cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Situated multiparty interaction between humans and agents

A social agent such as a receptionist or an escort robot encounters challenges when communicating with people in open areas. The agent must know not to react to distracting acoustic and visual events and it needs to appropriately handle situations that include multiple humans, being able to to focus on active interlocutors and appropriately shift attention based on the context. We describe a multiparty interaction agent that helps multiple users arrange a common activity. From the user study we conducted, we found that the agent can discriminate between active and inactive interlocutors well by using the skeletal and azimuth information. Participants found the addressee much clearer when an animated talking head was used.
The Bystander Effect and the Passive Confederate: On the Interaction Between Theory and Method

This paper integrates theoretical and methodological evaluations of the effect of group size on helping. Bystander theory includes a reward-cost model for understanding the general helping context and a more specific designation of three psychological processes that produce the bystander effect. The three processes include: diffusion of responsibility, audience inhibition, and social influence. The present analysis identifies incompatibilities between the general model and the three processes and incompatibilities between the three processes and the definition of the bystander effect. Implications of these problems in the theory extend to the passive confederate design, one of the two major methods used in bystander research. This method is an attempt to test the bystander effect by manipulating social influence. But, because of a previously unrecognized disjunction between social influence and the bystander effect, we conclude that passive confederate studies do not actually test the bystander effect.
Interventions to improve cardiopulmonary hemodynamics during laparoscopy in a porcine sepsis model.

Abstract Background: Laparoscopy is increasingly used in severely ill and acutely septic patients. In animals undergoing laparoscopy, the hemodynamic response to sepsis is blunted. Specific interventions to augment the hemodynamic potential may make laparoscopic intervention a safer alternative in septic patients. We compared different interventions to improve hemodynamic performance during exploratory laparoscopy in a porcine endotoxic shock model. Study Design: Domestic pigs (n = 12) received intravenous lipopolysaccharide injection and underwent surgical abdominal exploration using either laparoscopy or conventional laparotomy. For comparison, pigs exposed to endotoxin underwent laparoscopy with these interventions: intravenous infusions of prostacyclin (n = 5) or indomethacin (n = 4), intravenous crystalloid resuscitation (n = 5), pulmonary hyperventilation (n = 4), or abdominal insufflation with air (n = 5). Hemodynamic measurements and blood gas analyses were obtained using Swan-Ganz and arterial catheters. Results: Septic animals treated with prostacyclin undergoing laparoscopy had a higher cardiac index (CI, p Conclusions: Adverse effects of laparoscopy on cardiovascular hemodynamics in the septic state may be mediated by increased pulmonary vascular resistance, diminished venous return, or both. Specific interventions to reverse these variables may ameliorate hemodynamic changes seen.
Evaluation of Steelhead Passage Flows Using Hydraulic Modeling on an Unregulated Coastal California River

Passage and habitat connectivity flows for steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss through depth sensitive natural, low gradient, critical riffle sites were investigated in the unregulated Big Sur River, California. The River2D two-dimensional hydraulic habitat model, along with quantitative passage metrics and species-specific and lifestage-specific depth criteria, were used to evaluate and compare predicted fish passage flows with flows derived by a traditional empirical critical riffle fish passage method. Passage flows were also compared with historical unimpaired natural hydrology patterns to assess the frequency and duration of suitable passage flows under the naturally variable flow regimes characteristic of Central California coastal rivers. A strong relationship (r 2 = 0.93) was observed between flows predicted by hydraulic modeling and flows identified by the empirical critical riffle method. River2D provided validation that the flows derived using the traditional critical riffle methodology provided for contiguous passable pathways of suitable hydraulic (depth and velocity) conditions through complex cobble-dominated riffle sites. Furthermore, steelhead passage flows were spatially and temporally consistent between lagoon and upstream riffles for adults, and were generally indicative of a river system in equilibrium with a naturally variable flow regime and associated intact ecological processes. An analysis of 25years of continuous flow data indicated sufficient flows for upstream passage by young-of-year and juvenile steelhead were produced between 37% and 100% and between 1% and 95% of the time, respectively. September and October are the most challenging months for natural flows to meet young-of-year and juvenile passage and habitat connectivity flows. Careful consideration of seasonal and interannual flow variability dynamics, therefore, are critical components of an effective flow management strategy for the maintenance and protection of passage and habitat connectivity flows between lagoon and upriver habitats. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Pharmacokinetics of Ampicillin and Sulbactam in Pediatric Patients

Intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam is effective in the treatment of various infections in adults, but little is known about the pharmacokinetics (PK) of ampicillin-sulbactam in children. The objective of this study was to determine the PK of ampicillin and sulbactam in pediatric patients with intra-abdominal infection, skin and/or skin structure infection, or periorbital-preseptal and facial cellulitis. Intravenous ampicillin and sulbactam (2:1), 40 to 80 mg/kg of body weight, were given every 6 h for 2 to 6 days to 28 pediatric patients. The ages ranged from 1 to 6 years for 10 patients, 6.1 to 10 years for 9 patients, and 10.1 to 12 years for 9 patients. Multiple blood samples were obtained and analyzed for ampicillin and sulbactam in plasma and serum by high-performance liquid chromatography. The mean maximum concentration of drug in serum ranged from 177 to 200 μg/ml for ampicillin and 82 to 102 μg/ml for sulbactam in the three age groups. The mean total clearance, steady-state distribution volume, and half-life were 4.76 ml/min/kg, 0.32 liter/kg, and 0.77 h, respectively, for ampicillin and 4.95 ml/min/kg, 0.34 liter/kg, and 0.81 h, respectively, for sulbactam. Dose or gender did not affect the PK of ampicillin or sulbactam. The PK of ampicillin and sulbactam in these patients were comparable to those reported in adults. The combination was well tolerated in pediatric patients.
Next generation fiber optic sensing and its applications

Summary form only given. In the past, fiber optic sensing has made profound impact to several fields including civil, mechanical and biomedical engineering. Today, there is an increasing demand for sensors that includes homeland-security, military, industrial and infrastructure where fiber optic sensor is able to continue to play as a key enabler to meet the needs. More than usual, these fiber sensors faces harsh operating conditions with high temperatures, corrosion/erosion surroundings, high-vibration, voltage and pressure environment. The future requirements includes long operating-life, high accuracy, low field maintenance and low cost. In this talk, I introduce a new fiber optic sensor that is able to operate in the harsh environment (for example, /spl sim/1000C) with extended life based on a novel permanent fiber grating technique. We also develop a nano-membrane technology on the surface of the fiber where it functions as the interaction agent with the surrounding chemical and gases. Unlike the traditional catalysis, this membrane sustains high-temperature and is re-conditionable in the field. These technologies open up opportunities to use fiber-grating sensors in power generation system (gas/steam turbine, coal-fire boilers, and aircraft engines); in oil and gas applications (down-hole sensing, sub sea station and reservoir monitoring); and in the area of biochemical detection.
Dynamics and rheology of nonpolar bijels

Bicontinuous, interfacially jammed, emulsion gels (bijels) are a novel class of materials composed of two immiscible phases with interpenetrating domains that are stabilized by a monolayer of colloidal particles at the interface. However, existing bijel systems so far all consist of at least one polar fluid, which is believed to be essential to induce electrostatic repulsion for stabilizing interfacial particles. It is not known whether two nonpolar fluids can form a bijel. Here, we experimentally achieve a bijel using styrene trimer and low molecular weight polybutene-two nonpolar fluids that are similar to polymer blends, which are important in technical applications. By combining laser scanning confocal microscopy, cryo-SEM and rheology measurement, we systematically investigate the dynamics and rheology of this nonpolar bijel. In contrast to previous studies on polar bijels, we observe the formation of localized regions of high particle concentration or "particle patches" on the interface which assemble during coarsening. We also provide the first quantitative relation between the morphology of a bijel, the interfacial particle coverage and the shear modulus during bijel coarsening. Moreover, we reveal a previously unnoticed increase in the elastic modulus of bijels that can be attributed to the rearrangement of interfacial particles at long time scales. In addition, we also found a hydrophobic particle framework that survives after the direct remixing of the nonpolar bijel. Our study provides important insights into the formation of bijels and is the first step to explore the missing link between polar bijels and particle-stabilized bicontinuous polymer blends.
How Building Principals Made Sense of Free and Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment

Confusion among school leaders regarding how to interpret and implement special education legislation, and specific federal and state policies and mandates such as a free and appropriate public education (FAPE), in the least restrictive environment (LRE) at the school-site level has existed since the 1970s and continues to exist. This metasynthesis explores the literature surrounding sensemaking by which building principals adapt and transform policy as they enact it in their schools. Findings suggest that a phenomenon of internal forces had a more significant influence on the actions that took place throughout their sensemaking of LRE and FAPE.
Opioid Hedonic Hotspot in Nucleus Accumbens Shell: Mu, Delta, and Kappa Maps for Enhancement of Sweetness “Liking” and “Wanting”

