cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of abrasive waterjet cutting conditions on the surface quality of graphite/epoxy laminates

Abstract An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the influence of cutting parameters on the surface roughness and kerf taper of an abrasive waterjet machined graphite/epoxy laminate. Experimental design was used to systematically measure the influence of cutting parameters on the surface roughness and kerf taper of laminate specimens. Stylus prolifometry was used to measure the surface roughness and a visual inspection including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was conducted. Profilometry measurements supplemented with microscopy analysis suggests that three regions of surface topography are evident on the machined surface of the laminate specimens. ANOVA techniques indicate that the influence of cutting parameters on the surface roughness changes as a function of cutting depth. Mathematical models were developed to predict the surface roughness and kerf taper in terms of the cutting parameters of a graphite/epoxy laminate to cutting depths of 16 mm.
Circular tomosynthesis for neuro perfusion imaging on an interventional C-arm

There is a clinical need to improve cerebral perfusion assessment during the treatment of ischemic stroke in the interventional suite. The clinician is able to determine whether the arterial blockage was successfully opened but is unable to sufficiently assess blood flow through the parenchyma. C-arm spin acquisitions can image the cerebral blood volume (CBV) but are challenged to capture the temporal dynamics of the iodinated contrast bolus, which is required to derive, e.g., cerebral blood flow (CBF) and mean transit time (MTT). Here we propose to utilize a circular tomosynthesis acquisition on the C-arm to achieve the necessary temporal sampling of the volume at the cost of incomplete data. We address the incomplete data problem by using tools from compressed sensing and incorporate temporal interpolation to improve our temporal resolution. A CT neuro perfusion data set is utilized for generating a dynamic (4D) volumetric model from which simulated tomo projections are generated. The 4D model is also used as a ground truth reference for performance evaluation. The performance that may be achieved with the tomo acquisition and 4D reconstruction (under simulation conditions, i.e., without considering data fidelity limitations due to imaging physics and imaging chain) is evaluated. In the considered scenario, good agreement between the ground truth and the tomo reconstruction in the parenchyma was achieved.
The Anomalous Electrophoretic Behavior of the Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E7 Protein Is Due to the High Content of Acidic Amino Acid Residues

In the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and 2-mercaptoethanol, the human papillomavirus 16 E7 protein migrates as a 17 kD protein during polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, the theoretical molecular mass of this protein is approximately 11 kD. Substitution of 2 basic amino acids for 2 acidic residues in the amino terminus of the protein restored normal electrophoretic mobility. Furthermore, neutralization of negative charge through chemical modification of the wild type protein normalized migration. These results indicate that the substantial net negative charge of the wild type E7 protein is responsible for its anomalous electrophoretic behavior.
Fast wideband spectrum scanning for multi-channel cognitive radio systems

This paper considers how to scan a wideband spectrum for a multi-channel cognitive radio system with small delay and small error probabilities. Two scenarios are particularly investigated. In the first scenario, the spectrum scanning needs to be complete within a certain period of time, which we call the finite-horizon case. In the second scenario, the spectrum scanning continues until the completion of the detection process, which we call the infinite-horizon case. In both scenarios, spectrum scanning algorithms are developed to minimize a cost function, which strikes a desirable tradeoff between detection error probabilities and the detection delay. In the finite-horizon case, the optimal algorithm requires large look-up tables and frequent update of posterior probabilities, thus incurring a prohibitively high implementation complexity. In the infinite-horizon case, the optimal algorithm is nothing but a concatenated sequential probability ratio test (C-SPRT). The truncated C-SPRT is proposed as a reduced complexity scanning algorithm for the finite-horizon case. Several truncation methods are proposed and investigated. Simulation examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Combustion phasing of residual-effected homogeneous charge compression ignition

AbstractResidual-effected homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is defined as an approach which relies on the reintroduction of combustion products to achieve both the required dilution and sensible energy rise to enable compression ignition. While convenient, this strategy introduces a coupling between the initial charge temperature and composition which is unique to this approach. Increasing the residual fraction tends to increase the initial charge temperature while simultaneously lowering reactant (fuel-air) concentrations. While intuition into chemical kinetics suggests that the initial thermal state should have the most significant impact on combustion phasing, experimental data for residual-effected HCCI show that increasing residual fraction delays phasing, despite higher apparent initial charge temperature. A kinetics-based model of residual-effected HCCI shows that two regimes of operation exist: A thermally-limited regime, in which phasing is most sensitive to the initial charge temper...
A robust approach to image enhancement based on fuzzy logic

