on the STG. In the right hemisphere of males, however, M100 sources were significantly further anterior on the STG than was the case for females. The findings are compatible with a sex based difference in right STG functional anatomy, with evidence of greater hemispheric lateralization in males compared to females based upon a predominantly right hemisphere contribution.
Biodegradable green composites made using bamboo micro/nano-fibrils and chemically modified soy protein resin

Abstract Micro/nano-sized bamboo fibrils (MBF) and a modified soy protein resin were used to fabricate environmentally friendly composites. With the incorporation of MBF the fracture stress and Young’s modulus of the soy protein concentrate (SPC) increased significantly. With the addition of 30 parts of MBF (SPC is 100 parts, based on weight), the fracture stress and Young’s modulus were increased from 20.2 MPa to 59.3 MPa and from 596 MPa to 1816 MPa, respectively. The addition of MBF, however, did not show significant decrease in the fracture strain of the specimens. As a result, the toughness of the MBF reinforced SPC increased. The toughness of the SPC based composites containing 30 parts of MBF was 6.0 MPa compared to 2.7 MPa for SPC without MBF. MBF reinforced SPC was then cross-linked using a silane, (3-isocyanatopropyl)triethoxysilane (ITES). Although the fracture strength and Young’s modulus did not show significant increase, the modification using ITES showed significant increase in the fracture toughness. SPC containing 30 parts of MBF, 10 parts of ITES and 2 parts of glycerol showed fracture stress of 82 MPa, Young’s modulus of around 3.2 GPa and toughness of 4.3 MPa. The environment-friendly, fully biodegradable green composites, based on MBF and modified SPC resins, have excellent properties and great potential to replace the traditional petroleum-based materials in many applications.
Distributed parallel computing using windows desktop systems

Like many large institutions, Indiana University has thousands of desktop computers devoted primarily to running office productivity applications on the Windows operating system, tasks which are necessary but that do not use the computers’ full capacity. This is a resource worth pursuing. However, the individual desktop systems do not offer enough processing power for a long enough period of time to complete large scientific computing applications. Some form of distributed, parallel programming is required, to make them worth the chase. They must be instantly available to their primary users, so they are available only intermittently. This has been a serious stumbling block: currently available communications libraries for distributed computing do not support such a dynamic communications world well. This paper introduces Simple Message Broker Library (SMBL), which provides the flexibility needed to take advantage of such ephemeral resources. Condor [1] offers an approach to managing jobs on scattered computing resources that is well suited to this situation; there is a Windows version of Condor, although it does not at the time of this writing provide support for parallel computing. There are other systems for managing jobs in a distributed environment, such as Globus [2]. SMBL addresses a different problem: performing extended computations using a continually changing collection of small computers. We could not find a sufficiently fault-tolerant and wellbehaved PVM [3] implementation for Windows. MPI [4] implementations expect the same machines at the end of a job as at the beginning. This is only reasonable, since these libraries are generally used on dedicated systems. DOGMA [5] supports the desired type of computing, but only for applications written in Java. SETI@Home [6] does not provide a general-purpose framework. SMBL enables parallel computing on sporadically-available desktop systems by introducing a server to keep track of the processing nodes and route messages between them. The SMBL server acts as a communications broker for processes associated with a particular parallel job running on many different processors. SMBL is designed to work with heterogeneous systems. It is not a part of Condor, but they work well together. In conjunction, they can be used to run parallel jobs on Windows computers in an opportunistic fashion, without interfering with the computers’ primary users. Available as open source, SMBL is scalable, flexible and robust enough for a highly constrained and highly dynamic distributed computing environment, using ephemeral resources for massive computations.
UMND1: Unsupervised Word Sense Disambiguation Using Contextual Semantic Relatedness

In this paper we describe an unsupervised WordNet-based Word Sense Disambiguation system, which participated (as UMND1) in the SemEval-2007 Coarse-grained English Lexical Sample task. The system disambiguates a target word by using WordNet-based measures of semantic relatedness to find the sense of the word that is semantically most strongly related to the senses of the words in the context of the target word. We briefly describe this system, the configuration options used for the task, and present some analysis of the results.
A new approach to the modeling and analysis of fracture through an extension of continuum mechanics to the nanoscale

