cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thin-sample measurements and error analysis of high-temperature coaxial dielectric probes

A metallized-ceramic probe has been designed for high-temperature broad-band dielectric properties measurements. The probe has been used to make complex dielectric properties measurements over the complete frequency band from 500 MHz to 3 GHz, and up to temperatures as high as 1000/spl deg/C. In this paper, we investigate new aspects of the development and utilization of this high-temperature dielectric probe. The first aspect is related to the results of an uncertainty analysis which was performed to quantify the errors due to the differential thermal expansion between the inner and outer conductors of metal coaxial probes. In this case, a two-dimensional (2-D) cylindrical finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) code was developed and used for this analysis. The obtained results were compared and shown to be in good agreement with error-analysis data based on analytical solutions for the special case when an air gap exists between the probe and the material under test. Additional new error-analysis results show that differential thermal expansions and rough surfaces cause considerable errors in these measurements, and the use of probes of small differential thermal expansions, such as the developed metallized-ceramic probe, is essential for obtaining accurate results. We also used FDTD numerical simulations to help investigate the use of this probe for the nondestructive complex-permittivity measurements of electrically "thin" samples. It is shown that by backing the material under test with a standard material of known dielectric constant, such as air or metal, the complex permittivity of thin samples can be accurately measured. The other new development is related to the use of the developed metallized-ceramic probe to measure the dielectric properties of thin samples at high temperature and over a broad frequency band. With the developed knowledge from the error analysis, and the new FDTD code for thin-sample measurements, the metallized-ceramic probe was used to measure dielectric properties of thin Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and sapphire samples for temperatures up to 1000/spl deg/C. This measurement method has important applications in the on-line characterization of semiconductor wafers. Results from the high-temperature thin-sample measurements and the uncertainty analysis are presented.
Evaluating School Improvement Plans and their Affect on Academic Performance

The development of a school improvement plan (SIP) has become an integral part of many school reform efforts. However, there are almost no studies that empirically examine the effectiveness of SIPs. The few studies examining the planning activities of organizations have generally focused on the private sector and have not provided clear or consistent evidence that such planning is effective. Some studies have even suggested formal planning can lead to inflexible and myopic practices or may simply waste time and resources. This study explores the relationship between the quality of SIPs and school performance by examining a unique dataset from the Clark County School District, the fifth largest school district in the nation. The study finds that, even when controlling for a variety of factors, there is a strong and consistent association between the quality of school planning and overall student performance in math and reading.
Understanding anti-leukemia responses to donor lymphocyte infusion

Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) is an established and potentially curative immune therapy for relapsed leukemia after hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Herein, we describe the utility of DLI as a tractable model system to glean fresh insights into understanding and predicting effective anti-leukemia immunity.
Ectocranial Suture Closure in Pan troglodytes and Gorilla gorilla: Pattern and Phylogeny

The order in which ectocranial sutures undergo fusion displays species-specific variation among primates. However, the precise relationship between suture closure and phylogenetic affinities is poorly understood. In this study, we used Guttman Scaling to determine if the modal progression of suture closure differs among Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, and Gorilla gorilla. Because DNA sequence homologies strongly suggest that P. troglodytes and Homo sapiens share a more recent common ancestor than either does with G. gorilla, we hypothesized that this phylogenetic relationship would be reflected in the suture closure patterns of these three taxa. Results indicated that while all three species do share a similar lateral-anterior closure pattern, G. gorilla exhibits a unique vault pattern, which, unlike humans and P. troglodytes, follows a strong posterior-to-anterior gradient. P. troglodytes is therefore more like Homo sapiens in suture synostosis.
Pre- and postnatal risk factors for ADHD in a nonclinical pediatric population.

Objective:The authors characterized pre- and postnatal risk factors for ADHD among a population-based sample of 8-year-old children followed since birth (N = 604). Method: Parents and teachers rate...
Simulations of Surface Waves Generated Using Laser Ultrasonics

Computer programs for solving the thermoelastic equations describing wave generation and propagation caused by the interaction of a laser pulse with a metal surface have been developed over the last several years [1–3]. One approach is to manipulate the thermoelastic equations using transform techniques and then use numerical methods to invert the equations and solve for wave displacements. Another approach is to spatially discretize the geometry of the model using finite elements and integrate the equations of motion through time. The finite element formulation may be fully coupled or as a further approximation the thermal problem can be solved separately from the mechanical problem. The work reported here sought to develop a technique to use a commercial finite element code (ABAQUS [4]) to simulate surface waves generated in laser ultrasonics. A general purpose finite element code provides the advantages of large element and material libraries and the ability to consider complex geometries and boundary conditions. Sanderson’s [3] computer code, which solves the coupled thermoelastic problem using numerical transform techniques, was used to validate the finite element model developed. Validation was erformed using simple models and boundary conditions. Subsequent finite element simulations were used to examine the effects of simulated stress gradients (in-plane and through-thickness) on waveforms. Temperature dependent properties and the effect of including an elastic-plastic constitutive material model in the mechanical analysis were also briefly examined.
A computer program for HVDC converter station RF noise calculations

