cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Academic careers of immigrant women professors in the U.S.

The article draws on the narratives of 34 immigrant women professors from 22 different countries who teach in a major research university in the U.S. First, the article presents immigrant women professors’ voices of experiencing traditional academic activities in terms of teaching, research, and administration/service. Second, the paper voices women’s stories of social climate prevailing in their departments and institutions that affects their academic careers. Third, the article narrates women’s expressions of their efforts to balance academic life and family life.
Evidence-Based Strategies to Preserve Shoulder Function in Manual Wheelchair Users with Spinal Cord Injury

The increased demand on the upper limbs during manual wheelchair use results in a high prevalence of shoulder pathology in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Because individuals with SCI are dependent on their upper extremities for mobility and daily activities, shoulder dysfunction can present a devastating loss of independence and decreased quality of life. Research on quantification of shoulder loading and muscular demands during wheelchair propulsion, self-transfers, weight-relief raises, and overhead activities is presented. This review examines evidence-based recommendations aimed at preserving shoulder function by addressing environmental factors related to ergonomics, equipment selection, and performance technique and personal factors related to enhancement of the load-bearing capacity of shoulder structure through strengthening and resistance training.
Modern power switch: Silicon carbide technology

Over the last fifty years, silicon has been the predominant semiconductor in the world of power electronics. Recently a faster, tougher, and more efficient replacement of pure silicon has been introduced; it is the Silicon Carbide (SiC). Several SiC devices are being developed. These devices include Junction Barrier Schottky (JBS) and Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBD), Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET) and Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor-Field-Effect-Transistor (MOSFET), Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT). Each one of these devices has different characteristics, structure and properties which make them suitable for many power switching applications. Therefore, a new range of SiC-based power electronics was created.
Possible demographic influences on differentiating normal from aphasic performance.

Abstract To determine the psychometric validity of current language impairment, communication activity limitation, and quality of life measures for differentiating normal from chronically aphasic adults, we examined possible threats to test accuracy by the demographic variables age, educational level, and gender. A total of 18 chronically aphasic and 18 nonaphasic adults were evaluated with six measures. The results of correlational analyses indicated that, within the normal adult and aphasic adult groups, there exist significant relationships between some, but not all, demographic variables and performance on language impairment, communication activity limitation, and quality of life measures. Moreover, for certain variables, the strengths of these relationships differ significantly between normal and aphasic groups. Thus, adjustments in test scores or norms may be necessary to diagnose the presence or absence of aphasia. Otherwise, the tests' ability to differentiate between normal and aphasic adults may be compromised. Educational objectives: Readers will be able to: (1) explain the relationship between test accuracy and psychometric validity; (2) state the direction of significant relationships (i.e., positive or negative) among demographic variables and test performance, within normal and aphasic adult groups; (3) explain necessary considerations in the adjustment of general test norms or scores based on a particular subject's age, education, or gender.
510: Osteogenic differentiation (OD) of amniochorion stem cells: a novel mechanism of preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and idiopathic preterm birth (iPTB)

510 Osteogenic differentiation (OD) of amniochorion stem cells: a novel mechanism of preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and idiopathic preterm birth (iPTB) Lydia Shook, Catalin Buhimschi, Antonette Dulay, Megan McCarthy, John Hardy, Christina Duzyj, Irina Buhimschi Yale University, Ob/Gyn & Reprod. Sci., New Haven, CT OBJECTIVE: Dystrophic calcification, the pathological deposition of hydroxyapatite (HA) in non-skeletal tissue, has been implicated in formation of atherosclerotic aneurysms. Underlying mechanisms involve differentiation of stromal cells into osteoblasts. In vitro data show that amnion cells are capable of induced OD. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that OD leads to PPROM and iPTB. STUDY DESIGN: HA deposition was assessed by von Kossa and Alizarin stains in amniochorion sections of 45 women with iPTB and absent histological chorioamnionitis (GA:30 1w, n 28 PPROM, n 17 intact). Tissues from 3 iatrogenic PTB based on maternal indication served as controls. Sections were immunostained and histologically scored for osteocalcin (OCN, marker of mature osteoblasts), osteogenic transcription factors (TFs: RUNX2, osterix) and non-bone specific markers of osteoblast activity (osteonectin, osteopontin & alkaline phosphatase). Stem cell TFs (SOX2, CDX2, Nanog) were sought as evidence of pluripotency. Expression of select OD markers was confirmed by RT-PCR (n 11). To explore the effect of HA on OD induction, amniochorion explants (term CS, n 3) were exposed to HA in the presence or absence of the HA-binding protein fetuin. Cellular responses were evaluated by immunostaining and PGE2 release. RESULTS: HA deposits were more prevalent in PPROM compared to intact membrane or iatrogenic PTB (P .05). OCN scores were significantly higher in cases with HA deposits (P .01). OCN positivity localized to select amnion stromal cells that co-expressed RUNX2, osterix and pluripotency markers. Non-bone specific osteoblast markers stained both OCN( ) and OCN(-) cells. Amniochorion expressed mRNA of OD markers including RUNX2. In vitro exposure to HA induced OCN expression and a 2.5-fold increase in PGE2 release, a process inhibited by fetuin. CONCLUSION: We provide evidence that OD of amniochorion stem cells may play a role in the pathophysiology of PPROM and iPTB.
Improving vastus medialis obliquus function reduces pressure applied to lateral patellofemoral cartilage.

