cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hack Boston: Monitoring Wireless Security Awareness in an Urban Setting

This paper describes "Hack Boston," a project carried out by members of the IEEE student chapter at Northeastern University (NU) in Boston, MA. Our purpose was to identify the presence of wireless networks in order to determine qualitatively and quantitatively how secure these networks are, thus monitoring the security awareness of the wireless community around NU. Our study goes beyond common "war driving/war walking." We present statistical results over a range of metrics that go from the number of wireless signals in the scanned areas to the specific encryption method they use (if any). Experiments have been performed in 2004 and 2005, which indicate an increased awareness of the need for securing in-home wireless Internet connections. Our results are analyzed and compared with national statistics. We finally describe the activities that the NU IEEE student chapter is proposing for educating the community about the proper, secure use of wireless technologies.
Fas ligand deficiency in HIV disease

Apoptosis is postulated to be involved as an anti-viral immune mechanism by killing infected cells before viral replication has occurred. The Fas–Fas ligand interaction is a powerful regulator of T cell apoptosis and could potentially act as a potent anti-viral immune mechanism against T cell tropic virus such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We investigated the status of Fas ligand in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from persons infected with HIV. We found that monocytes in freshly isolated PBMCs from healthy individuals possess cell surface Fas ligand. In contrast, monocytes in freshly isolated PBMCs from HIV-infected patients had no detectable Fas ligand on the cell surface. Consistent with these findings of surface expression, Fas ligand activity was deficient in the cells from HIV-infected persons. The effect of replacing Fas ligand activity on HIV production by patients’ cells was assessed in an in vitro assay. The addition of a functional anti-Fas antibody to PBMCs from HIV-infected individuals inhibited viral production by greater than 90% without affecting lymphocytic function. These findings suggest the possibility of a new therapeutic modality for the treatment of HIV-infected individuals based on the reconstitution of Fas ligand activity.
Two subsets of epithelial cells in the thymic medulla

Information was sought on the features of epithelial cells in the murine thymic medulla. The expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on medullary epithelium was defined by light microscopy with the aid of bone marrow chimeras and MHC-transgenic mice. A proportion of medullary epithelial cells was found to show conspicuously high expression of conventional MHC (H-2) class I (K, D, L) and class II (I-A, I-E) molecules. These cells express a high density of the Y-Ae epitope, a complex of an E alpha peptide and I-Ab molecules found on typical bone marrow-derived cells. MHC+ medullary epithelial cells show limited expression of I-O molecules, a class of atypical nonpolymorphic MHC-encoded class II molecules present on B cells. Other medullary epithelial cells express a high density of I-O molecules but show little or no expression of typical MHC class I or II molecules. MHC and I-O expression thus appear to subdivide medullary epithelial cells into two phenotypically distinct subsets. This applies in adults. In the embryonic thymus most medullary epithelial cells express both types of molecules.
Photophysical and Optoelectronic Properties of Green-Emitting Alkoxy-Substituted PE/PV Hybrid Conjugated Polymers

A series of phenyleneethynylene (PE)/phenylenevinylene (PV) hybrid conjugated polymers with alkoxy side chains were studied. It was found that longer alkoxy side chains improve EL efficiency through enhanced material solubility and film-forming properties. Polymers with longer side chains attached to the phenylenevinylene units exhibit higher EL efficiency. With increasing solvent polarity, both absorption and emission spectra of the polymer display bathochromic shifts. With increasing chromophore concentration, the solution PL spectra display red shifts and new bands, indicating intermolecular excimer formation. The relative intensity of the 0−0 band in the solution PL spectra increases with increase of the excitation energy. When the nonsolvent methanol is added to the homogeneous polymer/chloroform solution, the absorption and emission spectra display red shifts and new bands, clearly indicating aggregate and excimer formation in the solvent/nonsolvent systems.
Theory of mode-locking using phase-sensitive amplification for saturable absorption

An averaged evolution equation is presented and its dynamics studied for a mode-locked laser where the intensitydiscrimination (saturable absorption) in the cavity is provided by phase-senstitive amplification. The phasesensitive amplifier acts as a phase-filter for selecting the specific intensity dependent phase-rotation of the modelocked pulse that locks the phase to the amplifier pump phase. The resulting averaged equation is a Swift- Hohenberg type model which is a fourth-order diffusion equation with cubic-quintic nonlinearities. Additionally, the governing evolution has a new linear growth term which couples to the nonlocal cavity energy. This parameter is a standard bifurcation parameter in Swift-Hohenberg models and is controlled by the cavity saturable gain. Such a modification to the governing evolution is the first of its kind to be considered theoretically in the context of the Swift-Hohenberg equation, and its significant impact on the mode-locked pulse dynamics and multi-pulsing behavior is explored.
Interfacial Activity of Gradient Copolymers