HVDC converter station operations generate radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) noise which could interfere with adjacent communication and computer equipment, and carrier system operations. A generic Radio Frequency Computer Analysis Program (RAFCAP) for calculating the EM noise generated by valve ignition of a converter station has been developed as part of a larger project. The program calculates RF voltages, currents, complex power, ground level electric field strength and magnetic flux density in and around an HVDC converter station. The program requires the converter station network to be represented by frequency dependent impedance functions. Comparisons of calculated and measured values are given for an actual HVDC station to illustrate the validity of the program. RAFCAP is designed to be used by engineers for the purpose of calculating the RP noise produced by the igniting of HVDC converter valves. >
The Influence of Classroom Blogging on Elementary Student Writing

Blogs in classrooms represent a new approach to teaching writing that is developing and changing daily. Although some scholarly literature explores the use of blogs in educational settings, the blogs are primarily being used at the secondary and college levels. The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to explore how blogging influenced student writing development at the elementary level. Fifth-graders' pre- and post-blogging project writing samples, as well as other student blog posts, were the primary data. A qualitative data analysis process was applied to explore the following areas of interest in student writing: attitude, content, voice, connections and relationships, thinking, and craft. The findings indicate that student bloggers became mindful of and connected to the audience, exercised agency in a community of bloggers, and learned to take ownership of the writing process and the writer's craft. Refraining from putting a heavy focus on corrected writing conventions during this form...
W.S.B.—A fluoroscopy C-arm communication strategy

Abstract Background Good communication between an operating clinician and the attending radiographer when using C-arm fluoroscopy is vital. Efficient and safe use of ionising radiation protects all theatre staff. The object of this study was to design and test a single communication language for use in all fluoroscopy-assisted procedures. Method A clinician guiding a radiographer performed a control ‘no-rules’ experiment of 56 targeting manoeuvres with a fluoroscopic C-arm on a scientific model. A single beam laser replaced the usual ionising radiation beam. The time taken for each targeting along with the laser exposure required was recorded. Following a period of instruction, the experiment was repeated using only our pre-defined communication strategy. The data was collected for statistical analysis. Results A statistically significant reduction was seen in the time taken for each targeting manoeuvre and the laser exposure required when using our strategy. Conclusion This study shows that using our pre-prepared communication strategy could significantly improve efficiency and safety of fluoroscopic C-arm use.
Pressure-Temperature Study of Sulfospinels

Several new compounds with the formula AB2S4 were synthesized. Pressure-induced polymorphism of the sulfospinels was investigated. The only spinels which transformed to the NiAs derivatives were those in which the A and B cations had unfilled d orbitals. Pressure-temperature phase relations were investigated for a series of sulfochromites. At 600°C the transformation pressure decreased in the order MnCr2S4, FeCr2S4= CoCr2S4, NiCr2S4 (an NiAs structure at P= 1 atm). Sulfospinels which produced new high-pressure phases were NiRh2S4, FeYb2S4, CrIn2, NiIn2S4, CoIn2S4, and MnIn2S4.
Intelligent Excitation for Adaptive Control With Unknown Parameters in Reference Input

Model reference adaptive control problem is considered for a class of reference inputs dependent upon the unknown parameters of the system. Due to the uncertainty in the reference input, the tracking objective cannot be achieved without parameter convergence. The common approach of injecting persistent excitation (PE) in the reference input leads to tracking of the excited reference input as opposed to the true one. A new technique, named intelligent excitation, is presented for introducing an excitation signal in the reference input and regulating its amplitude, dependent upon the convergence of the output tracking and parameter errors. Intelligent excitation ensures parameter convergence, similar to conventional PE; it vanishes as the errors converge to zero and reinitiates with every change in the unknown parameters. As a result, the regulated output tracks the desired reference input and not the excited one.
An application of hierarchical planning and constraint-directed search to scheduling parallel processors

This research investigated the applicability of Artificial Intelligence methods to the problem of scheduling and sequencing parallel processors subject to preference, sequencing, and buffer inventory constraints. Specifically, hierarchical planning and constraint-directed search were used to develop a prototype scheduling system for a case study problem. The prototype's planning structure included logic for dividing the scheduling period into sub-periods to allow parallel scheduling and handling of time-dependent constraints. The prototype system was tested using operational data from the case study and compared to schedules created by the human scheduler. The prototype system produced schedules very similar to the human scheduler, demonstrating the effectiveness of these methods in developing scheduling systems for parallel processors.
Effect of Tidal Volume and Nebulizer Type and Position on Albuterol Delivery in a Pediatric Model of Mechanical Ventilation