The current study was performed to characterize how improving vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) function influences the pressure applied to patellofemoral cartilage. An additional focus was characterizing how lateral and medial cartilage lesions influence cartilage pressures. Ten knees were flexed to 40°, 60° and 80° in vitro, and forces were applied to represent the VMO and other muscles of the quadriceps group while a thin film sensor measured joint pressures. The knees were loaded with a normal VMO force, with the VMO force decreased by approximately 50%, and with the VMO unloaded. After tests were performed with the cartilage intact, all tests were repeated with a 12 mm diameter lesion created within the lateral cartilage, with the lateral lesion repaired with silicone, and with a medial lesion created. Based on a two-way repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc tests, increasing the force applied by the VMO significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the maximum lateral pressure and significantly increased the maximum medial pressure at each flexion angle. A lateral cartilage lesion significantly increased the maximum lateral pressure, while a medial lesion did not significantly influence the maximum medial pressure. Improving VMO function can reduce the pressure applied to lateral cartilage when lateral lesions are present.
Subsetting, georectifying, and reformatting of NASA EOS data through Web

This paper describes a Web-based server software that provides subsetting, resampling, georectificationon, and reformatting for standard data products of the Earth Observing System (EOS) program initiated by U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Designed upon standardized interface specifications, the server allows clients to access EOS data in interoperable, personalized, on-demand manners, facilitating the use of NASA EOS data in research and application communities.
X-ray Damage to CF3CO2-Terminated Organic Monolayers on Si/Au: Principal Effect of Electrons

The relative importance of x-rays alone and of x-ray-generated primary and secondary electrons in damaging organic materials was explored by use of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on multilayer thin-film supports. The substrates were prepared by the deposit of thin films of silicon (0, 50, 100, and 200 angstroms) on thick layers of gold (2000 angstroms). These systems were supported on chromium-primed silicon wafers. Trifluoroacetoxy-terminated SAMs were assembled on these substrates, and the samples were irradiated with common fluxes of monochromatic aluminum Kα x-rays. The fluxes and energy distributions of the electrons generated by interactions of the x-rays with the various substrates, however, differed. The substrates that emitted a lower flux of electrons exhibited a slower loss of fluorine from the SAMs. This observation indicated that the electrons—and not the x-rays themselves—were largely responsible for the damage to the organic monolayer.
UWICL: A Multi-Layered Parallel Image Computing Library for Single-Chip Multiprocessor-based Time-Critical Systems

Abstract Many software libraries have been created to support the commonly used primitive operations needed in image processing, image analysis and image understanding. Generally, these libraries are based on the single-layered Application Program Interface (API). While a single-layered API provides the useful abstraction level to interact with the library and hides unnecessary implementation details from the user, it does not produce an efficient program when a new algorithm is implemented by assembling the selected existing library routines. The composed program suffers from the inefficient data movement and additional loop control overhead. Furthermore, when a system employs a highly integrated processor such as a single-chip multiprocessor, the single-layered API prevents the user from fully utilizing the resources available in the system. In this article, we describe the University of Washington Image Computing Library (UWICL), the multi-layerd high-performance parallel image computing library for Texas Instruments TMS320C80 Multimedia Video Processor (MVP)-based time-critical systems. Our goal in designing the UWICL is to provide the TMS320C80 user community with efficient and flexible image computing library routines. The UWICL provides three levels of APIs to the programmers under the multi-layered organization, the MVP-level API, the DSP-level API, and APIs for data flow and processing cores. By optimizing the processing core functions, we have achieved high performance in the individual function level, and by allowing the sub-primitive library routine composition, we can achieve efficient image processing application development, avoiding most problems encountered in using the single-layered library routines. The performance of the multi-layered organization vs. the single-layered one is analysed and compared using the Canny's edge detection algorithm as an example. The balanced composition based on the multi-layered organization outperforms the single-layered composition by 14 to 41% depending on the system's memory bandwidth available. As an adjunct to the UWICL, we have also developed an integrated MVP performance monitor (MPM). The MPM can identify the performance bottleneck of the TMS320C80 applications and can be used in optimization by enabling the user to select the most efficient library composition level in building the application with the UWICL. In order to provide the overall performance evaluation model of the MVP, the simple MVP functional model has also been defined in the MPM. For the image thresholding operation, the difference between the measured execution time and the analysis prediction is less than 2%. The design and implementation of the MPM, and the applicability and usefulness of the MPM and MVP performance model are described in this article.
A simplex algorithm for piecewise-linear programming 11: finiteness, feasibility and degeneracy