In this paper, we propose a robust approach to image enhancement based on fuzzy logic that addresses the seemingly conflicting goals of image enhancement: (i) removing impulse noise, (ii) smoothing out nonimpulse noise, and (iii) enhancing (or preserving) edges and certain other salient structures. We derive three different filters for each of the above three tasks using the weighted (or fuzzy) least squares (LS) method, and define the criteria for selecting each of the three filters. The criteria are based on the local context, and they constitute the antecedent clauses of the fuzzy rules. The overall result of the fuzzy rule-based system is the combination of the results of the individual filters, where each result contributes to the degree that the corresponding antecedent clause is satisfied. This approach gives us a powerful and flexible image enhancement paradigm. Results of the proposed method on several types of images are compared with those of other standard techniques.
Intervention in Gene Regulatory Networks via Phenotypically Constrained Control Policies Based on Long-Run Behavior

A salient purpose for studying gene regulatory networks is to derive intervention strategies to identify potential drug targets and design gene-based therapeutic intervention. Optimal and approximate intervention strategies based on the transition probability matrix of the underlying Markov chain have been studied extensively for probabilistic Boolean networks. While the key goal of control is to reduce the steady-state probability mass of undesirable network states, in practice it is important to limit collateral damage and this constraint should be taken into account when designing intervention strategies with network models. In this paper, we propose two new phenotypically constrained stationary control policies by directly investigating the effects on the network long-run behavior. They are derived to reduce the risk of visiting undesirable states in conjunction with constraints on the shift of undesirable steady-state mass so that only limited collateral damage can be introduced. We have studied the performance of the new constrained control policies together with the previous greedy control policies to randomly generated probabilistic Boolean networks. A preliminary example for intervening in a metastatic melanoma network is also given to show their potential application in designing genetic therapeutics to reduce the risk of entering both aberrant phenotypes and other ambiguous states corresponding to complications or collateral damage. Experiments on both random network ensembles and the melanoma network demonstrate that, in general, the new proposed control policies exhibit the desired performance. As shown by intervening in the melanoma network, these control policies can potentially serve as future practical gene therapeutic intervention strategies.
In vivo volumetric blood flow imaging using optical microangiography at capillary level resolution

Optical micro-angiography (OMAG) [1,2,3] is a recently developed imaging method, capable of resolving 3D distribution of dynamic blood perfusion at the capillary level within microcirculatory beds in vivo. The imaging contrast of blood perfusion is based on the endogenous light scattering from the moving blood cells within biological tissue; thus no exogenous contrasting agents are necessary. This is achieved by efficient separation of the moving scattering elements from the static scattering ones within tissue through the OMAG hardware associated with mathematical analysis of the optical scattering signals from an illuminated sample. Its development has its origin in the Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) [4]. The original development of OMAG was performed by introducing a constant frequency modulation ƒ M into the time-varying spectral interferograms at the time when the probing beam is scanned over the sample. The introduction of ƒ M in the interferograms was achieved by linear translation of the reference mirror in the interferometer, synchronized with the OCT cross-sectional (B scan) imaging. This makes it possible to separate the light scattering signals backscattered from the moving particles, such as moving blood cells, from those backscattered from the static particles, such as bulk tissue, leading to high resolution mapping of dynamic blood perfusion down to capillary levels within thick tissue sample in vivo. In essence, the OMAG method maps the scattering signals from the moving particles into one image, i.e. flow image, and from the static particles into a second image, i.e. microstructural image.
Institutional Investors, Stock Repurchases and Information Asymmetry

This paper seeks to determine if institutional investors influence stock repurchases. Specifically, this study tests whether institutional investors encourage stock repurchases in firms with high information asymmetry. Firm and year fixed effect regressions examining the effect of changes in institutional investor levels to subsequent changes in stock repurchase levels are used. For robustness, regressions are run using difference-GMM regressions and regressions for different time periods on the same relationship. I find that increased institutional ownership leads to increased stock repurchases and this relationship is stronger in firms with higher information asymmetry. Results indicate that institutional investors encourage management to increase repurchases so as to exploit their informational advantage over less informed investors about the true value of the firm. Institutions are the dominant force in U.S. stock ownership. The results in this paper indicate that institutional investors are using their informational advantage in firms that are difficult to value in an attempt to boost their return at the expense of other less informed shareholders.
Photonic Structures in Biology: A Possible Blueprint for Nanotechnology

Nature has had millions of years to optimize photonic crystals - an endeavour mankind only really began in the 1980s. Often, we attempt to mimic and expand upon nature's designs in creating photoni...
Preservation of iron(II) by carbon-rich matrices in a hydrothermal plume

Hydrothermal venting associated with mid-ocean ridge volcanism is globally widespread. This venting is responsible for a dissolved iron flux to the ocean that is approximately equal to that associated with continental riverine runoff. For hydrothermal fluxes, it has long been assumed that most of the iron entering the oceans is precipitated in inorganic forms. However, the possibility of globally significant fluxes of iron escaping these mass precipitation events and entering open-ocean cycles is now being debated, and two recent studies suggest that dissolved organic ligands might influence the fate of hydrothermally vented metals. Here we present spectromicroscopic measurements of iron and carbon in hydrothermal plume particles at the East Pacific Rise mid-ocean ridge. We show that organic carbon-rich matrices, containing evenly dispersed iron(II)-rich materials, are pervasive in hydrothermal plume particles. The absence of discrete iron(II) particles suggests that the carbon and iron associate through sorption or complexation. We suggest that these carbon matrices stabilize iron(II) released from hydrothermal vents in the region, preventing its oxidation and/or precipitation as insoluble minerals. Our findings have implications for deep-sea biogeochemical cycling of iron, a widely recognized limiting nutrient in the oceans.
A practical approach for microscopy imaging data management (MIDM) in neuroscience

