cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a new signal for bottleneck identification and loss allocation to individual machines

This paper presents a new signal for analysis to identify and rank the bottlenecks in a manufacturing system. The proposed method analyses inter-departure time from different machines to identify and rank the bottlenecks. A simple descriptive measure with good correlation to bottleneck is presented. This research also presents a new method to allocate loss of production to different machines based on the analysis of inter-departure time. In addition, a set of rules that may be used to improve data integrity is presented. The proposed method may be used to analyse both steady-state as well as non-steady-state system behaviour. The proposed method is applicable to high-volume and low-variety manufacturing systems. Future research issues are discussed.
Humoral response to a viral glycan correlates with survival on PROSTVAC-VF

Therapeutic cancer vaccines can be effective for treating patients, but clinical responses vary considerably from patient to patient. Early indicators of a favorable response are crucial for making individualized treatment decisions and advancing vaccine design, but no validated biomarkers are currently available. In this study, we used glycan microarrays to profile antiglycan antibody responses induced by PROSTVAC-VF, a poxvirus-based cancer vaccine currently in phase III clinical trials. Although the vaccine is designed to induce T-cell responses to prostate-specific antigen, we demonstrate that this vaccine also induces humoral responses to a carbohydrate on the poxvirus, the Forssman disaccharide (GalNAcα1-3GalNAcβ). These responses had a statistically significant correlation with overall survival in two independent sample sets (P = 0.015 and 0.008) comprising more than 100 patients. Additionally, anti-Forssman humoral responses correlated with clinical outcome in a separate study of PROSTVAC-VF combined with a radiopharmaceutical (Quadramet). Studies on control subjects demonstrated that the survival correlation was specific to the vaccine. The results provide evidence that antiglycan antibody responses may serve as early biomarkers of a favorable response to PROSTVAC-VF and offer unique insights for improving vaccine design.
Determination of the Kinetic Parameters of Mixed‐Conducting Electrodes and Application to the System Li3Sb

An electrochemical galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) is described which combines both transient and steady‐state measurements to obtain kinetic properties of solid mixed‐conducting electrodes, as well as thermodynamic data. The derivation of quantities such as the chemical and component diffusion coefficients, the partial conductivity, the mobility, the thermodynamic enhancement factor, and the parabolic rate constant as a function of stoichiometry is presented. A description of the factors governing the equilibration of composition gradients in such phases is included. The technique is applied to the determination of the kinetic parameters of the compound which has a narrow composition range. For the chemical diffusion coefficient is at 360°C. This value is quite high, due to a large thermodynamic enhancement factor of . The lithium component diffusion coefficient is comparatively small at this composition, . The partial conductivity and electrical mobility of lithium are and , respectively, at the same stoichiometry and temperature. Because of the very large values of the chemical diffusion coefficient and the fact that 3 moles of lithium can react per mole of antimony, this system may be of interest for use in new types of secondary batteries.
Investigating input technologies for children and young adults with Down syndrome

Using computers as an assistive technology for people with various types of physical and perceptual disabilities has been studied extensively. However, research on computer technology used by individuals with Down syndrome is limited. This paper reports an empirical study that investigated the use of three input techniques (keyboard and mouse, word prediction, and speech recognition) by children and young adults with Down syndrome and neurotypical children. The results suggest that the performance of the Down syndrome participants vary substantially. The high performing Down syndrome participants are capable of using the keyboard or the word prediction software to generate text at approximately 6 words per minute with error rates below 5%, which is similar to the performance of the younger neurotypical participants. No significant difference was observed between the keyboard condition and the word prediction condition. Recognition error rate observed under the speech input condition is very high for the Down syndrome participants. The neurotypical children achieved better performance than the participants with Down syndrome on the input tasks and demonstrated different preferences when interacting with the input techniques. Limitations of this study and implications for future research are also discussed.
Pathogenic Role of the CRL4 Ubiquitin Ligase in Human Disease

The cullin 4-RING ubiquitin ligase (CRL4) family employs multiple DCAF (DDB1-CUL4 associated factors) substrate receptors to direct the degradation of proteins involved in a wide spectrum of cellular functions. Aberrant expression of the cullin 4A (CUL4A) gene is found in many tumor types, while mutations of the cullin 4B (CUL4B) gene are causally associated with human X-linked mental retardation. This focused review will summarize our current knowledge of the two CUL4 family members in the pathogenesis of human malignancy and neuronal disease, and discuss their potential as new targets for cancer prevention and therapeutic intervention.
Volatile Constituents of Used Frying Oils