The simplex method for linear programming can be extended to permit the minimization of any convex separable piecewise-linear objective, subject to linear constraints. Part I of this paper has developed a general and direct simplex algorithm for piecewise-linear programming, under convenient assumptions that guarantee a finite number of basic solutions, existence of basic feasible solutions, and nondegeneracy of all such solutions. Part II now shows how these assumptions can be weakened so that they pose no obstacle to effective use of the piecewise-linear simplex algorithm. The theory of piecewise-linear programming is thereby extended, and numerous features of linear programming are generalized or are seen in a new light. An analysis of the algorithm's computational requirements and a survey of applications will be presented in Part III.
Comments on "Effects of Noise on Speech Production: Acoustic and Perceptual Analyses" [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 84, 917-928 (1988)].

The effect of background noise on speech production is an important issue, both from the practical standpoint of developing speech recognition algorithms and from the theoretical standpoint of understanding how speech is tuned to the environment in which it is spoken. Summers et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 84, 917–928 (1988)] address this issue by experimentally manipulating the level of noise delivered through headphones to two talkers and making several kinds of acoustic measurements on the resulting speech. They indicate that they have replicated effects on amplitude, duration, and pitch and have found effects on spectral tilt and first‐formant frequency (F1). The authors regard these acoustic changes as effects in themselves rather than as consequences of a change in vocal effort, and thus treat equally the change in spectral tilt and the change in F1. In fact, the change in spectral tilt is a well‐documented and understood consequence of the change in the glottal waveform, which is known to occur with i...
Not all density functionals are created equal: the case of the missing electron in the oxidized [W–WO]7+ core

The location of the unpaired electron in the new mixed-valent (W2)IV,V trication [W2O(dpa)4]3+ presents a challenge for DFT methods. EPR spectroscopy confirms the unpaired electron to be in the W(V)–oxo unit, in agreement with the predictions of hybrid functionals B3LYP and TPSSh, but contrary to the predictions of non-hybrid functionals.
Dorothy Healey remembers a life in the American communist party

In a political career that spanned nearly five decades, Dorothy Healey became one of the few women to rise to leadership in the American Communist Party. Joining the Party in 1928 at age fourteen, she served as leader of the Los Angeles district--the second largest in the country--for over twenty years, as well as serving on the Party's National Committee. As a strike leader, opponent of McCarthyism, Vietnam War protester, radio commentator, candidate for public office, and mentor to Angela Davis, Healey won fame as "a tough lady red." Within the Party, she was equally controversial for her increasingly outspoken criticism of its authoritarianism and subservience to the Soviet Union. Dorothy Healey Remembers recounts this remarkable life in Healey's own words, written in collaboration with historian Maurice Isserman, who has filled out her story by drawing from private letters, the recollections of her friends and relatives, newspaper articles, and secret FBI documents. In this fascinating narrative, Healey recalls the epic labor struggles of California's migrant workers in the 1930s (at one point she had a $10,000 price on her head as she was hunted by vigilantes and police). Accused of being a subversive and arrested under the Smith Act during the McCarthy era, she and her fellow defendants took their case all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled key provisions of the act unconstitutional. In later years, Healey battled the intransigent dogmatism of the American CP, denounced the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, and finally resigned in 1973. Dorothy Healey's engaging narrative, deftly edited and supplemented by Maurice Isserman, provides a candid inside look at American Communism from the 1920s through the 1970s, while unfolding the story of one woman's struggle to combine the roles of wife, mother, and political revolutionary.
Digital Filtering of Plume Emission Spectra

Fourier transformation and digital filtering techniques were used to separate the superpositioned spectral phenomena observed in the exhaust plumes of liquid propellant rocket engines. Space shuttle main engine (SSME) spectral data were used to show that extraction of spectral lines in the spatial frequency domain does not introduce error, and extraction of the background continuum introduces only minimal error. Error introduced during band extraction could not be quantified due to poor spectrometer resolution. Based on the atomic and molecular species found in the SSME plume, it was determined that spectrometer resolution must be 0.03 nm for SSME plume spectral monitoring.
Two-generator Frattini subgroups of finitep-groups

This paper deals with nonabelianp-groupsT (p a prime andp>2) which are either metacyclic or Redei. These groups are classified into those which are Frattini subgroups of a finitep-groupG and those which are not. Finally, it is shown that a nonabelian two-generator group of orderp n (n>4) which is the Frattini subgroup of ap-group must be metacyclic.
A Fourier Transform Telescope for Sub-arcsecond Imaging of X-Rays and Gamma Rays

This paper describes a Fourier transform telescope designed to image solar flare X-rays and gamma rays at energies up to 1 MeV with arcsecond or subarcsecond resolution. The imaging technique makes use of a bigrid collimator divided into a number of smaller areas called subcollimators. The grids in each subcollimator consist of a set of linear apertures so configured that each subcollimator provides a measurement of a single Fourier component of the angular distribution of the source. The imaging concept is therefore a mathematical analog to aperture synthesis in radio astronomy. For X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy, this approach has significant advantages in terms of relaxed requirements for position sensitivity in the detector and for control of grid alignment in the large scale telescope structure. The concept of the Fourier transform telescope will be illustrated with numerical parameters of a version now under study for the Pinhole/Occulter Facility.
Cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase activity in crown-gall tumor formation.

