cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First passage time in multistep stochastic processes with applications to dust charging

An approach was developed to describe the first passage time (FPT) in multistep stochastic processes with discrete states governed by a master equation (ME). The approach is an extension of the totally absorbing boundary approach given for calculation of FPT in one-step processes [N. G. Van Kampen, Stochastic Processes in Physics and Chemistry (Elsevier Science Publishers, North Holland, Amsterdam, 2007)] to include multistep processes where jumps are not restricted to adjacent sites. In addition, a Fokker-Planck equation (FPE) was derived from the multistep ME, assuming the continuity of the state variable. The developed approach and an FPE based approach [C. W. Gardiner, Handbook of Stochastic Methods, 3rd ed. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 2004)] were used to find the mean first passage time (MFPT) of the transition between the negative and positive stable macrostates of dust grain charge when the charging process was bistable. The dust was in a plasma and charged by collecting ions and electrons, and emitting secondary electrons. The MFPTs for the transitioning of grain charge from one macrostate to the other were calculated by the two approaches for a range of grain sizes. Both approaches produced very similar results for the same grain except for when it was very small. The difference between MFPTs of two approaches for very small grains was attributed to the failure of the charge continuity assumption in the FPE description. For a given grain, the MFPT for a transition from the negative macrostate to the positive one was substantially larger than that for a transition in a reverse order. The normalized MFPT for a transition from the positive to the negative macrostate showed little sensitivity to the grain radius. For a reverse transition, with the increase of the grain radius, it dropped first and then increased. The probability density function of FPT was substantially wider for a transition from the positive to the negative macrostate, as compared to a reverse transition.
Conclusion: Flux and Fluidity and World Literature and Film

As the chapters in Mapping Tokyo in Fiction and Film endeavor to show, mapping—as both a function of fiction and film and as a multifaceted mode of literary and cinematic analysis that gives precedence to space and place—opens up ways of grasping and gaining insight into “the palpable flux and fluidity of metropolitan life and cosmopolitan movement” to which Iain Chambers (1994) has referred. In literature and film, a Tokyo that may be unrepresented and unrepresentable on public maps, to borrow Jordan Sand’s (2013) phrasing, is given expression (in other words, mapped) through words and cinematic imagery—especially in the depictions of encounters between characters that shape understandings of Tokyo. An overview of such encounters is followed by reflections on the transnational circulation of Tokyo fiction and film within the context of discussions relating to world literature and world film.
The Conditions That Promote or Discourage Physical Punishment as Described by Taiwanese and Taiwanese American Mothers

Physical punishment and the conditions that promote and discourage its use were explored in a sample of Taiwan-born mothers living in Taiwan (n = 19) and the United States (n = 15), and U.S.-born T...
Silanized Liquid-Metal Nanoparticles for Responsive Electronics

Room-temperature liquid-metal particles are a burgeoning material platform for stimuli-responsive electronics, self-healing circuitry, stretchable/flexible conductors, drug delivery, and wearable d...
A Retrospective Look at Retrospective Transmit Beamforming

The advent of software-based ultrasound systems has enabled a new beamforming paradigm known as Retrospective Transmit Beamforming (RTB) ‐‐ a major advance in clinical ultrasound imaging. RTB achieves two-way focus everywhere in the image without need for multiple transmit focal zones, yielding triple breakthroughs in image quality, frame rate and ease-of-use. In this review paper, the RTB innovation is traced back to three different analytical approaches: 1) Synthetic focusing; 2) Spatial filtering; and 3) Fast echo acquisition. For each approach, the essential concepts and motivation are described with reference to key publications.
Deep-Learning-Based Estimation of 3D Optic-Nerve-Head Shape from 2D Color Fundus Photographs in Cases of Optic Disc Swelling