The volatile constituents of used frying oils obtained from a local food-processing plant were isolated by simultaneous distillation−extraction and fractionated by silica gel column chromatography. The isolates were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography and combined capillary gas chromatography−mass spectrometry, resulting in the identification of 140 compounds. The major constituents identified were 1-pentanol, hexanal, furfuryl alcohol, (E)-2-heptenal, 5-methylfurfural, 1-octen-3-ol, octanal, 2-pentylfuran, (E)-2-octenal, nonanal, (E)-2-nonenal, and hexadecanoic acid. Keywords: Frying oil; volatiles; simultaneous steam distillation−extraction; deep-fat frying
Varieties of Capitalism in Spain: Business and the Politics of Coordination

This article explores the evolving interests of Spanish capital and the structural and political constraints within which employers define and defend their interests. It shows that institutional change is a political matter; it is therefore possible to develop coordination capacities in the absence of many defining features of ‘coordinated market economies’. The central argument is that successful coordination depends not only on the organization of the social actors but also on their interests and strategies.
A novel top surface imaging approach utilizing direct-area selective atomic layer deposition of hardmasks

A novel method for performing top surface imaging (TSI) on a single polymeric photoresist film using area selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) is presented. In this method, exposure of the polymer thin film creates reactive hydroxyl sites on the film surface in the exposed areas that subsequently act as nucleation and growth sites for deposition of metal oxide features using a chemically selective ALD process. It is demonstrated that titanium isopropoxide and water can be used as ALD precursors in conjunction with a chemically amplified photoresist film, formulated using a protected polymer (poly-tertbutylmethacrylate (PtBMA)) and a photoacid generator (triphenylsulfonium tris(perfluoromethanesulfonyl) methide), to successfully perform such an area selective ALD TSI process. Using this material set and methodology, micron scale photoresist features are defined, metal oxide patterns are produced, and these patterns have been transferred through the polymer film via plasma etching. A comparison is also made between the silylation chemical contrast obtained from earlier TSI methods and the metal oxide deposition contrast obtained using the ALD TSI method. It is shown that the ALD TSI chemical contrast for metal oxide deposition can be much higher than the corresponding silylation-based silicon incorporation contrast This result translates into a unique feature of the ALD TSI process which is it can be achieved without requiring the descum etch that is commonly needed with other TSI methods based on silylation.
Competitive pressures and strategic repositioning in the California premium wine industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the changing competitive landscape in the wine industry, focusing upon how premium Napa valley producers are responding to such changes.Design/methodology/approach – The in depth interview technique with 11 privately owned premium wine producers was used, with interviews conducted in early 2005.Findings – Wineries identify the growing concentration and consolidation amongst distributors and domestic US producers; increased foreign competition, particularly from Australia; and the trend towards homogenised taste following the increased power of numerical wine ranking surveys as principal concerns that they face.Practical implications – The findings highlight the dilemmas faced by wineries as they attempt to stress their locational advantage for reputation building but endeavour to differentiate their product from other wineries in Napa.Originality/value – As a pilot project the paper indicates how even firms in high value added product markets are facing he...
Genetic mosaics of the rudimentary locus of Drosophila melanogaster: a genetical investigation into the physiology of pyrimidine synthesis.

Abstract Genetic mosaics have been utilized to investigate each of the three pleiotropic effects which result from mutation of the rudimentary locus. The wing abnormality results from a requirement for endogenous pyrimidine synthesis within the wing imaginal disk itself. Mosaic analysis indicates the defect in the wing can be rescued by pyrimidine synthesis any place within the imaginal disk and that no more than 10% of the cells of the disk need be genetically capable of producing pyrimidines. This requirement for endogenous synthesis is probably the result of a reduction or complete elimination of pyrimidine uptake at a particular stage during development. Ovary transplantations indicate that the sterility of homozygous rudimentary females results from a requirement for pyrimidine synthesis within the ovary itself, and mosaic analysis of the auxotrophic phenotype indicates that survival of larvae on pyrimidine-free medium depends on pyrimidine synthesis within a variety of different tissues.
Tobacco control and smoking cessation efforts in an inner-city African American community

This paper describes the conceptual framework that guided the development and implementation of a large-scale, community-based health initiative to lower the prevalence of smoking in an urban African American community. This project developed culturally-sensitive approaches to reducing smoking in the community and to promoting tobacco control efforts developed and implemented by community members. A randomized clinical-trial methodology was used to test the efficacy of the culturally-sensitive, community-developed smoking cessation interventions in lowering smoking rates as compared with a self-help approach. Two theoretical models guided the intervention strategies: a macro-level model applicable to the community as a whole, and a psychological process model applicable to individuals. The community model was based on community systems theory and incorporated the Readiness for Change Model, which was applied in both the individual and organizational models. In addition, culturally-sensitive data collection methods were developed to improve the reliability and validity of project data, especially in determining the smoking prevalence rates and smoking behaviors of hard-to-reach, inner-city African Americans. Since the health of individuals is related to the health of their communities, smoking cessation and tobacco control activities that are integrated into the framework of the community (i.e., churches, city-council, housing developments, community organizations), and incorporate culturally-relevant and specific interventions can be effective methods for achieving behavioral and societal change.
Efficient surface grafting of luminescent silicon quantum dots by photoinitiated hydrosilylation.