This paper focuses on the analysis of the partial differential equations arising from a new approach to modeling brittle fracture based on an extension of continuum mechanics to the nanoscale. It is shown that ascribing constant surface tension to the fracture surfaces and using the appropriate crack surface boundary condition given by the jump momentum balance, leads to a sharp crack opening profile at the crack tip but predicts logarithmically singular crack tip stress. However a modified model, where the surface excess property is responsive to the curvature of the fracture surfaces, yields bounded stresses and a cusp-like opening profile at the crack tip. Further, two possible fracture criteria in the context of the new theory are discussed. The first one is an energy based crack growth condition, while the second employs the finite crack tip stress the model predicts. The classical notion of energy release rate is based upon the singular solution, whereas for the modeling approach adopted here, a notion analogous to the energy release rate arises through a different mechanism associated to the rate of working of the surface excess properties at the crack tip. ∗Corresponding author.
Integrated safety analysis of requirements specifications

This paper describes an integrated approach to safety analysis of software requirements and demonstrates the feasibility and utility of applying the individual techniques and the integrated approach on the requirements specification of a guidance system for a high-speed civil transport being developed at NASA Ames. Each analysis found different types of errors in the specification; thus together the techniques provided a more comprehensive safety analysis than any individual technique. We also discovered that the more the analyst knew about the application and the model, the more successful they were in finding errors. Our findings imply that the most effective safety-analysis tool will assist rather than replace the analyst.
An efficient output phase assignment for PLA minimization

When a multiple-output function is realized by a PLA (programmable logic array), there is often the option of realizing either true or complementary logic for each output. The tradeoffs in implementing PLAs with and without output phase assignment are explored, and an efficient output phase assignment for PLA minimization is presented. The results of this study show that the proposed algorithm reduces the number of product terms by as much as 50% when the output phase assignment is considered. >
Correlations of serum concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone in tumoral calcinosis.

The inherited metabolic disorder tumoral calcinosis is characterized by elevated serum phosphorus and 1,25- dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)2D] levels and paraarticular calcific tumors. The pathogenesis of this disease is obscure, but an elevated renal phosphate reabsorption threshold and increased production of 1,25-(OH)2D are postulated as defects. We studied nine affected patients and found that both serum phosphorus and renal phosphate reabsorption threshold (TmP/GFR) were positively correlated with serum 1,25-(OH)2D levels. Since tumoral calcinosis is a disorder with abnormal renal phosphate transport, we compared the TmP/GFR and serum 1,25-(OH)2D levels to values obtained in patients with two other diseases with renal phosphate transport defects: oncogenic osteomalacia and X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets. We found a significant correlation between TmP/GFR and 1,25-(OH)2D levels in all three diseases, suggesting that in these diseases 1,25-(OH)2D production is regulated in some manner by phosphate tra...
Relative differences in susceptibility of Pieris taxa (Ericaceae) to Stephanitis spp. lace bugs (Hemiptera: Tingidae).

ABSTRACT Over 60 Pieris taxa (Ericaceae) were measured for their susceptibility to the Andromeda lace bug, Stephanitis takeyai Drake and Maa, and the azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott) (Hemiptera: Tingidae) based on leaf damage, adult survival on leaves, and emergence of nymphs in no-choice petri dish assays. Pieris phillyreifolia (Hook. ) DC. and P. japonica (Thunb. ) D.Don ex G.Don ‘Variegata’ were consistently resistant to both species of lace bugs, whereas P. japonica ‘Cavatine’ was consistently susceptible to both. Pieris japonica ‘Temple Bells’ was highly susceptible to S. takeyai, but resistant to S. pyrioides. Nymph emergence was noted only with S. takeyai, on 46 Pieris taxa, whereas S. pyrioides nymphs were not observed on any of the Pieris taxa. Choice assays (with 10 Pieris taxa) and whole plant assays (with five Pieris taxa) using S. takeyai alone also were conducted, confirming the resistance of P. phillyreifolia and susceptibility of P. japonica Temple Bells to lace bug feeding.
Fibrinogen-coated chylomicrons in gastrointestinal lymph: a new rationale regarding the arterial deposition of postprandial lipids.