In cases of optic disc swelling, volumetric measurements and shape features are promising to evaluate the severity of the swelling and to differentiate the cause. However, previous studies have mostly focused on the use of volumetric spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), which is not always available in non-ophthalmic clinics and telemedical settings. In this work, we propose the use of a deep-learning-based approach (more specifically, an adaptation of a feature pyramid network, FPN) to obtain total-retinal-thickness (TRT) maps (as would normally be obtained from OCT) from more readily available 2D color fundus photographs. From only these thickness maps, we are able to compute both volumetric measures of swelling for quantification of the location/degree of swelling and 3D statistical shape measures for quantification of optic-nerve-head morphology. Evaluating our proposed approach (using nine-fold cross validation) on 102 paired color fundus photographs and OCT images (with the OCT acting as the ground truth) from subjects with various levels of optic disc swelling, we achieved significantly smaller errors and significantly larger linear correlations of both the volumetric measures and shape measures than that which would be obtained using a U-Net approach. The proposed method has great potential to make 3D ONH shape analysis possible even in situations where only color fundus photographs are available; these 3D shape measures can also be beneficial to help differentiate causes of optic disc swelling.
JTE-952 Suppresses Bone Destruction in Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Mice by Inhibiting Colony Stimulating Factor 1 Receptor.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation and structural destruction of the joints. Bone damage occurs in an early stage after onset and osteoclast activation plays a substantial role in its progression. Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) is a receptor protein tyrosine kinase specifically expressed in monocytic-lineage cells such as macrophages and osteoclasts. Here, we investigated the effect of JTE-952, a novel CSF1R tyrosine kinase inhibitor, on osteoclast formation in vitro and on bone destruction in a mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis. JTE-952 completely inhibited osteoclast differentiation from human monocytes, with an IC50 of 2.8 nmol/L, and reduced osteoclast formation from the synovial cells of RA patients. Detectable levels of colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1), a ligand of CSF1R, were observed in the synovial tissues of the arthritis model, similar to those observed in the pathology of human RA. JTE-952 significantly suppressed increases in the bone destruction score, the number of tartrate-resistant-acid-phosphatase-positive cells, and the severity of arthritis in the model mice. We also examined the efficacy of JTE-952 combined with methotrexate. This combination therapy more effectively reduced the severity of bone destruction and arthritis than monotherapy with either agent alone. In summary, JTE-952 potently inhibited human osteoclast formation in vitro and suppressed bone destruction in an experimental arthritis model, especially when combined with methotrexate. These results indicate that JTE-952 should strongly inhibit bone destruction and joint inflammation in RA patients and effectively prevent the progression of the structural destruction of joints.
MFST: A Python OpenFST Wrapper With Support for Custom Semirings and Jupyter Notebooks

This paper introduces mFST, a new Python library for working with Finite-State Machines based on OpenFST. mFST is a thin wrapper for OpenFST and exposes all of OpenFST's methods for manipulating FSTs. Additionally, mFST is the only Python wrapper for OpenFST that exposes OpenFST's ability to define a custom semirings. This makes mFST ideal for developing models that involve learning the weights on a FST or creating neuralized FSTs. mFST has been designed to be easy to get started with and has been previously used in homework assignments for a NLP class as well in projects for integrating FSTs and neural networks. In this paper, we exhibit mFST API and how to use mFST to build a simple neuralized FST with PyTorch.
Divergence-free Interpolation of Vector Fields From Point Values - Exact divB=0 in Numerical Simulations

In astrophysical magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and electrodynamics simulations, numerically enforcing the divB=0 constraint on the magnetic field has been difficult. We observe that for point-based discretization, as used in finite-difference type and pseudo-spectral methods, the divB=0 constraint can be satisfied entirely by a choice of interpolation used to define the derivatives of B. As an example we demonstrate a new class of finite-difference type derivative operators on a regular grid which has the divB=0 property. This principle clarifies the nature of divB != 0 errors. The principles and techniques demonstrated in this paper are particularly useful for the magnetic field, but can be applied to any vector field. This paper serves as a brief introduction to the method and demonstrates an implementation showing convergence.
Biological networks across scales.

Many biological systems across scales of size and complexity exhibit a time-varying complex network structure that emerges and self-organizes as a result of interactions with the environment. Network interactions optimize some intrinsic cost functions that are unknown and involve for example energy efficiency, robustness, resilience, and frailty. A wide range of networks exist in biology, from gene regulatory networks important for organismal development, protein interaction networks that govern physiology and metabolism, and neural networks that store and convey information to networks of microbes that form microbiomes within hosts, animal contact networks that underlie social systems, and networks of populations on the landscape connected by migration. Increasing availability of extensive (big) data is amplifying our ability to quantify biological networks. Similarly, theoretical methods that describe network structure and dynamics are being developed. Beyond static networks representing snapshots of biological systems, collections of longitudinal data series can help either at defining and characterizing network dynamics over time or analyzing the dynamics constrained to networked architectures. Moreover, due to interactions with the environment and other biological systems, a biological network may not be fully observable. Also, subnetworks may emerge and disappear as a result of the need for the biological system to cope with for example invaders or new information flows. The confluence of these developments renders tractable the question of how the structure of biological networks predicts and controls network dynamics. In particular, there may be structural features that result in homeostatic networks with specific higher-order statistics (e.g., multifractal spectrum), which maintain stability over time through robustness and/or resilience to perturbation. Alternative, plastic networks may respond to perturbation by (adaptive to catastrophic) shifts in structure. Here, we explore the opportunity for discovering universal laws connecting the structure of biological networks with their function, positioning them on the spectrum of time-evolving network structure, i.e. dynamics of networks, from highly stable to exquisitely sensitive to perturbation. If such general laws exist, they could transform our ability to predict the response of biological systems to perturbations-an increasingly urgent priority in the face of anthropogenic changes to the environment that affect life across the gamut of organizational scales.
Intranodal Sirolimus Induces Regulatory T Cells in Human Hepatic Lymph Nodes via Interleukin 10 Signaling.

