cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Valley confinement as a factor of braided river pattern for the Platte River

Abstract The Platte River in Nebraska has evolved in the twentieth century from a predominantly braided river pattern to a melange of meandering, wandering, anastomosed, island braided, and fully braided reaches. Identifying the factors that determine the occurrence of a fully braided main channel was the objective of this study. Aerial photography, gage flow data, ground-surveyed cross sections, bed material samples, and the results of sediment transport modeling were used to examine factors that control spatial change in main river pattern of the central Platte River. Valley confinement is identified as the determining factor of braided river in nine of eleven divisions of the central Platte River. Flow reduction and the interruption of sediment supply are identified as determining factors preventing fully braided river in the remaining two of eleven reaches. Valley confinement, the topography which limits the width of the floodplain, was initially measured as width between historical banks (predevelopment river banks). This metric was later refined to width between confining features (historical banks, remnant bars, bridge abutments, protected banks and levees). Under existing conditions, the main channel of the central Platte River is fully braided when valley confinement (width between confining features) is 600 m or less and begins to divide into the multiple channels of an anastomosed pattern when valley confinement (width between confining features) exceeds 600 m When Platte River flow is divided between two to four major anabranches, a fully braided pattern in the main channel of the main anabranch requires a more confined valley of 400 m or less. Valley confinement is demonstrated to be the dominant factor in determining river pattern in the central Platte River, although this factor is not normally considered in the continuum of channel pattern model. Conclusions from this study can be used to increase the occurrence of fully braided main channel in the central Platte River, to aid habitat recovery for endangered or threatened bird species that favor this river pattern. Consideration of valley confinement with river continuum factors can aid river managers by improving predictions of river pattern in response to management actions.
High Performance BSF Silicon Solar Cell with Fire Through Contacts Printed on AR Coating

A high performance cell using especially compounded paste was fabricated as follows: First, excellent anti-reflection coating and shallow junction were formed at the same time with a phosphoric-titanate compound solution spun on etched surface. Then, BSF forming was done by an aluminum paste. A silver paste on the front side and an aluminum-silver paste on the rear were fired simultaneously. As a result, the front paste punched through the TiO2 layer. The conversion efficiencies of 13 %(AMO) and 16%(close to AM2) have been obtained for the 75 mm cell without additional treatment such as a solder-dipping.
Testing and Estimating Model-Adjusted Effect-Measure Modification Using Marginal Structural Models and Complex Survey Data

Recently, it has been shown how to estimate model-adjusted risks, risk differences, and risk ratios from complex survey data based on risk averaging and SUDAAN (Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina). The authors present an alternative approach based on marginal structural models (MSMs) and SAS (SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, North Carolina). The authors estimate the parameters of the MSM using inverse weights that are the product of 2 terms. The first term is a survey weight that adjusts the sample to represent the unstandardized population. The second term is an inverse-probability-of-exposure weight that standardizes the population in order to adjust for confounding; it must be estimated using the survey weights. The authors show how to use the MSM parameter estimates and contrasts to test and estimate effect-measure modification; SAS code is provided. They also explain how to program the previous risk-averaging approach in SAS. The 2 methods are applied and compared using data from the 2007 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey to assess effect modification by age of the difference in risk of cost barriers to health care between persons with disability and persons without disability.
Non-coding RNA: a new frontier in regulatory biology

A striking finding in the past decade is the production of numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) from mammalian genomes. While it is entirely possible that many of those ncRNAs are transcription noises or by-products of RNA processing, increasing evidence suggests that a large fraction of them are functional and provide various regulatory activities in the cell. Thus, functional genomics and proteomics are incomplete without understanding functional ribonomics. As has been long suggested by the 'RNA world' hypothesis, many ncRNAs have the capacity to act like proteins in diverse biochemical processes. The enormous amount of information residing in the primary sequences and secondary structures of ncRNAs makes them particularly suited to function as scaffolds for molecular interactions. In addition, their functions appear to be stringently controlled by default via abundant nucleases when not engaged in specific interactions. This review focuses on the functional properties of regulatory ncRNAs in comparison with proteins and emphasizes both the opportunities and challenges in future ncRNA research.
Ultra compact biochemical sensor built with two dimensional photonic crystal microcavity

By measuring the resonant wavelength of a two-dimensional photonic crystal microcavity, we can detect the change in refractive index of 0.002. Evaporative process of water in 5% glycerol is used to demonstrate time-resolved sensing capability
Turnpike Optimality of Smith's Rule in Parallel Machines Stochastic Scheduling

Consider scheduling a batch of jobs with stochastic processing times on parallel machines, with minimization of expected weighted flowtime as objective. Smith's Rule, which orders job starts by decreasing ratio of weight to expected processing time, provides a natural heuristic for this problem. In a previous paper we have found an upper bound for the difference between the expected objective under Smith's Rule and under the optimal strategy. In this paper we find an upper bound on the expected number of times that Smith's rule differs from the optimal decision. Under some mild and reasonable assumptions these bounds remain constant when the number of jobs increases. Hence, under these conditions Smith's Rule is asymptotically optimal, and it has a Turnpike Optimality property, that is, Smith's Rule is optimal most of the time.
A novel feature recognition neural network and its application to character recognition

