cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discourses for Social Justice Education: The Web of Racism and the Web of Resistance

This article presents two conceptual frames to help with teaching about issues of race and racism. First the concept of the web of racism describes a matrix that helps students understand the depth of damage racism has instilled in contemporary U.S. society. Second, the web of resistance offers a model of anti-racist activities to help students participate in the fight to end systemic racism. The importance of placing racism in a historical context is emphasized as are the differential reactions of white students and students of color to this material.
Silsoft extended wear contact lenses in pediatric aphakia

Fifty pediatric aphakic patients, ranging in age from 7 days to 11 years, were fitted with the Silsoft extended wear contact lens. Compared to other extended wear lenses, the Silsoft lens has several advantages. These include easier handling, a less traumatic fitting procedure for the child, the use of fluorescein for evaluation of the lens-cornea relationship and a low loss rate. This lens appears to be safe, with no permanent adverse effects on the cornea.
Neutron matter: a superfluid gas

We review recent progress in the theory of neutron matter with particular emphasis on its superfluid properties. Results of quantum Monte Carlo calculations of simple and realistic models of uniform superfluid neutron gas are discussed along with those of neutrons interacting in a potential well chosen to approximate neutron-rich oxygen isotopes. The properties of dilute superfluid Fermi gases that may be produced in atom traps, and their relations with neutron matter, are illustrated. The density dependence of the effective interaction between neutrons, used to describe neutron-rich systems with the mean field approximations, is also discussed.
Medical Students’ Attitudes Toward Mental Disorders Before and After a Psychiatric Rotation

Objective This study examines medical students’ attitudes about mental illness before and after a six-week psychiatry rotation.
EMI filter design considering in-circuit impedance mismatching

This paper discusses an improved design procedure considering the impacts from the noise propagation paths and noise load/source. These impacts influence the choices of filter topology and filter components parasitic control. The paper proposes a step-by-step design procedure combining the traditional design method and the considerations from the impedance mismatching.
Myosin heavy chain isoform diversity in smooth muscle is produced by differential RNA processing.

Abstract We have isolated and characterized two distinct myosin heavy chain cDNA clones from a neonatal rat aorta cDNA library. These clones encode part of the light meromyosin region and the carboxyl terminus of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain. The two rat aorta cDNA clones were identical in their 5′ coding sequence but diverged at the 3′ coding and in a portion of the 3′ untranslated regions. One cDNA clone, RAMHC21, encoded 43 unique amino acids from the point of divergence of the two cDNAs. The second cDNA clone, RAMHC 15, encoded a shorter carboxyl terminus of nine unique amino acids and was the result of a 39 nucleotide insertion. This extra nucleotide sequence was not present in RAMHC21. The rest of the 3′ untranslated sequences were common to both cDNA clones. Genomic cloning and DNA sequence analysis demonstrated that an exon specifying the 39 nucleotides unique to RAMHC15 mRNA was present, together with the 5′ upstream common exons in the same contiguous stretch of genomic DNA. The 39 nucleotide exon is flanked on either side by two relatively large introns of approximately 2600 and 2700 bases in size. RNase protection analysis indicated that the two corresponding mRNAs were coexpressed in both vascular and non-vascular smooth muscle tissues. This is the first demonstration of alternative RNA processing in a vertebrate myosin heavy chain gene and provides a novel mechanism for generating myosin heavy chain protein diversity in smooth muscle tissues.
Experimental results on embedded optical fiber sensors in concrete

Experimental results are presented on the embedding of optical fiber cables into cement specimens in order to determine the feasibility and limitations of using said fibers as sensors for the measurement of internal stresses as well as the evaluation of structural integrity. Pull- out tests have revealed that the surface bonding between the plastic jacket of a fiber cable and the cement matrix is poor and inadequate for an effective load transfer. Experiments using loaded cement specimens with embedded fiber cables inside suggest that the various protective layers present in the cable's construction prevent the fibers from properly sensing any external perturbations up to the specimen's failure and, in some instances, even after failure. Therefore, use of optical fiber cables as direct sensing elements for stress/strain measurements is not recommended for most applications, due to the lack of an appropriate load transfer mechanism and sensitivity. However, they can instead be used as leads to communicate the actual embedded sensors with the outside world.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optical assessment of tissue mechanics: acousto-optical elastography of skin

A multiphysics approach, combining acoustics, optics, and mechanics can be used to detect regions of skin with distinct mechanical behavior that may indicate a pathology, such as a cancerous skin lesion. Herein, an acousto - optical approach to evaluating the viscoelastic behavior of superficial skin layers will be presented. The method relies upon inducing low frequency guided surface waves in the skin and detecting these waves by monitoring the shift in the backscattered laser speckle pattern created by illuminating a small region of the skin with coherent light. Artificial lesions in the form of chemical cross-linking and chemical softening were induced in superficial porcine skin layers and detected based upon variations in local mechanical behavior. The lesions affect not only the time-of-flight of the guided surface waves, but also change the relative phase of the acoustic waves as determined optically. The method may be applicable in the study and diagnosis of superficial skin lesions.
Technical variables in vitreous fluorophotometry