Summary Cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase activity was found in crown-gall tumor tissue obtained from the inoculation of the primary leaves of Pinto beans with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain B6. Considerably less enzyme activity was found in normal leaf tissue, or wounded leaf tissue inoculated with either sterile broth or a non infectious strain of A . tumefaciens . Some of the implications of these results are discussed.
Assessment of lake trout spawning habitat quality in central Lake Huron by submarine

Interstitial water quality was measured using a submersible at seven locations on Six Fathom Bank. Historically, the bank was an important lake trout spawning ground. It is currently the focus of coordinated, interagency efforts to rehabilitate lake trout in Lake Huron. Water quality, evaluated from measurements of biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide among the rocks, would not prevent lake trout eggs from hatching successfully on the bank.
VANCOMYCIN PHARMACOKINETICS IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT PRETERM NEONATES ON THERAPEUTIC DOSES OF THEOPHYLLINE. 430

We performed Vancomycin pharmacokinetic studies on low birth weight preterm infants receiving therapeutic doses of Theophylline for apnea of prematurity. Four of the five neonates were female and all were free of hepatic or renal impairments. The neonates had a mean gestational age of 24.7 ± 1.1 weeks, mean weight of 1.1 ± 0.3 kilograms, mean Theophylline level of 6.6 ± 0.9 mg/L and a mean chronologic age of 62.2 ± 26.1 days. The use of Vancomycin was indicated for suspected sepsis.
Research on the Information Interface at the Demand Side in Smart Grid

In this paper, with the information analysis at the demand side in smart grid, two interactive modes and four interface protocols in application layer have been proposed according whether the main station exists or not. With comprehensively reviewing the smart electricity businesses related with power consumers, this paper defined the requirement and interaction content and four kinds of Web Service interface protocols in the application layer. Meanwhile, examples of information exchange in the actual scenarios was carried out. The results in this paper can impel the construction of smart electricity service system, enhance the user QoS and comprehensively intelligentize the demand response to a certain extent.
Induction and transient suppression of long-term potentiation in the peri- and postrhinal cortices following theta-related stimulation of hippocampal field CA1.

Abstract During behavioral events associated with periods of likely mnemonic processing, CA1 pyramidal cells in rats typically discharge repetitively in either high-frequency bursts (`complex spikes') or single spikes, both of which are tightly phase-locked to the hippocampal theta rhythm. Interestingly, patterned stimulation which mimics the repetitive, learning-related complex spike discharges are optimal for inducing long-term potentiation (LTP) of excitatory field potentials in CA1, and patterned stimulation which mimics the theta-related single action potentials results in a robust and lasting depotentiation at these same synapses. The aim of the present study was to determine the extent to which these physiologically-relevant patterns of hippocampal stimulation have similar effects on synaptic efficacy in the monosynaptic projection from CA1 to the perirhinal and postrhinal cortices (PRh), areas thought to play a prominent role in many forms of learning and memory. Single-pulse stimulation of CA1 evoked a small amplitude, short latency population excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) in the PRh. Theta-burst stimulation (TBS; n =8) delivered to CA1 reliably potentiated the PRh EPSP slope for at least 30 min. Theta-pulse stimulation (TPS; 5 Hz; n =4) delivered to CA1 5 min after TBS substantially but transiently suppressed EPSP slope relative to that of potentiated control preparations. Collectively these data suggest that theta-related patterns of hippocampal activation can reliably induce and transiently suppress LTP in PRh, and are consistent with the notion that behaviorally-relevant, theta-modulated patterns of CA1 unit activity may result in both long- and short-term alterations of synaptic strength within their rhinal cortical targets.
Real-time gene newtorks control in microfluidics

This tutorial paper presents two examples of invivo real-time control of gene regulatory networks in the eukaryote S. cerevisiae (baker's yeast). I discuss the theoretical and experimental challenges this problem poses and describe a microfluidics-based platform to address them. The results obtained using this setup demonstrate the proposed approach is both feasible and capable of achieving superior performances.
A long-term record of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) and total solar energy at 38.6°N, 78.2°W