Presents a feature recognition network for pattern recognition that learns the patterns by remembering their different segments. The base algorithm for this network is a Boolean net algorithm that the authors developed during past research. Simulation results show that the network can recognize patterns after significant noise, deformation, translation and even scaling. The network is compared to existing popular networks used for the same purpose, especially the Neocognitron. The network is also analyzed as regards to interconnection complexity and information storage/retrieval. >
Phospholipase D Signaling Regulates Microtubule Organization in the Fucoid Alga Silvetia compressa

Recent studies in higher plants or animals have shown that phospholipase D (PLD) signaling regulates many aspects of development, including organization of microtubules (MTs), actin and the endomembrane system. PLD hydrolyzes structural phospholipids to form the second messenger phosphatidic acid (PA). To begin to understand the signaling pathways and molecules that regulate cytoskeletal and endomembrane arrays during early development in the brown alga, Silvetia compressa, we altered PLD activity by applying butyl alcohols to zygotes. 1-Butanol activates PLD and is a preferred substrate, primarily forming phosphatidyl butanol (P-butanol), which is not a signaling molecule. Treatment with 1-butanol inhibited cell division and cytokinesis but not photopolarization or germination, suggesting an MT-based effect. Immunolabeling revealed that 1-butanol treatment rapidly disrupted MT arrays and caused zygotes to arrest in metaphase. MT arrays recovered rapidly following butanol washout, but subsequent development depended on the timing of the treatment regime. Additionally, treatment with 1-butanol early in development disrupted endomembrane organization, known to require functional MTs. Interestingly, treatment with higher concentrations of 2-butanol, which also activates PLD, mimicked the effects of 1-butanol. In contrast, the control t-butanol had no effect on MTs or development. These results indicate that S. compressa zygotes utilize PLD signaling to regulate MT arrays. In contrast, PLD signaling does not appear to regulate actin arrays or endomembrane trafficking directly. This is the first report describing the signaling pathways that regulate cytoskeletal organization in the stramenopile (heterokont) lineage.
Characteristics of Sexually Repressed Child Molesters

This was an exploratory investigation the purpose of which was to compare sexually repressed and nonrepressed child abuse offenders on therapy progress and on a battery of personality and research instruments. From information obtained on a psychosexual history interview, 68 child molesters were categorized as either repressed, nonrepressed or exploitive. Results indicated that a significantly larger proportion of therapy failures were offenders who were sexually repressed. There were also significant differences between repressed and nonrepressed offenders on some of the special research scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, the Burt Rape Myth Scales, some of the Multiphasic Sex Inventory scales and the Mosher's Sex Guilt Scale. Differences on these measures are consistent with the characteristics of intrafamilial child molesters reported in the clinical and research literature. The results of this investigation are, however, quite speculative due to the small sample size of the repr...
Lithologic analysis from multispectral thermal infrared data of the alkalic rock complex at Iron Hill, Colorado

Airborne thermal-infrared multispectral scanner (TIMS) data of the Iron Hill carbonatite-alkalic igneous rock complex in south-central Colorado are analyzed using a new spectral emissivity ratio algorithm and confirmed by field examination using existing 1:24 000-scale geologic maps and petrographic studies. Color composite images show that the alkalic rocks could be clearly identified and that differences existed among alkalic rocks in several parts of the complex. An unsupervised classification algorithm defines four alkalic rock classes within the complex: biotitic pyroxenite, uncompahgrite, augitic pyroxenite, and fenite + nepheline syenite. Felsic rock classes defined in the surrounding country rock are an extensive class consisting of tuff, granite, and felsite, a less extensive class of granite and felsite, and quartzite. The general composition of the classes can be determined from comparisons of the TIMS spectra with laboratory spectra. Carbonatite rocks are not classified, and we attribute that to the fact that dolomite, the predominant carbonate mineral in the complex, has a spectral feature that falls between TIMS channels 5 and 6. Mineralogical variability in the fenitized granite contributed to the nonuniform pattern of the fenite-nepheline syenite class. The biotitic pyroxenite, which resulted from alteration of the pyroxenite, is spatially associated and appears to be related to narrow carbonatite dikes and sills. Results from a linear unmixing algorithm suggest that the detected spatial extent of the two mixed felsic rock classes was sensitive to the amount of vegetation cover. These results illustrate that spectral thermal infrared data can be processed to yield compositional information that can be a cost-effective tool to target mineral exploration, particularly in igneous terranes.
Infants' physical knowledge affects their change detection.