The technical variables that affect vitreous fluorophotometry are presented. Serum fluorescein pharmacokinetics are discussed with respect to early and late fluorescein appearance in the vitreous. The problem of axial resolution was analyzed systematically and parameters to minimize or eliminate choroidal fluorescence were defined. The timing of fluorophotometry and the effects of eye movement on fluorescein spread appear to be important factors. A vitreous diffusion model is presented that may minimize artifact introduced by these factors.
Thymoglobulin targets multiple plasma cell antigens and has in vitro and in vivo activity in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is characterized by the proliferation of clonal plasma cells that have a heterogeneous expression of various cell surface markers, precluding successful use of monoclonal antibodies for therapeutic targeting of the tumor cell. Thymoglobulin (rabbit-derived polyclonal anti-thymocyte globulin), by virtue of its method of preparation, contains antibodies against several B-cell and plasma cell antigens and offers an attractive option for immunotherapy of myeloma. Here, we demonstrate potent anti-myeloma activity of the rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin preparation Thymoglobulin in vitro and in vivo in an animal model of myeloma. Thymoglobulin was able to induce dose- and time-dependent apoptosis of several myeloma cell lines, including those resistant to conventional anti-myeloma agents. Importantly, the anti-myeloma activity was preserved even when myeloma cells were grown with different cytokines demonstrating the ability to overcome microenvironment-mediated resistance. Thymoglobulin induced apoptosis of freshly isolated primary myeloma cells from patients. Using a competitive flow cytometric analysis, we were able to identify the potential antigen targets for Thymoglobulin preparation. Finally, in a plasmacytoma mouse model of myeloma, Thymoglobulin delayed the tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner providing convincing evidence for continued evaluation of this agent in the clinic in patients with myeloma, either alone or in combination with other agents.
HCF-1 functions as a coactivator for the zinc finger protein Krox20.

HCF-1 is a transcriptional cofactor required for activation of herpes simplex virus immediate-early genes by VP16 as well as less clearly defined roles in cell proliferation, cytokinesis, and spliceosome formation. It is expressed as a large precursor that undergoes proteolysis to yield two subunits that remain stably associated. VP16 uses a degenerate 4-amino acid sequence, known as the HCF-binding motif, to bind to a six-bladed β-propeller domain at the N terminus of HCF-1. Functional HCF-binding motifs are also found in LZIP and Zhangfei, two cellular bZIP transcription factors of unknown function. Here we show that the HCF-binding motif occurs in a wide spectrum of DNA-binding proteins and transcriptional cofactors. Three well characterized examples were further analyzed for their ability to use HCF-1 as a coactivator. Krox20, a zinc finger transcription factor required for Schwann cell differentiation, and E2F4, a cell cycle regulator, showed a strong requirement for functional HCF-1 to activate transcription. In contrast, activation by estrogen receptor-α did not display HCF dependence. In Krox20, the HCF-binding motif lies within the N-terminal activation domain and mutation of this sequence diminishes both transactivation and association with the HCF-1 β-propeller. The activation domain in the C-terminal subunit of HCF-1 contributes to activation by Krox20, possibly through recruitment of p300. These results suggest that HCF-1 is recruited by many different classes of cellular transcription factors and is therefore likely to be required for a variety of cellular processes including cell cycle progression and development.
Grafting and gibberellin effects on the growth of tall and dwarf peas

Tall peas var. Alaska and dwarf peas var. Progress No. 9 were grafted onto their own roots or reciprocally grafted to determine the rootstock effect on the growth of the stem. In all cases the grafted stems grew the same as their ungrafted controls regardless of which rootstock they were grown on. When similarly grafted plants were supplied with gibberellic acid, good graft unions did not inhibit its translocation. This evidence supports the thesis that the mechanism controlling stem growth in peas is located in the stem and that the roots have no direct control over this mechanism.
Methotrexate hepatotoxicity and the premature reporting of Mark Twain's death: Both greatly exaggerated

Ten histological criteria were evaluated semiquantitatively in the liver biopsies of 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) before initiation of methotrexate (MTX) and were compared with 40 biopsies taken during MTX treatment (mean cumulative dose 1,322 mg). Mesenchymal changes (Kupffer cell proliferation, portal tract infiltration) and parenchymal alterations (nuclear variability, ballooning, fatty infiltration) were very common without statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. Slight periportal and/or portal fibrosis was present in 25% of patients without statistical differences between groups. Central fibrosis occurred in 13.5–12.5%. We conclude that liver abnormalities in RA are not related to MTX treatment.
Evolution de la balance minérale du sodium chez Fundulus heteroclitus au cours du transfert d'eau de mer en eau douce: Effects de l'hypophysectomie et de la prolactine