Numerical self-consistent field (SCF) theory is used to study the equilibrium segregation of A/B gradient copolymers to the interface between immiscible A and B homopolymers. A generalized SCF theory is developed that allows arbitrary composition gradients to be investigated. The focus of this paper is on symmetric copolymers consisting of equal amounts of A and B repeat units, with a linear or hyperbolic tangent composition gradient. A gradient parameter, λ, is introduced that describes the length of the composition gradient relative to the length of the entire copolymer molecule. Critical values of the copolymer chemical potential corresponding to the formation of copolymer micelles, or to a vanishing interfacial free energy between A and B homopolymer phases, decrease with λ, and are about 1.6k B T lower for λ = 1 than for λ = 0. The width of the concentration profile of A or B repeat units within a lamellar copolymer phase, or across an emulsified interface, increases with λ, and is equal to about twice the copolymer radius of gyration for λ = 1.
Elevation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate inhibits the epidermal growth factor signal transduction pathway and cellular growth in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines

Background. The epidermal growth factor (EGF) signal transduction pathway, frequently activated in pancreatic cancer, is an important regulator of cellular growth and transformation. This study examined whether activation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate protein kinase A pathway may inhibit the EGF signal transduction pathway in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Methods. Human pancreatic cancer lines BxPC-3 and AsPC-1 were stimulated with EGF, forskolin, or both. Forskolin is a compound that increases cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels. Assays of cell lines were then obtained for cellular growth (MTT assay), anchorage-independent growth (soft agar), and EGF-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase activation as measured by an in-gel kinase assay. Results. Treatment with forskolin resulted in inhibition of EGF-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase activity (BxPC3 78% inhibition and AsPC-1 70% inhibition, p < 0.005), diminished cellular proliferation (BxPC-3 92% inhibition and AsPC-1 86% inhibition, p < 0.001), and formation of colonies in soft agar (BxPC-3 98% inhibition and AsPC-1 76% inhibition, p < 0.001). Forskolin did not inhibit EGF receptor autophosphorylation or tyrosine kinase signaling in response to EGF. Conclusions. Forskolin-induced inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase is associated with diminished pancreatic cancer cell proliferation in vitro. Use of strategies to increase cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels may have therapeutic application in pancreatic cancer.
Spanish Moors and Turkish Captives in fin de siècle Mexico: Exoticism as Strategy

Mexican composer Ernesto Elorduy (1853–1913), an upper-class white male with extensive knowledge of European culture and yet a member of a former colonial nation, wrote a number of orientalist compositions—including the zarzuela Zulema (on a Turkish-captivity topic) and several alhambrista (Moorish/Gyspsy) piano pieces—that present a dislocation with regard to the subject positions of the European composers we usually study, a dislocation that allows us to examine afresh the relationship between exoticism and nationalism. Asking questions about who is representing, who is being represented, how and to whom, within increasingly larger cultural and political contexts argues for the use of exoticism—and the power of representation in it—as a strategy to construct a particular personal and national identity.
Mechanism of a Hereditary Cataract Phenotype MUTATIONS IN αA-CRYSTALLIN ACTIVATE SUBSTRATE BINDING

We present a novel hypothesis for the molecular mechanism of autosomal dominant cataract linked to two mutations in the αA-crystallin gene of the ocular lens. αA-crystallin is a molecular chaperone that plays a critical role in the suppression of protein aggregation and hence in the long term maintenance of lens optical properties. Using a steady state binding assay in which the chaperone-substrate complex is directly detected, we demonstrate that the mutations result in a substantial increase in the level of binding to non-native states of the model substrate T4 lysozyme. The structural basis of the enhanced binding is investigated through equivalent substitutions in the homologous heat shock protein 27. The mutations shift the oligomeric equilibrium toward a dissociated multimeric form previously shown to be the binding-competent state. In the context of a recent thermodynamic model of chaperone function that proposes the coupling of small heat shock protein activation to the substrate folding equilibrium (Shashidharamurthy, R., Koteiche, H. A., Dong, J., and McHaourab, H. S. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 5281-5289), the enhanced binding by theαA-crystallin mutants is predicted to shift the substrate folding equilibrium toward non-native intermediates, i.e. the mutants promote substrate unfolding. Given the high concentration of αA-crystallin in the lens, the molecular basis of pathogenesis implied by our results is a gain of function that leads to the binding of undamaged proteins and subsequent precipitation of the saturated α-crystallin complexes in the developing lens of affected individuals.
A competitive ligand binding assay for measurement of thyroid hormone-binding inhibitor in serum and tissues.