Prior research suggests that infants attend to a variable in an event category when they have identified it as relevant for predicting outcomes in the category, and that the age at which infants identify a variable depends largely on the age at which they are exposed to appropriate observations. Thus, depending on age of exposure, infants may identify the same variable at different ages in different event categories. A good case in point is the variable height, which is identified at about 3.5 months in occlusion events, but only at about 12 months in covering events and 14 months in tube events. In the present experiments, 11-month-olds detected a change to an object’s height in an occlusion but not a covering event, and 12.5-month-olds detected a similar change in a covering but not a tube event. Thus, infants succeeded in detecting a change to an object’s height in an event where height had been identified as a relevant variable, but failed to detect the exact same change in another event where height had not yet been identified as a relevant variable. These findings provide evidence that infants’ physical knowledge affects which changes they detect in physical events. Possible mechanisms underlying these findings are also discussed, in light of recent accounts of change detection in adults.
New market groupings based on food consumption patterns

Consumption of different food categories varies across the US+ A cluster analysis of 52 markets based on food sales in 62 categories found 11 market groupings with similar consumption patterns+ These new market groupings were compared with a cluster analysis based on data from 10 years earlier+ Many patterns were similar but a few shifts in consumption patterns were also noted+ Evidence suggested that some regional food preferences may have fragmented during the last 10 years+ Researchers, managers, and policy makers should use market groupings based on fairly current data when they examine food demand trends across geographics, test marketing programs, identify opportunities in selected markets, forecast results for regional expansions, or evaluate regional initiative performance+ @EconLit citations: L660, R220, Q130+# © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc+
Genetic and fluorescence studies of affinity maturation in related antibodies.

Affinity maturation, the process by which an organism’s response to infection becomes more specific and more effective over time, occurs after somatic hypermutation of antibody genes in B-cells. This increase in affinity might be a result of the evolution of either specific interactions between antigen and antibody over time (enthalpic factors) or antibody binding site rigidification (entropic factors) or both. Here, monoclonal antibodies, derived from antibodies elicited at different points in the murine immune response after inoculation with the same diketone hapten, have been characterized both genetically and functionally. Though this hapten has previously been shown to produce the catalytic aldolase antibody 38C2, antibodies described here are not catalytic and unlike 38C2, form no covalent enzyme–substrate complex. Thus, they provide a system in which to assess contributions to the evolution of binding affinity. The genes for these non-catalytic antibodies have been sequenced and analyzed both with regard to their relationships to germ line genes, to each other, and to two commercially available catalytic aldolase antibodies. Consequences of particular mutations for antigen binding behavior are discussed. The protein products of these genes have been expressed, purified, and binding properties measured by two complementary techniques: the hapten-induced quenching of the native antibody fluorescence and the changes in the anisotropy of Prodan (6-propionyl-2-(dimethylamino)naphthalene), a fluorescent hapten analogue. Differences in binding affinity are related back to differences in the lengths and amino acid sequences of the complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) binding loop. Taken together with our earlier results on binding site heterogeneity from tryptophan lifetime analysis [Mohan, G.S., Chiu, P.T., Southern, C.A., O’Hara, P.B., 2004. Steady-state and multifrequency phase fluorometry studies of binding site flexibility in related antibodies. J. Phys. Chem. A 108, 7871–7877], affinity appears to be modulated by a combination of entropic and enthalpic factors, and not dominated by one or the other. Because these antibodies are not related to the same germ line gene, however, these results do not provide evidence for the dominance of enthalpy or entropy in evolving binding affinity in this system. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Workshop on games and software engineering (GAS 2011)

At the core of video games are complex interactions leading to emergent behaviors. This complexity creates difficulties architecting components, predicting their behaviors and testing the results. The Workshop on Games and Software Engineering (GAS 2011) provides an opportunity for software engineering researchers and practitioners who work with games to come together and discuss how these two areas can be intertwined.
In defense of the desiderata

A 1998 paper that delineated desirable characteristics, or desiderata for controlled medical terminologies attempted to summarize emerging consensus regarding structural issues of such terminologies. Among the Desiderata was a call for terminologies to be "concept oriented." Since then, research has trended toward the extension of terminologies into ontologies. A paper by Smith, entitled "From Concepts to Clinical Reality: An Essay on the Benchmarking of Biomedical Terminologies" urges a realist approach that seeks terminologies composed of universals, rather than concepts. The current paper addresses issues raised by Smith and attempts to extend the Desiderata, not away from concepts, but towards recognition that concepts and universals must both be embraced and can coexist peaceably in controlled terminologies. To that end, additional Desiderata are defined that deal with the purpose, rather than the structure, of controlled medical terminologies.
A Perceived Value Model for Explaining Patients' Intentions to Continue Use of Pharmaceutical Care Services

