cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of nitric oxide in the control of basal and LHRH-stimulated LH secretion

The gaseous transmitter nitric oxide (NO) appears to be involved in the control of LH secretion and in the modulation of LH responses after stimulation with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), excitatory amino acids (EAAs) and leptin. The regulatory action of NO in the control of LH secretion includes modulation of LHRH release, changes in hypothalamic-pituitary blood flow and direct effects at pituitary level. To determine the net balance of these actions we evaluated (1) the effects of systemic administration of sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a NO donor) and Nw-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (NAME, a blocker of NO synthase) on basal and LHRH-stimulated LH secretion in intact and ovariectomized females; and (2) the effects of SNP and NAME on LH secreted by dispersed pituitary cells. Finally, since NO is involved in the stimulatory effect of excitatory amino acids (EAAs) on LH secretion, we analyzed the effects of different inhibitors of NO synthase (NOS) in the LH response to kainic acid (KA), an agonist of kainate receptors, in male and female rats, neonatally injected with estradiol that show an increased sensitivity to EAAs. We found that NAME (40 and 60 mg/kg) increases LH secretion in intact and ovariectomized females, while SNP had no effect. The effect of NAME was not mediated through a direct action at pituitary level, since the basal and LHRH-stimulated LH release remained unchanged in presence of NAME. Similarly, basal and LHRH-stimulated LH secretion from dispersed pituitary cells were unaffected by NAME. Finally, the stimulatory effects of KA on LH release were not abolished by NOS inhibitors. In conclusion, our results provide evidence that the global action of NOS inhibitors is an increase in basal LH secretion, through a mechanism that remains to be fully characterized. In addition, our data demonstrate that the KA-stimulated LH secretion is not mediated by an increase in NO generation.
Prolonged QTc interval and its relationship to autonomic cardiovascular reflexes in patients with cirrhosis.

Abstract Background / Aims : We have previously shown that an abnormality in cardiac autonomic reflexes (AN) is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with chronic liver disease. Aim of this study was to determine whether there was an association between prolonged QTc interval and cardiac AN. Methods : Cardiac AN and QTc interval were determined in 130 patients (Child A 42, B 53, C 35) with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease. Results : Prolonged QTc (>440ms) was seen in 58 (Child A 30%, B 46%, C 60%, P =0.04) patients. Autonomic tests were normal in 21%, borderline abnormal in 36% and definitely abnormal in 43%. QTc correlated with albumin ( P P =0.003) and Child–Pugh score ( P P Conclusions : Prolonged QTc seen in liver disease is independent of their cardiac autonomic function, but is related to the severity of the liver disease.
Hume and the Human Imagination

Bernard Freydberg’s recent work is a careful and compact study of David Hume’s signature texts: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748), An Enquiry Concerning Principles of Morals (1751), and “Of the Standard of Taste” (1757). Contrary to traditional epistemological readings that comfortably situate Hume as an empiricist naturalist, Freydberg argues that he is better understood as a profound thinker of imagination and Socratic ignorance. Hume’s figurative and Platonic argumentation varies in each text, but Freydberg makes a convincing case that his theoretical, moral, and aesthetic philosophies share a proto-phenomenological center in the artistry of human nature and perception.
A descriptive study of spatial arrangement in a family day care home

A descriptive study was conducted to examine the effects of arrangement of play space within a family day care home. Subjects were 6 four year old children who were videotaped playing under three different environmental conditions. In Condition 1-a, they were taped at the beginning and end of a month in a randomlyarranged play setting which was not partitioned into distinct play centers. In Condition 2, they were taped in a similar manner within a spatially defined area arranged in accordance with previous research. In the final condition, 1-b, the play environment was returned to an undefined state. As before, subjects were observed in this environment at the beginning and end of the month. A novelty effect was discovered—under any condition, subjects were more engaged and displayed more curiosity and enthusiasm at the beginning of the month than at the end. By the end of the month in Conditions 1 and 3, subjects were significantly less engaged and more boredom, daydreaming, confusion, and clashes with peers were observed. In the defined space, in contrast, this decline in engagement was not observed. Recommendations for design of family day care environments are considered.
Studies of calcium channels in rat clonal pituitary cells with patch electrode voltage clamp.