We suggest a method for efficient (high-coverage) grafting of organic molecules onto photoluminescent silicon nanoparticles. High coverage grafting was enabled by use of a modified etching process that produces a hydrogen-terminated surface on the nanoparticles with very little residual oxygen and by carefully excluding oxygen during the grafting process. It had not previously been possible to produce such a clean H-terminated surface on free silicon nanoparticles or, subsequently, to produce grafted particles without significant surface oxygen. This allowed us to (1) prepare air-stable green-emitting silicon nanoparticles, (2) prepare stable dispersions of grafted silicon nanoparticles in a variety of organic solvents from which particles can readily be precipitated by addition of nonsolvent, dried, and redispersed, (3) separate these nanoparticles by size (and therefore emission color) using conventional chromatographic methods, (4) protect the particles from chemical attack and photoluminescence quench...
TAG, Dynamic Programming, and the Perceptron for Efficient, Feature-Rich Parsing

We describe a parsing approach that makes use of the perceptron algorithm, in conjunction with dynamic programming methods, to recover full constituent-based parse trees. The formalism allows a rich set of parse-tree features, including PCFG-based features, bigram and trigram dependency features, and surface features. A severe challenge in applying such an approach to full syntactic parsing is the efficiency of the parsing algorithms involved. We show that efficient training is feasible, using a Tree Adjoining Grammar (TAG) based parsing formalism. A lower-order dependency parsing model is used to restrict the search space of the full model, thereby making it efficient. Experiments on the Penn WSJ treebank show that the model achieves state-of-the-art performance, for both constituent and dependency accuracy.
Differential Effect of Stress on In Vivo Dopamine Release in Striatum, Nucleus Accumbens, and Medial Frontal Cortex

Microdialysis was used to assess extracellular dopamine in striatum, nucleus accumbens, and medial frontal cortex of unanesthetized rats both under resting conditions and in response to intermittent tail-shock stress. The dopamine metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid also were measured. The resting extracellular concentration of dopamine was estimated to be approximately 10 nM in striatum, 11 nM in nucleus accumbens, and 3 nM in medial frontal cortex. In contrast, the resting extracellular levels of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid were in the low micromolar range. Intermittent tail-shock stress increased extracellular dopamine relative to baseline by 25% in striatum, 39% in nucleus accumbens, and 95% in medial frontal cortex. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid also were generally increased by stress, although there was a great deal of variability in these responses. These data provide direct in vivo evidence for the global activation of dopaminergic systems by stress and support the concept that there exist regional variations in the regulation of dopamine release.
Temporal relationship between electrical and mechanical activity of longitudinal and circular muscle during intestinal peristalsis.

Mechanical activity was recorded in longitudinal and circular directions from isolated segments of intestine from guinea pigs, cats and rabbits. Records were obtained by a modified Trendelenburg method and compared to recordings from more localized areas of gut wall. The latter method revealed that longitudinal and circular contractions recorded from corresponding points of both muscle layers occur simultaneously, rather than sequentially, during peristalsis; hence, the muscle layers are not reciprocally innervated. Furthermore, peristaltic contractions were recorded from segments of intestine from which the mucosa and submucosa had been removed—ie, in the absence of Meissner's plexus. Evidence is also presented, based on simultaneous electrical and mechanical recordings, that peristaltic contractions are controlled primarily by myogenic slow-wave activity. Intestinal peristalsis is concluded to be primarily a myogenic phenomenon which does not differ qualitatively from what has been classically described as segmentation.
A reexamination of analysts' earnings forecasts for takeover targets

Abstract We examine analysts' earnings forecasts for a sample of takeover targets and document that the announcement-month forecasts are systematically revised upward, supporting the hypothesis that a takeover announcement conveys favorable information about the target firm. In addition, we find that abnormal forecast revisions of future stand-alone earnings are significantly greater for targets with low Tobin's q-ratios relative to targets with high q-ratios, lending further support to the information hypothesis. Finally, we provide evidence that managerial resistance to the takeover does not destroy value. Our results are in direct contrast to Pound (1988).
Peritoneal exudate cells. IV. Characterization of colony forming cells