A competitive ligand-binding assay (CLBA) is described for measurement of an inhibitor(s) of serum binding of T4 in ether extracts of serum and in homogenates and extracts of tissues. The CLBA is based on the effect of thyroid hormone binding inhibitor (THBI) on partition of a constant amount of radiolabeled ligand [(125I]T4) between fixed amounts of serum and an anti-T4 antibody. The method is convenient, rapid, sensitive, and reproducible. The coefficient of variation averaged 8.9% within an assay and 12.8% between assays. Several fatty acids, e.g. arachidonic acid, lauric acid, linolenic acid, and linoleic acid, had potent THBI activity in the CLBA; arachidonic acid was more potent than the other fatty acids. Since oleic acid cross-reacted substantially with T4-binding sites on anti-T4, its THBI activity was examined by an equilibrium dialysis method; it was about 77% as potent as arachidonic acid. Arachidic, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids, choleserol, various phospholipids and triglycerides (triolein and tripalmitin) had little or no THBI activity in the CLBA. THBI activity was detected in the sera of 50% (60% when serum T4 was low and 42% when it was normal) of 34 patients with nonthyroid illnesses (NTI) when studied by CLBA and in 59% (67% when serum T4 was low and 53% when it was normal) of patients when determined by the inhibitory ratio (normalized dialysis ratio/normalized binding ratio). THBI values obtained by the CLBA correlated significantly (r = 0.58; P less than 0.001) with those obtained by the inhibitory ratio method. The dose-response curve of an ether extract of pooled sera of hospitalized patients was parallel to that of arachidonic acid in the CLBA. Among various rat tissues, the small intestine had the most THBI activity in both homogenates and ether extracts of homogenates. Ether (2 vol) extracted about 63% of the THBI activity in small intestine homogenate at pH 5.2. THBI activity was demonstrable in all particulate fractions (especially mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum) of small intestine homogenate; cytosol contained little or no THBI activity. THBI activity changed little after treatment of small intestine homogenate with trypsin or protease inhibitors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
AlxSiyNz passivated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

The performance of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with an Al x Si y N z passivation is reported for the first time. Thin films (30 nm) of Al x Si y N z and Si y N z were used to passivate devices (fabricated side-by-side) and their performance was compared in both small signal and large signal measurement environments. Examination of MIS structures with each dielectric by capacitance-voltage measurements revealed the Al x Si y N z provides a net negative fixed charge density allowing controlled depletion of the two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in ungated regions of the channel. This is in contrast to Si y N z passivation where the surface depletion of the 2DEG is almost completely removed [1], which results in the full channel charge existing in the ungated portions of the channel. Reducing the charge in the ungated portions of the channel can be used to reduce the electric field at high drain bias with small increases in source and drain access resistance. Reduction of channel charge using a MIS gate extension (field plate) is now commonly used to increase the device performance at large drain bias. The charged dielectric approach described in this study allows for the elimination of the field plate (and its associated parasitic capacitances) while maintaining state-of-the-art performance at drain biases up to 55 V for a device with a 0.2 micron gate length.
Rehabilitating Jefferson Parish: Why Ties Without a Substantial Foreclosure Share Should Not Be Per Se Legal

Current tying law uses a bifurcated rule of reason, condemning ties that involve either tying market power or a substantial tied foreclosure share, absent an offsetting procompetitive justification. Many critics of tying law advocate overruling the first branch, commonly called the quasi per se rule, thus rendering all ties without a substantial foreclosure share per se legal. This article shows they are mistaken. Even without substantially foreclosing market share, ties with market power restrain competition in ways that are likely to harm both consumer welfare and total welfare if they foreclose a substantial dollar amount of sales. Critics claim that these are not cognizable anticompetitive effects because they do not impair the general ability of rivals to compete for unrestrained sales. Their position conflicts with legal precedent and with the principle that antitrust protects competition, not competitors. Both precedent and economics also show that critics are wrong in claiming that no valid distinction exists between setting a profit-maximizing price and extracting the remaining consumer surplus through tying agreements. Given that the critics acknowledge that consumer welfare and total welfare are harmed by some ties with market power that lack a substantial foreclosure share, even their own analysis fails to support their position of per se legality for such ties. It would instead support the current doctrine that sorts out the ties with market power that harm consumer welfare from those that do not.
Investigating ESL Students’ Performance on Outcomes Assessments in Higher Education:

Outcomes assessments are gaining great attention in higher education because of increased demand for accountability. These assessments are widely used by U.S. higher education institutions to measure students’ college-level knowledge and skills, including students who speak English as a second language (ESL). For the past decade, the increasing number of ESL students has changed the landscape of U.S. higher education. However, little research exists documenting how ESL students perform on outcomes assessments. In this study, the authors investigated ESL students’ performance on the Educational Testing Service Proficiency Profile in terms of factor structure, criterion validity, and differential item functioning. The test showed partial measurement invariance between ESL and non-ESL students, consistent criterion validity, and few examples of differential item functioning. The results suggest the critical need for consideration of language background in outcomes assessment research in higher education.
Comparative analysis of the transduction efficiency of five adeno associated virus serotypes and VSV-G pseudotype lentiviral vector in lung cancer cells.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. Recombinant vectors based on adeno-associated virus (AAV) and lentivirus are promising delivery tools for gene therapy due to low toxicity and long term expression. The efficiency of the gene delivery system is one of the most important factors directly related to the success of gene therapy. We infected SCLC cell lines, SHP-77, DMS 53, NCI-H82, NCI-H69, NCI-H727, NCI-H1155, and NSCLC cell lines, NCI-H23, NCI-H661, and NCI-H460 with VSV-G pseudo-typed lentivirus or 5 AAV serotypes, AAV2/1, AAV2/2, AAV2/4, AAV2/5, and AAV2/8 expressing the CMV promoter mCherry or green fluorescent protein transgene (EGFP). The transduction efficiency was analyzed by fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. Of all the serotypes of AAV examined, AAV2/1 was the optimal serotype in most of the lung cancer cell lines except for NCI-H69 and NCI-H82. The highest transduction rate achieved with AAV2/1 was between 30–50% at MOI 100. Compared to all AAV serotypes, lentivirus had the highest transduction efficiency of over 50% at MOI 1. Even in NCI-H69 cells resistant to all AAV serotypes, lentivirus had a 10-40% transduction rate. To date, AAV2 is the most widely-used serotype to deliver a transgene. Our results showed the transduction efficiency of AAVs tested was AAV2/1 > AA2/5 = AAV2/2> > AAV2/4 and AAV2/8. This study demonstrated that VSV-G pseudotyped lentivirus and AAV2/1 can mediate expression of a transgene for lung cancer gene therapy. Overall, our results showed that lentivirus is the best candidate to deliver a transgene into lung cancer cells for treatment.
External Finance: A Necessary Component in Growth Projections for Southern Agriculture

THE THEORETICAL MODEL income has been accompanied by large increases in The first portion of Penson's paper presents a outstanding debt. In view of rapidly rising asset theoretical or conceptual financial model of the farm values, many persons are currently asking whether the sector. It exposes his audience to one type of associated credit demands can be adequately accom- theoretical framework within which analysts at the modated within the present structure of lending research frontier of aggregate farm finance are institutions and arrangements. But at the same time, attempting to formulate their empirical explorations. wide fluctuations and a generally downward drift in But frankly, it is questionable whether the model farm income since 1973 are also leading analysts to plays, in this particular paper, the role apparently ask how borrowers and lenders alike can prepare for visualized by the author. periods in which normally useful financial leverage Penson states that he presents this model "to may be transformed into financial difficulty. While illustrate the channels through which the cost and Penson addresses both sets of concerns, this author's availability of debt and equity capital and increasing predilection to emphasize the latter leads one to financial risk can restrict the future rate of growth of believe that he performs the greater service in farm firms." This objective certainly goes to the heart documenting the significant relative increase in debt of his assigned topic. Let us, however, examine the incurred by Southern agriculture so far in the 1970s, discussion which accompanies the elements of the the dramatic lengthening of the payback periods that model. Necessarily each concept must be greatly relate outstanding debt to income, and the conse- abbreviated, but hopefully without undue distortion. quent rise in financial risk confronting both borEquations 1 through 4, he states, indicate that rowers and lenders. As he notes, increased risk capital stock is increased so long as the additions are reduces the optimum level of debt and suggests expected to more than pay for themselves. urgent research attention to farmer and lender Equation 5, he states, indicates that as demand adaptations involving a wide range of equity and for farm output increases, more capital stock is credit arrangements. His treatment of these subjects desired; as cost of capital increases, less capital stock
Web application development by nonprogrammers: user-centered design of an end-user web development tool

This work investigates entry barriers and approaches for facilitating end-user web application development with the particular focus on shaping web programming technology and tools according to end-users' expectations and natural mental models. My underlying assumption and motivation is that given the right tools and techniques even nonprogrammers may become successful web application developers. The main target audience for this research are “casual” webmasters without programming experience—a group likely to be interested in building web applications. As an important subset of web applications I focus on supporting the development of basic data collection, storage and retrieval applications such as online registrations forms, staff databases, or report tools. First I analyze the factors contributing to the complexity of web application development through surveys and interviews of experienced programmers; then I explore the “natural mental models” of potential end-user web developers, and finally discuss my particular design solutions for lowering entry barriers, as embodied by a proof-of-concept development tool, called Click. Furthermore, I introduce and evaluate the concept of “Design-at-Runtime”—a new technique for facilitating and accelerating the development-test cycle when building web-based applications.
A regularization of the Burgers equation using a filtered convective velocity