Resume Le poisson euryhalin Fundulus heteroclitus ne peut survivre en eau douce apres ablation de l'hypophyse que s'il recoit des injections de prolactine. Les effects de l'hypophysectomie et du traitement a la prolactine sur la balance minerale de sodium ont ete etudies chez des F. heteroclitus adaptes a l'eau de mer et au cours du transfert eau de mer (EM)-eau douce (ED). Chez les poissons adaptes a EM, l'intensite des echanges de sodium entre les milieux interne et externe porte sur 27 a 35% de la masse de sodium echangeable a l'heure. Apres hypophysectomie, cette fraction renouvelee n'est plus que de 18.5%. La prolactine (dose de 125 mU/g de poids corporel repetee pendant 3 jours) reste sans effet sur l'intensite des echanges chez le poisson hypophysectomise. Lors du transfert en ED, chez les poissons temoins, les flux entrant (fe) et sortant (fs) de sodium diminuent. Mais ils n'evoluent pas simultanement pour atteindre le niveau des echanges caracteristique des animaux adaptes a ce milieu et portant sur le 1 200° environ de la masse de sodium echangeable a l'heure. Alors que fe est modifie instantanement, fs subit un reajustement progressif qui dure jusqu'au second jour apres transfert. La balance minerale du sodium reste negative pendant les premieres heures qui suivent le changement de milieu. Elle ne devient positive (fe > fs) que le lendemain. Chez les poissons hypophysectomises, la balance minerale, negative comme chez les temoins durant les heures qui suivent le transfert, reste negative le lendemain du changement de milieu. Il apparait que les deux composantes de l'equilibre mineral sont perturbees: fs reste environ deux fois plus eleve que chez les poissons temoins et fe, a concentration de sodium externe egale, est reduit de moitie. L'injection de prolactine restaure le fs des animaux hypophysoprives a un niveau comparable a celui des temoins. La balance minerale des animaux traites est en equilibre. Cependant ce facteur endocrinien semble rester sans effet sur fe. Ces resultats expliquent la diminution progressive de la concentration osmolaire du milieu interieur des F. heteroclitus hypophysectomises apres transfert en eau douce et precisent le mode d'action de la prolactine. Le site d'action de cette hormone (branchie ou rein) est discute.
Episodic nutrient supply to a Kelp forest ecosystem in Southern California

Temporal patterns of nutrient input into a Southern California kelp forest were measured using traditional hydrocast sampling coupled with high frequency temperature profiling. Patterns of nutrient input were related to growth rates of Macrocystis pyrifera located in an adjacent kelp forest. There were 2 distinct components to the pattern of nutrient availability. The long term, or seasonal, component was consistent with large-scale storm-induced mixing and horizontal advection during winter months. In addition, vertical motions of the thermocline, bringing nutrients into the kelp forest, occurred throughout the year with a frequency of about 2 per day and were strongest during the summer months. Weekly hydrocast sampling methods were inadequate for measuring these episodic events, and high frequency sampling was required to resolve the pattern of nutrient input accurately. Although measurable, nutrient input from vertical thermocline motion was inadequate to sustain maximum growth of Macrocystis pyrifera at 10m depth during the summer months. Thus, the major component of nutrient input came during the winter. These results indicate that nitrate limitation of M. pyrifera is a likely cause of reduced summer growth. Further, high frequency sampling is necessary to predict nutrient availability in nearshore ecosystems dominated by benthic macrophytes where the pattern of nutrient input is dominated by episodic events of short duration.
The Role of Computer Attitudes in Enhancing Computer Competence in Training

Computer competence is poorly conceptualized and inconsistently measured. This study clarifies computer competence and examines its relationship with anxiety, affect, and pessimism, along with self-efficacy and previous experience. Using a survey of 610 end users, the strengths of anxiety, affect positive, pessimism, self-efficacy, and previous experience were compared for nine different competency measures in seven different domains, including word processing, email applications, spreadsheets, graphic programs, databases, web design, and overall computing. Results suggest that for most domains, affect and anxiety are significant predictors, as are self-efficacy and previous experience, but pessimism is not. In addition, competence in a domain was found to mediate the relationship between competence and its antecedents. These results suggest that organizations focus not only on skills training, but on ways to enhance computing attitudes during the training process.
The effect of allocation schedules on the performance of irrigation systems with different levels of spatial diversity and temporal variability

Abstract This paper quantitatively examines the effect of spatial diversity and temporal variability on the performance of an irrigation system. The Irrigation Land Management (ILM) computer model was used to simulate over a 20-year period the response of four test systems constructed with different levels of spatial diversity and temporal variability to three schedules representing different levels of management flexibility. From the simulation runs it is apparent that the need for more flexible schedules becomes greater as the irrigation system becomes more spatially diverse and its climate becomes more variable. Choosing the right schedules depends not on maximizing production, but rather on optimizing production given the costs of management and the context within which the system operates.
Analysis of theoretical behavior of a proposed zero‐order drug delivery system