1. The properties of the Ca channel in tissue cultured clonal cells (GH3) isolated from a rat anterior pituitary tumour were studied with the patch electrode voltage-clamp technique. 2. To isolate the current through the Ca channel, the currents through the Na channel, the delayed K channel and the Ca2+ induced K channel were minimized by replacing the external Na+ with TEA+ and adding EGTA to the K-free solution inside the patch electrode. 3. The selectivity ratios through the Ca channel with different cations were 2·7 (Ba2+):1·6 (Sr2+):1·0 (Ca2+) and the m2 form of the activation kinetics and the relationships between the time constant and the membrane potential were common to the three divalent cations. 4. The amplitude of the Ba2+ current increased linearly with [Ba2+]o up to 25 mM and thereafter tended to show saturation. 5. The current—voltage relation showed a positive shift along the voltage axis as [Ba2+]o increased, probably due to the screening effect of Ba2+ on the negative surface charges. 6. The time constant of activation as a function of the membrane potential showed a parallel shift as [Ba2+]o was increased, suggesting that the activation kinetics were independent of the permeant ion concentration. 7. The time constant of the tail current was consistent with m2 kinetics for opening and closing of the Ca channel. 8. The extrapolated `instantaneous' tail current rapidly increased as the activating membrane potential became more positive and reached an apparent saturation at membrane potentials substantially more positive than the potential that gave the maximum peak inward current, and suggested that the single channel has a sigmoidal current—voltage relationship. 9. The power density spectrum obtained during the steady-state inward Ba2+ current had a cut-off frequency which was nearly voltage independent; this is expected if the fluctuation of the current originates from m2 activation kinetics. 10. The results of noise analysis suggest that the amplitude of the single Ca channel current was about 0·2 pA at 25 mM-Ba2+ and 0·7 pA at 100 mM-Ba2+ for membrane potentials in the vicinity of the maximum inward current.
Tuning Trust Using Cognitive Cues for Better Human-Machine Collaboration

In human-machine collaborative systems, human operators usually disuse, misuse, or abuse the assistance from machines. They distrust the systems with poor reliability and may be over-dependent on t...
A Subexponential Randomized Algorithm for the Simple Stochastic Game Problem

We describe a randomized algorithm for the simple stochastic game problem that requires 2O(?n) expected operations for games with n vertices. This is the first subexponential time algorithm for this problem.
Oral Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease in Pediatric Patients after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This study, which is the largest single-center series of oral disease in pediatric patients with cGVHD, describes the oral findings in 49 consecutive patients seen in a pediatric multidisciplinary cGVHD clinic. All consecutive patients seen at the multidisciplinary pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation/cGVHD clinic at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA) from July 2001 through October 2003 were included in this study. Subjective and objective assessments of mucosal, salivary gland, and sclerotic pathology were performed for each patient, and specific therapy was initiated when indicated. Oral mucosal cGVHD was identified in 22 (45%) of 49 patients. Only 4 (8%) of 49 patients reported mouth pain, and all patients reported being able to eat well. All patients who required specific therapy for their oral mucosal cGVHD (45%) were already taking at least 1 immunomodulatory agent; however, efficacy of treatment was difficult to assess because of inconsistent follow-up periods. Subjective and objective salivary gland and sclerotic disease were observed far less often. Oral mucosal pathology is common in these patients, and appropriate diagnosis and management of oral lesions is critical to reduce patient morbidity and to improve quality of life. The apparent lack of salivary gland involvement was notable. Developing validated age-appropriate evaluation strategies and identifying effective treatment guidelines will be invaluable in the future management of these patients.
Enhanced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E2 in response to endotoxin after trauma is dependent on MAPK and NF-κB mechanisms

Abstract Macrophage prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) production is important in cellular immune suppression and in affecting the potential development of sepsis after trauma. We hypothesized that macrophage PGE 2 production after trauma is regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Mice were subjected to trauma and splenic macrophages isolated 7 days later. Macrophages from traumatized mice showed increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA, protein expression, and PGE 2 production compared with controls. Increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 kinase was observed in macrophages from traumatized mice. Pharmacologic inhibition of MAPK blocked trauma-induced COX-2 expression, and PGE 2 production. Trauma macrophages showed increased IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB binding to DNA. Inhibiting IκBα blocked trauma-induced NF-κB activity, COX-2 expression and PGE 2 production. This suggests that trauma-induced PGE 2 production is mediated through MAPK and NF-κB activation and offers potential for modifying the macrophages’ responses following injury.
Fractal dimension of particle aggregates in magnetic fields

Abstract Particle flocculation plays a major role in water treatment processes. In flocculation kinetics models it is usually assumed that spherical particles collide and form spherical aggregates. Real aggregates, however, are of irregular shapes and can be considered as fractal objects. The structure of fractal objects can be described by a fractal dimension number that plays an important role in aggregation kinetics. Two‐dimensional computer simulations of particle aggregation are carried out in this work to directly observe the evolution of floc size and to determine their fractal dimension. The computer program developed in this study simulates random particle motion as well as cluster growth. The simulation results are visualized using Java programming language. The fractal dimension of the simulated clusters is determined based on the linear relationship between log‐(mass of clusters) and log‐(radius of clusters). Primary forces acting on individual particles, including van der Waals, electrostatic...
Is arthropod saliva the achilles' heel of vector-borne diseases?