This paper examines the properties of a regularization of the Burgers equation in one and multiple dimensions using a filtered convective velocity, which we have dubbed as the convectively filtered Burgers (CFB) equation. A physical motivation behind the filtering technique is presented. An existence and uniqueness theorem for multiple dimensions and a general class of filters is proven. Multiple invariants of motion are found for the CFB equation which are shown to be shared with the viscous and inviscid Burgers equations. Traveling wave solutions are found for a general class of filters and are shown to converge to weak solutions of the inviscid Burgers equation with the correct wave speed. Numerical simulations are conducted in 1D and 2D cases where the shock behavior, shock thickness and kinetic energy decay are examined. Energy spectra are also examined and are shown to be related to the smoothness of the solutions. This approach is presented with the hope of being extended to shock regularization of compressible Euler equations.
The Nedd4-Type Rsp5p Ubiquitin Ligase Inhibits Tombusvirus Replication by Regulating Degradation of the p92 Replication Protein and Decreasing the Activity of the Tombusvirus Replicase

Recent in vitro proteomics screens revealed that many host proteins could interact with the replication proteins of Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV), which is a small, plus-stranded RNA virus (Z. Li, D. Barajas, T. Panavas, D. A. Herbst, and P. D. Nagy, J. Virol. 82:6911-6926, 2008). To further our understanding of the roles of host factors in TBSV replication, we have tested the effect of Rsp5p, which is a member of the Nedd4 family of E3 ubiquitin ligases. The full-length Rsp5p, via its WW domain, is shown to interact with p33 and the central portion of p92pol replication proteins. We find that overexpression of Rsp5p inhibits TBSV replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, while downregulation of Rsp5p leads to increased TBSV accumulation. The inhibition is caused by Rsp5p-guided degradation of p92pol, while the negative effect on the p33 level is less pronounced. Interestingly, recombinant Rsp5p also inhibits TBSV RNA replication in a cell-free replication assay, likely due to its ability to bind to p33 and p92pol. We show that the WW domain of Rsp5p, which is involved in protein interactions, is responsible for inhibition of TBSV replication, whereas the HECT domain, involved in protein ubiquitination, is not necessary for Rsp5p-mediated inhibition of viral replication. Overall, our data suggest that direct binding between Rsp5p and p92pol reduces the stability of p92pol, with consequent inhibition of TBSV replicase activity.
Delivery of apoptotic signal to rolling cancer cells: a novel biomimetic technique using immobilized TRAIL and E-selectin

The survival rate for patients with metastases versus localized cancer is dramatically reduced, with most deaths being associated with the formation of secondary tumors. Circulating cancer cells interact with the endothelial lining of the vasculature via a series of adhesive interactions that facilitate tethering and firm adhesion of cancer cells in the initial steps of metastasis. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) holds promise as a tumor-specific cancer therapeutic, by inducing a death signal by apoptosis via the caspase pathway. In this study, we exploit this phenomenon to deliver a receptor-mediated apoptosis signal to leukemic cells adhesively rolling along a TRAIL and selectin-bearing surface. Results show that cancer cells exhibit selectin-mediated rolling in capillary flow chambers, and that the rolling velocities can be controlled by varying the selectin and selectin surface density and the applied shear stress. It was determined that a 1 h rolling exposure to a functionalized TRAIL and E-selectin surface was sufficient to kill 30% of captured cells compared to static conditions in which 4 h exposure was necessary to kill 30% of the cells. Thus, we conclude that rolling delivery is more effective than static exposure to a TRAIL immobilized surface. We have also verified that there is no significant effect of TRAIL on hematopoietic stem cells and other normal blood cells. This represents the first demonstration of a novel biomimetic method to capture metastatic cells from circulation and deliver an apoptotic signal.
Restabilizing attachment to cultural objects. Aesthetics, emotions and biography.

The scholarship on aesthetics and materiality has studied how objects help shape identity, social action and subjectivity. Objects, as 'equipment[s] for living' (Luhmann 2000), become the 'obligatory passage points humans have to contend with in order to pursue their projects (Latour 1991). They provide patterns to which bodies can unconsciously latch onto, or help human agents work towards particular states of being (DeNora 2000, 2003). Objects are central in the long term process of taste construction, as any attachment to an object is made out of a delicate equilibrium of mediators, bodies, situations and techniques (Hennion and his collaborators (Hennion and Fouquet 2001; Hennion and Gomart 1999). In all of these accounts objects are the end result of long-term processes of stabilization, in which the actual material object (a musical piece, a sculpture, an art installation, a glass of wine, the oeuvre of Bach as we know it) is both a result and yet a key co-producer of its own generation. Whereas the literature has been generous and detailed in exploring the processes of assembling and sustaining object-centered attachments, it has not sufficiently engaged with what happens when the aesthetic elements of cultural artifacts that have produced emotional resonance are transformed: what do these artifacts morph into ? What explains the transition (or not) of different cultural objects ? And relatedly, what happens to the key aesthetic qualities that were so central to how the objects had been defined, and to those who have emotionally attached to them ? To answer these questions, this article uses as exemplars two different cases of attachment, predicated on the distinctive features of a cultural object--the transcendence of opera and the authenticity of a soccer jersey--that have undergone transformations.
Uses of Animals and Alternatives in Pre-college Education in the United States: Need for Leadership on Educational Resources and Guidelines

