cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The collection of precipitation for chemical analysis

This paper is one of a series of publications on the collection and chemical analysis of precipitation. While the first paper presented the results from an intercalibration of 10 different designs of precipitation collectors (Galloway and Likens, 1976), this paper presents results of experiments on the collection efficiency of collectors, preservation of samples, monthly variation of wet and dry deposition, sample storage, length of sampling period, choice of collector location and sources of variability in precipitation data. The primary conclusions are that dry fallout should usually be excluded from rain and snow samples, sampling should be on an event basis, all biocides tested have some detrimental effect on sample composition, and that the major sources of variability in precipitation data are due to sampling errors and choice of collector location. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1978.tb00819.x
The prevention of an artifact in receptor binding assay by an improved technique

The intensity of vacuum suction used during filtration of cerebral membranes on glass fiber filters used in the assays of neurotransmitter receptors is a factor in determining the apparent extent of bound radioactivity. This is not related to protein loss during filtration at various speeds nor to rates of dissociation of various ligand-receptor complexes. It appears to be due to the failure of hydrophobic ligands on dry filters, to be readily removed by aqueous media. A means whereby the vacuum can be held constant is described and shown to eliminate this artifact.
Total solar irradiance at Table Mtn, California 1926-1977

It is suggested that the mean direct solar irradiance at Table Mountain, California (100 km NE of Los Angeles at an elevation of 2460 m) in July over the 1926-77 period has not changed by more than the standard errors associated with the means of the observations. Data were not collected systematically in the years between 1952 and 1977. If the conclusion which is based partly on a single month of observation in 1977 is valid, change in the atmospheric transmission-solar 'constant' product does not exceed plus or minus one percent.
Studies on modifications of ITO surfaces in OLED devices by Taguchi methods

The influences of various surface treatments on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) anodes on the performance of OLED devices are investigated by the Taguchi Method. These surface treatments include chemical and mechanical processes under different conditions. In particular, we find that the chemical treatment producing ultra-smooth ITO film surfaces does not provide the highest efficiency and luminescence. The implications of the optimized surface treatment conditions from Taguchi Methods are discussed through device testing.
Quantification of model uncertainty: Calibration, model discrepancy, and identifiability

To use predictive models in engineering design of physical systems, one should first quantify the model uncertainty via model updating techniques employing both simulation and experimental data. While calibration is often used to tune unknown calibration parameters of a computer model, the addition of a discrepancy function has been used to capture model discrepancy due to underlying missing physics, numerical approximations, and other inaccuracies of the computer model that would exist even if all calibration parameters are known. One of the main challenges in model updating is the difficulty in distinguishing between the effects of calibration parameters versus model discrepancy. We illustrate this identifiability problem with several examples, explain the mechanisms behind it, and attempt to shed light on when a system may or may not be identifiable. In some instances, identifiability is achievable under mild assumptions, whereas in other instances, it is virtually impossible. In a companion paper, we demonstrate that using multiple responses, each of which depends on a common set of calibration parameters, can substantially enhance identifiability.
Sustainable Agriculture The United States versus the European Union: Issues and Attitudes

This paper examines developing issues and attitudes that unite and divide the United States and the European Union as the discussion and regulation of agriculture evolves. While some terms, such as â€œorganic,â€ are defined in law in both the United States and European Union, the increasingly used â€œsustainabilityâ€ is an evolving concept. The main sustainability issue is how to provide food and fiber for a rapidly growing world population. In this context, the role of biotechnology is questioned. Americans tend to favor what are sometimes called genetically modified crops, while Europeans remain cautious. Europeans lean more toward organic farming, while Americans assert that much of the world will starve if organic methods are required. This paper reviews the directions that the discussion of these issues is taking and will show areas of agreement and where the two sides diverge.
Antioxidant defenses in TNF-treated MCF-7 cells: selective increase in MnSOD

Abstract Oxidative stress has been implicated in the mechanism of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF)-induced apoptosis, raising a question about the status of antioxidant defenses in TNF-sensitive cells. Antioxidant defenses were examined in MCF-7 cells after treatment with TNF. Cell morphology and DNA fragmentation assays were used to confirm increased apoptosis as a result of TNF treatment. The expression and activity of antioxidant defenses were assessed using Northern blot hybridization analyses and biochemical assays, respectively. Five- and ten-fold increases in manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) mRNA were measured after one and five days of TNF treatment, respectively. The expression of copper,zinc superoxide dismutase, catalase or thioredoxin was not altered. An approximate five-fold increase in MnSOD activity followed the change in gene expression, but no difference in the activity of catalase or glutathione peroxidase was seen. Thus, increased MnSOD activity was not accompanied by an increase in other antioxidant defenses and in particular, H2O2-scavenging enzymes. MnSOD has previously been shown to afford protection against TNF-mediated cytotoxicity. The observed lack of increased peroxidase activity is consistent with mitochondrially-generated superoxide anion radical contributing to the mechanism of TNF-induced apoptosis.
Supramolecular main chain liquid crystalline polymers utilizing azopyridine derivatives