Vector-borne pathogens are deposited into the skin of the vertebrate host animal during the process of blood feeding. The pathogen establishes an infection from this site rather than by having direct access to the host’s circulatory system. In an attempt to simplify the complex interactions between multiple species (vertebrate host, arthropod vector, and microbial pathogen) that occur during the blood meal and following the deposition of pathogen in the host, researchers routinely use artificial animal models, which do not account for a number of potential parameters. The delivery of isolated, purified pathogens by injection rather than natural infection by pathogen-carrying vectors introduces significant artifacts (1, 2). Therefore, insights gained from such models are somewhat limited and, not surprisingly, successes with experimental vaccines developed by using those models have been very difficult to replicate in field trials. In addition to the route of delivery, the immune and disease-status of the vaccinee (e.g., chronic infection with parasitic organisms), the heterogeneity of the pathogen (i.e., exposure to different pathogen strains in the field compared to the challenge with a defined pathogen strain in the laboratory), an important difference between vector-borne pathogens delivered by needle and syringe after their isolation from an infected vector (artificial) and by an arthropod vector (natural) is the presence of arthropod saliva in the latter scenario. The small amounts of vector-derived molecules in the infectious inoculum can significantly change the infectivity of the vector-borne pathogen as first described for Leishmania more than two decades ago (3). Saliva molecules delivered to the bite site together with a vector-borne pathogen have been shown to modulate or derail vertebrate immune responses resulting in a local microenvironment that favors the establishment of a vector-borne disease. For example, tick-derived saliva factors appear to inhibit inflammatory cytokine secretion thus preventing efficient immune responses against tick-borne Rickettsia (4); a defined molecule in the saliva of the Aedes aegypti mosquito (SAAG-4) has the potential to alter the Th-profile of the bite-induced immune response likely rendering the host unable to effectively eliminate vector-borne viruses (5); and sand fly saliva has a caspase-dependent, pro-apoptotic effect on neutrophils resulting in an infection of the host with increased numbers of Leishmania parasites (6). Vector saliva can even exhibit its effect on the course of an infection when delivered separately from the infectious inoculum, as demonstrated by the injection of purified Plasmodium parasites followed by the bite of a non-infected mosquito and thus the delivery of salivary proteins in “trans” (7). Finally, even a temporal separation of saliva- and pathogen-delivery cannot eliminate effects of arthropod saliva on a subsequent infection with a vector-borne disease (8).
Probing the Role of the Fe−S Subunit Hinge Region during Qo Site Catalysis in Rhodobacter capsulatus bc1 Complex†

The ubihydroquinone:cytochrome c oxidoreductase, or bc1 complex, functions according to a mechanism known as the modified Q cycle. Recent crystallographic data have revealed that the extrinsic domain containing the [2Fe2S] cluster of the Fe−S subunit of this enzyme occupies different positions in various crystal forms, suggesting that this subunit may move during ubihydroquinone oxidation. As in these structures the hydrophobic membrane anchor of the Fe−S subunit remains at the same position, the movement of the [2Fe2S] cluster domain would require conformational changes of the hinge region linking its membrane anchor to its extrinsic domain. To probe the role of the hinge region, Rhodobacter capsulatus bc1 complex was used as a model, and various mutations altering the hinge region amino acid sequence, length, and flexibility were obtained. The effects of these modifications on the bc1 complex function and assembly were investigated in detail. These studies demonstrated that the nature of the amino acid ...
Prototyping for high-aspect-ratio MEMS by high-energy x-ray lithography using boron-carbide-based masks

Low-cost and simple fabrication processes of masks for deep x-ray lithography are necessary for rapid prototyping of high-aspect-ratio microstructures by LIGA-like processes. Commercially available 4' diameter boron carbide substrates of 370 micrometers thickness were investigated as candidates for x-ray transparent mask blanks. High aspect ratio absorber structures were formed by gold electroplating after a x-ray lithographic step using an intermediate KaptonTM mask. The characteristics for boron carbide masks in terms of x- ray transparency and mask contrast were assessed by simulating exposures into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resist using the wavelength shifter at CAMD and compared to other materials combinations, in particular silicon and graphite-based mask blanks. The boron carbide-based masks proved easy to fabricate and were replicated into 300/500 micrometers PMMA resist at intermediate x-ray energies (5 - 15 keV) on a bending magnet beamline of the CAMD ring operating at 1.5 GeV electron energy. These masks were designed for exposure at high photon energy into very thick resist or stacked exposures and will be tested using the CAMD superconductive wavelength shifter as a source of hard x- rays and associated new high energy x-ray lithography station, when available for use.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
God among the signifiers

L'A. examine la circulation des tropes du moi et du desir autour du signifiant Dieu, tropes qui persistent apres son passage en tant que marqueurs de l'unite et de la maitrise. L'A. analyse egalement la circulation des tropes de l'Autre, la revendication morale et l'engagement social
Data smoothing using a least squares fit C++ class