A specialized cubic-millimeter hotspot in the rostrodorsal quadrant of medial shell in nucleus accumbens (NAc) of rats may mediate opioid enhancement of gustatory hedonic impact or “liking”. Here, we selectively stimulated the three major subtypes of opioid receptors via agonist microinjections [mu (DAMGO), delta (DPDPE), or kappa (U50488H)] and constructed anatomical maps for functional localizations of consequent changes in hedonic “liking” (assessed by affective orofacial reactions to sucrose taste) versus “wanting” (assessed by changes in food intake). Results indicated that the NAc rostrodorsal quadrant contains a shared opioid hedonic hotspot that similarly mediates enhancements of sucrose “liking” for mu, delta, and kappa stimulations. Within the rostrodorsal hotspot boundaries each type of stimulation generated at least a doubling or higher enhancement of hedonic reactions, with comparable intensities for all three types of opioid stimulation. By contrast, a negative hedonic coldspot was mapped in the caudal half of medial shell, where all three types of opioid stimulation suppressed “liking” reactions to approximately one-half normal levels. Different anatomical patterns were produced for stimulation of food “wanting”, reflected in food intake. Altogether, these results indicate that the rostrodorsal hotspot in medial shell is unique for generating opioid-induced hedonic enhancement, and add delta and kappa signals to mu as hedonic generators within the hotspot. Also, the identification of a separable NAc caudal coldspot for hedonic suppression, and separate NAc opioid mechanisms for controlling food “liking” versus “wanting” further highlights NAc anatomical heterogeneity and localizations of function within subregions of medial shell.
Digital RF Processor Techniques for Single-Chip Radios

RF circuits for multi-GHz frequencies have recently migrated to low-cost digital deep-submicron CMOS processes. Unfortunately, this process environment, which is optimized only for digital logic and SRAM memory, is extremely unfriendly for conventional analog and RF designs. We present fundamental techniques recently developed that transform the RF and analog circuit design complexity to digital domain for a wireless RF transceiver, so that it enjoys the benefits of digital approach, such as process node scaling and design automation. All-digital phase locked loop, all-digital control of phase and amplitude of a polar transmitter, and direct RF sampling techniques allow great flexibility in reconfigurable radio design. Digital signal processing concepts are used to help relieve analog design complexity, allowing one to reduce cost and power consumption in a reconfigurable design environment. VHDL hardware description language is universally used throughout this SoC. The ideas presented have been used in Texas Instruments to develop two generations of commercial digital RF processors: a single-chip Bluetooth radio and a single-chip GSM radio.
Flare‐up rate of single‐visit endodontics

The purpose of the study was to compare the flare-up rate for single-visit endodontics among teeth without radiographic or clinical signs of apical periodontitis, those with radiographic or clinical signs of apical periodontitis not previously root-treated, and those with apical periodontitis where retreatment was performed. All teeth were instrumented to a predetermined minimum size with a 0.5 per cent solution of sodium hypochlorite being used as the irrigant. The root canal was obturated without regard to the presence or absence of symptoms or diagnosis of the apical condition. The patients were given written post-operative instructions and a prescription for 600 mg ibuprofen to be taken if mild to moderate pain developed. If severe pain and/or swelling developed, the patient was instructed to telephone immediately and was considered to have had a flare-up. Teeth without signs of apical periodontitis did not have any flare-ups. One flare-up occurred in 69 teeth with signs of apical periodontitis not previously root-treated. The majority of the flare-ups (3 of 22 teeth) occurred in teeth with signs of apical periodontitis requiring retreatment.
Lowland Maya radiocarbon dates and the classic Maya collapse

Three processes of the Late Classic Maya collapse, the demise of the stela cult, the breakdown of elite culture, and the reduction of the commoner population, are compared by frequency-distribution bar-graphs of dated monuments in the Southern Lowlands and radiocarbon dates from elite and commoner contexts. The demise of the stela cult and the breakdown of elite culture seem to have coincided. The commoner radiocarbon bar-graph does not necessarily indicate the occurrence of a major demographic catastrophe.
Farrowing induction with cloprostenol-xylazine combination

Abstract Eighty crossbred, multiparous sows, weighing between 190 and 320 kg, were randomly assigned to the following four treatment groups of 20 sows each: 1) saline-saline, 2) cloprostenol-saline, 3) saline-xylazine and 4) cloprostenol-xylazine. The mean gestation length of each multiparous sow was calculated. Cloprostenol (250 ug/sow, i.m.) or saline was given 3 d prior to the calculated due date at 11:30 a.m. Xylazine (2 mg/kg, i.m.) or saline was given 20 h after either the cloprostenol or previous saline treatment. Cloprostenol-xylazine treated sows had the shortest mean farrowing interval (1.5 ± 0.3 h) when compared with the rest of the treatment groups (saline-saline:66.0 ± 8.1, cloprostenol-saline:10.5 ± 1.9, saline-xylazine:60.6 ± 5.6 h). Farrowing time, percentage of stillbirths, average birth weight, d-5 and d-21 postbirth weights, number of pigs born, number of pigs born alive, and number of pigs surviving at 5 and 21 d afterbirth were not significantly different among the four groups. This study demonstrated that cloprostenol-xylazine treatment decreases the time to onset of farrowing with less variation than cloprostenol or xylazine alone. Therefore, the use of a cloprostenol-xylazine combination is suggested as an alternative method for inducing farrowing.
A proposed histochemical and electron microscopic classification of human breast cancer according to cell of origin.