Many transplant recipients die with functional transplant grafts. Immune-related morbidity and mortality due to conventional systemic immunosuppression continue being the major barrier against long-term success of solid organ transplantation including liver transplantation (LT). Targeted immunotherapy is urgently needed.
Anti-black prejudice in Asian American public opinion

Despite the growing size and political relevance of the Asian American population, existing research provides limited insight into how anti-Black prejudice shapes Asian American public opinion. Usi...
Solutions of the transmission line equations modified to include excitation by, and reradiation of, electromagnetic fields

We have previously derived a new description of the interaction of an electromagnetic wave with a two wire transmission line from Maxwell's equations (1998). This description includes the terms which allow the transmission line to reradiate energy. We show that these equations contain the classical transmission line resonance conditions. We also show that the equations are equivalent to a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. We have developed a computer code that solves this integral equation. Preliminary results are presented.
Credit, excess liquidity and monetary policy issues in Guyana

Guyana, since 1988, has undertaken a programme of economic and financial sector reform. Economic policy has been reoriented with excessive intervention by the state being replaced by market mechanism. Financial reform has been a key component of the overall scheme of macroeconomic and structural reform program, consisting ofthe removal of restrictions on interest rates, credit andforeign exchange transactions; use of indirect instruments of monetary policy; improving the stability and soundness of the financial institutions; and strengthening the institutional capacity in the financial sector to boost financial savings and to reduce public sector crowding out of the private sector in the credit market (Das and Ganga, 1997). This paper seeks to assess the impact of the financial reform (liberalisation) on credit markets in Guyana. The organisation of the paper is as follows: Section 2 provides an overview of developments in domestic credit markets in Guyana in the decade prior to the adoption of structural adjustment programme in 1988. Section 3 outlines the main policies of financial reform. Section 4 discusses the impact of financial liberalisation on savings mobilisation, credit and excess liquidity. Section 5 discusses the monetary policy implications arising from excess liquidity. Section 6 provides some concluding remarks. The author is the Director of Research, Bank of Guyana.
Neonatal seizures: A complex phenotype representing past, present and future risks for brain injury

Current advances in clinical and translational research bring into sharper focus the importance of epidemiologic, neurobiologic and pathophysiologic factors that contribute to neonatal seizure occurrence, and potential consequences for subsequent neurologic deficits. Diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms must integrate prenatal, peripartum and postnatal contributions to neonatal seizures with or without the expression of neonatal encephalopathy. Neonatal seizure classifications must consider time-dependent vulnerabilities to injury from different etiologies in specific brain regions as a function of gestational maturity. The design of therapeutic protocols for neuroprotection must consequently consider both prenatal and postnatal strategies for prevention as well as rescue and repair. Neonatal neurointensive care programs need to integrate these protocols into the care paths of preterm and/or full-term neonates who express neonatal seizures in the context of acute and/or chronic brain disorders. A newborn with seizures represents a complex phenotype of past, present and future risks for brain injury.
Examining the Internal Structure of the Test of English‐for‐Teaching (TEFT™)

ELTeach is an online professional development program developed by Educational Testing Service (ETS) in collaboration with National Geographic Learning. The ELTeach program consists of two courses: English-for-Teaching and Professional Knowledge for English Language Teaching (ELT). Each course includes a coordinated assessment leading to a score report and certificate for teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL). The Test of English-for-Teaching (TEFT™), the assessment component of the English-for-Teaching course, measures EFL teachers' command of English for teaching English in classroom settings, as presented in the course. In this study, we examined the internal structure of the TEFT assessment. Results of the analyses demonstrated the role of both skill and content in representing the test's internal structure. The final parcel model had a higher-order general factor and four first-order factors corresponding to reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The findings support the current score reporting practice, that is, to report a total scaled score along with score information on language skills and on language use in specific content areas.
Performance Test Results for a 25 K Sorption Cryocooler Designed for the UCSB Long Duration Balloon Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation Experiment

A continuous operation, vibration-free, long-life 25 K sorption cryocooler has been built and is now in final integration and performance testing. This cooler will be flown on the University of California at Santa Barbara Long Duration Balloon Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation experiment in Antarctica in December 1997. The cooler will refrigerate a focal plane composed of eight microwave feed horns, two working at 30 GHz and six at 42 GHz, with InP High Electron Mobility Transistor amplifiers. This will be the first hydride sorption cooler used to support an astrophysics experiment. As such, it is an important milestone in the development of vibration-free coolers for astrophysics applications.
Mercury Accumulation in Transplanted Hypogymnia Physodes Lichens Downwind of Wisconsin Chlor-Alkali Plant