Summary — Throughout pre-college education in the United States, animals, animal specimens and animals as a topic are used as teaching resources. Residential or visiting pets play a role in humane education or cross-curricular instruction. Teachers acquire and utilise non-living specimens gathered from various sources. Field trips often are oriented around animals. Elementary school animal use is largely observational; in intermediate grades, animal dissection may be featured in general science instruction. At the higher grade levels, animals may be used in science fair projects in an experimental sense. Particularly appealing to teachers is that throughout these uses, animals motivate students. The uses of animals in classrooms reflect the teachers’ interests. In the United States, the use of animals in pre-college instruction is not regulated, leading sometimes to inappropriate use. At the University of California, Davis, a pilot programme is assessing curricula, resources and a model prototype to provide administrative guidance on the use of animals in pre-college education. Appropriate animal use would be enhanced by: providing information resources with efficient links to obtaining educational materials; and establishing guidelines for animal use in pre-college education to ensure the animals’ welfare. A web-based tool provides access to resources (www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/Animal_Alternatives/main.htm).
Phylogeny of the “Forgotten” Cellular Slime Mold, Fonticula alba, Reveals a Key Evolutionary Branch within Opisthokonta

The shared ancestry between Fungi and animals has been unequivocally demonstrated by abundant molecular and morphological data for well over a decade. Along with the animals and Fungi, multiple protists have been placed in the supergroup Opisthokonta making it exceptionally diverse. In an effort to place the cellular slime mold Fonticula alba, an amoeboid protist with aggregative, multicellular fruiting, we sequenced five nuclear encoded genes; small subunit ribosomal RNA, actin, beta-tubulin, elongation factor 1-alpha, and the cytosolic isoform of heat shock protein 70 for phylogenetic analyses. Molecular trees demonstrate that Fonticula is an opisthokont that branches sister to filose amoebae in the genus Nuclearia. Fonticula plus Nuclearia are sister to Fungi. We propose a new name for this well-supported clade, Nucletmycea, incorporating Nuclearia, Fonticula, and Fungi. Fonticula represents the first example of a cellular slime mold morphology within Opisthokonta. Thus, there are four types of multicellularity in the supergroup-animal, fungal, colonial, and now aggregative. Our data indicate that multicellularity in Fonticula evolved independent of that found in the fungal and animal radiations. With the rapidly expanding sequence and genomic data becoming available from many opisthokont lineages, Fonticula may be fundamental to understanding opisthokont evolution as well as any possible commonalities involved with the evolution of multicellularity.
RF in the Jungle: Effect of Environment Assumptions on Wireless Experiment Repeatability

Most researchers conduct wireless networking experiments in their laboratory or similar indoor environments. Such environments are veritable RF jungles, especially when we consider the ISM bands. In this paper we examine and test several common explicit and implicit assumptions that researchers tend to make about the wireless environment. Although these assumptions are acknowledged by most researchers, the extent of their impact is often underestimated. We find that because the environment is always in flux, it is almost impossible to reproduce the results of an experiment. Hence, there is a high risk of misinterpreting the data obtained from such experiments. Through this paper we try to caution experimenters against such risky assumptions when they venture into the RF jungle. After a successful proof-of-concept experiment, we advocate the use of wireless networking testbeds that provide experimenters better control over the RF environment by using coaxial cables, programmable attenuators and power dividers/combiners.
Cancer statistics, 1974—worldwide epidemiology

Cancer is now a major cause of death in most areas of the world. Specific sites of cancers causing the highest mortality vary from country to country. Diet has been implicated etiologically. Lung cancers are higher in cigarette smokers miners exposed to metallic ores containing radioactive substances and in those who work with asbestos nickel or chromate. Atmospheric carcinogens have been associated with lung cancer. Breast cancer mortality is higher in Jewish women and in upper socioeconomic groups. Other high risk groups have been determined. Rates for cancer of the uterine cervix have been related to sexual activity and to low socioeconomic status. Prostatic cancer death rates are high in the more advanced countries but low in most of Asia Africa and in Latin America. Bladder cancer has been shown to be more frequent in aniline dye workers. Although many investigators feel that leukemia is related to viruses the relationship is unclear. U.S. and worldwide cancer mortality statistics for different periods are presented in detail.
On partial lifting and the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem

It has been suggested that a major obstacle in finding an index calculus attack on the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem lies in the difficulty of lifting points from elliptic curves over finite fields to global fields We explore the possibility of circumventing the problem of explicitly lifting points by investigating whether partial information about the lifting would be sufficient for solving the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem Along this line, we show that the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem can be reduced to three partial lifting problems Our reductions run in random polynomial time assuming certain conjectures are true These conjectures are based on some well-known and widely accepted conjectures concerning the expected ranks of elliptic curves over the rationals.
Improved Radiometric Identification of Wireless Devices Using MIMO Transmission