The adherence, phagocytic activity and buoyant density of mouse peritoneal exudate colony forming units (CFU-PE) were investigated. There was a significant enrichment in the proportion of CFU-PE in the adherent cells population, defined as cells adhering to a plastic surface within 30 minutes of incubation. The phagocytic activity of CFU-PE was studied by incubating exudate cells with iron particles for 45 minutes. The cells were then separated into phagocytic and non-phagocytic cell fractions by passing the incubation mixture through a magnetic field. A significant enrichment of CFU-PE was seen in the phagocytic cell fraction. When exudate cells were fractionated in a Ficoll discontinuous density gradient, more than 88% of CFU-PE were recovered at the 16/18% and 18/20% interfaces. It is concluded that CFU-PE are adherent cells, have strong phagocytic activity and have a buouant density between 1.0562 and 1.0703. When bone marrow cells were studied by these techniques, the committed stem cells for both granulocytes and marcophages (CFU-C) were enriched in both non-adherent cell and non-phagocytic cells populations. In the Ficoll density gradient, CFU-C banded at a heavier density region than CFU-PE.
Iron and ER stress in neurodegenerative disease

Neurodegenerative disease is a condition in which subpopulations of neuronal cells of the brain and spinal cord are selectively lost. A common event in many neurodegenerative diseases is the increased level of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress caused by accumulation and deposits of inclusion bodies that contain abnormal aggregated proteins. However, the basis of how ER stress contributes to the selective neuronal vulnerability and degeneration remain elusive. Iron accumulation in the central nerve system is consistently present in many neurodegenerative diseases. In the past 5 years we have begun to show a relationship between polymorphisms in the HFE (high iron) gene and the risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Recent findings have suggested a connection between ER stress and iron metabolism and neurodegeneration. Here we review how the different levels of chronic ER stress contribute to the different fates of neurons, namely the adaptive response and neuronal death. And, we discuss the roles of iron and HFE genotype in selective neuronal vulnerability and degeneration through modifying the ER stress level.
Teenage Volunteers and Their Values

This article analyzes national survey data sponsored by the independent SECTOR and collected by the Gallup organization in 1991. The survey shows that values that favor charity and eschew material goals encourage volunteering, and also that youth from higher social classes are more likely to volunteer than those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Participation in religious activities and spiritual values are not related to the likelihood of volunteering. Although these findings help us to understand who volunteers, they also suggest strategies volunteer organizers may use to attract volunteers from underrepresented groups.
Addiction, the Sibling, and the Self

Addiction in a family is clearly associated with tension, distress, and loss for members of the family. A substance user can destroy family cohesiveness and throw the overall family unit into chaos. Whereas persons who abuse substances and parents of substance abusers have been studied at some length, often ignored are the siblings of substance abusers. This article is coauthored by seven women, all sisters of current or former substance abusers, and provides in narrative form the phenomenology of this sibling role. Harsh realities and conditional hope are two of the major themes.
Learning and applying contextual constraints in sentence comprehension

Abstract A parallel distributed processing model is described that learns to comprehend single clause sentences. Specifically, it assigns thematic roles to sentence constituents, disambiguates ambiguous words, instantiates vague words, and elaborates implied roles. The sentences are pre-segmented into constituent phrases. Each constituent is processed in turn to update an evolving representation of the event described by the sentence. The model uses the information derived from each constituent to revise its ongoing interpretation of the sentence and to anticipate additional constituents. The network learns to perform these tasks through practice on processing example sentence/event pairs. The learning procedure allows the model to take a statistical approach to solving the bootstrapping problem of learning the syntax and semantics of a language from the same data. The model performs very well on the corpus of sentences on which it was trained, and generalizes to sentences on which it was not trained, but learns slowly.
Selectively blocked derivatives of muco-inositol and their conversion into derivatives of epi- and cis-inositol.

Abstract Benzylation, and then hydrolysis, of 1,2:4,5-di- O -isopropylidine- muco -inositol ( 1 ) gave 3,6-di- O -benzyl- muco -inositol ( 3 ). This was converted into a series of derivatives, including the 1,5-di- O _benzoyl-3,6-di- O -benzoyl-2,4-di- p -toluenesulfonate 7 . The resistance to displacement of the sulfonate groups in 7 prevented conversion of 7 into an intermediate for the synthesis of aminoglcoside antibiotics. Monobenzylation of 1 , followed by an oxidation-reduction cycle, yielded 6- O -benzyl-1,2:4,5-di- O -isopropylidene- epi -inositol ( 10 ). From this was synthesized a series of epi -inositol derivatives, analogous to the muco series but less complete. For derivatives of 1,2:5,6-di- O -isopropylidene- epi - and muco -inositol, the p.m.r. data indicate modified skew conformations. The reaction of the 3,6-di- p -bromobenzenesulfonate ( 17 ) of 1 with anhydrous hydrazine proceeded in part by S-O cleavage to regenerate 1 , and in part by displacement of both sulfonate groups by the same nitrogen atom. The resulting, novel 1,4-epimino- cis -inositol was converted into further derivatives.
Control theory models in world coffee : some empirical tests