BACKGROUND: Optimization of factors affecting aerosol delivery during mechanical ventilation in the pediatric population is important. We hypothesized that increasing the tidal volume (VT), using a vibrating mesh nebulizer, and placing the nebulizer at the ventilator would increase lung dose/delivery efficiency. METHODS: Continuous-output jet and vibrating mesh nebulizers loaded with albuterol (2.5 mg/3 mL) were compared when placed before the Y-piece and at the ventilator. The model consisted of a ventilator operated in pressure-regulated volume control ventilation mode at a breathing frequency of 20 breaths/min, PEEP of 5 cm H2O, FIO2 of 0.4, inspiratory time of 0.75 s, and bias flow of 0.5 L/min with a humidifier (37 ± 1.5°C) and an adult heated-wired circuit. VT values of 100, 150, 200, and 300 mL were studied. The circuit was connected in series to a 5.5-mm inner diameter endotracheal tube with a filter (lung dose) interposed between them. Delivery efficiency was calculated as a percentage of the nominal dose captured on the filter. Albuterol content was analyzed by spectrophotometry (276 nm). RESULTS: No differences in lung dose/delivery efficiency were found at different VT values for the jet nebulizer (both positions) and the vibrating mesh nebulizer (ventilator). Lung dose/delivery efficiency was higher (P CONCLUSIONS: Optimization of inhaled drug delivery during pediatric mechanical ventilation should include careful selection of the type of delivery device and its placement in the ventilator circuit. Increasing VT during nebulization did not increase lung dose/delivery efficiency.
Optimal Estimators for Soil Properties

This note proposes a simple procedure for reducing the variance of estimators of equivalent parameters by using a weighted combination of soil measurements. The weights for these sums reflect both the redundancy of information in closely spaced observations, and the differing influence of regions of the soil profile due to nonuniformly imposed loads.
Practical Aspects of Device Modelling

We consider the practical ways in which an embedded device can be converted from a concept to artwork suitable for mask making. The masks can be used to realise the real device, or embedded device, which in turn can be tested to check the validity or otherwise of the device simulations.
Photon Effects in Hg 1− x Cdx Te

Infrared detectors prepared from the alloy semiconductor Hg1−xCdxTe exhibit a family of relative response characteristics throughout the 1-μ to 14-μ spectral interval. Both photoconductive and photovoltaic effects are observed. The relative spectral responses shift to longer wavelengths with decreasing temperature. Photoconductive response time measurements at 77°K reveal values no greater than 10−7 sec. Detectors are limited by either thermal noise or current (1/f) noise, depending upon measurement frequency and magnitude of bias current.
Examining the current state of group support accessibility: a focus group study

Group support applications are widely used in workplace. Unfortunately, persons who are blind often found it difficult to access group support applications, due to the highly graphical nature of the application; this hinders their ability to contribute to the group. As a result, persons who are blind often face problems in gaining and retaining employment. This paper presents preliminary results of a focus group study conducted at the National Federation of Blind (NFB) on accessibility and usability issues of group support applications. How persons who are blind utilize group support applications to support their group tasks, the tasks/steps utilized to complete a group project, the accessibility and usability issues experienced, the reasons for discontinued use of group support applications, the other tools utilized to support group work, the accessibility design considerations, and the accessibility documentation and support needed are discussed.
The Quantum State of Classical Matter I: Solids and Measurements

Using the kinematic constraints of classical bodies we construct the allowable wavefunctions corresponding to classical solids. These are shown to be long lived metastable states that are qualitatively far from eigenstates of the true Hamiltonian. Extensions of this give an explicit description of phonon oscillations in terms of the wavefunction itself and some consequences for the general validity of the quasiparticle picture are presented. An intrinsic theory of quantum measurement naturally arises based on Schrodinger evolution that is local, consistent with relativity and extends to the case of noninertial and deformable measurement devices that can have time changing internal properties. This theory agrees with the Born interpretation in the limit of static measuring devices. Care is given to the transport of conserved quantities during measurement.
Software economies

Software construction has typically drawn on engineering metaphors like building bridges or cathedrals, which emphasize architecture, specification, central planning, and determinism. Approaches to correctness have drawn on metaphors from mathematics, like formal proofs. However, these approaches have failed to scale to modern software systems, and the problem keeps getting worse.We believe that the time has come to completely re-imagine the creation of complex software, drawing on systems in which behavior is decentralized, self-regulating, non-deterministic, and emergent---like economies.In this paper we describe our vision for, and prelimary work on, the creation of software economies for both open systems and internal corporate development, and our plans to deploy these ideas within one of the largest developer communities at IBM.
Bombesin related peptides/receptors and their promising therapeutic roles in cancer imaging, targeting and treatment