Emissions of mercury from a chlor-alkali plant in central Wisconsin have raised concern about possible effects on biota in the area. Samples of the lichen Hypogymnia physodes, which no longer grows in the area, were transplanted from a site in northeastern Wisconsin and positioned on plastic stands at varying distances up to 1250 m from the plant and sampled for Hg quarterly for one year to test the hypothesis that Hg would be taken up by the lichens and would decline with distance. Average tissue concentrations were elevated when first sampled at three months and continued to increase at the nearest sites until the study ended after one year. Average concentrations after a year of exposure ranged from 4418 ppb at 250 m from the plant to 403 ppb at 1250 m from the plant. The decrease over distance followed a negative exponential pattern. Background concentrations at a control site in northern Wisconsin averaged 155 ppb.
Radiation Resistance and Loss of Crystal Violet Binding Activity in Yersinia enterocolitica Suspended in Raw Ground Pork Exposed to Gamma Radiation and Modified Atmosphere

UNLABELLED Virulence of many foodborne pathogens is directly linked to genes carried on self-replicating extra-chromosomal elements, which can transfer genetic material, both vertically and horizontally, between bacteria of the same and different species. Pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica harbors a 70-kb virulence plasmid (pYV) that encodes genes for low calcium response, crystal violet (CV) binding, Congo red uptake, autoagglutination (AA), hydrophobicity (HP), type III secretion channels, host immune suppression factors, and biofilm formation. Ionizing radiation and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) are used to control foodborne pathogens and meat spoilage. In this study, the effect of gamma radiation and modified atmosphere (air, 100% N2 , 75% N2 : 25% CO2 , 50% N2 : 50% CO2 , 25% N2 : 75% CO2 , 100% CO2 ) were examined by using the CV binding phenotype, for the presence or absence of pYV in Y. enterocolitica, suspended in raw ground pork. All Y. enterocolitica serovars used (O:3, O:8, and O5,27) were more sensitive to radiation as the CO2 concentration increased above 50%. Crystal violet binding following a radiation dose of 1.0 kGy, which reduced the Y. enterocolitica serovars >5 log, was greatest in the presence of air (ca. 8%), but was not affected by N2 or CO2 concentration (ca. 5%). Following release from modified atmosphere after irradiation, the loss of CV binding rose from 5% to 8% immediately following irradiation to >30% after outgrowth at 25 °C for 24 h. These results, using Y. enterocolitica as a model system, indicate that the risk of foodborne illness could be affected by the loss of virulence factors when postprocess intervention technologies are used. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Provides gamma radiation D10 data for inactivation data for Y. enterocolitica irradiated under modified atmosphere and information to risk assessors regarding the difference between pathogen presence versus actual virulence.
A Minimalist Theory of Truth

This article, after briefly discussing Alfred Tarski's influential theory of truth, turns to a more recent theory of truth, a deflationary, or minimalist, theory. One of the chief elements of a deflationary, or minimalist, theory of truth is that it replaces the question of what truth is with the question of what “true” does. After setting out the central features of the minimalist theory of truth, the article explains the motivation for opting for such a position. In addition, it provides some reasons for thinking that such a theory of truth is “minimal” or “deflationary” in the way that contemporary truth theorists have claimed it to be.
Phyllophaga and Related Species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Collected in Black-light Traps in Alabama Pastures

This study reports the occurrence of the adults of Phyllophaga spp. and other major scarab species in three different geographic regions of Alabama. Thirty-three species of Phyllophaga were found d...
Solar energy meter

An instrument was developed to continually integrate the energy available in incident light on a specifically oriented surface. The unit was designed for outdoor use in remote locations and is capable of operation over a temperature range of -20 to +60 C with good accuracy. The unit is weather resistant, requires low power, has a high input impedance, is inexpensive, and has a visual readout and an analog output for recording.
Co‐Constructing Representations of Culture in ESL and EFL Classrooms: Discursive Faultlines in Chile and California

Based on qualitative research conducted in 3 university English as a foreign language classrooms in Chile and 3 community college English as a second language classrooms in California, this article examines the approaches used in teaching culture in these classrooms, the differences in how particular cultures (usually national cultures) were represented depending on teaching context, the processes by which these representations of culture were co-constructed by teachers and students, and the extent to which the observed cultural pedagogies seemed to cultivate interculturality. In particular, this article focuses on discursive faultlines ( Kramsch, 1993 ), areas of cultural difference or misunderstanding that became manifest in classroom talk. Although teaching culture was not the primary goal in any of these classes, the teachers generally provided space for students to problematize cultural issues; however, this problematization did not necessarily lead to interculturality. The article concludes with implications for cultural pedagogies based on the observed interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Phenotype-Driven Plasma Biobanking Strategies and Methods.