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to evaluate a perceived value model for explaining patients' willingness to continue use of pharmaceutical care services. A written questionnaire was administered to 154 patients in the waiting room of a pharmacist-run anticoagulation clinic in a Veterans Administration Medical Center. A path-analysis of the questionnaire data revealed that a higher perceived threat of warfarin-related problems (under the condition of not attending the clinic regularly) was associated with higher perceived benefits from clinic attendance. The higher perceived benefits were associated with lower perceived nonmonetary costs and higher perceived value of the pharmacist's services. Lower nonmonetary costs were also associated with higher perceived value. Higher perceived value was strongly associated with the patients' willingness to continue use of the pharmacist-run clinic. The model explained 69% of the variance inpatients' willingness to continue use of the pharmaceutical care service...
Color-via-pattern: distinguishing colors of confusion without affecting perceived brightness

In this poster we describe pilot work on a new visualization technique, Color-via-Pattern (CvP), to help individuals with color deficiency distinguish between colors of confusion, as well as correctly determine relative perceived brightness among all colors. Existing assistive technologies tend to distort the hue and brightness of colors. CvP is designed to address this flaw while being just as effective. Human subject testing was performed to evaluate our approach.
Binary erasure multiple descriptions: Average-case distortion

We consider a binary erasure version of the n-channel multiple descriptions problem with no excess rate and no distortion for every k out of n descriptions, i.e., any subset of k messages has a total rate of one and allows for perfect reconstruction of the source. We present an achievability scheme and characterize its distortion whenm ≪ k messages are received at the decoder. We show that the scheme is optimal for the case where (1 − 1/n){suk) ≤ ½ and a single message is received. For the case where k = 2, n ≫ 3 and a single message is received, we provide a lower bound that differs by exactly 1/n from the minimum distortion achieved by the scheme.
Examining clinical assessment practices in U.S. dental hygiene programs.

Competency-based education (CBE) in dental hygiene education is intended to measure learned skills that prepare students to independently provide services for the public. A variety of standardized clinical assessment techniques (SCATs) are available to substantiate the competence of health care professionals, including, but not limited to, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), triple jump exams, standardized patients, and simulations. Standardized clinical examinations test students’ abilities to treat diverse patients in a consistent, controlled setting. SCATs help prepare clinicians to safely treat patients of various complexities. The objectives of this study were to examine the variety of techniques used to assess clinical competence in U.S. accredited dental hygiene programs and to obtain program directors’ attitudes regarding clinic assessment, with a focus on how SCATs are used. An online survey collected data from 125 directors (48 percent response rate). Approximately 97 percent of the responding programs used observation-type assessments followed by case studies (90 percent), self-assessment (85 percent), and mock boards (75 percent), with SCATs being the least used. The majority of responding directors (74 percent) indicated an interest in learning more about these SCATs. A chi-square test identified no significant difference between the use of SCATs by associate and baccalaureate degree programs, with program location also being irrelevant.
Evaluation of Chemical and Microbial Materials for Control of the Cabbage Looper

A number of chemical insecticides and some formulations of commercially produced microbial preparations containing Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis Berliner were applied as spays and/or dusts to cabbage, cauliflower, and bead lettuce for control of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hbn.). Only one of the chemical materials, General Chemicals 3583® (diethyl-1-(2,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-chlorovinyl phosphate) appeared to be comparable to the standards, DDT-toxaphene and parathion. However, several insecticides, including Dibrom® (1,2-dibromo-2,2-dichloroethyl dimethyl phosphate), ethion Guthion® ( O, O -dimethyl S-4-oxo-1,2,3-benzotriazin-3 (4H)-ylmethl phosphorodithioate), malathion, Perthane® (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis ( p -ethylphenyl)ethane), Thiodan® (6,7,8,9, 10, 10-hexachloro-1,5, 5a , 6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9-methan0-2,4,3-henzodioxathiepin 3-oxide), and Sevin® (1-naphthyl methylcarbamate) gave fair results. The microbial materials from different manufacturers varied in their effectiveness. Two gave good control of all sizes of cabbage loopers and displayed satisfactory residual activity. At the dosages used, they were as effective in quickness of kill and residual activity as the best of the chemical insecticides.
Reprogramming the Chemodiversity of Terpenoid Cyclization by Remolding the Active Site Contour of epi-Isozizaene Synthase.

The class I terpenoid cyclase epi-isozizaene synthase (EIZS) utilizes the universal achiral isoprenoid substrate, farnesyl diphosphate, to generate epi-isozizaene as the predominant sesquiterpene cyclization product and at least five minor sesquiterpene products, making EIZS an ideal platform for the exploration of fidelity and promiscuity in a terpenoid cyclization reaction. The hydrophobic active site contour of EIZS serves as a template that enforces a single substrate conformation, and chaperones subsequently formed carbocation intermediates through a well-defined mechanistic sequence. Here, we have used the crystal structure of EIZS as a guide to systematically remold the hydrophobic active site contour in a library of 26 site-specific mutants. Remolded cyclization templates reprogram the reaction cascade not only by reproportioning products generated by the wild-type enzyme but also by generating completely new products of diverse structure. Specifically, we have tripled the overall number of charac...
Protein Multiple Sequence Alignment