Current data management approaches can easily handle the relatively simple requirements for molecular biology research but not the more varied and sophisticated microscopy imaging data in neuroscience research. We developed a project-oriented experimental imaging data management system through integration of the object-relational Oracle DBMS (database management system) and a distributed file management system, the storage resource broker (SRB). The data model we developed on Oracle9i supports semantic and analytical queries and image content mining. The MIDM provides comprehensive descriptive, structural, spatial and administrative information on microscopy image datasets. The current MIDM is web accessible at http://ncmir.ucsd.edu/CCDB. This paper describes the MIDM architecture and data mode in MIDM.
Hope Under Assault: Understanding the Impact of Sexual Assault on the Relation Between Hope and Suicidal Risk in College Students

The present study sought to examine for how hope and sexual assault are involved in suicidal risk in a sample of 325 college students. Specifically, we were interested to examine whether sexual assault may play an additive as well as interactive role in the prediction of suicidal risk (viz., suicidal behaviors & reasons for living) above and beyond hope. Results from regression analyses indicated that hope and sexual assault were important and unique predictors of suicidal risk in students. Moreover, we found some support for a Hope × Sexual Assault interaction in predicting both suicidal behaviors and reasons for living. However, only the findings for suicidal behaviors remained after controlling for concurrent depressive symptomatology. Some important implications of the present findings are discussed.
Self lane assignment using egocentric smart mobile camera for intelligent GPS navigation

In this paper, we study the self lane assignment problem, i.e. given an image taken inside a vehicle, infer on which lane the image is taken. This problem serves as an example of active egocentric vision application with data fusion. In this application, a camera is mounted inside the vehicle looking outside to the world. Combined with a GPS with a digital map this smart mobile camera is capable of reasoning on which lane the vehicle is. This inference result is then fed back to the GPS to provide the driver with more intelligent navigation instructions. We form the self lane assignment inference problem as a scene classification problem which requires classifying scenes in finer categories than the traditional case. We design the features to represent the image in a holistic way bypassing individual object detection, develop an automatic horizon detection algorithm, and employ and compare three learning algorithms for decision making on the lane number. The experiment results show that our method can achieve the precision and recall rates around or above 90% at the same time.
Microstructure and Texture Evolution During Hot-Pack Rolling of Nickel-Base Superalloys to Thin Sheet and Foil

Microstructure evolution during hot-pack rolling of nickel-base superalloys to ~1-mm-thick sheet and ~200-μm-thick foil was investigated with electron backscatter diffraction. The microstructure was observed at increasing levels of strain, which revealed the progressive formation of an unrecrystallized, banded microstructure at sheet gage. The bands contained large orientation gradients, sometimes spanning multiple texture components considered to be stable with respect to the imposed plane-strain compression. After reaching stable orientations, grain-scale shear bands were observed within individual unrecrystallized bands that resulted in local subgrain rotations that formed new bands of different orientation. This phenomenon, which is known as band splitting in the literature, was shown to be the result of continuous dynamic recrystallization as opposed to discontinuous dynamic recrystallization or classical static recrystallization. The unrecrystallized bands were eliminated by unidirectional rolling to foil but not by cross rolling.
A parallelization of orchard temperature predicting programs

Frost protection is a significant concern among tree-fruit growers. In order to protect orchards from frost, temperature sensor networks have gained popularity to judge when and where to turn on wind generators and sprinklers. Currently these sensor networks only give growers a real-time alert, however such sensor networks would be more effective if they were integrated in a computation loop that uses past and current temperature data for predicting every overnight transition of orchard air temperature. Although a couple of algorithms using artificial neural network and empirically-formulated polynomials are available to the public, they need to be parallelized for useful on-the-fly prediction. To utilize a cluster of multi-core computing nodes (available through cloud services), we are developing MASS, a library for multi-agent spatial simulation, and parallelizing temperature prediction programs with MASS. This paper demonstrates the MASS library's suitability to parallelization of temperature prediction programs for on-the-fly sensor-data analysis by (1) porting the programs to MASS, (2) running them in a multi-core system, (3) feeding real-time sensor data to them, and (4) measuring their analyzing performance.
Postictal cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities in children.