Biobank development and integration with clinical data from electronic medical record (EMR) databases have enabled recent strides in genomic research and personalized medicine. BioVU, Vanderbilt’s DNA biorepository linked to de-identified clinical EMRs, has proven fruitful in its capacity to extensively appeal to numerous areas of biomedical and clinical research, supporting the discovery of genotype-phenotype interactions. Expanding on experiences in BioVU creation and development, we have recently embarked on a parallel effort to collect plasma in addition to DNA from blood specimens leftover after routine clinical testing at Vanderbilt. This initiative offers expanded utility of BioVU by combining proteomic and metabolomic approaches with genomics and/or clinical outcomes, widening the breadth for potential research and subsequent future impact on clinical care. Here, we describe the considerations and components involved in implementing a plasma biobank program from a feasibility assessment through pilot sample collection.
A Vertex Translation Algorithm for Adaptive Modification of STL File in Layered Manufacturing

Rapid Prototyping (RP)/Layered Manufacturing (LM) machines typically use a Stereolithography (STL) file as a basis to manufacture parts. However, the conversion of the part CAD file to STL results in the distortion of the part geometry, particularly if the part consists of freeform curved surfaces. Existing algorithms and software tend to reduce this distortion globally, which increases the size and memory requirements of the STL file. This paper presents a new approach for reducing the CAD to STL translation error locally, using chordal error as the criteria. The algorithm presented here compares the STL file to the design surface of the part, expressed as a NURBS surface, and computes the chordal error for multiple points on the STL facets. The point within each STL facet having the largest chordal error is modified to coincide with its corresponding point on the design surface. This replaces the original facet of the STL file with three new facets with significantly lower chordal error than that of the original facet. This Vertex Translation Algorithm (VTA), reduces the chordal error in areas with high curvature and areas having tighter profile tolerance specifications and provides the user the flexibility to selectively modify the STL file according to the tolerance requirements. The algorithm has been validated with the help of a test case.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Rational approximations in the parabolic equation method for water waves

Abstract Approximations based on minimax principles are developed in order to allow for large-angle propagation in the parabolic equation method. Numerical studies show that the minimax approximations do not cause any significant degradation of accuracy at small angles of incidence when compared with an existing model based on a (1,1) Pade approximant, and that they allow for much more successful treatment of large angles of incidence than is possible using the previously available methods.
Diffusion of Ions in Some Simple Glasses

An investigation of the diffusion of ions in several glasses was made using radioactive tracer techniques. The resulting diffusion curves were analyzed to obtain the thermodynamic properties of the diffusion process. These properties are indicative of energy and structure changes in the glass networks. Interpretations of the results are advanced.
The Star’s first draft: a news organization revises the next narrative of race in post‐apartheid South Africa

The evolution of South Africa’s news media has been fraught with uncertainties as the nation’s news organizations negotiate organizational and occupational ideologies and reporting strategies in the post‐apartheid era. The mainstream English press in particular has been struggling for a sense of identity despite a history of anti‐apartheid ‘watchdog’ activity. This essay examines a major Johannesburg English newspaper and its principal rival from 1999 to 2005, the critical years just before and just after a showdown with the larger society over charges of racism in the news. It shows how organizational cultures of newspapers and their ideological schemata may be affected both by transformations in the political systems and by the unfolding of major news events, such as the government’s reaction to the AIDS pandemic.
Magnetic resonance image-guided biopsy and aspiration.

Summary:Recent advances in magnet design and magnetic resonance (MR) system technology coupled with the development of fast gradient-echo pulse sequences have contributed to the increasing interest in interventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic imag
Correction of derivative band shapes in measurements with thin layer infrared spectroelectrochemical cells

Infrared spectra of molecules at monolayer coverages on transition metal electrodes have derivative band shapes under certain experimental conditions. This report describes a curve fitting procedure that allows the recovery of Lorentzian lineshape functions. The method is applied to correct spectra of CO adsorbed on platinum in acetonitrile solutions and is designed for use when an adsorbate-free background spectrum is difficult to record.
On the Three Threshold Policy in the Multi-Server Queueing System with Vacations

In this paper, we study an M/M/c queue with a three threshold vacation policy denoted by (e, d, N). With such a policy, the servers keep serving the customers until the number of idle servers reaches d and then e of d servers start taking a vacation together. These e servers keep taking vacations until the number of customers in the system is at least N at a vacation completion instant, then the e servers return to serve the queue again. Using the matrix analytic method, we obtain the stationary performance measures and prove the conditional stochastic decomposition properties for the waiting time and queue length. This model is a generalization of previous multi-server vacation models and offers a useful performance evaluation and system design tool in multi-task server queueing systems.
Self-Calibration And Analysis Of Image Formation In The Sub-Nanosecond Domain

The development of large high powered laser systems for fusion research has placed new demands on the diagnostic analysis of laser beams. Such lasers often require specific and sophisticated analysis of both the temporal and spatial beam profiles at several stages throughout the chain. Both the volume of the diagnostic data and the sophistication of the analysis require that a high speed digital computer be used to perform this analysis. A computer code named PHOTOCAL has been written and is currently being used at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory to calibrate and analyse both the temporal and spatial profiles of sub-nanosecond laser pulses. In this report a description of the code will be given.© (1975) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Changes in biomechanical environment of cardiac cells in chick embryos after cardiac outflow tract banding