The recent discovery that fibrinogen binds to chylomicrons in gastrointestinal lymph has prompted a new rationale regarding the arterial deposition of postprandial lipids, i.e., dietary fat. According to this new rationale, fibrinogen bound to chylomicrons in the gastrointestinal lymph renders those lipid particles and/or their remnants an adhesive potential, even before the particles reach the arterial system. It is proposed that such an adhesive potential, if realized in the vicinity of the arterial wall, can contribute to the nucleation and growth of atherosclerotic plaques, especially during and immediately following a fat-rich meal. Arguments in support of this proposal are made based on the proximity of the lymph outflow tract to the arteries most susceptible to atherosclerosis, and on the tissue distributions and activities of heparin, diamine oxidase, and lipoprotein lipase. This new rationale reconciles existing theories on atherosclerosis, and it also suggests novel means by which to prevent/treat the disease.
Cationic amphiphilic polyproline helix P11LRR targets intracellular mitochondria

We demonstrate that P11LRR, a recently developed amphiphilic polyproline, cell penetrating agent, is able to locate inside the mitochondria of various cell lines when administrated at high concentrations. Mitochondrial targeting was verified by confocal fluorescence co-localization of P11LRR-fluorescein with Mitotracker Red. Elimination of mitochondrial membrane potential dramatically inhibits the localization of P11LRR to mitochondria. Concentration-dependency experiments suggest that cellular internalization of P11LRR occurs via two different pathways: endocytosis and direct transport. Results indicate that the latter pathway predominates at high concentrations of P11LRR, resulting in localization of the agent to the mitochondria. The membrane translocation pathway was further confirmed by two endocytosis inhibitors, cytochalasin D and phenylarsine oxide, and by modulation of plasma membrane potential. The potential of using P11LRR as a mitochondrial drug delivery vector was demonstrated through the delivery of a covalently linked small antioxidant, dimethyltyrosine (Dmt), which allowed for the reduction of chemically induced reactive oxygen species within the mitochondria.
Grapsoid and Gall Crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura: Grapsoidea and Cryptochiroidea) of Easter Island

The grapsoid and gall crab fauna of Easter Island is reviewed, based on historical records and material collected by the Science Museum of Long Island Easter Island Expedition of 1998–1999. Previously, nine grapsoids identified to the species level, but no gall crabs, were recorded from the island. The present work reports on eight species of grapsoids: Pachygrapsus laevimanus Stimpson, 1858 (previously recorded from the island as Pachygrapsus transversus [Gibbes, 1850]); Pachygrapsus plicatus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) (new record); Leptograpsus variegatus (Fabricius, 1793); Cyclograpsus longipes Stimpson, 1858; Ptychognathus easteranus Rathbun, 1907; Percnon pascuensis Retamal, 2002 (redescribed and figured); Guinusia dentipes (De Haan, 1835); and Guinusia integripes (Garth, 1973) (new combination). Geograpsus crinipes (Dana, 1851) and Guinusia chabrus (Linnaeus, 1758) have been previously recorded from the island; no material of the former was collected and the latter is considered an erroneous identification of Guinusia dentipes. Dacryomaia japonica (Takeda & Tamura, 1981) is the first identified gall crab from the island. Color notes for six species and illustrations for several important morphological characters of Percnon pascuensis are provided.
Subunit Stoichiometry, Evolution, and Functional Implications of an Asymmetric Plant Plastid ClpP/R Protease Complex in Arabidopsis

The caseinolytic protease (Clp) protease system has been expanded in plant plastids compared with its prokaryotic progenitors. The plastid Clp core protease consists of five different proteolytic ClpP proteins and four different noncatalytic ClpR proteins, with each present in one or more copies and organized in two heptameric rings. We determined the exact subunit composition and stoichiometry for the intact core and each ring. The chloroplast ClpP/R protease was affinity purified from clpr4 and clpp3 Arabidopsis thaliana null mutants complemented with C-terminal StrepII-tagged versions of CLPR4 and CLPP3, respectively. The subunit stoichiometry was determined by mass spectrometry-based absolute quantification using stable isotope-labeled proteotypic peptides generated from a synthetic gene. One heptameric ring contained ClpP3,4,5,6 in a 1:2:3:1 ratio. The other ring contained ClpP1 and ClpR1,2,3,4 in a 3:1:1:1:1 ratio, resulting in only three catalytic sites. These ClpP1/R1-4 proteins are most closely related to the two subunits of the cyanobacterial P3/R complex and the identical P:R ratio suggests conserved adaptation. Furthermore, the plant-specific C-terminal extensions of the ClpP/R subunits were not proteolytically removed upon assembly, suggesting a regulatory role in Clp chaperone interaction. These results will now allow testing ClpP/R structure–function relationships using rationale design. The quantification workflow we have designed is applicable to other protein complexes.
Numerical Studies and Metric Development for Validation of MHD Models on the HIT-SI Experiment