An analysis of the theoretical behavior of a proposed zero-order drug delivery system is presented. Equations describing drug release with time are developed using a physically realistic model. The theory agrees well with experimental data and indicates that drug release from the device is nearly, although not rigorously, zero order.
A Multi-Year, Stochastic, Farm Simulation Model for Northern Nigeria: An Experimental Design Approach

The paper illustrates the use of experimental design in simulation modelling. Income growth prospects for small farms in northern Nigeria are examined under deterministic and stochastic conditions. A partial factorial design is employed to assess the impact on growth of resource endowment, stochastic yields and returns, consumption behavior, and enterprise opportunities. Analysis of variance on the deterministic results indicates that the key determinants of financial performance are stochastic events and family size and resource endowment. Capital accumulation under stochastic returns is slower than under fixed average returns. The value of a multi-year model is discussed. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the use of experimental design in a recent farming systems simulation study of traditional smallholder agriculture in northern Nigeria. Its value is discussed in relation to the objectives, costs, methodology, and results of the study. Following description of the objectives and setting of the study, the main features of the simulation model are presented. Issues concerning experimental design are discussed. The principal findings of the study are then outlined. The paper concludes by summarizing the contribution of experimental design to the study and usefulness of simulation models for farm level analysis.
Acute Vision Loss

Acute vision loss can be transient (lasting 24 hours). When patients present with acute vision loss, it is important to ascertain the duration of vision loss and whether it is a unilateral process affecting one eye or a bilateral process affecting both eyes. This article focuses on causes of acute vision loss in the nontraumatic setting and provides management pearls to help health care providers better triage these patients.
Groupware goes to school: adapting BSCW to the classroom

Groupware for cooperative work (CSCW) and for collaborative learning (CSCL) have many important commonalities as well as different requirements. By transforming a generic CSCW platform into an environment to support a particular vision of education as collaborative knowledge building, we discovered how functionality had to be adopted, transformed and refined to meet the specific educational social setting. By "taking groupware to school", we learned how to extend the original system into a CSCL application that could facilitate collaborative learning, knowledge building, perspective intertwining, knowledge negotiation, portfolio sharing and knowledge artifact production in active, structured virtual learning places. In this paper, we describe the resulting system and reflect on issues of design and implementation that differentiate our CSCL approach from its closely related CSCW basis.
An electrically tunable all-fiber polarization controller based on deposited thin-film microheaters

The authors describe a novel electrically tunable all-fiber polarization controller based on evaporated microheaters deposited on short sections of polarization maintaining fiber fusion spliced at fixed 45/spl deg/ angles. Efficient birefringence tuning of /spl ap/2.4/spl deg//mW at 1300 nm and /spl ap/1.9/spl deg//mW at 1550 nm for the fiber microheaters is shown, and the dynamic response of a prototype device is presented. Potential applications include compact, low loss, economical polarization controllers and polarization mode dispersion emulators.
Relationship between alcohol use disorders, cortisol concentrations, and cytokine levels in patients with sepsis

Introduction: Patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD) are at increased risk of developing sepsis and have higher mortality. AUD are associated with higher cortisol and anti-inflammatory cytokine profile. Higher cortisol increases risk of death in septic patients. The relationship between AUD and cortisol in septic patients is unknown. We aimed to study this relationship and postulated that AUD would be associated with higher cortisol and antiinflammatory cytokine profile. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of 40 medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted with sepsis. Cortisol, anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL) 10, and pro-inflammatory IL1b, IL6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) a were measured. Results: Thirteen (32%) out of 40 patients had AUD. AUD patients had higher cortisol by univariate (39 microg/dl versus 24, P = 0.04) and multivariable analyses (44 microg/dl versus 23, P = 0.004). By univariate analyses, AUD patients had higher IL10 (198 picog/dl versus 47, P = 0.02) and IL6 (527 picog/ml versus 156, P = 0.048), but similar IL1b and TNFa. By multivariable analyses, AUD patients had higher IL10 (182 picog/dl versus 23, P = 0.049) but similar IL1b, IL6, and TNFa. AUD patients had lower IL1b/IL10 (univariate 0.01 versus 0.10, P = 0.04; multivariable 0.01 versus 0.03, P = 0.04), lower TNFa/IL10 (univariate 0.15 versus 0.52, P = 0.03; multivariable 0.11 versus 0.63, P = 0.01), but similar IL6/IL10. Conclusions: AUD are common diagnoses among medical ICU patients with sepsis. Patients with AUD have higher cortisol concentrations and have differences in cytokine expression. Future studies should seek to determine if these differences may explain the higher severity of illness seen in patients with sepsis and AUD. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00615862
Approach to the treatment of cutaneous malignancy in HIV-infected patients

Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of developing skin cancers. These at-risk patients may have atypical presentations and/or altered clinical courses. This article will review and discuss management issues for the following malignancies: lymphomas, malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and Kaposi's sarcoma.
Predictors of access to palliative care services among patients who died at a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Purpose: Palliative care services can decrease physical and psychosocial distress in patients with advanced cancer. However, most patients with cancer die without access to palliative care services (APCS), and patterns of referral are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of patients' access to palliative care. Patients and Methods: We reviewed patient records from the computerized database at UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center over 2 (2003 and 2004) to determine differences in characteristics and outcomes between patients with and without APCS. APCS was defined as a palliative care consultation and follow-up or transfer to the palliative care unit. Results: A total of 499 of 1453 (34%) inpatients who died at our cancer center had APCS. There were no significant differences in race, age, or insurance status between the APCS groups. The two major predictors of a low rate of APCS were hematologic malignancies (20% rate of APCS versus 44% for solid tumors, p < 0.0001) and in...
Conjoined Twins and Catholic Moral Analysis: Extraordinary Means and Casuistical Consistency

eThis article draws upon the Roman Catholic distinction between "ordinary" and "extraordinary" means of medical treatment to analyze the case of "Jodie" and "Mary," the Maltese conjoined twins whose surgical separation was ordered by the English courts over the objection of their Roman Catholic parents and Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Westminister. It attempts to shed light on the use of that distinction by surrogate decision makers with respect to incompetent patients. In addition, it critically analyzes various components of the distinction by comparing the reasoning used by Catholic moralists in this case with the reasoning used in other cases that raise similar issues, including women facing crisis pregnancies who prefer abortion to adoption and the Indiana "Baby Doe" case.
Semantic navigation of large code bases in higher-order, dynamically typed languages

Chuck is a new code browser that allows navigation of a code base along semantic structures, such as data-flow and higher-order control-flow relationships. Employing the fast DDP type inferencer, it is effective on dynamically typed code bases an order of magnitude larger than the code bases supported by previous browsers. Chuck supports the full Smalltalk language, and is now shipped as a standard component of the Squeak open-source Smalltalk system, where it routinely works with code bases exceeding 300,000 lines of code. Chuck's implementation is tuned for interactive use, and is transparently integrated with the Squeak system's existing code-browsing tools. Thus, it provides semantic navigation of a live code base that is still being edited without requiring long pauses for reanalysis due to edits of the code.
Error detection in decimal numbers

The code described detects those errors people most frequently make when transmitting decimal numbers. N digit numbers are encoded by appending a check digit determined by a computation involving the N digits. N + 1 digit numbers are "checked" by another computation. If an N digit number is encoded, and then any single digit is altered or any adjacent pair of digits is interchanged, the "check" computation will detect the error. A possible application: X-rays in hospitals are often indexed by patient number. Physicians request X-rays by number. Errors are discovered only when the plate is pulled and found to correspond to the wrong patient. By then the requester may no longer be available to supply the correct number. If numbers were encoded, most errors would be detected at the time the request was made.
Impurities in the Combustion Synthesis of Titanium Carbide

The evolution of solid and gaseous impuritics from powders and their effects during the combustion synthesis (self-propagating high-temperature synthesis) of titanium carbide have been studied. First, the volatiles from the precursor powders, released during bakeout in a vacuum furnace, were measured by residual gas analysis. Second, both condensable and non-condensable materials emitted during the reaction of the Ti + C system were analyzed. The results indicate that the major noncondensing species in both cases were water vapor, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbons. Significant amounts of oxygen and TiO2 were also enitted during the reaction, but were not observed during bakeout. These impurities are shown to affect not only the reaction process, but also the microstructure of the reaction product.
The Strength of Persistent Antigenic Stimulation Modulates Adaptive Tolerance in Peripheral CD4+ T Cells

The quantitative adaptation of receptor thresholds allows cells to tailor their responses to changes in ambient ligand concentration in many biological systems. Such a cell-intrinsic calibration of T cell receptor (TCR) sensitivity could be involved in regulating responses to autoantigens, but this has never been demonstrated for peripheral T cells. We examined the ability of monoclonal naive T cells to modulate their responsiveness differentially after exposure to fourfold different levels of persistent antigen stimulation in vivo. T cells expanded and entered a tolerant state with different kinetics in response to the two levels of stimulation, but eventually adjusted to a similar slow rate of turnover. In vivo restimulation revealed a greater impairment in the proliferative ability of T cells resident in a higher antigen presentation environment. We also observed subtle differences in TCR signaling and in vitro cytokine production consistent with differential adaptation. Unexpectedly, the system failed to similarly compensate to the persistent stimulus in vivo at the level of CD69 expression and actin polymerization. This greater responsiveness of T cells residing in a host with a lower level of antigen presentation allows us to demonstrate for the first time an intrinsic tuning process in mature T lymphocytes, albeit one more complex than current theories predict.
Optimal Charge Control of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles in Deregulated Electricity Markets