Authenticating wireless devices based on features of their transmitted waveform has become a topic of considerable interest. Recent work in this arena has shown that examination of features in a modulated waveform can lead to highly precise identification of 802.11 devices. This paper experimentally demonstrates improved identification accuracy and reduced sensitivity to identification parameters when such techniques are applied to the multiple transmitters within multiple-input multiple-output devices. It further studies an information theoretic technique for determining which radiometric features are most effective in discriminating devices and analyzes the identification performance as a function of the number of features used. Finally, because some radiometric features are sensitive to environmental conditions and, therefore, drift with time, the analysis explores the impact of radiometric feature drift both on feature prioritization and on identification performance.
Channel geometry of mountain streams in New Zealand

Abstract A dataset of 21 study reaches in the Porter and Kowai rivers (eastern side of the South Island), and 13 study reaches in Camp Creek and adjacent catchments (western side of the South Island) was used to examine downstream hydraulic geometry of mountain streams in New Zealand. Streams in the eastern and western regions both exhibit well-developed downstream hydraulic geometry, as indicated by strong correlations between channel top width, bankfull depth, mean velocity, and bankfull discharge. Exponents for the hydraulic geometry relations are similar to average values for rivers worldwide. Factors such as colluvial sediment input to the channels, colluvial processes along the channels, tectonic uplift, and discontinuous bedrock exposure along the channels might be expected to complicate adjustment of channel geometry to downstream increases in discharge. The presence of well-developed downstream hydraulic geometry relations despite these complicating factors is interpreted to indicate that the ratio of hydraulic driving forces to substrate resisting forces is sufficiently large to permit channel adjustment to relatively frequent discharges.
Oral health‐related quality of life is important for patients, but what about populations?

Objectives To review population-based research into oral health-related quality of life. Methods Narrative review of selected publications. Results In the 1970s, there were two incentives to assess nonclinical aspects of health: (i) a desire to understand the impacts of disease on individuals’ quality of life; and (ii) a search for population-level measures that might better quantify the impact of health care systems on populations. Dental researchers responded to those incentives, creating dozens of questionnaires that assess individuals’ ratings of subjective oral health and quality of life. This has been a boon for clinical dental research, for example, by showing marked improvements in subjective oral health in patients receiving implant-supported dentures. Also, health surveys show poorer subjective oral health among disadvantaged population groups. However, the same measures show only modest benefits of general dental care. Furthermore, several population surveys show that today's young adults, who grew up with widespread exposure to preventive dental programs, have poorer subjective oral health than earlier generations that experienced unprecedented levels of oral disease. Yet to materialize is the hope that ‘socio-dental indicators’ of subjective oral health might provide a meaningful metric to demonstrate population-level benefits of dental care. A fundamental limitation is that population health is a contextual measure, not merely the aggregated health status of individuals within the population. Conclusion While researchers have successfully broken with clinical dogma by assessing subjective dimensions of individuals’ oral health, they have failed to explicitly ask people to assess the oral health of the community in which they live.
A System Dynamic Approach to Manage Changeability in Manufacturing Systems

Abstract This paper addresses the challenges in managing variety and volume in changeable manufacturing systems. A dynamic model is presented to better understand and analyse the dynamic of the strategic decisions concerning manufacturing and marketing plans in changeable systems facing heterogeneous customers. The model capture the dynamics of both platform technology to manage demand variety and scalability technology to manage demand volume. The approach will help changeable manufacturing managers to decide on the best structure as well as parameters settings for their system facing today's uncertain demand. These decisions include investment in required technology, marketing policies as well as various internal operation plans
Chapter 12 Hydrogen Diffusion in Amorphous Silicon

Publisher Summary The incorporation of hydrogen during film growth and the role that hydrogen plays in determining the amorphous silicon structure are discussed in the chapter. The chapter reviews the evidence for the existence of bonded hydrogen in amorphous silicon. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon displays various metastable conductance changes, which are attributed to the motion of bonded hydrogen. Measurements of the hydrogen diffusion coefficient and the various models proposed to account for the diffusion data are discussed in the chapter. A recent proposal that the hydrogen in amorphous silicon can be considered as to separate subnetwork with glass-like properties is described in the chapter to account both for the defect creation data and the defect removal during film growth. The diffusion of molecular H is minor compared to that of atomic H. The lowest intrinsic defect densities are found in hydrogenated amorphous silicon samples prepared by the radio-frequency glow-discharge decomposition of silane.
Outcomes Resilience after System Stress: A Rapid-Cycle Response to Mitigate the Impact of Care Delivery System Stress on Primary Blood Stream Infections

s / Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 21 (2015) S355eS373 S373 Discussion & Implications: Other facilities should adapt a multiplatform model which addresses the growing computer literacy of patients while simultaneously assisting low literacy patients.
Comparison of Erythrocyte Numbers in Normal and Hormone-Treated Brown Leghorn Fowl.