Thirty-six cases of breast carcinoma were classified according to their cells of origin using electron microscopy and ultrastructural histochemistry. The study showed that breast cancer can be classified into myoepithelial, ductal epithelial, and ductular epithelial carcinoma. In this study, all cases were easily classifiable except one mixed myoepithelial and ductular type which was classified as ductular carcinoma. Alkaline phosphatase, which is normally present in the myoepithelial cells of normal duct, becomes negative upon neoplastic transformation. Myoepithelial cancer cells retain their adinosine triphosphatase activity, and this behavior was helpful in identifying their cell of origin. Ductular epithelial cancer shows nuclear and free cytoplasmic acid phosphatase, and the significance of this finding was discussed. The study also revealed that carcinoma of ductular origin has a higher eventuality of metastases. Also, it was suggested that ductular carcinoma arises from hormonally sensitive cells, and the possibility of hormonal treatment for this cancer should be studied.
Symmetric vs asymmetric periodic disturbances at the walls of a heated flow passage

Abstract Measurements were made of local and fully developed turbulent heat transfer coefficients for a flat rectangular duct having streamwise-periodic, two-dimensional disturbances symmetrically positioned at both principal walls. Friction factors were also determined. The local transfer coefficient distributions revealed the rapid attainment of the periodic fully developed regime. The fully developed transfer coefficients exceeded (typically by 40%) those for an otherwise identical duct having periodic disturbances at only one of the principal walls (asymmetric case). The symmetric disturbances also yielded significantly increased transfer coefficients (up to a factor of three) compared with a corresponding disturbance-free duct. Large disturbance-related increases in the friction factor were also sustained. An analysis based on fixed duct dimensions and fixed pumping power was made to assess the relative performance of the symmetrically and asymmetrically disturbed ducts and the disturbance-free duct. For a wide range of conditions, the symmetrically disturbed duct yielded the highest fully developed transfer coefficients. Compact correlations in terms of roughness parameters were developed for both the fully developed heat transfer coefficients and friction factors.
Birth prevalence of cleft lip and palate in Colorado by sex distribution, seasonality, race/ethnicity, and geographic variation

An epidemiologic study was designed to describe the association of potential risk factors with the occurrence of cleft lip and palate (CL/P) births in Colorado for the years 1982–1988. There were 307 children out of 381, 175 live births identified, through birth certificate data, with a diagnosis of cleft palate or cleft lip with or without cleft palate. For this period, the birth prevalence was 0.82/1000. Male gender [odds ratio (OR) = 1.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.28, 2.04], white race (OR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.52, 5.44), and non-metropolitan residence (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.23, 2.05) were each associated with an excess risk of having a cleft abnormality of any type at birth. No differences in the occurrence of cleft lip and palate were observed by month of birth, altitude of county of residence, or in Hispanic compared with non-Hispanic newborns. Using information from the 1989 Colorado Registry for Children with Special Needs, there was little evidence of ascertainment bias on major factors of interest for the birth certificate data. Further studies are required to define the factors associated with excess risk of CL/P in non-metropolitan areas.
Abstract PL02-05: Aberrant crypt foci as surrogate markers for chemoprevention

Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) are putative preneoplastic lesions that occur in the colons of rodent tumor models and are abundant in the colorectum of humans. Although their presence within the colonic mucosa is incontrovertible, their clinical significance remains a source of controversy. In the following presentation, we will review the history of ACF from their first identification in rodent carcinogen models to their identification and characterization in human colons. In order to better define ACF, one must consider their histopathology, and, here, the difference between rodent and human is striking. Whereas in the rodent a single crypt can acquire dysplastic features, such is not the case in human where ACF as large as 50–100 crypts across are rarely dysplastic. In over 1500 lesions we have examined from approximately 500 patients, we observe that if endoscopic criteria are strictly adhered to, ACF are almost always hyperplastic lesions, with either a “distended” or “serrated” appearance when studied en face. We and others have clearly identified a number of colon cancer risk factors that also associate with at least the density of ACF in the distal 20 cm of colorectum. These risk factors include central obesity, increased bioavailability of IGF‐1, prior or synchronous colon neoplasia, family history of colonic neoplasia and cigarette smoking. In fact, a history of 20 pack‐years or more of smoking is associated with an increased likelihood (adjusted OR=3.45; 95% CI 1.93–6.18) of having more than the median number of ACF (≥ 15) compared to non‐smokers (Anderson et al., under review). Considering their prevalence in the colons of cancer patients, their corresponding association with a panel of key colon cancer risk factors and their cancer‐related molecular aberrations, we argue that these lesions may provide an important signal of one or more risk factors, and are likely part of the ‘field effect’ within the colonic mucosa. If a clearer association can be established with high‐grade adenomas, we believe ACF will ultimately be of great utility as surrogate markers for cancer prevention studies. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):PL02-05.
Deformation mechanisms in commercial Ti (0.5 at. pct oineq) at intermediate and high temperatures (0.3 - 0.6 tinm)