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are a midterm solution to reduce the transportation sector's dependency on oil. However, if implemented in a large scale without control, peak load increases significantly and the grid may be overloaded. Two algorithms to address this problem are proposed and analyzed. Both are based on a forecast of future electricity prices and use dynamic programming to find the economically optimal solution for the vehicle owner. The first optimizes the charging time and energy flows. It reduces daily electricity cost substantially without increasing battery degradation. The latter also takes into account vehicle to grid support as a means of generating additional profits by participating in ancillary service markets. Constraints caused by vehicle utilization as well as technical limitations are taken into account. An analysis, based on data of the California independent system operator, indicates that smart charge timing reduces daily electricity costs for driving from $0.43 to $0.2. Provision of regulating power substantially improves plug-in hybrid electric vehicle economics and the daily profits amount to $1.71, including the cost of driving.
Methods in DNA methylation profiling

Metastable and somatically heritable patterns of DNA methylation provide an important level of genomic regulation. In this article, we review methods for analyzing these genome-wide epigenetic patterns and offer a perspective on the ever-expanding literature, which we hope will be useful for investigators who are new to this area. The historical aspects that we cover will be helpful in interpreting this literature and we hope that our discussion of the newest analytical methods will stimulate future progress. We emphasize that no single approach can provide a complete view of the overall methylome, and that combinations of several modalities applied to the same sample set will give the clearest picture. Given the unexpected epigenomic patterns and new biological principles, as well as new disease markers, that have been uncovered in recent studies, it is likely that important discoveries will continue to be made using genome-wide DNA methylation profiling.
Generic decentralized control for a class of self-reconfigurable robots

Previous work on self-reconfiguring modular robots has concentrated primarily on hardware and reconfiguration algorithms for particular systems. We introduce a type of generic locomotion algorithm for self-reconfigurable robots. The algorithms presented are inspired by cellular automata, using geometric rules to control module actions. The actuation model used is a general one, presuming that modules can generally move over the surface of a group of modules. These algorithms can then be instantiated on to a variety of particular systems. Correctness proofs of the rule sets are also given for the generic geometry, with the intent that this analysis can carry over to the instantiated algorithms to provide different systems with correct locomotion algorithms.
Ethical Decision Making: The Person in the Process

Ethical decisions made by social workers are shaped by the decision maker and the process used to resolve ethical dilemmas. Although systematic guidelines for resolving ethical dilemmas offer social workers a logical approach to the decision-making sequence, it is inevitable that discretionary judgments will condition the ultimate choice of action. Social workers are influenced by professional roles, practice experiences, individualized perspectives, personal preferences, motivations, and attitudes. Through reflective self-awareness social workers can recognize their value preferences and be alert to the ways in which these values unknowingly influence the resolution of ethical dilemmas. Understanding which values or ethical principles were given priority from among competing alternatives can inform social workers about their value patterning. This article challenges social workers to view current ethical decisions as linked to other ethical decisions they have made in the past or will make in the future. An approach to developing keener insight into value patterning is presented.
Module assignment for pin-limited designs under the stacked-Vdd paradigm

This paper addresses the module assignment problem in pin-limited designs under the stacked-Vdd circuit paradigm. A partition-based algorithm is presented for efficiently assigning modules at the floorplanning level so as to reuse currents between the Vdd domains, and minimize the power wasted during the operation of the circuit. Experimental results on a DLX architecture show that compared with assigning modules to different Vdd rails using a bin-packing technique, the circuit generated by our algorithm has 32% lower wasted power, on average. In addition, experiments on a 3D IC example show that our module assignment approach is equally effective in reducing the power waste in 3D ICs.
Serotypes of Pneumococci in Pneumonia, Meningitis and Other Pneumococcal Infections*

During a five-year period, 1965 to 1969 inclusive, pneumococci from 294 patients with acute pneumococcal infections were serotyped. Pneumococci of 33 serotypes were encountered, of which types 3 and 19 were most frequent. The spectrum of infections included pneumonia, meningitis, peritonitis, otitis media and mastoiditis, wound infection and conjuctivitis. At least 17 infections were fatal, all of which, with one exception, occurred either in infants or in adults over 50 years of age. In pneumonia, type 3 pneumococcus was predominant, being isolated from 21 of 101 patients. In 67 cases of pneumococcal meningitis, most of which were in children, the commonest type was 14. If a pneumococcal vaccine is produced for use in Australia, inclusion of serotypes 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 14, 19 and 23 should be considered. These eight types caused 52% of the cases of pneumonia and 67% of the cases of meningitis in this study.
Fear-Related Responses of White Leghorn Hens of Several Genetic Stocks in Five-Bird Cages and Associations with Quantitative Traits,