Abstract Objectives: To determine the frequency and characteristics of seizureinduced cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities in children and to identify potential alternative causes of these findings. Methods: Consecutive patients (n = 80) who underwent lumbar puncture within 24 hours after a seizure were studied retrospectively. The presence of CSF abnormalities in total leukocytes, polymorphonuclear cells, and protein was determined by using age-specific reference values. Coexisting conditions that could affect CSF findings, such as traumatic lumbar puncture, concurrent neurologic disease, and undiagnosed meningitis, were identified. Results: Eighteen of the 80 patients were excluded from the final study group because of the presence of another condition that could alter the CSF. More than 50% of the excluded patients had an abnormal CSF leukocyte count or protein level, including 2 patients with initially undiagnosed meningitis, which was subsequently detected by post-hoc polymerase chain reaction testing. In the remaining 62 patients, postictal pleocytosis was detected in only 3 (5%), and increased protein was detected in only 6 (10%). The maximal postictal pleocytosis and protein level were 8 × 10 6 leukocytes/L (8 leukocytes/mm 3 ) and 0.52 g/L (52 mg/dL), respectively. Conclusions: Seizure-induced CSF abnormalities are rare in children, and alternative, often unidentified, disease processes may account for many observed postictal abnormalities. All patients with abnormal CSF after a seizure should be thoroughly evaluated for other causes of the abnormality. (J Pediatr 2001;138:373-7)
Determination of Chlorophylls, Chlorophyllides, Pheophytins, and Pheophorbides in Plant Materiala

SUMMARY Equations have been developed for calculation of the total quantity of pigments consisting of chlorophyll a and its derivatives (chlorophyllide a, pheophytin a, and pheophorbide a) and of chlorophyll b and its derivatives (chlorophyllide b, pheophytin b, and pheophorbide b) in a mixture of these pigments in diethyl ether. Calculations are based on conversion of the chlorophylls and chlorophyllides into the pheophytins and pheophorbides, respectively, by the addition of hydrochloric acid and reading absorbances at two wavelengths. After removal of chlorophyllides a and b and pheophorbides a and b from the diethyl ether solution of the pigment mixture by 0.01N KOH, the quantity of each of the eight components listed above is estimated by indicated experimental and mathematical procedures.
Regression Models for Count Data: Illustrations using Longitudinal Predictors of Childhood Injury

Objective To offer a practical demonstration of regression models recommended for count outcomes using longitudinal predictors of children’s medically attended injuries. Method Participants included 708 children from the NICHD child care study. Measures of temperament, attention, parent–child relationship, and safety of physical environment were used to predict medically attended injuries. Results Statistical comparisons among five estimation methods revealed that a zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) model provided the best fit with observed data. ZIP models simultaneously model dichotomous and continuous outcomes of count variables, and different constellations of predictors emerged for each aspect of the estimated model. Conclusions This study offers a practical demonstration of techniques designed to handle dependent count variables. The conceptual and statistical advantages of these methods are emphasized, and Stata script is provided to facilitate adoption of these techniques.
On the Hardness of Approximating Stopping and Trapping Sets

We prove that approximating the size of stopping and trapping sets in Tanner graphs of linear block codes, and more restrictively, the class of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, is NP-hard. The ramifications of our findings are that methods used for estimating the height of the error-floor of moderate- and long-length LDPC codes, based on stopping and trapping set enumeration, cannot provide accurate worst-case performance predictions for most codes.
Nurse and physician patient counseling about tobacco smoking in Jordan

The objective of this study was to identify whether nurses are as likely as physicians to feel prepared to assist patients to quit smoking, to have smoked in front of patients, or to have received training on counseling patients about smoking cessation. The sample consisted of 262 nurses and 251 physicians, ages 18 years and older, from public and private hospitals in Jordan. It was found that nurses were more likely than physicians to receive training on counseling patients about smoking cessation (41% vs. 18%); more likely to currently smoke (30% vs. 19%); and less likely to feel prepared to assist patients to quit smoking (78% vs. 95%). Smoking status and training were associated with counseling patients about smoking. Approximately 19% of nurses and 81% of physicians who currently or formerly smoked had previously smoked in front of patients. Nurses compared with physicians have lower agreement with statements involving smoking-related responsibilities and views on smoking policy, but higher agreement...
Eco-Webbing: A Teaching Strategy to Facilitate Critical Consciousness and Agency.