The plastic flow of the commercial titanium material Ti-50A (0.5 at. pct Oeq) of 22 μm grain size was investigated over the temperature range of 600 to 1150 structure) and strain rates of 3 x 10-5 to 3 x 10-2 per s employing both constant strain rate and strain rate cycling tests. Dynamic strain aging occurred in the temperature range of 600 to 850 (0.31 to 0.44Tm) with an activation energy of 50 kcal per mole derived from the start of serrations in the stress-strain curves, maxima in strain hardening and minima in ductility. This value is in accord with that for the diffusion of oxygen in titanium. At temperatures above 850 (0.46 to 0.59Tm) the data were very well represented by Weertman’s glide and climb high temperature creep mechanism, giving eskT/Dμb= 1.1 x 106 (σ/μ)4.55 withD = 1.0 x exp (- 57,800/RT). The value of 57.8 kcal per mole is in accord with available self-diffusion data for titanium.
The use of metabolic pools of purine compounds for nucleic acid synthesis in yeast

Abstract Exogenous purines are incorporated first into metabolic pools and thence into nucleic acids by exponentially growing Candida utilis. Kinetic studies show that a purine pool, whose size is determined by the amount of purine in the medium, forms first. This pool contributes material to a nucleotide pool whose pool size is independent of the purine concentration in the medium. Conversion of adenine to guanine occurs in the nucleotide pool which serves as a preferred source of purine for nucleic acid synthesis.
X-linked inheritance of congenital cortisol and aldosterone insufficiency (adrenal hypoplasia)

Congenital adrenal hypoplasia is a rare cause of adrenocortical insufficiency in infancy. Two different modes of inheritance, sex-linked and autosomal, have been suggested. Three male infants with severe clinical signs developed within the first week of life are described. Biochemical data indicated both glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid insufficiency. Clinical remission followed substitution therapy. The infants descend from the same Greenlandic family. Informations concerning 82 family members in five generations were obtained. Fourteen male infants had a clinical picture suggesting adrenocortical insufficiency, and died in early infancy. No female was affected. The pedigree of the family demonstrated no father-to-son transmission. The pedigree indicated an x-linked transmission of the adrenal hypoplasia gene locus; the locus seems to originate from the great-great-grand mother.
Housing Aspirations and Housing Achievement: The Relocation of Poor Families

Corroborating an earlier study by Wolf and Lebeaux, structured interviews with 24 fatherless families and 44 complete families in a predominantly black area slated for clearance, reveal there was little attachment to the neighborhood despite the existence of family contacts there. However, relocation appears to have been more disruptive for fatherless families. A disproportionate number of them were interested in permanent public housing residence, but follow-up interviews and public housing authority records show they were less likely to achieve their desired housing than complete families. The data suggest that people will tend to behave according to their expressed intentions when the situation is salient, but their ability to do so is subject to external constraints.
NONENZYMATIC GLYCATION OF COLLAGEN IN AGING AND DIABETES

Considerable progress has been made in our understanding of nonenzymatic glycation of collagen, and the relationship between glycation of collagen and changes in connective tissue associated with aging and diabetes. Recent studies surveyed in this review suggest the following conclusions: 1. Collagen content of early glycation products does not appear to increase throughout the life span in normal human subjects, although small increases may occur that are linked to glycemic changes. These products are increased, relative to age-matched controls, in experimental diabetes and in diabetes mellitus in collagen from virtually all tissues analyzed. 2. Collagen content of browning products increases with aging and appears to be higher in diabetic subjects than in age-matched controls. Rates of accumulation may be accelerated in subpopulations of diabetic subjects at high risk for developing complications. 3. Increases in early glycation products do not appear to be associated with alterations in collagen solubility, thermal rupture time, or mechanical strength, nor is there an association with most diabetic complications. Alterations in these products may, however, affect conformation, ligand binding, lysyl oxidase-mediated cross-linking, and interactions between collagen and other macromolecules in the extracellular matrix. 4. Increased content of browning products is associated with many physicochemical changes in collagen as well as with long-term complications in diabetes mellitus. 5. Regulatory mechanisms have been identified in vivo that may serve to control or limit the formation of glycation products. 7. Pharmacologic agents have been identified that may be able to reduce collagen content of late glycation products. Despite the progress that has been made in this field, many areas of uncertainty and controversy exist. For example, there is not yet a consensus that the browning products associated with collagen exclusively comprise advanced Maillard products derived from nonenzymatically glycated residues. There is evidence that oxidative reactions involving lipids also play a role in generating fluorophores and chromophores that may alter properties of collagen. Thus, in the extracellular matrix collagen may be continuously modified by at least three very different processes: Maillard reactions, interactions with oxidizing lipids, and enzymatically mediated cross-linking. The interrelationships between these and possibly other posttranslational modifications remain a poorly understood area of great complexity.
How Gesture Promotes Learning Throughout Childhood