ConclusionsFrom these results we conclude that one of the factors responsible for the higher erythrocyte number in male fowl is the presence of androgen while the lower number in the female is caused either by a lack of an adequate amount of androgen or by the presence of estrogen. The mechanism by which the increase is brought about is not known, but the decrease may be due to deposition of endosteal bone which would interfere with erythropoiesis5, 6 The results obtained from combined androgen and estrogen injections are not conclusive, although there is some indication that the stimulating effect of androgen on red cell formation is inhibited in some way by estrogen.
Downscaled climate models in complex topographical regions: relevancy for water utility planning

Water resource managers are interested in planning for future climate change scenarios, but global climate models are too coarse for water resource planning and running scenarios through dynamic downscaled regional climate models can be overly time-consuming. For this experiment, we conceptually illustrate that regional climate models can reproduce observed data for the San Francisco area, skipping a time-intensive intermediate step. To determine whether skipping the step would negatively affect output, we downscaled 13 months of National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis (NNRP2) data from native to 50, 40, and 20-km resolution using the regional climate model RegCM3. Outputs relevant to water planners, temperature and precipitation were compared with a high resolution observed dataset, which indicated that this configuration of RegCM3 can produce downscaled data with high correlations to observed data for this domain. The high correlations indicate that this domain can be simulated with a high spatial resolution ratio (1:14), without the need for the intermediate step. This study is a proof of concept that high resolution data can be obtained more efficiently for water agencies considering possible climate scenarios in planning for their future water supply. However, additional analysis is necessary before information can be obtained from downscaled models for decision-relevant use.
Socioeconomic status and survival from ventricular fibrillation out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Abstract Purpose Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major cause of death in the United States. How individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) influences survival is uncertain. Methods The investigation is a retrospective cohort study of adults who suffered OHCA and presented with a shockable rhythm in a metropolitan county from January 1, 1999–December 31, 2005. Individual-level measures of SES were obtained from vital records and surveys. SES measures included education and occupation. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the independent association between SES measures and survival to hospital discharge. Results Of the 1390 eligible OHCA patients, 374 (27%) survived to hospital discharge. Compared to those with less than high school diploma, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of survival was 1.36 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87–2.14) for high school graduates, 1.54 (95% CI, 0.95–2.48) for those with some college, and 1.96 (95% CI, 1.17–3.27) for those with college degrees (test for trend across the categories P Conclusions Higher education was associated with greater survival after OHCA. This relationship was not explained by key demographic or clinical characteristics. A better understanding of the mechanism by which individual-level SES characteristics influence prognosis may provide opportunities to improve survival.
Close to Aesthetical Writing,Alienated from Time Spirit——An analysis of the Gain-and-Loss of the Present Chinese Films from the Artistic Conception

The exploration of the artistic conception by Chinese film practice during the past 100 years makes excellent contribution to the localization and nationalization of Chinese films. Up to now, the creation of Chinese films has been a voluntary action seeking traditional artistic concept aesthetics. Thus generally raise the artistic quality of the Chinese films and is worth confirming and initiating. However, the creation of today's Chinese films still has some problems: the building of the artistic concept of the Chinese film creation and the types of the concept have an tendency towards the graceful scenery of aesthetic realistic writing, but alienate present ideas and time spirit. Thus reflects the insufficiency of aspects as the cultural consciousness and the mentality of creation of the present Chinese films.
Corrected flow time: a noninvasive ultrasound measure to detect preload reduction by nitroglycerin.

Abstract Objective Monitoring of patient's intravascular volume status without invasive measures remains challenging and unreliable. Our objective was to determine if corrected flow time (FTc) measurement could detect preload reduction with administration of nitroglycerin (NTG) as a surrogate for volume loss. Methods Post hoc FTc analysis was performed for a prospective cohort study of pulsed wave spectral Doppler measurements before and after administration of NTG. Patients enrolled were eligible for inclusion if they were admitted to a chest pain center for cardiac evaluation. Descriptive statistics, t tests, bivariate regression, and intraclass correlation coefficient were performed as appropriate. Results Fifty-four patients had Doppler measurements available for review. Mean FTc decreased from 339 milliseconds (95% confidence interval, 332-346) to 325 milliseconds (95% confidence interval, 318-331) with administration of 0.3 mg of sublingual NTG ( P =.0001). Mean heart rate increased 5 beats/min with administration of NTG ( P Conclusion Corrected flow time was able to detect a significant difference in preload reduction with 0.3 mg of NTG. The FTc may be an early reliable noninvasive measure to detect changes in intravascular volume status.