A set of three control-theoretic models in differential games is empirically applied to test the role and behaviour of Brazil as a dominant supplier in the world coffee market. A comparative evaluation of the models across two sample periods 1945-61 and 1962-79 is performed along with tests for overall predictive power and stability. Since real-life applications of game theory models are few, it is surprising that these econometric models of differential games fit the empirical trend. More so, Brazil's role as a dominant supplier comes out in sharp focus through such features as cautious, adaptive behaviour in a fluctuating market and a sharp divergence from the strictly monopolistic strategy
Comparison of computer ST criteria for diagnosis of severe coronary artery disease

To determine which computer ST criteria are superior for predicting patterns and severity of coronary artery disease during exercise testing, 230 male veterans were studied who had both coronary angiography and a treadmill exercise test. Significant (p < or = 0.05) differences in computer-scored ST criteria were observed among patients with progressively increasing disease severity. Three-vessel/left main disease produced responses significantly different from 1- and 2-vessel disease or those with < 70% occlusion. Discriminant function analysis revealed that horizontal or downsloping ST depression measured at the J junction during exercise or recovery, or both, was the most powerful predictor of severe disease. With use of a cut point of 0.075 mV ST depression, horizontal or downsloping ST depression alone yielded a sensitivity of 50% (95% confidence interval = 35 to 65%) and specificity of 71% for prediction of severe disease; the only additional variable that added significantly to the prediction was exercise capacity, which improved sensitivity to 57% (95% confidence interval = 41 to 72%) with no change in specificity. Measurements of ST amplitude at the J junction and at 60 ms after the J point without slope considered and other scores, including the Treadmill Exercise Score, ST Integral, and ST/heart rate index, had a lower but comparable predictive accuracy when compared with horizontal or downsloping ST depression. Prediction of coronary artery disease severity can be achieved using computerized electrocardiographic measurements obtained during exercise testing. The most powerful marker for severe coronary artery disease is the amount of horizontal or downsloping ST-segment depression during exercise or recovery, or both, a measurement that stimulates the traditional visual approach.
Denudatin A, a neolignan from Magnolia soulangiana

In the title compound, (2S,3R,3aR)-2-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-3,3a-di­hydro-3a-methoxy-3-methyl-5-(2-propenyl)-6(2H)-ben­zo­furan­one, C20H20O5, the furan ring has a half-chair conformation with its O atom on the twist axis. The semi­quinone ring is slightly non-planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.065 (3) A.
Ethnicity moderates the influence of perceived social status on subjective sleep quality.

It has long been recognized that socioeconomic status (SES) influences health and health-related behaviors, and it has been suggested that the adverse impact of low SES on health may be partly mediated by poor sleep quality. The relation between sleep and objective and subjective measures of SES has only been explored in a preliminary manner, providing indirect evidence that associations between SES and health might be explained, in part, by disrupted sleep. However, it remains unclear whether low SES directly affects sleep quality or whether the SES–sleep quality relation varies as a function of ethnicity given robust ethnic disparities across SES-related factors. This study examined the relation between perceived social status (i.e., individuals' perception of their socioeconomic standing) and subjective sleep quality among 149 college students, and examined the moderating effect of ethnicity to determine whether the magnitude or direction of association differed among Caucasian, Asian, and African Amer...
David and His Friends: Social-Scientific Perspectives on the David-Jonathan Friendship

The narrative of the David and Jonathan friendship in 1 Samuel continues to fascinate modern readers as a tale of an enduring friendship under strong political and family pressures. Modern readers ...
Assessment of Ergonomic Exposures among Operators of Construction Equipment

Although numerous studies have shown an association between operation of heavy construction equipment and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, very little research has been performed that objectively characterizes the exposure of operating engineers to ergonomic hazards. The objectives of this study were to evaluate: 1) the vibration at the seat/operator interface (X, Y, and Z axes); 2) the transmissibility of vibration in the Z-axis; 3) the psychophysical ratings of vibration level and vibration discomfort; and 4) the postural requirements of the job. The results of this study indicate that the digging operation had higher levels of total weighted acceleration than high or low idling. The transmissibility data showed that the seat was amplifying vibration particularly in the lower frequencies. The seats in the equipment demonstrated that they may not be sufficient in protecting operators from long-term effects of vibration exposure. There was high positive correlation among the subjective ratings (vibr...
Morphological changes of clefts in Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes under adverse conditions.