Protein sequence alignment is the task of identifying evolutionarily or structurally related positions in a collection of amino acid sequences. Although the protein alignment problem has been studied for several decades, many recent studies have demonstrated considerable progress in improving the accuracy or scalability of multiple and pairwise alignment tools, or in expanding the scope of tasks handled by an alignment program. In this chapter, we review state-of-the-art protein sequence alignment and provide practical advice for users of alignment tools.
Somite Unit Chronometry to Analyze Teratogen Phase Specificity in the Paraxial Mesoderm

Phase specificity, the temporal and tissue restriction of teratogen-induced defects during embryonic -development, is a poorly understood but common property of teratogens, an important source of human birth defects. Somite counting and somite units are novel chronometric tools used here to identify stages of paraxial mesoderm development that are sensitive to pulse-chase exposure (2 to >16 h) to 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). In all cases, it was the presomitic mesoderm (PSM) that was sensitive to BrdU induced segmentation anomalies. At high concentration (1.0 × 10(-2) M BrdU), PSM presegment stages ss-IV and earlier were irreversibly inhibited from completing segmentation. At low concentration (2.6 × 10(-6) M), BrdU induced periodic focal defects that predominantly trace back to PSM presegments between ss-V and ss-IX. Phase specificity is characteristic of both types of segmentation anomalies. Focal segmentation defects are phase-specific because they result from disruption of 2-3 presegments in the PSM while adjacent -rostral and caudal presegments are (apparently) unaffected. Irreversible inhibition of segmentation is also phase-specific because only PSM presegments ss-IV or earlier were affected while older segments (ss-III to ss-I) were able to complete segmentation. The presegments predominantly affected have not yet passed the determination front, the point at which the segmentation clock establishes somite rostro-caudal -polarity. Somite unit chronometry provides a means to identify specific PSM presegment stages that are susceptible to induced segmentation defects and the biological processes that underlie that vulnerability.
Applications of micromachining to nanotechnology

Publisher Summary this chapter focuses be on micromachining principle that seem to be common to most micromachine fabrication. In particular, focus is on silicon bulk and surface micromachining techniques, which are commonly identified as being at the core of micromachining. Micromachining has largely been developed in the hope of producing microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). MEMS are micromachines that can have mechanical and fluidiccomponents integrated with electromagnetic fields and electronic circuits that have useful functions as sensors and actuators. Both academia and industry are exploring the possibilities of using micromachining to make useful devices. Micromachining has been mostly developed in integrated-circuit fabrication laboratories. Most micromachining techniques utilize microfabrication procedures to fabricate microscale mechanical components, perhaps integrated with electronics. Using surface micromachining techniques of sacrificial layer etching, one can make devices that have dimensions of tens of micrometers and volumes of tens of cubic micrometers. To carry over these techniques, it seems certain that at least one limitation will be the lithography. Another goal of this chapter is to familiarize the key micromachining concepts so it is easy to apply them to new materials and applications.
Controls of Cerebral Protein Breakdown

It is an honor and a pleasure to contribute to and participate in this prestigious course at the University Complutense, directed by the eminent scientist and teacher Dr. Santiago Grisolia. The topic of the course, dealing with the relationships of excess ammonia, liver pathology, and brain deficiency, indicates the interrelationships of the various organs in the body, and also indicates the need for us to identify the processes that are unique to an organ or are of special significance for it. One reason for selecting protein breakdown for discussion was its important relationship to ammonia, its products — amino acids. In general, only 0.1 to 1.0 percent of the amino acids are in the free amino acid pool as compared to the protein-bound forms; therefore, breakdown of only one percent of the proteins would increase the content in the free pool 2–10 fold. Therefore, protein breakdown could have an important influence on ammonia metabolism.
An examination of TNM staging of melanoma by a machine learning algorithm

Accurate estimation of mortality in patients with cancer is important when discussing prognosis and selecting treatment. Survival estimation for many cancers is based on Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging systems that involve three factors: tumor extent, lymph node involvement, and metastasis. The most recent clinical staging of melanoma uses TNM staging but does not include a growing number of other prognostic features. The Ensemble Algorithm of Clustering of Cancer Data (EACCD) by Chen et al. is a machine learning algorithm that regroups patients with different prognostic factors according to the survival dissimilarity. This algorithm has the potential to integrate emerging prognostic factors to more accurately stage melanoma. In this study, we use EACCD to examine the current AJCC staging of melanoma by analyzing a melanoma dataset from the National Cancer Centers Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Rresults (SEER) database. Our results demonstrates that the EACCD algorithm generates results in-line with AJCC staging and may provide a mechanism to incorporate other prognostic factors to produce a more nuanced estimation of prognosis and survival.
The remote-sensing assessment of a threatened ancient water technology in Afghanistan