Calls to integrate social justice principles and training into programs pre- paring practitioners in various mental health fields are now well established within the professional literature (Bemak, Chung, Talleyrand, Jones, & Daquin, 2011). Counselors are increasingly expected to operate from a social justice orientation to promote wellness for their clients and students (AmericanCounselingAssociation, �2014). �T odothis, �counselorsmusthave� the ability to (a) recognize discrimination and oppression across the micro- and macrosystems in which people live; (b) understand the impact that discrimination and oppression have on the development and well-being of clients; and (c) intervene competently across multiple contexts to promote justice, equity, and access with and on behalf of students and clients (Lewis, Arnold, House, & Toporek, 2002; Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992; Toporek, Lewis, & Crethar, 2009). Attention to these skills requires counselor train- ing programs to change the way that counselors are prepared (Odegard & Vereen, �2010; �T oporeketal., �2009). In response to the call for social justice counselor education, scholars have articulated and endorsed specific advocacy competencies (Ratts, Toporek, & Lewis, 2010), written and published texts to promote social justice advo- cacy in counseling students (e.g., Chung & Bemak, 2012; Ratts & Pedersen, 2014), �andpublishedmanuscriptsthatillustratehowgraduatetraining� programs can incorporate social justice initiatives (e.g., Ali, Liu, Mahmood, & Arguello, 2008; Bemak et al., 2011). Despite increased attention in this area, few studies have provided evaluative data on the effectiveness of social justice training practices (e.g., teaching strategies) in counseling preparation programs; most of the work in this area is theoretical (Manis, 2012; Murray, Pope, �& �Rowell, �2010; �Nilsson �& �Schmidt, �2005; �Odegard �& �V ereen, �2010).
Calibration of the EuroSCORE II risk stratification model: is the Hosmer–Lemeshow test acceptable any more?

We read with great interest the article by Nashef et al .[ 1] regarding the construction and validation of the EuroSCORE II risk model. This manuscript is an outstanding contribution in the creation of a risk stratification model that is robust enough for use in cardiac surgery worldwide. However, we would like to know which statistical procedure should be used to determine calibration of the EuroSCORE II? The Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test has been the most popular test to validate calibration [2, 3], measuring the differences between expected and observed outcomes (mortality) over deciles (test results are acceptable with cohort divided in at least terciles) of risk. A well-calibrated model gives a corresponding P value >0.05. Recently, it has been claimed that a nonsignificant Hosmer–Lemeshow test meant that there was no evidence of bad calibration, but that this result did not mean that there was good calibration [4]. In our opinion, statistical results are either significant or nonsignificant, black or white; there are no grey results in statistics. However, if that is true, how has it come to pass that we needed more than 10 years (during which Hosmer–Lemeshow statistics was used in more than 95% of manuscripts to test the calibration of additive and logistic EuroSCORE in cardiac surgery) to find out that Hosmer– Lemeshow test is no longer valid to determine calibration, and that it should be replaced with the risk-adjusted mortality ratio, [RAMR = observed/predicted (expected) – O/E mortality], as it is now suggested by Nashef et al [1]. An O/E ratio of 1.0 means that the score predicts mortality perfectly. An O/E ratio > 1.0 means that the model underpredicts mortality [in EuroSCORE II, for a validation data set of 5553 patients, the O/E ratio was 1.058 (4.18%/3.95%)], while an O/E ratio < 1.0 means that the model overpredicts mortality. However, how are we going to check the statistical significance of the RAMR value? Conceptually, if the observed number of deaths is equal to the expected number of deaths (as predicted by the scoring system), the RAMR would have a value of 1.0. Thus, the statistical test for the significance of the RAMR is whether it is different from 1.0. To gauge the statistical significance of the RAMR, we must first calculate the 95% confidence interval for the RAMR. If the 95% confidence interval excludes the value ‘1.0’, it may be considered statistically significant (no matter whether it overpredicts or underpredicts mortality). On the contrary, Bhatti et al .[ 5] suggested χ 2 statistics
Using Conditional Lorenz Curves to Examine Consolidation in New Zealand Commercial Fishing

Abstract We use individual transferable quota (ITQ) consolidation in New Zealand's commercial fishing to illustrate three different methods of measuring consolidation: the Herfindahl Hirschman Index (HHI), conditional Gini Coefficients, and conditional Lorenz curves. The Lorenz curve allows for conditional specification over stratified groupings, which yields straightforward interpretation and illustration of overall inequality for more nuanced interpretations. JEL Classification Codes: Q22, Q28, C4
Relationships among endometrial oxytocin receptors, oxytocin-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis and prostaglandin F2 alpha secretion in vitro, and plasma concentrations of ovarian steroids before and during corpus luteum regression in cyclic heifers.

Oxytocin stimulates secretion of endometrial prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha and induces endometrial phosphoinositide hydrolysis around the time of regression of the corpus luteum (CL) in cows. This study investigated the relationship between endometrial oxytocin receptors, oxytocin-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis and PGF 2 alpha secretion in vitro, and plasma concentrations of ovarian steroids before and during CL regression in cyclic heifers (i.e., Days 13-19 post-estrus). Reproductive tracts were collected from 16 cyclic heifers on Days 13 (n = 5), 16 (n = 5), and 19 (n = 6). Decreases in mean CL weight (4.7, 4.6, and 3.0 +/- 0.6 g for Days 13, 16, and 19, respectively; p 0.5) among days of the estrous cycle. Concentration of endometrial oxytocin receptors increased (p < 0.06) during the estrous cycle (36, 49, and 789 +/- 234 fmol/mg protein on Days 13, 16, and 19, respectively), but the greatest increase (p < 0.05) occurred between Days 16 and 19. Similarly, incorporation of [3H]inositol into endometrial inositol phosphates induced in vitro with 100 nM oxytocin also increased (p < 0.01) during the estrous cycle (5121 vs. 5819, 4529 vs. 7239, and 5888 vs 68,096 +/- 18,564 dpm/g tissue for control vs. oxytocin-treated endometrium on Days 13, 16, and 19, respectively) with the greatest increase (p < 0.01) in responsiveness to oxytocin occurring between Days 16 and 19.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Planning and acting in incomplete domains