Abstract We present application of three scalar metrics derived from the Biorthogonal Decomposition (BD) technique to evaluate the level of agreement between macroscopic plasma dynamics in different data sets. BD decomposes large data sets, as produced by distributed diagnostic arrays, into principal mode structures without assumptions on spatial or temporal structure. These metrics have been applied to validation of the Hall-MHD model using experimental data from the Helicity Injected Torus with Steady Inductive helicity injection (HIT-SI) experiment. Each metric provides a measure of correlation between mode structures extracted from experimental data and simulations for an array of 192 surface-mounted magnetic probes. Numerical validation studies have been performed using the NIMROD code, where the injectors are modeled as boundary conditions on the flux conserver, and the PSI-TET code, where the entire plasma volume is treated. Initial results from a comprehensive validation study of high performance operation with different injector frequencies are presented, illustrating application of the BD method. Using a simplified (constant, uniform density and temperature) Hall-MHD model, simulation results agree with experimental observation for two of the three defined metrics when the injectors are driven with a frequency of 14.5 kHz.
Vasodilator properties of ethacrynic acid in the perfused dog kidney.

1. Ethacrynic acid reduces renal vascular resistance of the isolated dog kidney. 2. Ethacrynic acid induced natriuresis can occur despite stabilization of renal blood flow, but augmentation of blood flow increases the natriuretic response. 3. Vasodilatation and natriuresis after ethacrynic acid administration occurred together in time and were not separable. The onset and peak natriuretic and vasodilator responses frequently coincided in time. 4. Ethacrynic acid induced vasodilatation could be inhibited by loss of body fluid. The rise in resistance could be avoided by adequate volume replacement and by prevention of volume depletion.
Ethiopian Contextualization: The Tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church

Our study of contextualization must be basically descriptive, that is, to observe and describe how the gospel is understood and shapes practices in the context of a people. Especially we have to take into consideration different global church traditions in our discussion of contextualization. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church ( EOTC ) provides a compelling historical example of contextualization. It has developed its own unique tradition by weaving together elements from different sources of both internal and external traditions through dynamic interaction with other traditions. These include Ethiopian primal, Hebraic-Jewish, apostolic, Syriac and Egyptian Coptic. Ethiopian nationalism has functioned as the guiding principle underlying Ethiopian contextualization. The EOTC will continue to display how a church with a long history and tradition copes with new challenging situations and establishes its distinctive tradition in a dynamic interaction of its local and global orientations.
Gray matter segmentation of the spinal cord with active contours in MR images.

Abstract Objective Fully or partially automated spinal cord gray matter segmentation techniques for spinal cord gray matter segmentation will allow for pivotal spinal cord gray matter measurements in the study of various neurological disorders. The objective of this work was multi-fold: (1) to develop a gray matter segmentation technique that uses registration methods with an existing delineation of the cord edge along with Morphological Geodesic Active Contour (MGAC) models; (2) to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of the newly developed technique on 2D PSIR T1 weighted images; (3) to test how the algorithm performs on different resolutions and other contrasts; (4) to demonstrate how the algorithm can be extended to 3D scans; and (5) to show the clinical potential for multiple sclerosis patients. Methods The MGAC algorithm was developed using a publicly available implementation of a morphological geodesic active contour model and the spinal cord segmentation tool of the software Jim (Xinapse Systems) for initial estimate of the cord boundary. The MGAC algorithm was demonstrated on 2D PSIR images of the C2/C3 level with two different resolutions, 2D T2* weighted images of the C2/C3 level, and a 3D PSIR image. These images were acquired from 45 healthy controls and 58 multiple sclerosis patients selected for the absence of evident lesions at the C2/C3 level. Accuracy was assessed though visual assessment, Hausdorff distances, and Dice similarity coefficients. Reproducibility was assessed through interclass correlation coefficients. Validity was assessed through comparison of segmented gray matter areas in images with different resolution for both manual and MGAC segmentations. Results Between MGAC and manual segmentations in healthy controls, the mean Dice similarity coefficient was 0.88 (0.82–0.93) and the mean Hausdorff distance was 0.61 (0.46–0.76) mm. The interclass correlation coefficient from test and retest scans of healthy controls was 0.88. The percent change between the manual segmentations from high and low-resolution images was 25%, while the percent change between the MGAC segmentations from high and low resolution images was 13%. Between MGAC and manual segmentations in MS patients, the average Dice similarity coefficient was 0.86 (0.8–0.92) and the average Hausdorff distance was 0.83 (0.29–1.37) mm. Conclusion We demonstrate that an automatic segmentation technique, based on a morphometric geodesic active contours algorithm, can provide accurate and precise spinal cord gray matter segmentations on 2D PSIR images. We have also shown how this automated technique can potentially be extended to other imaging protocols.
An Early Warning System for the United Nations: Internet or Not?