Embryonic cardiac cells are constantly exposed to biomechanical environments including cyclic stretch and wall shear stress (WSS), which regulate behaviors of cardiac cells, critical to heart development and function [1]. Disturbances in biomechanical environment may contribute to the heart defects that affect 1% of newborns each year in US. However, changes in the biomechanical signals that affect heart development remain undescribed, partly due to a lack of methodology to quantify the biomechanical environment in the embryonic heart.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
1295 EFFECTIVENESS OF VITAMIN E (E) ADMINISTRATION DURING RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME (RDS) IN PREVENTING RETROLENTAL FIBROPLASIA (RLF)

1295 EFFECTIVENESS OF VITAMIN E (E) ADMINISTRATION DURING RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME (RDS) IN PREVENTING RETROLENTAL FIBROPLASIA (RLF)
Balloon dilatation of the arterial duct in congenital heart disease.

Abstract The systemic circulation of newborn infants with congenital left-heart obstruction is supplied from the right ventricle via a patent arterial duct between the pulmonary artery and descending aorta. The duct closes during the first few days of life, but infusion of prostaglandin E 2 can prevent closure in some cases. We report four newborn infants (aged 3-8 days) with intractable heart failure due to severe obstruction of the left heart in the presence of a closing arterial duct. Infusion of prostaglandin E 2 did not improve their clinical condition. Cardiac catheterisaton and balloon dilatation of their arterial ducts resulted in a dramatic improvement in the babies' clinical condition; during subsequent surgical repair of the infants' hearts, the arterial ducts were found to be widely patent. Balloon dilatation gives immediate and sustained wide patency of the arterial duct in infants who do not respond adequately to prostaglandin E 2 .
NF-κB Hyperactivation in Tumor Tissues Allows Tumor-Selective Reprogramming of the Chemokine Microenvironment to Enhance the Recruitment of Cytolytic T Effector Cells

Tumor infiltration with effector CD8(+) T cells (T(eff)) predicts longer recurrence-free survival in many types of human cancer, illustrating the broad significance of T(eff) for effective immunosurveillance. Colorectal tumors with reduced accumulation of T(eff) express low levels of T(eff)-attracting chemokines such as CXCL10/IP10 and CCL5/RANTES. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of enhancing tumor production of T(eff)-attracting chemokines as a cancer therapeutic strategy using a tissue explant culture system to analyze chemokine induction in intact tumor tissues. In different tumor explants, we observed highly heterogeneous responses to IFNα or poly-I:C (a TLR3 ligand) when they were applied individually. In contrast, a combination of IFNα and poly-I:C uniformly enhanced the production of CXCL10 and CCL5 in all tumor lesions. Moreover, these effects could be optimized by the further addition of COX inhibitors. Applying this triple combination also uniformly suppressed the production of CCL22/MDC, a chemokine associated with infiltration of T regulatory cells (T(reg)). The T(eff)-enhancing effects of this treatment occurred selectively in tumor tissues, as compared with tissues derived from tumor margins. These effects relied on the increased propensity of tumor-associated cells (mostly fibroblasts and infiltrating inflammatory cells) to hyperactivate NF-κB and produce T(eff)-attracting chemokines in response to treatment, resulting in an enhanced ability of the treated tumors to attract T(eff) cells and reduced ability to attract T(reg) cells. Together, our findings suggest the feasibility of exploiting NF-κB hyperactivation in the tumor microenvironment to selectively enhance T(eff) entry into colon tumors.
State smoothing and filtering using a constant memory for dynamic systems with nonlinear interference and missing observations

Abstract Time-varying finite state models and interpolating functions are used to estimate the states of nonlinear discrete dynamic models with nonlinear interference and missing observations. State estimation is carried out in blocks so that its implementation requires a constant memory.
Modeling very large scale systems: building complex models with LEGOs (Listener Event Graph Objects)

Event Graphs are a simple and elegant language-independent way of representing a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model. In this paper we propose an extension to basic Event Graphs that enables small models to be encapsulated in reusable modules called Listener Event Graph Objects (LEGOs). These modules are linked together using a design pattern from Object Oriented Programming called the "listener pattern" to produce new modules of even greater complexity. The modules generated in this way can themselves be linked and encapsulated, forming a hierarchical design which is highly scalable. These concepts have been implemented in Simkit, a freely available simulation package implemented in Java.
Beyond Bipolar: A Three-Dimensional Assessment of Monetary Frameworks