Engineering complete planning domain descriptions is often very costly because of human error or lack of domain knowledge. Learning complete domain descriptions is also very challenging because many features are irrelevant to achieving the goals and data may be scarce. We present a planner and agent that respectively plan and act in incomplete domains by i) synthesizing plans to avoid execution failure due to ignorance of the domain model, and ii) passively learning about the domain model during execution to improve later re-planning attempts. Our planner DeFault is the first to reason about a domain's incompleteness to avoid potential plan failure. DeFault computes failure explanations for each action and state in the plan and counts the number of interpretations of the incomplete domain where failure will occur. We show that DeFault performs best by counting prime implicants (failure diagnoses) rather than propositional models. Our agent Goalie learns about the preconditions and effects of incompletely-specified actions while monitoring its state and, in conjunction with DeFault plan failure explanations, can diagnose past and future action failures. We show that by reasoning about incompleteness (as opposed to ignoring it) Goalie fails and re-plans less and executes fewer actions.
Agricultural Globalization, Trade, and the Environment: Introduction

Since the 1980s, world agriculture has become increasingly integrated. Some of the impetus for this global integration had its origin at the end of the Cold War, and stemmed from the continuing philosophical debate over the merits of planned economies versus market economies. Commensurate with this, many developing economies began replacing inward-looking, import-industrialization-substitution policies with outward-looking policies and with export-led growth. Many countries also undertook unilateral liberalization of their trade and investment policies.
Analysis of amino acid substitutions in AraC variants that respond to triacetic acid lactone.

The Escherichia coli regulatory protein AraC regulates expression of ara genes in response to l-arabinose. In efforts to develop genetically encoded molecular reporters, we previously engineered an AraC variant that responds to the compound triacetic acid lactone (TAL). This variant (named "AraC-TAL1") was isolated by screening a library of AraC variants, in which five amino acid positions in the ligand-binding pocket were simultaneously randomized. Screening was carried out through multiple rounds of alternating positive and negative fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Here we show that changing the screening protocol results in the identification of different TAL-responsive variants (nine new variants). Individual substituted residues within these variants were found to primarily act cooperatively toward the gene expression response. Finally, X-ray diffraction was used to solve the crystal structure of the apo AraC-TAL1 ligand-binding domain. The resolved crystal structure confirms that this variant takes on a structure nearly identical to the apo wild-type AraC ligand-binding domain (root-mean-square deviation 0.93 A), suggesting that AraC-TAL1 behaves similar to wild-type with regard to ligand recognition and gene regulation. Our results provide amino acid sequence-function data sets for training and validating AraC modeling studies, and contribute to our understanding of how to design new biosensors based on AraC.
Directed Self-Assembly of Linear Nanostructures by Optimal Control of External Electrical Fields

An optimal control strategy is developed to construct nanostructures of desired geometry along line segments by means of directed self-assembly of charged particles. Such a control strategy determines the electric potentials of a set of electrodes located at fixed points in the line segment. The particles move under the electric forces generated by these electrodes and by the interactions between the particles themselves to form a desired pattern eventually. Due to technology limitations, the particle positions cannot be measured during the course of control, so that the control is open-loop in nature. Such an open-loop control optimally changes the electrode potentials in time in order to create a desired pattern with the highest probability, despite the inherent uncertainty in the initial positions and the dynamical behaviors of the particles. Two models are proposed to describe the uncertain dynamics of the particles: a continuous model relying on a set of nonlinear stochastic differential equations, and a discrete Ising model consisting of a large dimensional continuous-time Markov chain. While the first model is more mathematically tractable, the second one more precisely describes particles at the nanometer scale. The control design procedure begins with the continuous model and identifies the structure of its stable equilibria, which is used later to propose a piecewise constant structure for the control and to demonstrate that the optimal value of each piece is independently obtained from a certain static optimization problem. It is shown next that the design procedure can be applied to the discrete model with only minor modifications. A numerical example of control design is presented.
Thoracic duct lymph in unanesthetized mouse: method of collection, rate of flow and cell content.