Abstract Studies and reports regarding the water resources of Afghanistan often rely on old and unconfirmable surveys in referring to the decline of the traditional water supply method known as karez . This study utilizes remote sensing data to offer a new, large-scale assessment of active and inactive “long-type” karezes in central and southern Afghanistan, providing a major and much needed revision of karez data that has not been updated in print for half a century. The results demonstrate a trend in widespread disuse of the karez, with the notable exception of the Helmand and Kandahar provinces. The project also makes a specific contribution to the international dialogue about water and environmental security in Afghanistan. The analytical methods used in this study show considerable promise for application in other international arenas that share Afghanistan's semi-arid and arid landscapes. The team members of this project would like this work to be understood and appreciated in the broader context of the ongoing efforts to document and protect Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage.
Neuroendocrinimmunology: A Primer

Abstract This chapter broadly describes the field of neuroendocrinimmunology (NEI). NEI encompasses a number of complementary subdisciplines that seek to elucidate the bidirectional regulatory relationships that exist between the nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. Each component of this field focuses on the molecules of communication operating between these three systems that will maintain whole-body homeostasis and thus health. Examples are cytokines, lymphokines, and chemokines in the immune system; hormones of the hypothalamic–pituitary–peripheral gland axes; and neurotransmitters of the central and peripheral nervous systems. An understanding of these relationships facilitates a comprehension of stress responses and stress-related diseases. Subareas of interest include the actions of cytokines in the central nervous system; autonomic innervation and regulation of immune organs; neuroendocrine regulation of immune cells; immune cell production of neuroendocrine peptides and their functions; and the autoimmune mechanisms of neural destruction leading to conditions such as myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis.
Can Radiologists Predict the Presence of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ and Invasive Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE. We hypothesize that radiologists' estimated percentage likelihood assessments for the presence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive cancer may predict histologic outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Two hundred fifty cases categorized as BI-RADS category 4 or 5 at four University of California Medical Centers were retrospectively reviewed by 10 academic radiologists with a range of 1–39 years in practice. Readers assigned BI-RADS category (1, 2, 3, 4a, 4b, 4c, or 5), estimated percentage likelihood of DCIS or invasive cancer (0–100%), and confidence rating (1 = low, 5 = high) after reviewing screening and diagnostic mammograms and ultrasound images. ROC curves were generated. RESULTS. Sixty-two percent (156/250) of lesions were benign and 38% (94/250) were malignant. There were 26 (10%) DCIS, 20 (8%) invasive cancers, and 48 (19%) cases of DCIS and invasive cancer. AUC values were 0.830–0.907 for invasive cancer and 0.731–0.837 for DCIS alone. Sensitivity of 82% (56/68), specificity of 8...
Adaptive Control of Robots Using Visual Feedback

Abstract Vision based robot control systems provide capabilities for modifying positions to accommodate uncertainty in the task environment. Vision based robot control research has focused on vision processing issues, while control system design has been limited to ad hoc strategies In this paper, we formalize an analytical approach to the design of dynamic robot visual servo control systems An image-based structure represents a new approach to visual servo control which uses local image features as feedback control signals image-based control presents formidable engineering problems for controller design, including complex dynamics, kinematics, and feature transformations, as well as unknown parameters, and measurement noise and delays A model reference adaptive Controller (MRAC) is designed to satisfy these requirements Simulation studies are described which indicate the feasibility and expected performance of this approach for systems with 1, 2. and 3 degrees of freedom.
Abstract TP71: Prior Asymptomatic Parenchymal Hemorrhage Does Not Increase the Risk for Intracranial Hemorrhage After Intravenous Thrombolysis

Background: The NINDS Trial demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous (IV) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) in improving neurologic outcome in patients presenting with acute ischemic ...
Accumulation of Azole Drugs in the Fungal Plant Pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae Is the Result of Facilitated Diffusion Influx

Magnaporthe oryzae is an agricultural mold that causes disease in rice, resulting in devastating crop losses. Since rice is a world-wide staple food crop, infection by M. oryzae poses a serious global food security threat. Fungicides, including azole antifungals, are used to prevent and combat M. oryzae plant infections. The target of azoles is CYP51, an enzyme localized on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and required for fungal ergosterol biosynthesis. However, many basic drug-pathogen interactions, such as how the azole gets past the fungal cell wall and plasma membrane, and is transported to the ER, are not understood. In addition, reduced intracellular accumulation of antifungals has consistently been observed as a drug resistance mechanism in many fungal species. Studying the basic biology of drug-pathogen interactions may elucidate uncharacterized mechanisms of drug resistance and susceptibility in M. oryzae and potentially other related fungal pathogens. We characterized intracellular accumulation of azole drugs in M. oryzae using a radioactively labeled fluconazole uptake assay to gain insight on whether azoles enter the cell by passive diffusion, active transport, or facilitated diffusion. We show that azole accumulation is not ATP-dependent, nor does it rely on a pH-dependent process. Instead there is evidence for azole drug uptake in M. oryzae by a facilitated diffusion mechanism. The uptake system is specific for azole or azole-like compounds and can be modulated depending on cell phase and growth media. In addition, we found that co-treatment of M. oryzae with ‘repurposed’ clorgyline and radio-labeled fluconazole prevented energy-dependent efflux of fluconazole, resulting in an increased intracellular concentration of fluconazole in the fungal cell.
Harnessing Syndromic Surveillance Emergency Department Data to Monitor Health Impacts During the 2015 Special Olympics World Games.