Blood infected with human or rodent malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium berghei, was exposed to higher pH, higher PO2, and lower temperature than those used in standard cultivation conditions. Parasitized blood was incubated for 20, 25, and 30 min with RPMI 1640 medium, 10% (vol/vol) serum, pH 8.0, at 20°C in the air, conditions which are ultimately lethal to the asexual stages of malarial parasites. Markedly dilated clefts were observed in the cytoplasm of the malaria-infected erythrocytes so treated. These clefts can take up colloidal gold particles and macromolecules such as Protein A, rhodamine–dextran, and lucifer yellow–dextran. Such dilated clefts were not seen in the cytoplasm of infected erythrocytes that were incubated under normal cultivation conditions before fixation. These had slender clefts of the usual sort that did not take up colloidal gold particles and macromolecules.
A provenance framework for mHealth

Consider Jane, who is using one or more mHealth devices, continuously or periodically collecting her health-related information into her mobile phone. The phone periodically uploads this information, along with other health-related information that Jane manually inputs to her phone, to her electronic health record (EHR). Jane can then share her health information with her health providers, family and friends, peers, employer, insurer, and researchers. But how can these data consumers know whether to trust the sensor-collected and human-entered data they receive? What confidence do they have that it is accurate and authentic?
Regulatory Role of C5a on Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Release from Neutrophils

There is evidence that C5a and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) both play important roles in experimental sepsis. Humans with sepsis also show elevated levels of both mediators in the blood. Regulation of MIF during sepsis is poorly understood. We now demonstrate that neutrophil depletion greatly reduced serum MIF levels in rats and mice during the onset of sepsis after cecal ligation and puncture. In vitro, C5a induced MIF release from rat and mouse neutrophils. In vivo blockade of C5aR or absence of C5aR led to significantly reduced MIF generation during the onset of sepsis. C5a-induced release in vitro of MIF from neutrophils appeared to be due to up-regulation of MIF in cytoplasmic granules of neutrophils via activation of the protein kinase B signaling pathway together with involvement of PI3K. Our data suggest that C5a plays a role in enhancing MIF release from neutrophils in vitro and during sepsis. These findings represent a previously unrecognized function of C5a and neutrophils in the appearance of MIF in sepsis.
Spray oil effects on Diaprepes abbreviatus on citrus in Florida.

The feeding of Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) on citrus foliage was significantly affected by an aerial application of Florida citrus oil (FC 435-66) at a rate of 23.5 liters/ha. Also, reproductive potential was significantly reduced, though fecundity and fertility were not affected, because the oil physically impaired the bond between eggs and foliage, and wind and rain caused eggs to be come mechanically unattached. Unattached eggs were removed by predators. The resulting physical, mechanical, and biological increase in mortality of eggs for one month after the spray application resulted in a 72% loss of weevil eggs.
What changes in DNA methylation take place in individuals exposed to maternal smoking in utero

“It is becoming increasingly obvious that the period of time during fetal development is an important factor in the life-long health of the individual and such studies are essential to our ongoing deciphering of the molecular mechanisms underscoring the developmental origins of health and disease.”
Polarographic determination of edetate disodium in eyewash and ophthalmic decongestant solutions

The quantitative analysis of edetate disodium in nonprescription eyewash and ophthalmic solutions is described. The method involves differential pulse polarography using a dropping mercury electrode. A known concentration of cadmium or zinc is added to a buffer in a polarographic cell. The sample solution is incremented into the cell with a micropipet. The peak current decreases because the resulting chelate is not reducible at the potentials used. The quantity of edetate disodium in the sample then is determined graphically. Some contact lens cleaning and wetting solutions containing polymeric compounds are amenable to assay for edetate disodium if extraction, precipitation, centrifugation, or dilution steps minimize the maximum suppressor effect of the additives. These steps are very effective with cellulose ether compounds but are ineffective with polyvinyl alcohol.
Latent-Dynamic Discriminative Models for Continuous Gesture Recognition

Many problems in vision involve the prediction of a class label for each frame in an unsegmented sequence. In this paper, we develop a discriminative framework for simultaneous sequence segmentation and labeling which can capture both intrinsic and extrinsic class dynamics. Our approach incorporates hidden state variables which model the sub-structure of a class sequence and learn dynamics between class labels. Each class label has a disjoint set of associated hidden states, which enables efficient training and inference in our model. We evaluated our method on the task of recognizing human gestures from unsegmented video streams and performed experiments on three different datasets of head and eye gestures. Our results demonstrate that our model compares favorably to Support Vector Machines, Hidden Markov Models, and Conditional Random Fields on visual gesture recognition tasks.
Teaching parallel design patterns to undergraduates in computer science