Recently, great attention has been focused on the impact of exchange rate regimes, just as previous empirical research examined central bank autonomy and announced targets for domestic monetary policy. To date, however, these three elements of monetary frameworks have been assessed in isolation from one another, and all have been viewed in terms of a unidimensional spectrum of fixity versus flexibility. Using a newly-constructed dataset, this paper jointly analyzes and compares all three elements' effects on inflation and exchange rate behavior. The results show that each of the three elements has independent and distinct effects on nominal outcomes. Key findings include: (1) although hard pegs do tend to reduce inflation and attenuate exchange rate fluctuations within some range, they are clearly characterized by large devaluations; (2) central bank autonomy is associated with a more stable exchange rate and lower inflation; and (3) explicit inflation targeting reduces both inflation and its persistence, consistent with the view that inflation targeting increases flexibility through transparency. These results raise the possibility that a combination of central bank autonomy, inflation targeting, and a free float might offer the same benefits as any intermediate exchange rate regime on its own, without the proclivity to occasional large depreciations.
A high-Strehl low-resolution optical imager (BESSEL): a measurement of the inner scale of turbulence

We have constructed a high-speed image stabilization system, BESSEL, that is capable of performing wavefront correction at a rate exceeding 1 kHz. BESSEL achieved on-sky Strehl ratios of 98-99% at 800 nm as we approached the inner scale of atmospheric turbulence when the refractor telescope aperture was stopped down to 25.4 mm (~r 0 /2). This is better than expected from Kolmogorov theory, indicating that at D ~r 0 /2 we are within the inner scale of turbulence. Utilizing high Strehls and the technique of roll subtraction enabled BESSEL to resolve the binary, ADS 10418AB, with separation of only 0.71 λ/D and a delta magnitude of ~3 mags at 800 nm. BESSEL's capability to produce high Strehls ratios means that the instrument can be used to test the performance of interference/phase coronagraphs on-sky for the first time. Integrated with an optical vortex coronagraph, BESSEL is capable of nulling the first airy ring of Betelgeuse by more then a factor of ten.
An architecture for logistics replanning

Abstract With the increasing pressures imposed by budget constraints many organizations, governmental and private alike, are trying to build distributed architectures that connect existing systems and use their results. In this paper we describe the development of a replanning system that uses the ideas of agency theory in a distributed environment. We assume that the initial plan is generated by an existing planner. The replanner will react to plan changes that are required by user input, discovery of new goals, parameter changes or other causes. The architecutre developed in this paper is a flexible, modular decentralized one that can meet the changing needs of a distributed planning system. Transporation and redistribution problems associated with the ship cargo configurations exemplify the replanning concepts.
The role of anoxia in organic matter preservation in coastal sediments: relative stabilities of the major biochemicals under oxic and anoxic depositional conditions

Abstract Sediment trap and core samples from two coastal environments, Dabob Bay (Washington State) and Saanich Inlet (British Columbia), which differ primarily in terms of bottom-water O2 concentrations, were analysed for organic carbon, total nitrogen, amino acids, neutral sugars and lignin phenols. Comparison of these sites provides a test of the effects of anoxia on the preservation of sediment organic matter (OM). Biochemical compositions indicate lower concentrations of terrigenous OM in Saanich Inlet than in Dabob Bay. The benthic interface is an important site of diagenesis in both cases, with similar patterns of selective degradation. Although absolute reactivities at the benthic interface are consistently higher in Dabob Bay (oxic) than in Saanlich Inlet (anoxic), burial efficiencies for all measured OM components are indistinguisable under the two different regimes. Collectively, these results indicate that O2 availability ultimately has little or no independent effect on OM preservation in these environments.
The medicalization of dying: a positive turn on a new path.

The science and technology of Western medicine in the twentieth century have expanded physician power to control the quality and timing of dying. Medicalization of dying is the result: a view of death and dying circumscribed by medical values, rules, accepted practices, and the controlling role of the physician. The new path represents a more holistic orientation in medical care of the dying.
BRG1 contains a conserved domain of the SWI2/SNF2 family necessary for normal mitotic growth and transcription

SEQUENCE-SPECIFIC DNA binding activators of gene transcription may be assisted by SWI2(SNF2)1,2, which contains a DNA-depen-dent ATPase domain3. We have isolated a human complementary DNA encoding a 205K nuclear protein, BRG1, that contains extensive homology to SWI2 and Drosophila brahma4,5. We report here that a SWI2/BRG1 chimaera with the DNA-dependent ATPase domain replaced by corresponding human sequence restored normal mitotic growth and capacity for transcriptional activation to swi2& minus; yeast cells. Point mutation of the conserved ATP binding site lysine abolished this complementation. This mutation in SW12 exerted a dominant negative effect on transcription in yeast. A lysine to arginine substitution at the corresponding residue of BRG1 also generated a transcriptional dominant negative in human cells. BRG1 is exclusively nuclear and present in a high Mr complex of about 2 & times; 106. These results show that the SWI2 family DNA-dependent ATPase domain has functional con-servation between yeast and humans and suggest that a SWI/SNF protein complex is required for the activation of selective mammalian genes.
The nitro-aldol reaction of α-ketoaldehydes with nitroalkanes yields α-diketones