Summary1. The mouse is a suitable animal for collection of thoracic duct lymph in the partially-restrained unanesthetized state. 2. Initial values for lymph flow and lymphocyte output did not vary significantly in the unanesthetized as compared to the anesthetized mouse. 3. A continuous decrease in lymph flow and lymphocyte output from the thoracic duct occurred over a 24-hour period in the unanesthetized mouse. 4. Values for thoracic duct lymph flow and lymphocyte output did not vary significantly, whether collected from the neck or abdomen.
The Elementary Character of Certain Multiple Integrals Connected With Figures Bounded by Planes and Spheres

(1926). The Elementary Character of Certain Multiple Integrals Connected With Figures Bounded by Planes and Spheres. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 33, No. 5, pp. 252-261.
Assembly Design of Pressurized Water Reactors with Fully Ceramic Microencapsulated Fuel

Fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuel consists of TRISO (tristructural-isotropic) fuel particles embedded in a ceramic matrix (SiC) to form fuel pellets and rods and offers improved fission pr...
Androgenic Assay of the Human Fetal Adrenal.

SummaryIn spite of some evidence suggesting an androgenic function of the human fetal adrenal cortex, it has not been possible to demonstrate any androgenic activity by biological assay of the tissue by a method adequate to detect as little as 10 I.U. per kilo of fresh tissue.
Luminescence of Er-doped ZnO Films: Effects of Thermal Annealing and Doping Concentration

Photoluminescence (PL) of erbium-doped zinc oxide films with nano-sized grains was studied. The films were grown on silicon (100) and fused silica substrates using e-beam evaporation. The evaporating targets used were sintered pellets of ZnO and Er 2 O 3 mixtures with two different Er concentrations. The films were subsequently annealed at 700 °C in air for an hour. PL was measured at two excitation wavelengths, 325 and 488 nm. The 325 nm is used for exciting the host semiconductor ZnO and 488 nm is used for directly exciting Er 3+ ions in the ZnO host. Strong Er 3+ luminescence of 4 S 3/2 → 4 I 15/2 and 4 F 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 transitions was observed from annealed film with 4.0 % Er 2 O 3 concentration using either 325 or 488 nm excitation. With 325 nm excitation, the Er 3+ luminescence observed is attributed to energy transfer from the excitons in ZnO host to the Er 3+ ions doped. The effective energy transfer from ZnO host to the doped Er 3+ ions is an essential property for the realization of actual current-injection opto-electronic devices operating at wavelengths of Er 3+ emission, for example, at 1.54 μm for the erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). Our PL results indicate that thermal annealing plays an important role for optically activating the doped Er 3+ ions in ZnO nano-crystalline grains of the film.
Misoriented Epitaxial Growth of (111)CoSi 2 on Offset (111)Si Substrates

Single crystal epitaxial films of CoSi_2 were grown by MBE on various (111)Si single crystal substrates, whose surfaces were purposely tilted towards the _g, direction by small angles ϕ_g,†, 0°, ≤ ϕ_g, ≤, 4° measured between the surface normal and the _g, direction of Si. The actual offset angle, ϕ_g was determined by back Laue reflection method. The average perpendicular strain of the CoSi_2 epilayer, e┵, and the _f orientation of the epitaxial CoSi_2 film were determined by double crystal diffractometry. We find that the misorientation angle, a, measured between the Si _g, and CoSi_2 _f directions, increases linearly with the offset angle, ϕ_g, up to ϕ_g = 4°. A simple geometrical model is developed which predicts that α = e┵ × tan ϕ_g. The model agrees quantitatively with the experimental data. The equivalent strain energy associated with the misorientation is approximated by that of a low angle tilt boundary. The misorientation angle α of the equilibrium state, determined by minimizing the total strain energy of the epitaxial film, is nonzero in general.
Leishmaniasis in Colombia. I: Studies on the phlebotomine fauna associated with endemic foci in the pacific coast region

Studies on the phlebotomine fauna related to the leishmaniasis endemic foci of the Colombian Pacific Coast were carried out in the municipalities of Tumaco and Buenaventura. In Inguapi del Guadual, Tumaco, Lutzomyia trapidoi and Lu. gomezi were the predominant anthropophilic species; Lu. panamensis and Lu. hartmanni were less frequent. In Bajo Calima, Buenaventura, Lu. trapidoi represented over 94% of the anthropophilic sandflies. Continuous sampling from 1800 to 0600 hours in Inguapi del Guadual demonstrated that Lu. trapidoi bites mainly at dusk and dawn whereas Lu. gomezi remains active throughout the night. In Inguapi del Guadual, promastigotes were found in 0.1% (2/2, 305) of Lu. trapidoi, 0.2% (3/140) of Lu. gomezi, and 0.2% (1/424) of Lu. panamensis samples collected. In Bajo Calima, 1.9% (8/429) of Lu. trapidoi were found to be infected. Leishmania braziliensis panamensis, the most common Leishmania subspecies in the human population of this endemic focus, was isolated from 1 Lu. trapidoi from Inguapi del Guadual. Parasitological and entomological findings suggest that Lu. trapidoi could be the main vector of Leishmania in these areas, although Lu. gomezi and Lu. panamensis were also predominant.
Wavelet-Based Estimators of Multivariable Mean Regression Function with Long Memory Data

ABSTRACTWavelet analysis has been proved to be a powerful statistical technique in the non parametric regression. In this paper, we propose non linear wavelet-based estimators for multivariable mean regression function with long-memory data. We also provide an asymptotic expansion for the mean integrated squared error (MISE) of the function estimators. This MISE expansion still works even when the underlying mean regression function is only piecewise smooth. This paper extends the corresponding results in the literature for single variable to multivariable case.
Distributed Cognition and Communication.