The industry shift to emerging forms of parallel and distributed computing (PDC), including multi-core CPUs, cloud computing, and general-purpose use of GPUs, have naturally led to increased presence of PDC elements undergraduate Computer Science curriculum recommendations, such as the new and substantial "PD" knowledge area in the ACM/IEEE CS2013 recommendations. How can undergraduate students grasp the extensive and complex range of PDC principles and practices, and apply that knowledge in problem solving, while PDC technologies continue to evolve rapidly? Parallel design patterns occur at all computational levels, ranging from low-level concurrent execution patterns (such as message passing or thread pool patterns) to high-level software design patterns suitable for organizing entire systems or their components (such as model-view-control or pipe and filter patterns). The ubiquity of these patterns in all forms of parallel and distributed computation makes parallel patterns relevant and illuminating at all undergraduate levels, and knowledge of those patterns can guide effective problem solving for parallel programs. This panel presents four viewpoints representing various approaches for teaching parallel patterns to CS undergraduates at various academic levels, including short "patternlets" examples, patterns in domain applications and parallel problem solving, and two tools, Seeds and Paraguin, for teaching parallel design patterns to undergraduates.
High Resolution Dispersive Fourier Transform Spectroscopy for Pollutant Gases at Millimeter Wave and Terahertz Frequencies

Dispersive Fourier transform spectroscopy (DFTS) provides us with a very precise method of measuring the absorption and refractive index spectra of pollutant gases. This paper presents the rotational transition lines of sulfur dioxide gas as a function of varying pressure using DFTS for the very first time. The relationship between the variation of the pressure and the change in the absorption spectrum is examined and discussed in detail. Sulfur dioxide gas is a highly toxic, pollutant gas that contributes to global pollution and can potentially be used as a chemical threat. These findings, presented from 0.3 THz - 0.9 THz, are therefore of great importance in studying air pollution and identifying gases in a blind test.
Transient dynamics and persistence of ecological systems

Using spatially coupled predator–prey systems as an example of a cyclic ecological system where coexistence depends on oscillations, transient dynamics of models where there are no stable persistent solutions are shown to be a reasonable explanation of persistence over ecological time scales. The parameter values leading to transients within the context of a particular model may be far from parameter values that lead to stable solutions, so transients will need to be explicitly considered in model analysis. Since natural systems with many coupled oscillating species are common, and natural communities are often reset by disturbances or seasonality, transients should play a central role in understanding natural systems.
Wilson-Sommerfeld Quantization Condition

The hydrogen atom, when treated using Bohr’s admixture of classical and quantum concepts involves an electron circulating about a proton (subject to the attractive Coulomb force - (e2/4πe0r2)r) in orbits which satisfy the condition: $$ 2\Pi r = n\lambda _{De\;Broglie'} \quad n = 1,2, \ldots . $$
LABOR RECRUITMENT AND THE LURE OF THE CAPITAL: Central American Migrants in Washington, DC

This case study of Central American migration to Washington, DC closely examines how gender is related to the decision to migrate, as well as the choice of destination. The study investigates the social and economic conditions in sending Central American countries as well as those in a receiving city in the United States to determine why women predominate in certain labor migrations. A macrostructural analysis accounts for the conditions that delimit the flow of international migrants, but a concept termed gendered labor recruitment provides the link between macro- and microlevels of analysis. Results of the research indicate that approximately seventy percent of the initial Central American migrants to the nation's capital in the 1960s and 1970s were women and that their migration may be attributed partly to informal labor recruitment. Over the years, Washington's government, diplomatic and professional workforce “recruited,” made arrangements for, or returned to the nation's capital with foreign workers...
Methods for the analysis of informatively censored longitudinal data

This paper describes the problem of informative censoring in longitudinal studies where the primary outcome is rate of change in a continuous variable. Standard approaches based on the linear random effects model are valid only when the data are missing in a non-ignorable fashion. Informative censoring, which is a special type of non-ignorably missing data, occurs when the probability of early termination is related to an individual subject's true rate of change. When present, informative censoring causes bias in standard likelihood-based analyses, as well as in weighted averages of individual least-squares slopes. This paper reviews several methods proposed by others for analysis of informatively censored longitudinal data, and outlines a new approach based on a log-normal survival model. Maximum likelihood estimates may be obtained via the EM algorithm. Advantages of this approach are that it allows general unbalanced data caused by staggered entry and unequally-timed visits, it utilizes all available data, including data from patients with only a single measurement, and it provides a unified method for estimating all model parameters. Issues related to study design when informative censoring may occur are also discussed.
Quantification of responses from proprioceptive neurons in the limbs of the crab, Cancer magister.