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Despite remarkable advances in tumor treatment, many patients still die from common tumors (breast, prostate, lung, CNS, colon, and pancreas), and thus, new approaches are needed. Many of these tumors synthesize bombesin (Bn)-related peptides and over-express their receptors (BnRs), hence functioning as autocrine-growth-factors. Recent studies support the conclusion that Bn-peptides/BnRs are well-positioned for numerous novel antitumor treatments, including interrupting autocrine-growth and the use of over-expressed receptors for imaging and targeting cytotoxic-compounds, either by direct-coupling or combined with nanoparticle-technology.Areas covered: The unique ability of common neoplasms to synthesize, secrete, and show a growth/proliferative/differentiating response due to BnR over-expression, is reviewed, both in general and with regard to the most frequently investigated neoplasms (breast, prostate, lung, and CNS). Particular attention is paid to advances in the recent years. A...
Seed Treatment of Cotton with Systemic Insecticides Alone and in Combination with a Fungicidal Treatment

Small plot experiments were conducted with Thimet and Bayer 19639 seed treatments used alone and in combination with an in-the-furrow fungicidal treatment with nabam. The systemic insecticide seed treatments were also compared with a standard toxaphene spray program. The seed treatments resulted in effective thrips control until midJune and some aphid control until midAugust. Bayer 19639 appeared to give slightly better aphid control than Thimet. In the April plantings, when the soil was cool and damp, there were serious reductions in stand in the systemic seed treatments. The addition of nabam to the systemic insecticide seed treatments resulted in much better stands, and also lessened the severity of the phytotoxic effects of both Thimet and Bayer 19639. Results indicated there should be no reduction in stand, provided the same number of seed are planted, from the use of the systemics under conditions conducive to good germination. Yields were not increased by the use of the systemic insecticides or toxaphene spray treatments. The maturity of the plants was delayed considerably in the plots having the seed treated with systemic insecticides.
Early childhood directors as socializers of emotional climate

Early childhood centres are vibrant social communities where child and adult emotions are integral to learning. Previous research has focused on teaching practices that support children’s social-emotional learning; fewer studies have attended to relevant centre-level factors, such as the emotional leadership practices of the centre director. The present study qualitatively explored the role of directors in cultivating climates supportive of social-emotional teaching and learning. Program administrators (N = 12) were interviewed to inform a model of Positive Early Emotional Leadership. Findings indicate that administrators believe that they play a vital role in creating and maintaining positive centre emotional climates. Moreover, the ways in which directors influence the climate of the centre resemble the emotion socialization processes identified previously in parenting and teaching literatures. These findings connect developmental theory to educational practice, highlighting the potential connections among centre directors’ leadership practices, teachers’ emotional experiences at work, and children’s social and emotional learning.
Constraints on the asymmetric equation of state from heavy-ion collisions

Nuclear matter is one of the most fascinating materials that exists.Therefore elucidating the equation-of-state of nuclear matter is a fundamentally interesting question. Additionally, the nuclear equationof-state has impacts on astrophysical observables. One important means of constraining the nuclear equation-of-state is through studying heavy-ion collisions. Nuclear material has two components - neutrons and protons - the ratio of which impacts the equation-of-state. Measurements of fragments emitted from reactions of nuclei with different ratios of neutrons and protons - and comparison to simulations based on various underlying interactions - have placed constraints on both the symmetric and asymmetric parts of the equation of state.
Analysis of the Influence of Shield Wires on the Voltage Induced by Lightning on the High Voltage Overhead Distribution Lines

The mechanisms from which lightning overvoltages can be produced on a power line depend on the system voltage. In high voltage overhead distribution systems, lightning transients can be originated from either direct or indirect strokes. The main methods that can be adopted to improve the line lightning performance concern the increase of the critical impulse flashover voltage(CFO) of the line structures, the installation of surge arresters, and the use of one or more shield wires. This paper deals with the evaluation of the effectiveness of shield wires in reducing the magnitudes of the surges induced by nearby strokes on distribution lines. Innovatively through scale model experiments and computer simulations,analysis such effectiveness depends on the combination of several parameters such as the relative position of the shield wire with respect to the phase conductors, the grounding interval,the ground resistance, the stroke current steepness, and the relative position of the stroke channel with respect to the grounding points. What's more, the suppressive effect of the shield wire can be expressed as the ratio of the voltage between the phase conductor and the shield wire(Upg) and the voltage that would be induced in the phase conductor in the absence of the shield wire(U′p). After, by comparing and analysing the simulation and experimental results, obtained the impact of various factors on the induced voltage in each case the mentioned as above, under controlled conditions. The study results will have an important reference value on the high voltage distribution lines.
Study on the Impact of Regional Economy on Structure of Total Health Expenditure

Objective:To explore the impact of regional economy on structure of total health expenditure.Methods:According to the panel data of China from 2002 to 2011,the partial least-squares regression method was used to build the relationship model of regional economy and total health expenditure construction.Results:Per capital GDP,the proportion of the tertiary industry,financial revenue per capita and urban residents disposable income have negative correlation with resident individual health expenditure,while the Engel coefficient has positive relationship with them.Conclusion:Optimizing industrial structure and raising the income of residents are the key factors of optimizing the structure of total health expenditure.
Quantitative peptidomics of mice lacking peptide-processing enzymes.