Abstract Two types of data smoothing algorithms are presented which reduce unwanted noise from raw data collected by means of a data acquisition system. One algorithm (moving average) averages the magnitude of a specific data point with a preset number of neighboring data points. A second algorithm presented employs a least squares fit criterion to smooth data. The least squares fit algorithm presented employs tables of convolution integers and normalization factors to calculate smoothed data points. A brief introduction to C++ class structure is included along with source listing of a data smoothing class.
Visual perception at work: Lessons from the world of meteorology

Abstract Drawing on fieldwork at a forecasting office of the National Weather Service, this paper analyzes the sociocognitive organization of meteorological perception and expertise via the notion of “screenwork” in the hopes that it may provide a common constructivist ground on which sociologists and neuroscientists will be able to comfortably study visual perception at work. Three key intersecting areas of research are examined in the process: the practice of looking, visual expertise, and visual decision-making. The paper concludes by employing the metaphor of the collage to further elaborate on the link between screenwork and expert visualization.
Coupling constant analyticity for the anharmonic oscillator

Abstract We study the analytic properties of the singular perturbation theory for p2 + x2 + βx4. We prove rigorously several of the properties of the energy levels, previously found by C. Bender and T. T. Wu using methods of unknown validity. In particular: (a) En(β) has a “global” third-order branch point at β = 0, i.e., any path of continuation which winds three times around β = 0 and circles clockwise about all branch points, returns En to where it started from and a path that makes one turn around does not. (b) On the threesheeted surface, β = 0 is not an isolated singularity; thus, there are infinitely many singularities. (c) The singularities have ± 270° as asymptotic phase. We also show that the perturbation series is asymptotic uniformly in any sector | arg β| with θ 3π 2 . We extend these results to many dimensional oscillators and x2m perturbations. Finally, we study the Pade approximants formed from the Rayleigh-Schrodinger series. Since En(β) has no singularities in the cut plane |argβ|
Acid-labile handles for Fmoc solid-phase synthesis of peptide N-alkylamides

By analogy to established methodology for the preparation of C-terminal peptide amides by 9-fluorenylmethyl-oxycarbonyl (Fmoc) chemistry, in conjunction with the acidolyzable 5-(4-Fmoc-aminomethyl-3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)valeric acid (PAL, 1) handle, the present paper reports on 5-(4-(N-Fmoc-N-alkyl)aminomethyl-3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)valeric acid [(R)PAL, 2] handles that can be used for synthesis of peptide N-alkylamides. The key step in the preparation of these handles was the NaBH3CN-mediated reductive amination (60 to 85% yields; R=CH3, CH3CH2, C6H5CH2CH2, 4-NO2C6H5) of 5-(4-formyl-3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)valeric acid (4), an aldehyde precursor to PAL. The (R)PAL handles (2a and b) were applied to the preparation of LHRH analogues. After anchoring of handles to PEG-PS supports, peptide chain assemblies were carried out, and treatments with TFA-thioanisolephenol-1,2-ethanedithiol (87:5:5:3) for 90 min at 25 °C, followed by aqueous workups, provided the expected products in excellent yields and purities as supported by HPLC and mass spectrometric characterization.
Cultural differences in learning novel words in an attention-following versus attention-directing style

Differences in attention regulation style and their affect on word learning were explored in two different cultures, first-generation Mexican and American. Ten toddlers, five American and five Mexican-immigrant, ages 15 – 21 months, were taught nonsense words in attention-directing and attention-following styles over a two-week period. Results showed that the Mexican-immigrant children learned more words in an attention-directing style than in an attention-following style in Week One. No differences were found in vocabulary in the American children in Week One or Week Two. However, there was an overall trend that the American children learned more words than the Mexican-immigrant children in an attention-following style. These results have implications for clinical intervention.
Assessing Fan and Compressor Blade HCF Sensitivity to Non-Uniform Inlet Flows

In recent years, the subject of high cycle forced response excitation of aircraft turbine engine components and resulting fatigue failures (HCF) has been of increasing concern. Prediction and test methods are needed that can identify inlet distortion-related HCF drivers and response, and support assessment and correction of potential problems before failure occurs. The present paper describes a method by which inlet distortions may be examined for flow-distortion-driven HCF excitation potential in a test situation. The method was derived from results of a distortion screen test that produced periodic excitation in a two-stage transonic fan. A CFD method is used to predict the unsteady pressure field on the first stage blades due to a harmonic component of the measured total pressure distortion. A finite element (FE) model of the blade is then used to identify modal frequencies and predict vibratory stress and strain, providing information on the HCF potential and sensitivity to the imposed distortion. The method avoids the need for a full unsteady, coupled CFD-FE model of the entire compressor flowpath, and the calculations can be conducted rapidly. For the case evaluated, it is shown to produce stress predictions that compare to within 5% of the experimental values.© 2004 ASME
Acoustic response to chemical stimuli in ground crickets.