In the limbs of crustaceans, proprioception is monitored by chordotonal organs. One in particular, MC1, is arranged in a manner that is accessible for single unit recording of primary sensory neurons while simulating joint movement. The movement-sensitive cells are of two types, those sensitive to relaxation or to elongation of the chordotonal strand which corre- sponds to flexion or extension of the meropodite-carpopodite joint, respectively. A statistical method for the quantification of these movement-sensitive proprioceptive neuronal responses was imple- mented. This statistical index, eta 2 , should allow neuronal responses recorded in different labora- tories to be easily and quantitatively compared. In addition, an eta 2 value can be assigned to individual cells which represents a cell's consistency and degree to which the response is related to the stimulus. We found some cells to have a high eta 2 and to be consistent in their activity while other cells had a high degree of variability with low eta 2 values. J. Exp. Zool. 284:629-636, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Fundamentals of Surgical Research Course: Research Presentations

Background The effective communication of research outcomes is a skill that can be learned. To make the greatest impact, it is imperative to know your audience. Methods Oral communication is a highly effective means for dissemination of new information. The preparation of a research presentation requires significant time. The researcher must determine the key messages to be delivered and plan the presentation accordingly. High quality visual aids can impress your audience and, in combination with a succinct oral presentation, can increase retention of the material. Conclusions In addition to the communication of the raw scientific data and results, the importance of stance, appearance, voice, and eye contact necessary to engage your audience should not be overlooked.
Fostering Social Determinants of Health Transdisciplinary Research: The Collaborative Research Center for American Indian Health

The Collaborative Research Center for American Indian Health (CRCAIH) was established in September 2012 as a unifying structure to bring together tribal communities and health researchers across South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota to address American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) health disparities. CRCAIH is based on the core values of transdisciplinary research, sustainability and tribal sovereignty. All CRCAIH resources and activities revolve around the central aim of assisting tribes with establishing and advancing their own research infrastructures and agendas, as well as increasing AI/AN health research. CRCAIH is comprised of three divisions (administrative; community engagement and innovation; research projects), three technical cores (culture, science and bioethics; regulatory knowledge; and methodology), six tribal partners and supports numerous multi-year and one-year pilot research projects. Under the ultimate goal of improving health for AI/AN, this paper describes the overarching vision and structure of CRCAIH, highlighting lessons learned in the first three years.
Resonant oscillations of air bubbles driven by a time varying electric field

We investigate the effects of a time varying electric field on air bubbles submerged in water. For a sufficiently strong applied field, a large electrical stress, arising from the dielectric nature of water, can violently deform the volume and shape of the submerged bubble.1 This deformation may drastically alter the internal pressure and polarization of the bubble, potentially lowering the electrical breakdown voltage within its volume. Such a result would have a broad impact on the viability of liquid plasma based technologies, which tend to suffer from prohibitively high voltage requirements.2
The Effect of a Suggestion to Generate Interest in a Reading in Highly Hypnotizable People: A Promising Use in Education

Highly hypnotizable participants in the experimental condition were given a waking state suggestion that a reading not intended to be interesting would be fascinating and remarkable. Controls were given task motivational instructions, in which they were told to try to make it interesting. The suggestion had a major influence on participants' enjoyment of the reading, though no effect was found for reading comprehension. Qualitative interviews indicated that the suggestion had a profound impact on some, especially those most responsive to hypnosis. The lack of an effect in reading comprehension may be due to large within-group variances. Findings suggest that hypnotic suggestion, when properly employed, may have a potential use in enhancing the learning capabilities of highly hypnotizable people.
Nonenergy Applications for Fusion

In this paper, nonenergy applications of fusion reactors are considered. The direct use of the 14.7-MeV protons from the D-{sup 3}He reaction for the production of positron-emitting isotopes for medical, industrial, and scientific uses is explored in some detail. Inside a working D-{sup 3}He reactor, the 14.7-MeV proton flux is of the order of 10{sup 22} cm{sup 2}/s. The conversion of fertile nuclei to useful nuclei can be very prolific. Since the value of such isotopes can be very high (approximately $10{sup 12}/g), it is possible to have an economical reactor for a machine that just breaks or is even below breakeven in energy terms.
Pretreatment of Corn Stover for Sugar Production with Combined Alkaline Reagents

Corn stover pretreatment using a combination of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and calcium oxide (CaO) at room temperature was investigated for improved cost-effectiveness of biomass-to-sugar conversion in this study. The effects of NaOH loading, CaO loading, and residence time on enzymatic hydrolysis were studied, and the total reducing sugar yield in the enzymatic hydrolysis was used to evaluate the pretreatment conditions. Compared with NaOH pretreatment, pretreatment with the combination of NaOH and CaO resulted in a similar sugar production rate but at a potentially lower cost. The addition of CaO not only increased the alkalinity, which favored biomass digestibility improvement, but also contributed to better biomass preservation in the pretreatment. On the basis of the sugar production rate and cost-benefit considerations, the two recommended pretreatment conditions were 3 h, 0.05 g NaOH g–1 raw biomass, 0.1 g CaO g–1 raw biomass and 6 h, 0.05 g NaOH g–1 raw biomass, 0.05 g CaO g–1 raw biomass, at which t...