Photosynthetically available radiation (PAR; 400–700 nm, E m−2 d−1) is the fraction of the total solar energy (Mjoules m−2 d−1) that is used by organisms for photosynthesis and vision. We present a statistical summary of a 17-yr time series of PAR data (1982–1998) collected near Chesapeake Bay as well as a second set of data on PAR and total solar energy gathered over a shorter time span (1997–1998). The time series data (5,126 daily totals) varied between 1–67 E m−2 d−1 and were used to estimate the minimum and maximum values of PAR as a function of day of the year. In monthly frequency distributions of the PAR data, three modes were observed corresponding to sunny, partly cloudy, and overcast days. The second set of PAR and total solar energy data were used to examine the ratio of PAR to total solar energy, which was 2.04 E Mjoule−1 for PAR between 10 and 70 E m−2 d−1. On overcast days, the ratio increased to as high as 3 E Mjoule−1 as PAR increased in importance as a fraction of the total solar energy. These values were consistent with others in the literature, and the relationships reported here can be used to predict the climatology of PAR and total solar energy within the Chesapeake region. The PAR data were also combined with reported minimum values of PAR for net primary production in the surface mixed layer of the water column of aquatic systems to estimate the combinations of mixed layer depth and diffuse attenuation coefficient (number of optical depths) under which light limitation of phytoplankton primary production is expected to occur.
The action of testosterone at the cell level. Testosterone stimulation of the respiration of Euglena gracilis

Abstract The respiration rate of Euglena in the presence of 2.0 μg. or 0.1 μg. testosterone/ml. medium is about 20 and 14% higher, respectively, than that of controls lacking the steroid. This result obtains whether or not the cells were previously grown in the presence of testosterone. Further, the increased respiration rate of Euglena in the presence of testosterone is dependent upon the presence of a nitrogen source. The testosterone “effect” is reduced when nitrogen is absent from the respiration medium and is restored when nitrogen is reintroduced into the medium. The data suggest that an early effect of this steroid on Euglena is on the permeability of these cells to nitrogen-containing compounds with a resultant effect on protein metabolism.
CTC1 deletion results in defective telomere replication, leading to catastrophic telomere loss and stem cell exhaustion

The proper maintenance of telomeres is essential for genome stability. Mammalian telomere maintenance is governed by a number of telomere binding proteins, including the newly identified CTC1–STN1–TEN1 (CST) complex. However, the in vivo functions of mammalian CST remain unclear. To address this question, we conditionally deleted CTC1 from mice. We report here that CTC1 null mice experience rapid onset of global cellular proliferative defects and die prematurely from complete bone marrow failure due to the activation of an ATR-dependent G2/M checkpoint. Acute deletion of CTC1 does not result in telomere deprotection, suggesting that mammalian CST is not involved in capping telomeres. Rather, CTC1 facilitates telomere replication by promoting efficient restart of stalled replication forks. CTC1 deletion results in increased loss of leading C-strand telomeres, catastrophic telomere loss and accumulation of excessive ss telomere DNA. Our data demonstrate an essential role for CTC1 in promoting efficient replication and length maintenance of telomeres.
Comprehensive salient-pole synchronous machine parametric design analysis using time-step finite element-state space modeling techniques

This paper details the application of a time-stepping coupled finite element-state space (CFE-SS) model to predict a salient-pole synchronous generator's parameters and performance, including damper bar current profiles and bar losses as well as iron core (including pole face) losses, under various operating conditions. The CFE-SS modeling environment is based on the natural ABC flux linkage frame of reference, which is coupled to a time/rotor stepping FE magnetic field and machine winding inductance profile computation model. This allows one to rigorously include the synergism between the space harmonics generated by magnetic saturation and machine magnetic circuit as well as winding layout topologies, and the time harmonics generated by the nonsinusoidal phase currents, ripple rich field excitation and damper bar currents. The impact of such synergism between these space and time harmonics on damper bar current profiles and losses, iron core losses, various machine winding current, voltage and torque profiles/waveforms is studied here for a 10-pole, 44.9 kVA, 17,143 RPM, 1428.6 Hz, 82 V (L-N), wound-pole aircraft generator.
THE OXYGEN CONSUMPTION OF LUMINOUS BACTERIA

Oxygen consumption of luminous bacteria determined by the Thunberg micro respirometer and by the time which elapses before the luminescence of an emulsion of luminous bacteria in sea water begins to dim, when over 99 per cent of the dissolved oxygen has been consumed, agree exactly. Average values for oxygen consumption at an average temperature of 21.5 degrees C. are 4.26 x 10(-11) mg. O(2) per bacterium; 2.5 x 10(4) mg. per kilo and 5.6 mg. O(2) per sq. m. of bacterial surface. The only correct comparison of the oxygen consumption of different organisms or tissues is in terms of oxygen used per unit weight with a sufficient oxygen tension so that oxygen consumption is independent of oxygen tension. Measurement of the oxygen concentration which just allows full luminescence, compared with a calculation of the oxygen concentration at the surface of a bacterial cell just necessary to allow the observed respiration throughout all parts of the cell, indicates that oxygen must diffuse into the bacterium much more slowly than through gelatin or connective tissue but not as slowly as through chitin.
Functions of Propertylike Information in Stateless Societies

In this article the function of propertylike information in stateless societies is analyzed. The first section of the article examines recent studies that conceptualize propertylike information and considers the relationship between propertylike information and educational and political processes. Examples of information possession and transmission in contemporary state societies are then presented to further elicidate the conceptualization. These introductory materials provide a conceptual framework for the analysis of propertylike information in stateless societies that follows in the second section of the paper.
Comparison of the BACTEC MGIT 960 and ESP culture system II for growth and detection of mycobacteria.