IN several species of ground crickets (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Nemobiinae), chemical communication may be used in addition to acoustic communication in bringing males and females together. In laboratory experiments, a high proportion of males of three Allonemobius species and one Pictonemobius species showed rapid antennation and produced calling songs shortly after exposure to paper from the cages of female crickets. This is the first report of an acoustic response to chemical stimuli in singing Orthoptera.
Amplifying tests to validate exception handling code

Validating code handling exceptional behavior is difficult, particularly when dealing with external resources that may be noisy and unreliable, as it requires: 1) the systematic exploration of the space of exceptions that may be thrown by the external resources, and 2) the setup of the context to trigger specific patterns of exceptions. In this work we present an approach that addresses those difficulties by performing an exhaustive amplification of the space of exceptional behavior associated with an external resource that is exercised by a test suite. Each amplification attempts to expose a program exception handling construct to new behavior by mocking an external resource so that it returns normally or throws an exception following a predefined pattern. Our assessment of the approach indicates that it can be fully automated, is powerful enough to detect 65% of the faults reported in the bug reports of this kind, and is precise enough that 77% of the detected anomalies correspond to faults fixed by the developers.
Filter matrix estimation in automated DNA sequencing

In four-color fluorescence-based automated DNA sequencing, a 4/spl times/4 filter matrix parameterizes the relationship between the dye-intensity signals of interest and the data collected by an optical imaging system. The filter matrix is important because the estimated DNA sequence is based on the dye intensities that can only be recovered via inversion of the matrix. Here, the authors present a calibration method for the estimation of the columns of this matrix, using data generated through a special experiment in which DNA samples are labeled with only one fluorescent dye at a time. Simulations and applications of the method to real data are provided, with promising results.
Wavelength-tunable variable fiber-optic attenuator using liquid-Crystal-mirror hybrid controls

Fiber-optic module is proposed using a hybrid liquid-crystal (LC)-mirror mechanics beam control mechanism that provides the dual functions of optical attenuation controls and wavelength selection with a high degree of sensitivity, all within one compact in-line module. The experimental module uses an LC deflector and a mechanically tuned bulk mirror as the hybrid optics. The module demonstrates a 1520-1570-nm coarse tuning range, a 1.44-nm fine tuning range, a >30-dB attenuation range, a 3.7-dB optical insertion loss,<0.1-dB polarization-dependent loss, and a full-width at half-maximum wavelength resolution of /spl les/0.3 nm. Module applications include tunable gain controlled optical transmitters and receivers.
Secondary Beam Magnets for the 200-Bev Accelerator--Conventional or Superconducting?

To exploit fully the capabilities of the 200-BeV Accelerator, many experimental beams must be set up concurrently, and many magnets will be required. The great stiffness of secondary-particle beams having momenta around 100 GeV/c requires long magnets to provide reasonable focal lengths and deflections. The result is a very expensive system of dc beam-transport magnets, and a large expenditure for electric power. Recent spectacular advances in the technology of superconducting (SC) magnets have led us to consider the economics of replacing conventional magnets with equal numbers and kinds of SC magnets. We find the total capital-plus-operating costs of the two systems to be equal, within the accuracy of the analysis. We have, however, compared an optimized system of conventional magnets with a nonoptimized system of SC magnets. Perhaps we would get more physics per dollar with different sizes and numbers of SC magnets. We have not placed a dollar value on one of the major advantages of SC magnets--their higher magnetic-field capability. In some cases the higher fields offer no advantage, in others the advantages might be dramatic. Some beam lines may be shortened about in proportion to the increase in field. The result is less shielding and better usage of the rather expensive facilities. Better measurements can be made on particles having short lifetimes. The development of new SC devices, for example, separators and detectors, will be bolstered by the presence of other SC and cryogenic systems and capabilities.
Dose-dependent effects of CRF-like diuretic peptide on transcellular and paracellular transport pathways

The mechanism of action of synthetic Culexcorticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like diuretic peptide (CCRF-DP) was investigated in isolated, perfused Malpighian tubules of the yellow fever mosquito...
Trophic interactions in open systems: Effects of predators and nutrients on stream food chains