Introduction:Mass gatherings that attract a large international presence may cause or amplify point-source outbreaks of emerging infectious disease. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Heal...
Error-repair Dependency Parsing for Ungrammatical Texts

We propose a new dependency parsing scheme which jointly parses a sentence and repairs grammatical errors by extending the non-directional transition-based formalism of Goldberg and Elhadad (2010) with three additional actions: SUBSTITUTE, DELETE, INSERT. Because these actions may cause an infinite loop in derivation, we also introduce simple constraints that ensure the parser termination. We evaluate our model with respect to dependency accuracy and grammaticality improvements for ungrammatical sentences, demonstrating the robustness and applicability of our scheme.
Evaluation of Copan FecalSwab as Specimen Type for Use in Xpert C. difficile Assay

Liquid-based microbiology (LBM) devices incorporating flocked swabs and preservation medium ease transport of specimens and improve specimen yield compared to traditional fiber wound swabs; however, the performance of LBM collection devices has not been evaluated in many molecular assays. It is unclear how the differences in matrix and specimen loading with an LBM device will affect test performance compared to traditional collection devices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of specimens collected in FecalSwab transport medium (Copan Diagnostics, Murrieta, CA) compared to unpreserved stool using the Cepheid Xpert C. difficile assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA). Results equivalent to unpreserved stool samples were obtained when 400 μl of FecalSwab-preserved stool was employed in the Xpert assay. The positive and negative percent agreement of specimens inoculated with FecalSwab medium (n = 281) was 97.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.9 to 96.4%) and 99.4% (95% CI, 96.4 to 99.9%), respectively, compared to reference results obtained using unpreserved stool. Throughout this study, only four discrepant results occurred when comparing preserved specimens to unpreserved stool specimens in the Xpert C. difficile PCR assay. Post discrepant analysis, using the BD MAX Cdiff assay, the specificity and sensitivity both increased to 100%. The high positive and negative percent agreements observed in this study suggest that stool preserved in FecalSwab media yields equivalent results to using unpreserved stool when tested on the Xpert C. difficile assay, allowing laboratories to adopt this liquid-based microbiology collection device.
A 4Gb/s half-rate DFE with switched-cap and IIR summation for data correction

This paper presents a novel area effective 2-tap speculative Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) with one switched-cap and one IIR summation for data self-correction in standard CMOS 180nm technology node. The conventional first-tap speculative half-rate DFE is composed of four different paths, which have exactly same hardware. By using the switched-cap method, it is possible to get rid of duplicated paths. Instead of having a large number of feedback taps in conventional DFE, one single Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) tap in the DFE can compensate the effects of multiple post-cursors. An input of the second tap is fed back from Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter with self-adjusted time constants (τ1). Less number of taps is used in the proposed scheme, and the four summers are reduced to two summers and one tap by using switched cap and IIR filter, respectively. The proposed DFE consumes 13.46mW with 1.8V supply when equalizing 4Gb/s data passed over a channel with 28 dB loss at 2GHz.
Bone density and microarchitecture in hepatitis C and HIV-coinfected postmenopausal minority women.

We found that HIV+/HCV+ women had 7–8% lower areal bone mineral density (aBMD) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the spine, hip, and radius (p < 0.01) and 5–7% lower volumetric BMD (vBMD) by central quantitative computed tomography (cQCT) at the spine and hip (p < 0.05). These data suggest that true deficits in vBMD may contribute to bone fragility and excess fractures reported in HIV+/HCV+ women. aBMD by DXA is lower in persons coinfected with HIV and HCV (HIV+/HCV+) than with HIV monoinfection (HIV+). However, weight is often also lower with HCV infection, and measurement of aBMD by DXA can be confounded by adiposity; we aimed to determine whether true vBMD is also lower in HIV+/HCV+ coinfection. We measured aBMD of the lumbar spine (LS), total hip (TH), femoral neck (FN), and ultradistal radius (UDR) by DXA and vBMD of the spine and hip by cQCT and of the distal radius and tibia by high-resolution peripheral QCT (HRpQCT) in 37 HIV+/HCV+ and 119 HIV+ postmenopausal women. Groups were compared using Student’s t tests with covariate adjustment by multiple regression analysis. HIV+/HCV+ and HIV+ women were of similar age and race/ethnicity. HIV+/HCV+ women had lower body mass index (BMI) and trunk fat and were more likely to smoke and less likely to have a history of AIDS. In HIV+/HCV+ women, aBMD by DXA was 7–8% lower at the LS, TH, and UDR (p < 0.01). Similarly, vBMD by cQCT was 5–7% lower at the LS and TH (p < 0.05). Between-group differences in LS aBMD and vBMD remained significant after adjustment for BMI, smoking, and AIDS history. Tibial total vBMD by HRpQCT was 10% lower in HIV+/HCV+ women. HIV+/HCV+ postmenopausal women had significantly lower spine aBMD and vBMD. These deficits in vBMD may contribute to bone fragility and excess fractures reported in HIV+/HCV+ women.
Highly active copper catalyst obtained through rapid MOF decomposition