Abstract The reaction of α-ketoaldehydes with nitroalkanes at pH 9 yields nitro-aldols, which eliminate nitrite to form α-diketones.
Effect of Periodic Feeding of Thyroprotein on Milk Yield and Fat Test of Holstein Cows

Abstract Thyroprotein was fed to two groups of cows at 1 g/45 kg body weight per day. One group of cows and first-calf heifers received thyroprotein for 5 days each month, and a second group of first-calf heifers received thyroprotein 10 days eash month for 9 mo. Milk yield was increased by .2 kg/day during the 5 days of thyroprotein feeding each month in comparison to the 5 days pretreatment whereas cows not receiving the hormone had an average daily decrease of .33 kg. The highest average daily increase in milk yield occurred during 5 days starting on the 4th day of hormone feeding and continuing through 3 days after its withdrawal and amounted to an increase of .79 kg in comparison to the 5 days pretreatment. The average daily increase in milk production of first-calf heifers fed thyroprotein for 10 days each month for the period starting on the 4th day of thyroprotein feeding and continuing for 3 days after its withdrawal was 1.06 kg in comparison to the 5 days pretreatment. Milk fat tests increased on the 3rd post-treatment day when the hormone was fed for 5 days and on treatment day 8 when it was fed for 10 days. Rectal temperatures of heifers receiving thyroprotein for 10 day of its feeding in comparison to pretreatment values. No significant changes in rectal temperature occurred in cows and heifers fed thyroprotein for 5 days.
The effect of interface dispersion on noise and hysteresis in permanent magnet stabilized MR elements

Noise and hysteresis in permanent magnet stabilized magnetoresistive elements are studied via a 3D micromagnetic simulation. The response of the element to a uniform external field is examined and is found to be very sensitive to the magnetics of the overlap region between the hard and soft magnet materials. Simulation results indicate that proper initialization of the permanent magnet material during film deposition would greatly improve the stability of these devices.
The Crisis of Globalization as an Opportunity to Create a Fairer World

Abstract After having reviewed trends leading to greater international inequality, this article argues for a more stable international financial system allowing developing countries greater participation in international trade combined with full exploitation of their development potential. As emerging economies tap deeper into global supply chains, outsourcing of jobs will influence employment and there is need for a more transparent, coherent and balanced framework at the global level. Also a more balanced pattern of domestic demand will only be achieved with rising wages rather than through increased debt levels. Economies need continuously to increase their skill and knowledge base in order to successfully integrate themselves into the global production process. Active labour market policies (including skill development) should be strengthened to better prepare workers for the future job market. When temporary dislocation of workers cannot be avoided, appropriate social protection measures provide work...
Na+, K+-activated-ATPase inhibition in rainbow trout: A site for organochlorine pesticide toxicity?

Abstract 1. 1. The Na+, K+-activated, Mg2+-dependent-ATPase enzyme system in a heavy microsomal fraction of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) brain was inhibited in vitro by chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides. 2. 2. T50 (concentration at 50 per cent inhibition) values for dicofol, endosulfan and DDT were 5 × 10 −6 , 3 × 10 −5 and 1 × 10 −4 M respectively. Similar inhibition by these pesticides occurred in kidney and gill ATPase preparations. 3. 3. An unexpected finding was a failure of the classic inhibitor, ouabain, to block the Na+, K+-activated component of ATPase activity in the gill. 4. 4. It is suggested that inhibition of ATPase activity may be a causal factor in the toxic effects of organochlorine pesticides in fishes.
An atmospheric rotation period of Neptune determined from methane-band imaging

Discrete atmospheric cloud features are noted in 8900-A methane band filter observations of Neptune, yielding a rotation period of 17.86 + or - 0.02 hr on the basis of the two transits observed for a southern hemisphere bright feature during May and June, 1986. This period is in keeping with previous cloud motion observations. The images obtained also indicate that bright northern hemisphere features observed as recently as 1983 have disappeared, thereby substantially changing the overall distribution of the light reflected from the planetary disk.
Effects of crosslinking agent, cure temperature, and UV flux on the electro‐optical properties of polymer‐dispersed liquid crystal cells

We present results for the effects of a crosslinking agent, cure temperature, and UV flux on the electro-optical properties of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) cells. These cells were fabricated using a mixture of a liquid crystal (E8) and an acrylic monomer (CN135). The maximum in the first derivative of the transmission vs. applied, sinusoidal voltage (inflection voltage, Vinf), varies systematically with PDLC formulation and cure-process conditions. For PDLC cells fabricated with a crosslinking agent (SR295), Vinf increases with increasing the concentration of SR295. However, for cells fabricated without the use of a crosslinking agent, Vinf decreases with increasing the UV flux and decreasing temperature. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 404–410, 2004