The gestures children use when they talk often reveal knowledge that they do not express in speech. Gesture is particularly likely to reveal these unspoken thoughts when children are on the verge of learning a new task. It thus reflects knowledge in child learners. But gesture can also play a role in changing the child's knowledge, indirectly through its effects on the child's communicative environment and directly through its effects on the child's cognitive state. Because gesture reflects thought and is an early marker of change, it may be possible to use it diagnostically. Gesture (or its lack) may be the first sign of future developmental difficulty. And because gesture can change thought, it may prove to be useful in the home, the classroom, and the clinic as a way to alter the pace, and perhaps the course, of learning and development.
Influence of Flight Domain and Cockpit Display Dynamics on Pilot Perceived Clutter

Two analyses were conducted on three datasets from a series of aviation human factors experiments focused on the development and testing of measures of flight display clutter as well as the relation with flight task performance. The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of cockpit display dynamics and aircraft type on pilot perceptions of display clutter in simulated flight tasks through statistical analyses of the data gathered across the experimental studies. Comparisons were made on observations of pilots with comparable experience under similar headup or headdown display conditions. In general, this research demonstrated the clutter measures to be highly sensitive to aviation display and domain conditions. The findings also indicated that human information processing considerations in aviation display design coupled with attention to the visual characteristics of display features may provide an effective basis for mitigating potential effects of clutter on pilot performance.
Chaining for securing data provenance in distributed information networks

Entities in an information communication network may use various types of collaborative networking for sharing information such as documents, sensing reports, datasets, etc. The derivation history (i.e., the provenance) of the information plays a very important role in such a networking environment. For example, provenance can be used for information trustworthiness assessment, copyright clearance, data reconciliation, and data replication. While substantial research efforts have focused on these usages of provenance, very limited work has focused on the security issues of the provenance, which is the prerequisite of any provenance-based information analysis systems. In this paper, we explore the security properties of provenance meta-data compared to other general user data in a distributed network environment. We introduce a “chain-structure” provenance scheme to provide security assurance for the provenance meta-data in three dimensions — confidentiality, integrity and availability. Our scheme outperforms the previously proposed “onion-structure” provenance security scheme in terms of the flexibility, protection capability as well as computational overhead.
Experiential avoidance and well-being: a daily diary analysis.

Experiential avoidance (EA) is a regulatory strategy characterised by efforts to control or avoid unpleasant thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. Most studies of EA have used trait measures without considering the effects of EA on psychological functioning in naturalistic settings. To address this gap, we used daily diary methodology to examine the influence of EA of anxiety on everyday well-being. For two weeks, 89 participants provided daily reports of EA, positive and negative affect, enjoyment of daily events and meaning in life (MIL). Daily EA predicted higher negative affect, lower positive affect, less enjoyment of daily events (exercising, eating food and listening to music) and less MIL. The effect of EA on positive affect was not accounted for by the amount of negative affect experienced. Our daily measure of EA was a stronger predictor of daily well-being than a traditional trait measure (The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire). Taken together, results offer insights into the adverse effe...
A comparison of some adjustment techniques for use with quantitative spot data from two‐dimensional gels

Quantitative analysis of polypeptide differences among sets of identically prepared two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels is facilitated by the use of mathematical transformations of the spot integrated intensity data for each gel in order to make comparisons. Such adjustments are needed because technical factors cause the stained polypeptide spots displayed on a particular gel to simultaneously appear darker or lighter than on another gel. We have compared three different adjustment schemes by applying each to the same set of data and testing to determine which gives smaller coefficients of variation for a large battery of spots. The adjustment that gave the best results is one based on regressing the spot integrated intensities of a standard gel versus each “target” gel and using the fitted line to transform the spot integrated intensities on the target gel. This adjustment is intuitive, easy to compute, and performed well regardless of whether the spots with large variability were included in the data or not.
Microbial Electrodialysis Cell for Simultaneous Water Desalination and Hydrogen Gas Production

A new approach to water desalination is to use exoelectrogenic bacteria to generate electrical power from the biodegradation of organic matter, moving charged ions from a middle chamber between two membranes in a type of microbial fuel cell called a microbial desalination cell. Desalination efficiency using this approach is limited by the voltage produced by the bacteria. Here we examine an alternative strategy based on boosting the voltage produced by the bacteria to achieve hydrogen gas evolution from the cathode using a three-chambered system we refer to as a microbial electrodialysis cell (MEDC). We examined the use of the MEDC process using two different initial NaCl concentrations of 5 g/L and 20 g/L. Conductivity in the desalination chamber was reduced by up to 68 ± 3% in a single fed-batch cycle, with electrical energy efficiencies reaching 231 ± 59%, and maximum hydrogen production rates of 0.16 ± 0.05 m(3) H(2)/m(3) d obtained at an applied voltage of 0.55 V. The advantage of this system compared to a microbial fuel cell approach is that the potentials between the electrodes can be better controlled, and the hydrogen gas that is produced can be used to recover energy to make the desalination process self-sustaining with respect to electrical power requirements.
Women in the police: Integration or separation?