A decomposed copper based metal–organic framework containing amorphous Cu species was found to be a highly reactive carbon supported catalyst (a-Cu@C). This catalyst is active for reduction, oxidation, and N-arylation reactions without further tuning or optimization. Higher catalyst turnover numbers for each of these transformations are obtained when comparing a-Cu@C activity to similar Cu-based materials.
One-Dimensional Anomalous Diffusion of Gold Nanoparticles in a Polymer Melt.

We investigated the dynamics of polymer-grafted gold nanoparticles loaded into polymer melts using x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. For low molecular weight host matrix polymer chains, normal isotropic diffusion of the gold nanoparticles is observed. For larger molecular weights, anomalous diffusion of the nanoparticles is observed that can be described by ballistic motion and generalized Levy walks, similar to those often used to discuss the dynamics of jammed systems. Under certain annealing conditions, the diffusion is one-dimensional and related to the direction of heat flow during annealing and is associated with an dynamic alignment of the host polymer chains. Molecular dynamics simulations of a single gold nanoparticle diffusing in a partially aligned polymer network semiquantitatively reproduce the experimental results to a remarkable degree. The results help to showcase how nanoparticles can under certain circumstances move rapidly in polymer networks.
“If He Looks Clean…”: Condom Use Decisions in Prostitution

Prostitutes engage in sex acts with multiple partners and have higher than average rates of intravenous drug use. For these reasons, unprotected sexual contact with a prostitute constitutes high-ri...
Scanning Probe Arrays for Lithography

In Chapter 6 we demonstrated dramatic improvements in the writing speed of a single tip, yet patterning throughput is still too low to make SPL a viable large-scale patterning technology. For example, a writing speed of 10 mm/s and a pixel size of 100 nm correspond to a pixel rate of 100 kHz (kilopixels per second). An exposure field measuring 1 cm × 1 cm contains 1010 pixels. If we raster scanned the tip over every pixel in the exposure field, it would take 105 seconds or about one day to cover the region. For comparison, today’s deep ultraviolet (DUV) steppers pattern about 40 200-mm-diameter wafers per hour. Each wafer contains more than 200 1 cm × 1 cm exposure fields.
Schelling and Luther

Although it would be a stretch to consider FWJ Schelling a Lutheran, he shared some critical features of Luther’s critical engagement with Catholicism. This essay engages this mutual confrontation, and then discusses the new horizon, what Schelling dubs the Johanine Church, the church for everyone and everything, that is the latent promise of the Lutheran (and Pauline) confrontation with the Petrine (or Catholic) Church. As such, this essay is an exercise in what Schelling called philosophical religion, a fruit of his late turn to positive philosophy.
Demagnetization of a complete superconducting radiofrequency cryomodule: Theory and practice

A significant advance in magnetic field management in a fully assembled superconducting radiofrequency cryomodule has been achieved and is reported here. Demagnetization of the entire cryomodule after assembly is a crucial step toward the goal of average magnetic flux density less than 0.5 μT at the location of the superconducting radio frequency cavities. An explanation of the physics of demagnetization and experimental results are presented.
Early and Late Adolescent Factors that Predict Co-use of Cannabis with Alcohol and Tobacco in Young Adulthood

The changing legal landscape of cannabis in the USA has coincided with changes in how cannabis is used, including its co-use with other substances. This study analyzed 10 years of data from a diverse cohort of youth (N = 2429; 54% Hispanic, 16% Asian, 16% white, 3% black, 10% multiracial) to examine predictors in early and late adolescence of co-use of alcohol with cannabis (AC) and tobacco with cannabis (TC) at age 21. Two forms of co-use were examined: concurrent (use of both substances in past month) and sequential (use of one substance right after the other). Analyses focused on four predictor domains: individual (e.g., resistance self-efficacy), peer (e.g., time spent around peers who use), family (e.g., sibling use), and neighborhood (i.e., perceived alcohol and drug problems in neighborhood). For each co-use combination (AC or TC), we estimated parallel process piecewise latent growth models in a structural equation modeling framework using Mplus v8. The final AC and TC co-use models included all predictor variables from the four domains. Increases in positive expectancies and time spent around peers who use AC, as well as steeper decreases in resistance self-efficacy, were all related to a greater likelihood of AC co-use in young adulthood. Increases in sibling TC use and time spent around peers who use TC, as well as steeper decreases in resistance self-efficacy, were all related to a greater likelihood of TC co-use in young adulthood. Overall, findings highlight the importance of addressing peer influence in prevention programming during both early and late adolescence.