Peptidomics is defined as the analysis of peptides present in a tissue extract, usually using mass spectrometry-based approaches. Unlike radioimmunoassay-based detection techniques, peptidomics measures the precise form of each peptide, including post-translational modifications, and can readily distinguish between longer and shorter forms of the same peptide. Also, peptidomics is not limited to known peptides and can detect hundreds of peptides in a single experiment. Quantitative peptidomics enables comparisons between two or more groups of samples, and is perfect for studies examining the effect of gene knock-outs on tissue levels of peptides. We describe the method for quantitative peptidomics using isotopic labels based on trimethylammonium butyrate, which can be synthesized in five different isotopic forms; this permits multivariate analysis of five different groups of tissue extracts in a single liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry run.
Dependence of transcutaneous oxygen tension on local arteriovenous pressure gradient in normal subjects.

1. We studied the relationship between trans-cutaneous oxygen tension at the foot and local arteriovenous pressure difference in 15 normal men and women; arteriovenous pressure difference was varied by changing the height of the foot with respect to the heart and by applying external pressure to the foot. 2. Control transcutaneous oxygen tension was 67 ± 9 sd mmHg (8.9 ± 1.2 kPa) at a control arteriovenous pressure difference of 80 ± 6 sd mmHg (10.6 ± 0.8 kPa). 3. In every subject transcutaneous oxygen tension fell non-linearly with a decrease in arteriovenous pressure difference; transcutaneous oxygen tension was relatively insensitive to changes in arteriovenous pressure difference when arteriovenous pressure difference was high, but always fell sharply to zero at some positive arteriovenous pressure difference [range 13-34 mmHg (1.7-4.5 kPa)]. 4. An analysis of the data indicated that transcutaneous oxygen tension varied with arteriovenous pressure difference approximately as the oxygen tension of cutaneous venous blood under the sensor varied (in the absence of changes in cutaneous vascular resistance and oxygen consumption). 5. This analysis was supported by studies in three subjects in whom the oxygen tension of superficial venous drainage from a warmed hand or foot was measured along with Transcutaneous oxygen tension while arteriovenous pressure difference was varied.
Fiction: The Minor Strain

BY well-nigh universal consent Hardy’s fiction is divided into six major novels and a number of lesser novels and shorter works. Unlike most other writers, however, Hardy did not concentrate his minor fiction in the first part of his career and develop an assured “major phase,” but scattered what would ordinarily be juvenilia throughout his work. The major novels are Far From the Madding Crowd (1874), The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), The Woodlanders (1887), Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895). To be sure, the last four major novels appear in a period of some nine years. The great novels of the previous years are, however, interspersed with others of less substance, although two or three of them might make the reputation of a minor writer. In addition Hardy wrote many short stories throughout the period, a number of them quite worthy of being ranked with the major novels but for their briefer form.
2D Nanowire Synthesis: Invention of Coaxial Lithography

High-resolution lithographic tools are necessary to manipulate and tailor the properties of metals and semiconductors. Here, we present a novel technique that bridges templated synthesis and lithography to generate coaxial nanowires in a parallel fashion with structural control in multiple dimensions and with materials generality.
Quantifying Model Discrepancy in Coupled Multi-Physics Systems

Current design strategies for multi-physics systems seek to exploit synergistic interactions among disciplines in the system. However, when dealing with a multidisciplinary system with multiple physics represented, the use of high-fidelity computational models is often prohibitive. In this situation, recourse is often made to lower fidelity models that have potentially significant uncertainty associated with them. We present here a novel approach to quantifying the discipline level uncertainty in coupled multi-physics models, so that these individual models may later be used in isolation or coupled within other systems. Our approach is based off of a Gibbs sampling strategy and the identification of a necessary detailed balance condition that constrains the possible characteristics of individual model discrepancy distributions. We demonstrate our methodology on both a linear and nonlinear example problem.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Histones facilitate α-synuclein aggregation during neuronal apoptosis