This study reports on the incorporation of female officers into the Atlanta Bureau of Police Services which until recently had an all-male occupational subculture. Fieldwork techniques included one-year of participant observation and the structured interviewing of 50 police officers. Findings indicated that women have been acculturated into the behavior and attitudes characteristic of the male police group. Specifically, they express increased cynicism and distrust of the public, and their behavior is abrupt with an unsympathetic demeanor. Conversely, women police officers have not been accepted as equally capable as male police officers by the latter. This discriminatory reaction results in a male overprotective attitude which is expressed in male domination of both detective and uniformed officers' work. These findings are congruent with the data from other studies which examined occupations in which women were numerically rare (tokens). The author concludes that because females emulate the male officers' ethos and behavior, and because they have not been accepted as equals in the police group, they have not greatly changed the male subculture of policing.
KINETICS OF WATER DIFFUSION AND STARCH GELATINIZATION DURING RICE PARBOILING

A mathematical model describing simultaneous water diffusion and gelatinization of starch during rice parboiling is proposed. Soaking experiments were conducted on a short-grain rice variety. A computer-aided nonlinear optimization technique is used to find diffusion coefficients and reaction rate constants in the temperature range 50-120°C. It is concluded that the parboiling process is limited by the reaction of starch with water below 85° C and by diffusion of water above 85° C. The activation energy was found to be about half in case of diffusion limited process than that of reaction limited process. The study showed that it is possible to reduce energy input if rice is dehusked before parboiling. The mathematical model shows good correlation between observed and predicted value of water uptake.
Spin-driven changes in neutron star magnetic fields

Interactions among a neutron star’s superfluid neutrons, superconducting protons, and solid crust cause predictable spin-down and spin-up driven crustal motion and magnetic field changes. Applications and unsolved problems are discussed for millisecond pulsar evolution and properties, glitches and post-glitch responses, and transcient gamma-ray emission.
EGFR-Targeted Therapy in Malignant Glioma: Novel Aspects and Mechanisms of Drug Resistance

Glioblastoma, GBM, is the most frequent brain malignancy in adults. Patients with these tumors survive only, approximately, one year after diagnosis and rarely survive beyond two years. This poor prognosis is, in part, due to our insufficient understanding of the complex aggressive nature of these tumors and the lack of effective therapy. In GBM, over-expression of EGFR and/or its constitutively activated variant EGFRvIII is a major characteristic and is associated with tumorigenesis and more aggressive phenotypes, such as, invasiveness and therapeutic resistance. Consequently, both have been major targets for GBM therapy, however, clinical trials of EGFR- and EGFRvIII-targeted therapies have yielded unsatisfactory results and the molecular basis for the poor results is still unclear. Thus, in this review, we will summarize results of recent clinical trials and recent advances made in the understanding of the EGFR/EGFRvIII pathways with a key focus on those associated with intrinsic resistance of GBM to EGFR-targeted therapy. For example, emerging evidence indicates an important role that PTEN plays in predicting GBM response to EGFR-targeted therapy. Aberrant Akt/mTOR pathway has been shown to contribute to the resistant phenotype. Also, several studies have reported that EGFR/EGFRvIII's cross-talk with the oncogenic transcription factorSTAT3 and receptor tyrosine kinases, (c-Met and PDGFR) potentially lead to GBM resistance to anti-EGFR therapy. Other emerging mechanisms, including one involving HMG-CoA reductase, will also be discussed in this mini-review. These recent findings have provided new insight into the highly complex and interactive nature of the EGFR pathway and generated rationales for novel combinational targeted therapies for these tumors.
Neutron activation analysis of absolutely-dated tree rings

Gold concentration was determined for dendrochronologically-dated wood samples using neutron activation analysis (NAA) and correlation sought with known environmental changes, e.g., volcanic activities, during historic periods. Uptake of gold is sensitive to soil pH for many plants. Data presented in this paper are from a single, cross-dated tree that grew in Greece. Using NAA, gold was measured with parts-per-billion sensitivity in individual tree rings from 1411 to 1988 AD.
Comparison of numerical and experimental responses of pavement systems using various resilient modulus models

Abstract The accuracy of the structural design of flexible pavements based on mechanistic approaches is directly related to the appropriateness of the structural response algorithm and the material resilient modulus models selected. Mechanistic response algorithms can be based on layered theory or finite element algorithms. The geomaterials can be modeled as linear or nonlinear. To evaluate the appropriateness of the numerical models and the available resilient modulus models for estimating the response of pavements, several small-scale pavements were constructed and tested under different loads, loading areas and moisture conditions. A nonlinear numerical structural model was then utilized with different resilient modulus models to match the experimental responses. With some modifications, a three-parameter nonlinear model provided the same patterns as the experimentally measured values as long as the weight of the material was considered. In all cases, a transfer function was necessary to accommodate the differences in stiffness properties due to the differences between the field and the laboratory compaction methods.
Efficient expression of rat brain type IIA Na+ channel α subunits in a somatic cell line