Abstract Hens of 8 genetic stocks derived from a common foundation population were compared at three ages for latency to recover from tonic immobility (TI) and from an avoidance response following exposure to a metronome. Body weight, feather score, and egg-production traits also were measured. A total of 350 hens was involved and individuals of the same genetic stock were kept together in 5-hen cages from 19 to 70 weeks old. The TI and metronome avoidance tests were conducted in three rounds at mean ages of 35, 48, and 61 weeks. Hens of stocks with increased egg mass, resulting from selection, did not differ from unselected controls for TI or avoidance responses. Straincross hens also did not differ from parental strain means for these fear-related behaviors. Time to recover from induced TI decreased with repeated testing at 13-week intervals. Hens exposed to the metronome a second time within the first round recovered more rapidly than did those tested in this way for the first time. Previous indirect exposure to the metronome also resulted in reduction in avoidance time. Correlation analysis revealed only a moderate association between TI and avoidance responses (r = .23, P
The impact of information from similar or different advisors on judgment

People rely on others’ advice to make judgments on a daily basis. In three studies, we examine the differential impacts of similarity between the source of that advice and the person making the judgment in two settings: judging others’ behavior and judging one’s own actions. We find that similarity interacts with the target of the judgment. In particular, information received from a different advisor is more heavily weighed than from a similar advisor in judging others’ actions, but information from a similar advisor is more heavily weighed than from a different advisor in judging one’s own. We provide two potential explanations for this interaction, difficulty of the judgment and informativeness of the advice. Our analyses show a moderated mediating role of informativeness and difficulty in the relationship between the advisor’s similarity by judgment type interaction and advice use.
Distributed rate allocation for video streaming over wireless networks with heterogeneous link speeds

When multiple video streaming sessions are simultaneously transported over a shared wireless network, careful rate allocation is needed for efficient utilization of the network resources, while avoiding network congestion. The problem becomes more challenging when the network comprises links with heterogeneous transmission speeds, and when eachvideo stream has a different utility of its allocated rate. We propose a distributed scheme for congestion-distortion optimized rate allocation among multiple video streams sharing a network. Simulation results are presented for streaming multiple high-definition (HD) video sequences over both single-hop and multi-hop 802.11a networks with heterogeneous link speeds. In comparison with TCP-Friendly Rate Control (TFRC), the proposed cross-layer allocation scheme benefits from being both media-aware and network-aware, and achieves higher average video quality among all streams without incurring excessive network congestion.
Iranian-American’s Perceptions of Prejudice and Discrimination: Differences Between Muslim, Jewish, and Non-Religious Iranian-Americans

Recent political events have created a political and social climate in the United States that promotes prejudice against Middle Eastern, Iranian, and Muslim peoples. In this study, we were interested in investigating two major questions: (1) How much ethnic harassment do Iranian-American men and women from various religious backgrounds (Muslim, Jewish, or no religious affiliation at all) perceive in their day-to-day interactions? (2) To what extent does the possession of stereotypical Middle Eastern, Iranian, or Muslim traits (an accent, dark skin, wearing of religious symbols, traditional garb, etc.) spark prejudice and thus the perception of ethnic harassment? Subjects were recruited from two very different sources: (1) shoppers at grocery stores in Iranian-American neighborhoods in Los Angeles, and (2) a survey posted on an online survey site. A total of 338 Iranian-Americans, ages 18 and older, completed an in-person or online questionnaire that included the following: a request for demographic information, an assessment of religious preferences, a survey of how “typically” Iranian-American Muslim or Iranian-American Jewish the respondents’ traits were, and the Ethnic Harassment Experiences Scale. One surprise was that, in general, our participants reported experiencing a great deal of ethnic harassment. As predicted, Iranian-American Muslim men perceived the most discrimination—far more discrimination than did American Muslim women. Overall, there were no significant differences between the various religious groups. All felt discriminated against. Iranian-American men and women, whose appearance was stereotypically Middle Eastern (i.e., they wore Middle Eastern clothing), who had sub-ethnic identification, and who had lower family income, generally reported experiencing the most prejudice.
The Evolution of the Tipití

Manioc is the staple crop of almost all Indian tribes in the Amazon Basin. However, many varieties of this plant are poisonous, containing lethal amounts of prussic acid in their tubers. To render the tubers fit for human consumption, most tribes of the region employ a type of press known as a tipiti.’
Optimal discrete perceptrons for graded learning

Perceptrons, the original artificial neural network structure, are finite in number for a given discrete-valued problem, and can be exhaustively enumerated. The great benefit of exhaustive enumeration is that one has a complete distribution of empirical results. Thus, the global optimum is identified, any competitors or multiple solutions are known, and the unusualness of any solution can be assessed. As the complete sample distribution of candidate models is available, model selection, inference, and prediction can be performed with a low level of supervision, that is, by graded learning. The enumeration procedure is described. Although NP-complete, the number of distinct perceptrons is tractable for a low number of inputs. An example application of the method is demonstrated for the task of learning investment rules for the US Treasury Bond market, with encouraging results. >
Skeletal muscle vasodilation during systemic hypoxia in humans