Ample in vitro and in vivo experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that intercellular transmission of α-synuclein (αS) is a mechanism underlying the spread of αS pathology in Parkinson's disease and related disorders. What remains unexplained is where and how initial transmissible αS aggregates form. In a previous study, we demonstrated that αS aggregates rapidly form in neurons with impaired nuclear membrane integrity due to the interaction between nuclear proaggregant factor(s) and αS and that such aggregates may serve as a source for αS seeding. In the present study, we identify histones as a potential nuclear proaggregant factor for αS aggregation in both apoptotic neurons and brains with αS pathology. We further demonstrate that histone-induced aggregates contain a range of αS oligomers, including protofibrils and mature fibrils, and that these αS aggregates can seed additional aggregation. Importantly, we demonstrate transmissibility in mouse brains from stereotaxic injection. This study provides new clues to the mechanism underlying initial pathological aggregation of αS in PD and related disorders, and could lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Order preservation of expected information content using Unscented Transform approximation of multivariate prior distributions in HIV 2-LTR experiment design

Numerical computation of the expected information content of a prospective experimental design is computationally expensive, requiring calculating the Kullback-Leibler divergence of the posterior distribution from the prior for simulated data from a large sample of points from the prior distribution. In this work, we investigate whether the Unscented Transform (UT) of the prior distribution can provide an adequate estimate of the expected information content in the context of experiment design for a previously validated HIV-1 2-LTR model. Three different schedules with evenly distributed time points have been used to generate the experimental data along with the incorporation of qPCR noise for the study . The UT shows promise in estimating information content by preserving the optimal ordering of 2-LTR sample collection schedules, when compared to completely stochastic sampling from the underlying multivariate distributions.
Encrustation of Inarticulate Brachiopods on Scaphitid Ammonites and Inoceramid Bivalves from the Upper Cretaceous U. S. Western Interior

The inarticulate brachiopod Discinisca is a rare faunal element in the Upper Cretaceous of the U.S. Western Interior. We report two occurrences of encrustation of Discinisca on a scaphitid ammonite (scaphite) and several inoceramids from the lower Maastrichtian Baculites baculus / Endocostea typica Biozones of the Pierre Shale at two localities. Six specimens of Discinisca are present on a single specimen of Hoploscaphites crassus from eastcentral Montana. They occur along the furrow at the mature apertural margin. Because the brachiopods are restricted to the margin and do not occur on the rest of the shell, it is likely that they encrusted the ammonite during its lifetime. If so, this implies that the soft body of the scaphite did not cover the outside surface of the aperture, leaving this area vulnerable to epizoan attachment. A total of 13 specimens of Discinisca are also present on four specimens of Cataceramus ? barabini from east-central Wyoming. The brachiopods occur in crevices on the outside of the shells and may have encrusted the inoceramids after their death as the shells began to break down and delaminate, resulting from the decomposition of the organic matrix holding them together. Based on the faunal assemblages at both localities, the presence of Discinisca may indicate environments with either low oxygen levels and/or few predators or competitors.
Designer protein disaggregases to counter neurodegenerative disease.

Protein misfolding and aggregation unify several devastating neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. There are no effective therapeutics for these disorders and none that target the reversal of the aberrant protein misfolding and aggregation that cause disease. Here, I showcase important advances to define, engineer, and apply protein disaggregases to mitigate deleterious protein misfolding and counter neurodegeneration. I focus on two exogenous protein disaggregases, Hsp104 from yeast and gene 3 protein from bacteriophages, as well as endogenous human protein disaggregases, including: (a) Hsp110, Hsp70, Hsp40, and small heat-shock proteins; (b) HtrA1; and (c) NMNAT2 and Hsp90. I suggest that protein-disaggregase modalities can be channeled to treat numerous fatal and presently incurable neurodegenerative diseases.
Molecular Targets of Resveratrol in Carcinogenesis

Resveratrol, a dietary phytoalexin readily available in the diet, is reported to possess antitumorigenic and anti-inflammation activity in several cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms and/or targets underlying the antitumorigenic activity of this compound remain largely unknown. As a potential signaling pathway modulator, resveratrol is shown to affect a multitude of signaling transduction pathways, and it is likely that this collective activity may play an important role in resveratrol-induced antitumorigenesis. Therefore, the elucidation of molecular targets of resveratrol is necessary to understand how this compound is beneficial in antitumorigenic processes. Studies to identify molecular markers have recently spawned increasing examination of the possible targets of resveratrol as related to anticancer proteins. These include, but are not limited to: (1) inhibition of carcinogenic activation and induction of detoxification by Phase I and Phase II xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, respectively, (2) modulation of cell survival and apoptosis, (3) suppression of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, (4) inhibition of angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis, and (5) modulation of hormonal receptors. This chapter summarizes the diverse molecular targets of resveratrol in prevention and treatment of carcinogenesis.
Notes on the Fauna of the Chipola Formation- XVIII Some New or Otherwise Interesting Members of the Calyptraeidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda)