Editor's Note: An ongoing discussion within international studies concerns the design of a system to provide early warning of a variety of international crises to the United Nations. In this Forum, Gavan Duffy, organizer and chair of a roundtable on the problems and prospects for early warning at the 35th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, continues the debate on a proposal for an Internet-based early warning system. This system is designed to overcome fundamental problems arising from differing theoretical perspectives toward what constitutes crisis and disaster, especially with respect to political conflict situations. Several reactions to the proposal follow, along with a final rejoinder by Duffy himself. As Duffy notes in his rejoinder, expanding discussion on this policy issue is crucial, and the Forum itself is a means forfurthering the discussion. Anyone wishing to join in the debate over early warning or the Internet proposal itself should contact the participants: Gavan Duffy, gavan@mailbox.syredu; Ted Gurr, tgurr@umd.edu; Philip Schrodt schrodt@ukanaix. cc.ukans.edu; Gottfried Mayer-Kress, gmk@pegasos.ccsruiuc.edu; and Peter Brecke, peter brecke@inta.gatech. edu.
Correlation Analysis between Temperature Indices and Flexible Pavement Distress Predictions Using Mechanistic-Empirical Design

AbstractTemperature is the most influential climatic variable for flexible pavement design using a mechanistic-empirical approach. While the effect of climatic variables on pavement designs has bee...
An ultra-wideband harmonic radiator with a tuning range of 62GHz (28.3%) at 220GHz

An ultra-wideband mm-wave voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented. By utilizing an optimum design of the passives embedding around the core transistor in a Colpitts structure, the VCO tuning range is enhanced. The impact of DC bias on the tuning bandwidth is discussed. The generated second harmonic is efficiently extracted and radiated using a wideband slot antenna. The chip is fabricated in a 55nm BiCMOS process. A state-of-the-art tuning bandwidth of 62.1GHz (28.3%) at a center frequency of 219.6GHz is achieved. With a measured peak radiated power of −3.7dBm, a DC to radiated power efficiency of 0.52% is obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest VCO bandwidth at mm-wave frequencies compared to the state of the art.
Large Deviations for Dense Random Graphs

A dense graph is a graph whose number of edges is comparable to the square of the number of vertices. The main result of this chapter is the formulation and proof of the large deviation principle for dense Erdős–Renyi random graphs. We will see later that this result can be used to derive large deviation principles for a large class of models. These and other applications will be given in later chapters. The results and definitions from the previous chapters will be used extensively in the proofs of this chapter.
“If I’m Going to Do It, I’m Going to Do It Right”: Intensive Mothering Ideologies among Childless Women Who Elect Egg Freezing:

Researchers have documented the dominance of intensive mothering ideologies and their impact on mothers and their families. However, the effect of these ideologies on childless women has received l...
Tunable TiO2–pepsin thin film as a low-temperature electron transport layer for photoelectrochemical cells

AbstractElectron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs) is attractive from the perspective of photon-to-electron conversion efficiency. TiO2 thin film is preferred in situatio...
Interfacial electron transfer yields in dye-sensitized NiO photocathodes correlated to excited-state dipole orientation of ruthenium chromophores

Interface dynamics of nanocrystalline NiO thin films sensitized with two ruthenium polypyridyl chromophores have been investigated to examine the influence that excited-state dipole orientation and...
Evaluating and Improving the Synthetic Control Chart

A synthetic control chart designed to detect shifts in the process mean can be represented as a runs rule chart with a head start feature. A Markov chain model of the synthetic control chart is proposed for the evaluation of the zero-state and steady-st..
Stochastic dynamic programming approach to managing power system uncertainty with distributed storage

Wind integration in power grids is challenging because of the uncertain nature of wind speed. Forecasting errors may have costly consequences. Indeed, power might be purchased at highest prices to meet the load, and in case of surplus, power may be wasted. Energy storage may provide some recourse against the uncertainty of wind generation. Because of their sequential nature, in theory, power scheduling problems may be solved via stochastic dynamic programming. However, this scheme is limited to small networks by the so-called curse of dimensionality. This paper analyzes the management of a network composed of conventional power units and wind turbines through approximate dynamic programming, more precisely stochastic dual dynamic programming. A general power network model with ramping constraints on the conventional generators is considered. The approximate method is tested on several networks of different sizes. The numerical experiments also include comparisons with classical dynamic programming on a small network. The results show that the combination of approximation techniques enables to solve the problem in reasonable time.
Do multiple foreign listings create value for firms