In humans, the net effect of acute systemic hypoxia in quiescent skeletal muscle is vasodilation despite significant reflex increases in muscle sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerve activity. This vaso...
A multiple-pulse ruby-laser system for dynamic photomechanics: Applications to transmitted- and scattered-light photoelasticity - Paper describes a new ultrahigh-speed multiple-frame recording system in which a ruby laser is sequentially modulated and the light pulses are synchronized with the camera and event

An ultrahigh-speed multiple-frame recording system for two- and three-dimensional dynamic photomechanics has been developed and is described here. The output from a ruby laser is modulated with a Pockels cell to produce a train of short, intense, monochromatic and polarized light pulses. Pulse widths of 50 nsec and repetition rates of up to 170,000 pulses/sec are obtained. These light pulses are synchronized with a “smear camera” and the event to produce a multiple-frame record of the phenomenon. The simplified camera requirements necessary for this purpose are indicated. The system is demonstrated by recording two-dimensional dynamic and scattered-light isochromatic fringe patterns. The capability of multiple recording of scattered-light fringe patterns, achieved here for the first time, has a tremendous potential for three-dimensional dynamic stress analysis. The developed system is also well suited for dynamic moire, interferometry and holography.
French anarchists and the continuing power of May 1968

AbstractThe social insurrection of May 1968 in France continues to provoke strong political debate. Compared to most French politicians and social commentators who dismiss or condemn it as an excessive adolescent rebellion, French anarchists contend that it was a substantial political rupture because participants challenged the legitimacy of all hierarchy and domination in every realm of society. Research into a wide range of French anarchist books and articles from 1988 to the present reveals several distinct approaches to May 68. Beyond narratives of the events themselves, anarchists emphasised the rapid spread and delight with horizontalist social relations of mutual aid and respect on campuses and in workplaces and neighbourhoods as 10 million French people went on strike for several weeks. This liberating experience, they contend, transformed the social consciousness of large numbers and led to the great surge of anarchic autonomous social movements in different realms in the 1970s. These writings al...
Pathogenic role of lipopolysaccharide of campylobacter jejuni in allergic neuropathy induced by bacteria

Objective To explore the pathogenic role of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) of campylobacter jejuni (CJ) LPS in allergic neuropathy induced by CJ.Methods Wistar rats were immunized by CJ LPS and CJ respectively.The animals were sacrificed and scia-tic nerves were taken after immunization. Pathological study was finished . Titers of anti-CJ LPS antibody in serum of immunized rats were detected by ELISA . Pathological study for sciatic nerve was also performed after injection with immunized serum perineurally.Results 1.There were no differences in the changes of pathologic fibers of sciatic nerve in the rats after immunization between CJ group (11.0 %) and CJ LPS group (10.46 %). The pathologic changes in both groups could be demonstrated since the 14th day with immunization and the peak incidence were met on the 35th day;2.There were also no difference in the incidence of pathologic fibers between CJ group (65.2 %) and CJ LPS group (62.5 %) after the perineural injection with immunized serum;3.There were no differences in titers of IgG or IgM anti-CJ LPS antibody between CJ and CJ LPS groups. The titers of IgM both groups reached at the peak level on the 14th day, however the titer of IgG gradually increased after the 14th day and reached the peak level on the 35th day.Conclusion CJ LPS is the main pathogenic component of CJ antigen in peripheral neuropathy induced by CJ.
Analysis on HBsAg Negative Returning of Patients with Hepatitis B and its Detection Methods

Objective To analyze the clinical significance and detection methods of HBsAg negative returning in patients with hepatitis B.Methods The development trends and prognoses of 147 patients with HBsAg negative returning treated by Shaoyang Municipal CDC were analyzed.HBsAg was detected by ELISA and colloidal gold method,HBV-DNA and ALT were simultaneously determined,and correlation analysis was made on the results.Results Among 88 HBsAg negative returning patients with antiviral treatment,the negative conversion rates in patients with ALT200U,80UALT200U,and ALT80U were 47.5%,3.22%,and 0.0%,respectively.There were statistically significant differences in the negative conversion rate among the three groups(P0.05).Among 59 patients with spontaneous HBsAg negative seroconversion,patients with normal ALT,40UALT80U,ALT80U,and the end-stage liver disease accounted for 42.4%,15.2%,3.4%,and 39.0%,respectively,and there were statistically significant differences among the results(P0.05).HBsAg negative rates which detected by ELISA and colloidal gold method were 9.33% and 28.00%,respectively.There were statistically significant differences in the negative rate between the two test methods(P0.05).Conclusions False negative results are likely to occur in patients detected by colloidal gold method in the course of treatment.Joint detection of the PCR and ELISA method can avoid misdiagnosis.HBsAg negative returning can not be seen as the cured marker in some cases,and it depends on individual analysis of the disease condition.