The performances of two continuously monitoring mycobacterial culture systems—ESP Culture System II (ESP II; Trek Diagnostics, Inc., Westlake, Ohio) and BACTEC MGIT 960 (BD Biosciences, Sparks, Md.)—were compared. In addition to both liquid media, all specimens were plated onto Middlebrook 7H11/7H11 selective agar. A total of 3,151 specimens of all types (56.3% were respiratory specimens) were cultured; 231 (7.3%) yielded mycobacteria. The most common species recovered were Mycobacterium avium complex (69 isolates) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC; 65 isolates). The recovery rates for ESP II, BACTEC MGIT 960, and Middlebrook agar, respectively, were 71.2, 63.9, and 61.8% for all mycobacteria; 70.2, 72.6, and 66.3% for all mycobacteria except Mycobacterium gordonae; and 73.8, 84.6, and 87.7% for MTBC. For liquid plus solid medium combinations, recovery rates for all mycobacteria and for MTBC, respectively, were 84.1 and 92.3% for ESP II plus Middlebrook agar and 81.5 and 98.5% for BACTEC MGIT 960 plus Middlebrook agar. The differences in recovery of all mycobacteria by ESP II and by BACTEC MGIT 960 were not significant; for the individual species, the only significant difference was recovery of more isolates of M. gordonae by ESP II. For those isolates recovered in both automated systems, mean times to detection of all mycobacteria and MTBC, respectively, were 15.8 and 17.4 days for ESP II and 12.5 and 11.9 days for BACTEC MGIT 960 (P < 0.05). False-positive signals occurred with 23 (0.7%) BACTEC MGIT 960 cultures and 84 (2.7%) ESP II cultures (P < 0.01). Overall contamination rates were 17.1% for BACTEC MGIT 960, 18.9% for ESP II, and 11.0% for Middlebrook agar. In summary, the ESP II and BACTEC MGIT 960 systems performed comparably with regard to growth and detection of mycobacteria, and the contamination rates were similar. However, with ESP II, times to detection of all mycobacteria and of MTBC were significantly longer, the recovery rate of M. gordonae was significantly higher, and the number of false-positive signals was greater than with BACTEC MGIT 960.
TREATISE ON INVERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY: A WORK IN PROGRESS

No article on the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology would be complete without first discussing its founder and longest-serving Editor: Raymond Cecil Moore. R.C. Moore was a cofounder of the Society for Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists (SEPM), which was formally established in 1927 (Moore, 1940), and he served as one of its first Presidents in 1928. In 1944, a committee of the Paleontological Society, chaired by Benjamin F. Howell of Princeton University, invited Moore to lead a project to develop a textbook on invertebrate paleontology that would update and replace volume 1 of the old Textbook of Palaeontology by Zittel and Eastman (1913) (Moore, 1952). Moore brought together SEPM, The Paleontological Society, and the Palaeontographical Society (founded in England in 1847) to further the project. Moore's vision for the Treatise was for a three-volume work of about 3000 pages, following the pattern of another, now-classic, textbook he was working on: Invertebrate Paleontology (Moore, Lalicker, and Fischer, 1952). The Treatise was to “… summarize compactly, but with reasonable completeness, the state of knowledge concerning invertebrate fossils as of about the middle of the present century” (Moore, 1952). Rather than approaching a publishing house, Moore arranged for the Geological Society of America to underwrite the cost of illustrations, in an attempt to keep costs down and thus make the Treatise affordable to paleontologists all around the world. The Treatise is, thus, a compendium of all invertebrate fossil genera, together with their taxonomic synonymy, stratigraphic ranges, geographic occurrence, and illustrations of the type specimens. Introductory material to each volume provides the current state of knowledge of the paleobiology of the group, commonly including comprehensive essays on morphology (including that of modern relatives, if appropriate), paleoecology, ontogeny, geological history, classification, and molecular systematics, and genetics, if available. Written by the foremost experts in the field, to …
CALIBRATION OF AN ORGANIC SCINTILLATOR FOR NEUTRON SPECTROMETRY.