Abstract In this paper, we study whether firms benefit from listing in multiple foreign markets. Employing a global sample of multiple-listed firms, we compare Tobin’s q for firms cross-listed in one versus two or more markets. Our univariate analysis does not find a cross-listing premium; however, firms that are from/cross-list in certain markets do receive higher valuations. A multivariate analysis shows a multiple-listing effect that is robust to controlling for firm and country-level characteristics as well as self-selection bias. Furthermore, we find strong support for the market segmentation and bonding hypotheses, and weak support for the liquidity hypothesis.
Follow-Up of Abnormal Pelvic Ultrasound

Pelvic ultrasounds (US) are commonly ordered in the outpatient setting. In premenopausal women, pelvic scans are often performed for a variety of conditions. Uterine fibroids is a common diagnosis that is followed to assess for stability and /or growth. During these exams, incidental findings are frequently identified in the adnexa. What kind of follow-up, if any, should these incidentally discovered lesions have? This chapter details the recommended follow-up of asymptomatic ovarian and other adnexal cysts as outlined by the SRU (Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound) consensus guidelines in 2010. The recommendations so drafted are based on current literature and common practice strategies.
Foundations of Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) Training

Objectives: To provide an analysis of the foundations of cockpit resource management (CRM) for the scientific, academic, and aviation training communities through a review of CRM history, literature, and research. Scope: This study provides a summary of what cockpit resource management (CRM) is, what its originare are, a review of contemporary research in its various components, and recommendations for selection and training to meet the objectives of improved cockpit management. It contains views on crew member skills, roles, behaviors and available resources commonly included in the analysis of CRM. Findings: Out of the review of literature and survey activities related to this study, a descriptive analysis of CRM was constructed. This included a history of CRM development, a summary of CRM research, and an account of CRM training issues. Lack of institutional priority and absence of governmental support for funding the production of CRM training media are cited as the most important areas of concern.
Where, when, and why did it rain during PECAN?

AbstractThe overarching goal of the Plains Elevated Convection At Night (PECAN) field campaign was to improve understanding of the processes contributing to the nocturnal precipitation maximum in t...
Laparoscopic Vessel Endometriosis Resection Surgery: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Background. Endometriosis usually occurs in the pelvis and often involves the ovaries, the uterosacral and broad ligaments, and the pelvic peritoneum. In rare instances, it can occur in the vasculature of the pelvis. Patients with endometriosis present with abnormal pain, menstrual cycle disruption and infertility. Management of endometriosis is usually surgical with excision of the tissue via laparoscopic means. Case. A 42-year-old Gravida 5, Para 2-0-3-2 patient with a 22 year history of endometriosis, who had had multiple laparoscopic endometriosis resections, total abdominal hysterectomy, and an exploratory laparotomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, presented with left pelvic pain when standing, dyspareunia, and a 3.7 cm cyst on ultrasound. The patient underwent laparoscopic vessel endometriosis resection and excision of endometriotic nodules from external iliac vessels. Final pathology report showed evidence of old endometriosis in all locations. On interval follow-up, the patient reported sustained relief from pain. Conclusion. Complete resection of endometriosis from large vessels can be successfully achieved laparoscopically by a well-experienced surgeon with delicate, proper techniques.
9 – Soybean Carbohydrates

Publisher Summary Soybeans (SB) are used as food and feed ingredients for their protein content and protein composition. As a protein source, SB often is used in the form of Soybean Meal (SBM), which is the product of SB processing for Soybean Oil (SBO) extraction. Although carbohydrate content and carbohydrate composition of SB and SBM have received limited attention compared to their protein and fat constituents, carbohydrates make up a significant part of the SB seed. Typically, SB contains approximately 30–35% carbohydrates and in SBM, carbohydrate content may be as high as 40%. Carbohydrates are usually divided into two main groups based on their physicochemical properties in plant material. The first group, the non-structural carbohydrates, includes low molecular weight sugars, oligosaccharides, and storage polysaccharides. The second group comprises of the structural polysaccharides and includes dietary fiber components. Research pertaining to the composition and structure of SB carbohydrates is ongoing, but is not yet as mature as research on proteins and lipids. This chapter reviews the available literature on SB and SBM carbohydrates and discusses SB and SBM carbohydrates based on their functionality in the plant (non-structural or structural) and their value as feed or food ingredients.