Although Gardner (1947) lists several species of Calyptraeidae from all three members of the Alum Bluff Group, some very interesting forms were not known to her. Present work has revealed three species of Trochita Schumacher, 1817 (type species: Trochita spiralis Schumacher= Turbo trochiformis Born), a group not found in the western Atlantic today.
P165 Treatment of post-transplant denovo HLA donor specific antibodies in kidney transplant recipient in the absence of rejection

Background Development of denovo DSA is associated with poor allograft outcomes. Despite strong evidence of long term deleterious effect of DSA in the absence AMR, active treatment for DSA is still debatable. Case Study We periodically screen kidney transplant patient for denovo DSA. Patients with increasing DSA’s undergo kidney biopsy; if C4d is negative patients are offered intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) 1 gram/kg every 2 weeks for 3 months. Results Six patient developed DSA (florescence intensity-MFI) at a median of 108 days. Patients had a median serum creatinine of 2 mg/dL at time of DSA detection. Most patients received thymoglobulin induction. Post IVIG treatment median serum creatinine was 1.25 mg/dL. Download : Download high-res image (455KB) Download : Download full-size image One patient developed thromboembolic complication. With IVIG significant drop in DSA was observed in patient A, with complete disappearance in 3 patients (B, E, and F). We observed improvement in renal function. Conclusion From our case series it appears that treatment of DSA in the absence of rejection is achievable in some patients and may translate into better kidney allograft function. However long-term prospective studies are warranted to address and better understand this phenomenon.
What is reflective self-awareness for? Role expectation for situational collaboration in alliance animal society

Most research on animal self-awareness focuses on the question of what self-awareness is, however, the present study addresses the question of what self-awareness is for. It is argued that differen...
Bone Health in Adolescents with Multiple Fractures

Multiple fractures can be a common occurrence in adolescence, especially in the active teenager. It is important to understand what is considered abnormal, the work-up for abnormal fractures, the mechanism of fracture healing, and the risk factors for re-fracture. A differential diagnosis is presented for abnormal fractures in the adolescent patient. Abnormal fractures are defined as two or more long bone fractures by age 10, three of more long bone fractures by age 19, or one or more vertebral compression fractures with greater than 20% vertebral height loss in the absence of local disease or severe trauma. The work-up includes a thorough history and physical exam, laboratory testing, and baseline imaging. The imaging should include a standing lateral spine radiograph and a determination of bone mineral density. Risks for re-fracture include inadequate immobilization, incomplete bony union, inadequate reduction, middle or proximal one-third forearm fractures, age, and level of activity.
Implications and Prospects of Jewish Jesus Research: A Review Essay

Consideration of a recent monograph by Walter Homolka invites evaluation of Jesus’ Judaic identity, as well as the hermeneutical issues implicit in approaches to Jesus from the perspective of Judaism and especially by Jewish practitioners. Issues of historiography and Christology naturally emerge from those reflections. Homolka’s application of postcolonial theory is assessed, as well as his linkage between Jewish reclamation and “the Third Quest of the historical Jesus.” The work of David Flusser and “the Jerusalem School” takes up attention in relation to Homolka’s argument. Progress occasioned by interaction with R. G. Collingwood’s view of history is considered, using the term “rabbi” as a lens of analysis. Homolka’s book closes with an argument for factoring Trinitarian perspectives within historical work. The essay concludes with a cautionary observation that claims of Jesus’ divine nature, as well as assertions of his Resurrection, are eschatological and transcendent evaluations, and so not strictly historical.
Exploring Coherence in Visual Explanations

A wide range of communicative artifacts—perhaps the majority—involve the coordinated presentation of visual and linguistic information. We envisage computer systems that support access to information by using rich representations of the interpretation of such multimodal presentations. This paper advocates organizing such representations in terms of coherence relations [2, 19], a fundamental construct from the theory of natural language discourse that is often invoked to explain the integrated interpretation of the diverse communicative actions in face-to-face conversation [9, 25, 35]. Coherence relations come in constrained classes, such as the Explanation, Narration and Parallel relations, each of which establishes specific kinds of structural, logical, and intentional relationships among communicative actions. Representing these relationships can therefore provide a scaffold for organizing, disambiguating and integrating the interpretation of communication across modalities. This paper uses a case study of instructions presented using text and pictures to motivate and describe an analysis of multimodal discourse interpretation in terms of coherence relations and to sketch a roadmap for operationalizing the approach in computer systems.
Act I. Workless Dissipation: Fourier