Theory and empirical work on food chains has focused primarily on closed, equilibrial environments. We tested the combined effects of secondary consumers (fish) and limiting nutrients (nitrogen) on intermediate trophic levels in an open stream environment, where flow redistributes organisms and materials among patches of streambed habitat. Fish reduced the biomass of the dominant herbivore (baetid mayflies) within habitat patches both by direct predation and by causing increased emigration from the patches. The resulting decrease in herbivory caused an increase in the growth and biomass of primary producers (algae) in areas containing fish. Independent of the effect of fish, algal growth and biomass was increased by augmenting the nutrient supply to patches. Nutrient-enriched areas (with high algal biomass) also supported greater populations of herbivores because they either grew faster in these areas or emigrated less frequently from them. Controlling influences on trophic structure came from both the top and the bottom of the food chain, and these influences were not conditional upon one another. Trophic structure in this system was determined by a mix of behavioral and trophic interactions between the major taxa, most of which were specific to open systems and not predicted by conventional theory.
Multipactor suppression via higher-order modes

Summary form only given. Multipactor is a resonant phenomenon in which an electromagnetic field causes a free electron to impact a surface, resulting in the surface emitting one or more secondary electrons. If the surface geometry and electromagnetic fields are appropriately arranged, the secondary electrons can then be accelerated and again impact a surface in the bounding geometry. If the net number of secondary electrons participating in multipactor is non-decreasing, then the process can repeat indefinitely. This phenomenon is of considerable practical interest in the design and operation of high power resonant structures. When the secondary electron yield (SEY) of a material measured as a function of the incident electron kinetic energy, the curve follows a similar shape for many materials: At low incident kinetic energies, the SEY is low; at intermediate kinetic energies, the SEY is maximized at a material-dependent energy; at high kinetic energies, the SEY tapers down to zero with increasing energy. In order multipactor to be self-sustaining, the average SEY over multipactor path must be at least unity. This means that multipactor can only be sustained within a certain material-dependent range of incident electron kinetic energies. This research investigates the feasibility of suppressing multipactor through the use of higher-order cavity modes which will modify the incident kinetic energy of impacting electrons. Since the SEY is dependent upon kinetic energy of the incident electron, our goal is modify impacting electron velocities to reduce the average SEY less than unity such that multipactor is not sustainable. Preliminary computer simulations are presented which demonstrate this concept in reducing or eliminating multipactor in a 2-dimensional coaxial cavity geometry.
Children with Cancer and Blood Diseases Experience Positive Physical and Psychological Effects from Massage Therapy

Background: Previous research has reported positive effects of massage therapy (MT) on premature infants, children with asthma, arthritis and other illnesses. Although significant effects have been demonstrated with the use of MT with children, research regarding children with cancer and blood disease is needed. Purpose: This study measured the physical and psychological effects of MT on pediatric oncology and hematology patients. The study hypotheses tested the effects MT for physical and psychological symptom relief. Setting: Cancer Center, Shands Hospital at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Research Design: Randomized non-blinded prospective study. Measures of physical health and mental wellbeing were completed before, during, and after four sessions were implemented. Descriptive statistics and 2 (treatment) X 2 (time) one-way ANOVAs were used to analyze data. Participants: Thirty children with cancer and blood disease, ages 6 months to 17 years old. Intervention: Treatment group received 20 minute sessions of Swedish MT once a day for approximately 4 days (inpatient) or once a week for approximately four weeks (outpatient) vs. no MT for the control group. Results: Treatment group showed significant improvement in both psychological stress [STAI-C: State (F [1, 28] = 24.63, p < .001), Trait (F [1, 28] = 12.83, p < .001) and emotional state (F [1, 28] = 157.79, p < .001)], physical measures [muscle soreness (F [1, 28] = 148.20, p <.001), discomfort (F [1, 28] = 214.97, p <.001) and respiratory rate (F [1, 28] = 33.29, p < .001)], and overall progress (H [1, 28] = 100.00, p < .001), compared with participants in the control group. No significant differences were found between groups on: CHQ-parent form; pulse rate; or blood pressure. Conclusion: MT can reduce mental and physical distress in children with cancer and blood diseases and have a positive impact on their quality of life.
Localization of the Rsr1/Bud1 GTPase involved in selection of a proper growth site in yeast

Yeast cells organize their actin cytoskeleton in a highly polarized manner during vegetative growth. The Ras-like GTPase Rsr1/Bud1 and its regulators are required for selection of a specific site for growth. Here we showed that Rsr1/Bud1 was broadly distributed on the plasma membrane and highly concentrated at the incipient bud site and polarized growth sites. We also showed that localization of Cdc24, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the Cdc42 GTPase, to the proper bud site was dependent on Rsr1/Bud1. Surprisingly, Rsr1/Bud1 also localized to intracellular membranes. A mutation in the lysine repeat in the hypervariable region of Rsr1/Bud1 specifically abolished its plasma membrane localization, whereas a mutation at the CAAX motif eliminated both plasma membrane and internal membrane association of Rsr1/Bud1. Thus the lysine repeat and the CAAX motif of Rsr1/Bud1 are important for its localization to the plasma membrane and to the polarized growth sites. This localization of Rsr1/Bud1 is essential for its function in proper bud site selection because both mutations resulted in random bud site selection.
Optical three dimensional coherent spectroscopy