Distributed cognition is a theoretical approach that is concerned with the interactions among people, artifacts, and both internal and external representations. Rather than focusing exclusively on an individual's internal cognitive processes, that traditional cognitive approaches do, it focuses on the processes that take place in an extended ‘cognitive system’. These include verbal and non-verbal behavior, the coordinating mechanisms used by social actors, the forms of communication that take place, and the way tacit and explicit knowledge is shared and accessed. One major benefit is the explication of the complex interdependencies among people, artifacts, and technological systems that often can be overlooked when using traditional theories of cognition.
The Foundations of Resilience: What Are the Critical Resources for Bouncing Back from Stress?

The purpose of this chapter was to examine the relationship between potential resources for resilience and resilience itself. The Brief Resilience Scale [Smith et al. (International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 15:194–200, 2008)] was used to assess resilience as the ability to bounce back or recover from stress. Several potential resilience resources were assessed based on a model of resilience that involves the three stages of confronting a stressor, orienting to a positive outcome, and actively coping with the stressor. The personal and social resources assessed included active coping, mindfulness, mood clarity, optimism, purpose in life, spirituality, positive relations with others, and social support. The demographic characteristics assessed included age, gender, education, and income. The participants were 844 adults who were part of six samples: (1) general college students (n =259), (2) healthy adult women (n = 51), (3) women with fibromyalgia (n = 32), (4) cardiac patients (n = 228), (5) first-generation college students (n = 150), and (6) urban firefighters (n = 123). The results were consistent with the temporal stage model in that the personal resources targeted at each stage were related to resilience. With all samples combined, mindfulness, mood clarity, purpose in life, optimism, and active coping were related to greater resilience in both correlation and multiple regression analyses. Even when the samples were analyzed separately, these variables were consistently related to greater resilience with optimism and mood clarity having the strongest relationships with resilience. Optimism and purpose in life had very strong relationships with resilience in cardiac patients and women with fibromyalgia purpose, respectively. Age and male gender were also related to greater resilience in the multiple regression analyses of the combined samples. A revised theoretical model for understanding the foundations of resilience based on the findings is presented and implications for future research and clinical work are discussed.
Long-term Postprocedural Outcomes of Palliative Emergency Stenting vs Stoma in Malignant Large-Bowel Obstruction

Importance Colonic stenting was introduced for palliation of malignant large-bowel obstruction (MLBO) more than 20 years ago but remains controversial. Objective To compare outcomes after palliative stenting vs stoma creation in patients with MLBO requiring emergency management. Design, Setting, and Participants This observational cohort study assessed 345 patients from New York State with an urgent or emergency admission to the hospital for obstruction secondary to colorectal cancer and who underwent stenting or stoma creation from October 1, 2009, through December 31, 2013. Patients were excluded if they underwent resection within 1 year of the index admission. Exposures Palliative stenting vs stoma creation. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcomes included subsequent operation and readmission within 90-day and 1-year follow-up. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital death, major medical and surgical complications, length of stay, total charges, and discharge dispositions. Multivariable hierarchical analyses and propensity score matching were used to compare outcomes between the exposure groups. Results The cohort included 345 patients (mean [SD] age, 69.9 [14.4] years in the stoma group and 70.9 [16.8] years in the stent group; 87 men [50.3%] in the stoma group and 90 [52.3%] in the stent group; and 114 non-Hispanic white patients [65.9%] in the stoma group and 90 [52.3%] in the stent group). Most patients undergoing stenting were treated at high-volume (104 [60.5%]) vs medium-volume (42 [24.4%]) or low-volume (26 [15.1%]) hospitals ( P P = .04), more likely to be discharged to their usual residence (OR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.07-0.28; P P = .68; procedural complications: OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.11-1.22; P = .10). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of 90-day and 1-year readmission to the hospitals (90 days: OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.49-1.78; P = .83; 1 year: OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.38-1.37; P = .30). Subsequent operation at 90 days was also not different between the groups (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.26-6.89; P = .72), but there was a higher chance of subsequent operation at 1 year after the stenting procedure (OR, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.12-7.68; P = .03), with most subsequent operations being restenting. Conclusions and Relevance In patients with MLBO and if resection is not part of the treatment plan, stenting is safe and improves the efficiency of care with obvious quality-of-life benefits. It should be offered at experienced centers, and patients should be counseled regarding increased risk of subsequent stenting within 1 year.