Abstract The absolute differential efficiency of a 4.60- × 4.65-cm-dia. liquid organic scintillator, NE-213, was determined for nearly monoenergetic neutrons at 20 energies between 0.2 and 22 MeV incident on the curved side of the detector. These calibrations are shown to apply to an NE-211 scintillator as well. A 5-MeV Van de Graaff generator provided 2-nsec pulses of neutrons by means of T(p,n) 3 He, D(d,n) 3 He (gas target), and T(d,n) 4 He reactions. With the aid of time-of-flight techniques and pulse-shape discrimination to eliminate spurious neutron and gamma-ray events, reliable pulse-height spectra were obtained for monoenergetic neutrons. The spectra were normalized to Monte Carlo calculations of absolute differential efficiency by utilizing the proton-recoil plateau. The accuracy of the Monte Carlo calculation was verified in the region of the proton-recoil plateau by absolute experimental calibrations carried out at neutron energies of 2.66 and 14.43 MeV and by using a scintillator geometry more suitable for such tests.
Revenue optimization via call admission control and pricing for mobile cellular systems

Service differentiation is now becoming a more and more desirable feature in mobile cellular systems making the case for pricing differentiation among the users. One of the main objectives of a mobile service provider is to maximize its revenue. In general there are two approaches to optimize the revenue rate of a base station. One is through call admission control (CAC), the other is through pricing. For most real systems it is prohibitively difficult to compute the optimal CAC policy or pricing scheme because of the 'curse of dimensionality'. Therefore we focus on CAC policies that have simple structures and static pricing schemes in which the charging rates are independent of the system state. However, finding the optimal structured CAC policies or static pricing scheme is still combinatorial in nature. In this paper we show that our recently proposed iterative coordinate search algorithm provides an efficient and effective method to find the optimal or near-optimal structured CAC policies and static pricing schemes for mobile cellular systems.
Pneumococcal pathogenesis: "innate invasion" yet organ-specific damage.

Streptococcus pneumoniae encounters a variety of unique cellular situations during colonization of the nasopharynx or invasion into the lungs, the bloodstream, or the central nervous system. The ligand/receptor pairings that enable this progression of disease appear to be shared by many respiratory pathogens suggesting that a primitive “innate invasion” mechanism may underlie the well-known species-specific mechanisms of pathogenesis. That the acute phase of the innate immune response includes elements to interrupt this path supports this concept. However, it also appears that each cell type or organ responds differently to activation of this innate invasion pathway leaving some organs, such as the lung, intact post-infection but others, such as the brain, largely destroyed. This review posits a concept of innate invasion but cautions that organ-specific responses complicate opportunities for a simple approach to protect from organ damage.
Specific contacts between protein S4 and ribosomal RNA are required at multiple stages of ribosome assembly

Assembly of bacterial 30S ribosomal subunits requires structural rearrangements to both its 16S rRNA and ribosomal protein components. Ribosomal protein S4 nucleates 30S assembly and associates rapidly with the 5′ domain of the 16S rRNA. In vitro, transformation of initial S4–rRNA complexes to long-lived, mature complexes involves refolding of 16S helix 18, which forms part of the decoding center. Here we use targeted mutagenesis of Geobacillus stearothermophilus S4 to show that remodeling of S4–rRNA complexes is perturbed by ram alleles associated with reduced translational accuracy. Gel mobility shift assays, SHAPE chemical probing, and in vivo complementation show that the S4 N-terminal extension is required for RNA binding and viability. Alanine substitutions in Y47 and L51 that interact with 16S helix 18 decrease S4 affinity and destabilize the helix 18 pseudoknot. These changes to the protein–RNA interface correlate with no growth (L51A) or cold-sensitive growth, 30S assembly defects, and accumulation of 17S pre-rRNA (Y47A). A third mutation, R200A, over-stabilizes the helix 18 pseudoknot yet results in temperature-sensitive growth, indicating that complex stability is finely tuned by natural selection. Our results show that early S4–RNA interactions guide rRNA folding and impact late steps of 30S assembly.
The Effect on Hatchability of Dipping Turkey Hatching Eggs into an Antibiotic Solution

Abstract In a previous report by Chalquest and Fabricant (1959) a procedure for dipping hatching eggs into an antibiotic solution was described. This procedure was studied for its effect on hatchability and also for its possible application to prevent the egg transmission of pleuropneumonialike organisms (PPLO). The purpose of this study was to obtain additional data on the effect on hatchability of dipping turkey hatching eggs. Broad Breasted Bronze hatching eggs were obtained from trap-nested hens and labelled accordingly. The eggs were divided at random into two groups according to the date of lay. As near as possible, an equal number of eggs from each day’s gathering were placed in each group. One group of eggs was dipped and the other group served as an undipped control. Experiments with 5 different hatches were conducted. All the eggs that were dipped were first put into the incubator trays and then incubated for…
Concurrent management of bilateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children using robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery

INTRODUCTION: Bilateral ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction occurs infrequently. When surgical management is deemed necessary, staged pyeloplasties traditionally have been recommended to minimize the morbidity associated with performing procedures concurrently. With the advent of robotic-assistance, concurrent surgical management can more readily be performed laparoscopically. In this report, we evaluated the safety and outcome of managing patients with bilateral UPJ obstruction with concurrent robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of five patients with bilateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction who underwent concurrent bilateral robotic-assisted pyeloplasties at our institution between October 2003 and April 2007. Technical consideration for patient positioning, robotic set-up, port placement, and the use of a hitch stitches was assessed. The operative time, complications, analgesic needs, length of hospitalization, and overall success of the procedure were evaluated. RESULTS: Operative time ranged from 235 to 541 minutes (mean = 384). Estimated blood loss was 5-100 cc (mean = 48.0). Length of hospitalization ranged from 1.3 to 3.6 days (mean = 2.4). Ureteral stents were removed 3-8 weeks postoperatively. There were no complications. All kidneys demonstrated decreased hydronephrosis on postoperative ultrasound or improved drainage parameters on diuretic renography or IVP. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous bilateral robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasties utilizing 4-port access is feasible and safe. It provides an effective method of managing patients with bilateral UPJ obstruction, avoiding the burden and morbidity of performing staged surgeries.
Brain-stem modulation of the response properties of cells in the cat's perigeniculate nucleus

Transmission through the lateral geniculate nucleus is facilitated following activation of the cholinergic input from the brain stem, which is thought to reflect activity patterns seen during arousal. One of the underlying mechanisms is the suppression of inhibitory circuits local to the lateral geniculate nucleus. However, evidence exists that some visually driven inhibitory inputs to geniculate relay cells may be preserved or even enhanced under conditions of arousal, and during electrical activation of the parabrachial region of the brain stem. We have therefore reexamined the effect of brain-stem activation on the visual responses of one group of local inhibitory inputs to geniculate relay cells, those emanating from the adjacent perigeniculate nucleus. We recorded single perigeniculate cells in anesthetized, paralyzed cats. Axons innervating the lateral geniculate and perigeniculate nuclei from the parabrachial region of the brain stem were electrically activated, and the effect of this activation was assessed on both spontaneous and visually evoked responses. Visual stimulation consisted of sinusoidally modulated sine-wave gratings of varying spatial and temporal frequency. For the great majority of perigeniculate cells (32 of 40), brain-stem activation inhibited spontaneous activity, while one cell was excited, three showed a mixed effect and four were unaffected. Nevertheless, the responses of most cells (30 of 40) were facilitated when brain-stem activation was paired with certain spatio-temporal patterns of visual stimulation. Spatial tuning curves were constructed for 17 cells and temporal tuning curves for 14, before and during parabrachial activation. The responses of any one cell could be facilitated, unchanged, or suppressed, depending on the visual stimulus used. In some cases, this substantially modified the cell's spatial and temporal tuning properties. We conclude that activation of the brain stem disinhibits geniculate relay cells in the absence of visual stimulation, but it has the potential to enhance either the magnitude or specificity of visually driven inhibition arising from the perigeniculate nucleus.
The effect of congestion frequency and saturation on coordinated traffic routing

Traffic congestion is a widespread epidemic that continually wreaks havoc in urban areas. Traffic jams, car wrecks, construction delays, and other causes of congestion, can turn even the biggest highways into a parking lot. Several congestion mitigation strategies are being studied, many focusing on micro-simulation of traffic to determine how modifying road structures will affect the flow of traffic and the networking perspective of vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Vehicle routing on a network of roads and intersections can be modeled as a distributed constraint optimization problem and solved using a range of centralized to decentralized techniques. In this paper, we present a constraint optimization model of a traffic routing problem. We produce congestion data using a sinusoidal wave pattern and vary its amplitude (saturation) and frequency (vehicle waves through a given intersection). Through empirical evaluation, we show how a centralized and decentralized solution each react to unknown congestion information that occurs after the initial route planning period.
Veteran Sex Offenders and Reentry Problems

This study examines data gathered by the Cincinnati VA from 2004 to 2008 with the goal of facilitating reentry services for incarcerated veterans. Focusing on imprisoned and released military veteran sex offenders, this article summarizes self-reported assessment findings from 42 veterans who agreed to receive reentry outreach contact. Characteristics assessed include demographics, VA enrollment, homeless episodes, medical and mental health status, reentry needs, and other items. As a whole, the data highlight multiple psychosocial factors and other problems that suggest a need for reentry outreach and services. A collaborative program to provide services for formerly incarcerated veteran sex offenders in Cincinnati, Ohio, is described.
Computer self-efficacy and anxiety scales for an Internet sample: testing measurement equivalence of existing measures and development of new scales

Two studies investigated the validity of computer self-efficacy and computer anxiety scales when administered to an Internet sample. In the first study, it was found that existing measures of computer self-efficacy and anxiety, originally developed through paper-and-pencil methods with more traditional samples, were not adequately equivalent when administered to a sample that was recruited and tested via the Internet. In the second study, the existing measures were adapted, and new items were developed to create new measures of computer self-efficacy and anxiety. The relationship of these new measures to computer and Internet use behaviors provided evidence for validity. Confidence and aversion were related to computer and Internet use suggesting that these new measures are adequate for capturing confidence and aversion towards computers when administered to an Internet sample.