Optical multdimensional coherent spectroscopy has recently been the subject of significant activity. While two-dimensional spectroscopy is most common, it is possible to extend the method into three dimensions. This perspective reviews the different approaches to three-dimensional spectroscopy and the systems that have been studied with it. The advantages of adding an additional dimension are discussed and compared to the resulting experimental challenges.
Influence of Thread Design on Implant Positioning in Immediate Implant Placement

Background: It is generally believed that implants placed in extraction sockets have a tendency to shift in the facial direction during insertion. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of different thread designs on the final implant position in immediate implant placement.Methods: In a split-mouth design involving 11 cadaver heads, each specimen received two implants, one with a square and one with a V-shaped thread design, in maxillary incisor extraction sockets. The facio-lingual locations of the drills and the implant were tracked, and the displacements were compared between the two groups.Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between the square and V-shaped thread design groups. The mean displacements of the different groups showed a general tendency of the implants to be positioned facially compared with the initial drill trajectory. This tendency was greater for implants with square thread design.Conclusion: There was no significant effect of implant threa...
Minority inclusion in randomized clinical trials of panic disorder.

Abstract In 1993, the National Institutes of Health issued a mandate that funded research must include participation by racial and ethnic minority groups, and researchers were required to include in their proposals strategies by which they would achieve diversity in their samples. A methodological search for randomized clinical trials of panic disorder was conducted to evaluate ethnoracial differences in panic disorder symptoms, rates of minority inclusion in North American studies, and effective methods of minority recruitment. Less than half of the studies identified reported ethnic and racial data for their sample. Of the 21 studies that did report this information ( n = 2687), 82.7% were European American/non-Hispanic White, 4.9% were African American/Black, 3.4% were Hispanic, 1.1% were Asian American, and 1.4% were another ethnicity. The remaining 6.5% was simply classified as other/non-White. The primary recruitment techniques utilized were clinical referral and advertising, but neither of these methods were correlated with improved minority participation, nor was the number of recruitment sites. As minorities are greatly underrepresented in panic disorder studies, reported treatment outcomes may not generalize to all ethnic and cultural groups. Researchers have not followed NIH guidelines regarding inclusion of special populations. Inclusion of minorities in future studies is needed to fully understand issues related to the treatment of panic disorder in non-White populations. Suggestions for improved recruitment of ethnoracial minorities are discussed.
Perceived control and health

Perceived control (PC) is defined as thebelief that one can determine one’s own internal states and behavior, influence one’s environment, and/or bring about desired outcomes. Two important dimensions of PC are delineated: (1) whether the object of control is located in the past or the future and (2) whether the object of control is over outcome, behavior, or process. A variety of constructs and measures of PC (e.g., efficacy, attribution, and locus of control) are discussed in relation to these dimensions and selected studies are reviewed. The issues, controversies, and limits of the research on perceived control and health are addressed in terms of the antecedents and consequences of perceived control. Investigations should clearly conceptualize the object of perceived control, use measures that match the conceptualization, and when attempting to manipulate control, directly measure perceived control. The relation between PC and health outcomes is complex, and different aspects of PC may interact to affect health outcomes.
Entity Resolution with Markov Logic

Entity resolution is the problem of determining which records in a database refer to the same entities, and is a crucial and expensive step in the data mining process. Interest in it has grown rapidly in recent years, and many approaches have been proposed. However, they tend to address only isolated aspects of the problem, and are often ad hoc. This paper proposes a well-founded, integrated solution to the entity resolution problem based on Markov logic. Markov logic combines first-order logic and probabilistic graphical models by attaching weights to first-order formulas, and viewing them as templates for features of Markov networks. We show how a number of previous approaches can be formulated and seamlessly combined in Markov logic, and how the resulting learning and inference problems can be solved efficiently. Experiments on two citation databases show the utility of this approach, and evaluate the contribution of the different components.
Monitoring the Strategy Execution

Strategy formulation concluded with the development of the strategic agenda discussed in the previous chapter. The next task we face is paving the way for implementation of the strategy we have chosen. There are two key steps we must take.
Gut bacteria mediate aggregation in the German cockroach