Lambert in his Pyrometrie1 seems to have been the first man to attempt a precise treatment of the conduction of heat. He considered a long bar open to the air, resting upon thin wires, and with one end in a fire. “Thus the bar is heated at one end only. The heat penetrates by and by into the more distant parts but finally passes out through each part into the air. If the fire is maintained long enough and with equal heat, finally every part of the bar contains a certain degree of heat because it again and again receives just as much heat from the parts lying nearer to the fire as it communicates to the more distant ones and to the air.” [As Mach2 remarked, Lambert’s analysis does not exhibit clarity corresponding to this description of the physical problem.] Lambert regards the “heat” y as a function of position x alone and writes down the expression for the subtangent J to the corresponding curve:
Managing Coastal and Ocean Spaces

In the previous chapters, we examined how sector-based management has been used to govern wastewater, oil dredging, and wetlands, with varying degrees of success. As we have seen, this approach is fundamentally reactive. A particular group or industry proposes a specific activity, such as dredging a harbor or disposing of sewage, and government responds by evaluating that activity and then issuing a permit if it is deemed acceptable. Unfortunately, the entity proposing the activity and the government body responding to the proposal rarely consider the cumulative effects of combined uses in a coastal land and/or sea area.
Globalization, Neoliberal Development, and Ontological Tyranny

In March of 2011, China’s government issued a ban on all movies and TV dramas that featured themes pertaining to fantasy, mythical stories, and time travel (e.g., Voigt 2011). These themes are quite popular in Chinese movies and television and usually center around a protagonist who travels to a bygone era when Chinese society offered the possibility for happiness and fulfillment. The message, therefore, is that contemporary China no longer offers these possibilities. In response, the Chinese government denounced these stories for “disrespecting history” and promoting an absurd form of surrealism that undermines “positive thoughts” and discourages people from adapting to the current social reality.
Chemotherapeutic drugs released from polymers : Distribution of 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea in the rat brain

Purpose. The distribution of [3H]BCNU following release from polymer implants in the rat brain was measured and evaluated by using mathematical models.
Field theory in comparative context: A new paradigm for media studies

Via the English-language translation of La Distinction, Pierre Bourdieu's approach to the reception and appropriation of cultural objects is already well known. But English-speaking scholars have yet to profit fully from Bourdieu's work on cultural production, particularly as it relates to the news media.' Bourdieu and research associates including Alain Accardo, Patrick Champagne, Remi Lenoir, Dominique Marchetti, and Louis Pinto develop a new paradigm for the sociology of journalism centered around the concept of the "media field."2 Their basic thesis is that as journalism has become less autonomous from the economic field, its influence and pervasiveness have also increased. The news media, serving as an agent of dominant power, are undermining the autonomy of other spheres of cultural production, and thus the optimal social conditions for the production of scientific knowledge and artistic innovation.
Discussion on “Real-time monitoring of events applied to syndromic surveillance”

AbstractI discuss the article “Real-time monitoring of events applied to syndromic surveillance” by Sparks and collaborators. This discussion focuses on how statistical network modeling and inferen...
Power consumption of stirred media mills

The power consumption of stirred-media mills was studied using an approach developed from work on stirred reactors. Evaluated were the relationships of factors such as stirring speed and impeller and tank dimensions on the torque required to rotate disc and pin impellers immersed in dense particulate media. Data collected under various experimental conditions were analyzed. The results were summarized and presented in the form of characteristic plots, general equations and dimensionless group correlations involving power and modified Reynolds numbers. Special attention was directed towards the rheological properties of the media, which was considered a non-Newtonian liquid, and hence the equation of power-law liquids was employed. A procedure for estimating the parameters of effective viscosity and scale-up guidelines (with respect to power consumption) are proposed.
On Multisensor Detection of Improper Signals

We consider the problem of detecting the presence of a complex-valued, possibly improper, but unknown signal, common among two or more sensors (channels) in the presence of spatially independent, unknown, possibly improper and colored, noise. Past work on this problem is limited to signals observed in proper noise. A source of improper noise is in-phase/quadrature-phase imbalance during down-conversion of bandpass noise to baseband. A binary hypothesis testing approach is formulated, and a generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) is derived using asymptotic distribution of a frequency-domain sufficient statistic, based on the discrete Fourier transform of an augmented measurement sequence. An asymptotic analytical solution for calculating the test threshold to yield a desired false alarm rate is provided. The performance of the GLRT is analyzed by deriving an approximate asymptotic distribution of the GLRT statistic under a sequence of local alternative hypotheses. These results (GLRT and test threshold calculation) are then modified to address two special cases: detection of improper signals in proper noise and detection of proper signals in proper noise. Simulation examples are presented in support of the proposed approaches.
Abstract P2016: Proximal Tubule-Specific Knockout of Angiotensin II Type 1a Receptors in the Kidney Augments the Natriuretic Response to Angiotensin III in Mice

Angiotensin III (ANG III), a major metabolite of the potent vasopressor hormone ANG II, reportedly binds and activates AT2 receptors to oppose the AT1 receptor-mediated antinatriuretic effect of AN...