Abstract Type IIA rat brain Na + channel a subunits were expressed in CHO cells by nuclear microinjection or by transfection using a vector containing both metallothionein and bacteriophage SP6 promoters. Stable cell lines expressing Na + channels were isolated, and whole-cell Na + currents of 0.9–14 nA were recorded. The mean level of whole-cell Na + current (4.5 nA) corresponds to a cell surface density of ∼2 channels active at the peak of the Na + current per μm 2 , a density comparable to that observed in the cell bodies of central neurons. The expressed Na + channels had the voltage dependence, rapid activation and inactivation, and rapid recovery from inactivation characteristic of Na + channels in brain neurons, bound toxins at neurotoxin receptor sites 1 and 3 with normal properties, and were posttranslationally processed to a normal mature size of 260 kd. Expression of Na + channel cDNA in CHO cells driven by the metallothionein promoter accurately and efficiently reproduces native Na + channel properties and provides a method for combined biochemical and physiological analysis of Na + channel structure and function.
Dynamic model visualizing the process of viral plaque formation.

In Microbiology and Virology courses, viral plaques are often presented to students as the way one can visualize viruses/bacteriophages. While students generally grasp the idea that counting plaques is essentially the same as counting viruses in their sample (assuming that one virus entering the cell is sufficient for productive infection), the process of plaque formation itself remains largely obscure. Many students fail to appreciate that viral plaques are actually a “laboratory-made” phenomenon allowing us to observe and study the growth of lytic viruses. The latter often presents a challenge for the interpretation of experimental data related to viral growth and drug discovery using plaque reduction assay. The hands-on model described here creates an opportunity for students to experience the process of viral plaque formation while engaging multiple senses and creating a lasting impression.
Orientation discrimination as a function of orientation and spatial frequency

Orientation discrimination was measured with a yes-no signal detection procedure at two reference orientations, 90° and 45°. For the first of two experiments, the stimuli were disk-shaped gratings, 2.5° in diameter. Their spatial frequencies ranged from 1.8 cpd to 17.6 cpd. For the second experiment, the stimuli were either gratings or bars consisting of the center cycle of the corresponding grating. As expected, the results showed a highly significant reference orientation factor, with smaller just noticeable differences at 90° than at 45° (theoblique effect). However, orientation discrimination was independent of spatial frequency and bar width. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to a holographic model that relates the oblique effect to meridional differences in the number of orientation-tuned cortical cells.
Interrelationships of alcohol consumption, actions of alcohol, and biochemical traits

Voluntary alcohol consumption, acute tolerance, and central nervous system (CNS) sensitivity to ethanol are potentially informative measures concerning human alcoholism. Little is understood regarding the associations among these parameters or between these traits and neurochemical processes such as brain protein or brain enzyme activities. A powerful strategy is to assess a large number of characteristics simultaneously on all individuals of a heterogeneous sample. This permits rapid screening of a large number of variables with respect to their interrelationships. Identification can thus be made of those variables that are elements of the causal nexus, and subsequent experimental research can attack the problem of identifying mechanisms. The present study employed mice from the HS/Ibg stock which is maintained by systematic random mating to assure genetic heterogeneity. The results demonstrate that voluntary ethanol consumption and acquisition of acute tolerance to ethanol were positively associated, whereas these measures were not significantly related to CNS sensitivity to ethanol. In addition, ethanol preference was inversely related to soluble brain protein. The activities of the soluble enzymes from brain, aldehyde reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were not significantly associated with ethanol preference, acquisition of acute tolerance, or CNS sensitivity to ethanol. Unexpectedly, more than 30 percent of the variance in voluntary alcohol consumption could have been predicted from the measurements of acquisition of acute tolerance, and vice versa.
Periodic mesoporous organic–inorganic hybrid materials: Applications in membrane separations and adsorption

Abstract This review discusses the state of the art on the synthesis, functionalization and emerging applications of mesoporous silica materials. Mesoporous silica materials can be synthesized as membranes or powders with controlled pore size and geometry depending on the synthesis conditions. Mesoporous membranes are generally grown on porous supports by solvent evaporation or hydrothermal synthesis techniques. Synthesis of powdered mesoporous silica materials with controlled pore sizes in the range 2–30 nm and various different pore geometries has been an active area of research over last 15 years. Functionalization of the pore channels of ordered mesoporous silica with organic groups provides new opportunities for fine-tuning the chemical, physical, mechanical, and dielectric properties of these intriguing materials. This has led to an interest in application of these materials as separation membranes for the removal of environmental pollutants, e.g. greenhouse CO 2 emissions, and the separation of bioethanol from water; heterogeneous catalysts; adsorbents for removal of environmental pollutants, such as Hg; as well as other advanced nanotechnological applications.