Aggregation of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is regulated by fecal aggregation agents (pheromones), including volatile carboxylic acids (VCAs). We demonstrate that the gut microbial community contributes to production of these semiochemicals. Chemical analysis of the fecal extract of B. germanica revealed 40 VCAs. Feces from axenic cockroaches (no microorganisms in the alimentary tract) lacked 12 major fecal VCAs, and 24 of the remaining compounds were represented at extremely low amounts. Olfactory and aggregation bioassays demonstrated that nymphs strongly preferred the extract of control feces over the fecal extract of axenic cockroaches. Additionally, nymphs preferred a synthetic blend of 6 fecal VCAs over a solvent control or a previously identified VCA blend. To test whether gut bacteria contribute to the production of fecal aggregation agents, fecal aerobic bacteria were cultured, isolated, and identified. Inoculation of axenic cockroaches with individual bacterial taxa significantly rescued the aggregation response to the fecal extract, and inoculation with a mix of six bacterial isolates was more effective than with single isolates. The results indicate that the commensal gut microbiota contributes to production of VCAs that act as fecal aggregation agents and that cockroaches discriminate among the complex odors that emanate from a diverse microbial community. Our results highlight the pivotal role of gut bacteria in mediating insect–insect communication. Moreover, because the gut microbial community reflects the local environment, local plasticity in fecal aggregation pheromones enables colony-specific odors and fidelity to persistent aggregation sites.
The Failure of Liability in Modern Markets

This Article argues that the liability framework governing securities trading is unable to effectively deter and compensate harms in algorithmic markets. Theory underscores the significance of robust laws to safeguard information flows and the trading process. Without this assurance, investors internalize the costs of privately policing markets and will rationally discount the capital they invest. A detailed body of regulation seeks to ensure that markets function safely, benchmarking compliance using the three familiar standards grounding liability: (i) intent; (ii) negligence; and (iii) strict liability. This Article shows that this framework is ineffective in markets that rely on algorithms – or pre-programmed computerized instructions – for trading. It makes two claims. First, a basic level of error is endemic to the operation of algorithmic markets. Especially when designed to trade in fractions of a second, algorithms must be programmed in advance of trading and anticipate how markets are likely to behave. This predictive dynamic means that error and imprecision are inevitable, irrespective of constraints that liability imposes. Secondly, liability standards fare poorly in high-speed algorithmic markets where errors can spread rapidly across multiple exchanges and security types. Even small, “reasonable,” risk taking can give rise to outsized harms, diminishing the protection provided under the negligence standard. Strict liability also fails. With error inextricably a part of predictive, pre-set algorithms, liability can arise too frequently to function as an informative signal of bad behavior. Further, small errors can create large-scale losses that may be too high for any single firm to pay. Finally, punishing only intentional bad actors leaves a swath of the market unsanctioned for careless behavior. With each standard falling short, the current design of the liability framework can leave markets facing pervasive costs of mistake, manipulation and disruption. In concluding, this weakening of laws points to a need for structural solutions in automated markets. This Article explores avenues for reform to institutionalize better behavior and fill the gaps left by the law.
Computational Modeling of Extreme Heat Flux Microcooler for GaN-Based HEMT

This study explores an extreme heat flux limit of microcooler for GaN-based HEMTs (high electron mobile transistors) which have local power densities exceeding 30 kW/cm2 using both solid conduction simulation and single-phase/two-phase conjugate simulations. Solid conduction simulation models are developed for full geometry of the microcooler to account for the overall thermal resistances from GaN HEMT to working fluid. This allows investigating the temperature distribution of the suggested microcooler. Parametric studies are also performed to investigate the impact of geometries and heat transfer coefficients on the junction temperature. The solid conduction simulation results using COMSOL Multiphysics agree well with single-cell ANSYS Fluent simulation results.Separately, fluid-solid conjugate CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation models provide the detailed flow information in the microchannel using a single-channel geometry with symmetry boundary conditions. Single-phase CFD simulations obtain the lower bound of total pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient at the microchannel walls for a mass velocity range of G = 6000–24000 kg/m2-s. The local temperatures and velocity distributions are reported that can help with identifying the locations of the maximum velocity and recirculation regions that are susceptible to dryouts. Two additional alternative tapered inlet designs are proposed to alleviate the significant pressure loss at the entrance of the SiC channel. The impact of the tapered inlet designs on pressure drops and heat transfer coefficients is also investigated.Two-phase simulations in microchannel are conducted using Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method embedded in ANSYS Fluent to investigate two-phase flow patterns, flow boiling, and temperature distributions within the GaN HEMT device and SiC etched mircochannels. A user-defined function (UDF) accounts for the phase change process due to boiling at the microchannel walls. The results show that the time relaxation factor, ri has a strongly influence on both numerical convergence and flow solutions.© 2015 ASME
Higher-Order Linear Equations

Certain physical phenomena give rise to mathematical models that involve DEs of an order higher than two.
Anisotropic Dry Etching of Aluminum Films Deposited on Topographic Steps

During the etching of aluminum film, if the film is deposited on a surface which contains sharp topological steps, and if the etching proceeds mainly along the vertical direction, it becomes very difficult to remove the remaining residue. Experimental results are discussed in terms of effects of native oxide film and polymer film formation. A simple model is proposed to reveal the residue formation process and to explain the problem encountered during the removal of the etched residue.