A series of main chain liquid crystalline polymers were formed through intermolecular hydrogen bonding between a functionalized bisazopyridine phenol and aromatic bisacids. The behaviour of these complexes was studied through differential scanning calorimetry and thermal polarizing optical microscopy. The presence of the hydrogen bonds was confirmed through infrared spectroscopy. These complexes formed thermotropic mesophases. The phases were determined to be nematic in nature from the schlieren textures of the optical micrographs. As the length of flexible spacer groups separating the mesogenic portions increased, the clearing temperatures of the mesophases decreased. As the length of the rigid component increased, the clearing temperature increased. A new bisacid species based on 2‐hydroxy‐6‐naphthoic acid was used to increase clearing temperatures while remaining within an acceptable temperature window.
SU‐E‐T‐369: Dosimetric Accuracy of Delivering Cu‐ATSM PET Dose Painting Plans with Tomotherapy

Purpose: Unlike conventional IMRT plans, PET‐based dose painting plans can include high dose modulation and steep dose gradients within target volumes; these can be challenging for some therapy systems to deliver. The purpose of this study was to assess tomotherapy's ability to accurately deliver PET‐based dose painting plans. Methods: Five canine patients with sinonasal tumors were imaged with [61Cu]Cu‐ATSM PET/CT prior to treatment. Dose painting prescriptions were created with the following parameters: 1) PTV = 42 Gy, 2) GTV voxel doses were linearly related to Cu‐ATSM SUV, and 3) GTV voxel doses had a lower limit of 42 Gy, an upper limit of 100 Gy, and a mean GTV dose of 50 Gy. Plans were split into 10 fractions. Voxel dose prescriptions were converted into 8 contours representing dose levels and imported into tomotherapy TPS for optimization. One fraction from each optimized plan was delivered to the tomotherapy phantom. Absolute and relative measurements were performed with ion chamber and EDR2 film, respectively. Results: Maximum voxel doses varied between patients, ranging from 69 Gy to 100 Gy, depending on Cu‐ATSM uptake patterns. Good conformity was obtained between optimized plans and voxel prescriptions: on average 89% of voxels received +/−10% of their prescribed dose. Absolute dose measurements were within 3% of dose plans for all patients, with an average difference of −1.4%. Film dosimetry showed tomotherapy was capable of delivering the highly modulated plans. Gamma analysis (3%/3mm) showed that plans on average had only 0.1% of gamma values greater than 1. Conclusion: Tomotherapy was able to deliver dose painting treatment plans for all five of the test patients with a high degree of accuracy. Despite high dose modulation within planning structures, PET‐based dose painting is feasible with tomotherapy.
Magnesium removal induces paroxysmal neuronal firing and NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal degeneration in cortical cultures.

Abstract Removal of extracellular Mg 2+ triggered the onset of repetitive excitatory discharges in cultured murine cortical neurons, detected by recording with patch electrodes in the whole cell configuration. The discharges were suppressed by 100 μM d -2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate. Over the next 24–72 h substantial numbers of neurons, but not glia, degenerated, releasing lactate dehydrogenase to the bathing medium. The neuronal death induced by removal of extracellular Mg 2+ could be attenuated by either 3 μM tetrodotoxin or 50 μM dextrorphan, and thus likely reflects excessive activation of N- methyl- d -aspartate receptors triggered by excitatory discharges. This Mg 2+ removal model may be a useful model in which to study certain aspects of epileptic neocortical injury.
Colonic epithelial cells are a major site of macrophage inflammatory protein 3α (MIP-3α) production in normal colon and inflammatory bowel disease

Background and aim: Macrophage inflammatory protein 3α (MIP-3α) is a recently described lymphocyte directed C-C chemokine expressed predominately at extralymphoid sites, including the intestine. The aim of this study was to determine whether colonic epithelial cells produce MIP-3α and whether its expression is upregulated in inflammatory bowel disease. Methods and results: We found that interleukin 1β and tumour necrosis factor α dose dependently stimulated MIP-3α production in Caco-2 and HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells. In cytokine treated Caco-2 and HT-29 cells, a significant increase in MIP-3α protein production was observed after three hours and continued for at least 24 hours. Analysis of colonic tissues by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and ELISA revealed significantly elevated MIP-3α mRNA levels (7.9-fold; p Conclusions: These findings indicate that increased enterocyte MIP-3α production may play an important role in lymphocyte activation and recruitment to the colonic epithelium in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
A stochastic-deterministic simulation model of shrub succession

Abstract Shrubs dominate the early seral communities that develop following clearcutting and burning in the moist coniferous forests of northern Idaho. Establishment is immediate and quite variable. Establishment success depends on burn severity, reproductive mode, and the vegetation existing before the burn. The complexity of early succession and the consequent difficulty of predicting species composition following disturbance can be overcome with a relatively simple modeling approach. Compound probability distributions are used to describe both establishment and change in percent canopy cover for early seral shrubcommunities. The statistical parameters of these compound distributions are simulated through time to represent annual growth. After several years, growth is essentially deterministic. The model successfully simulates canopy cover development of ten common and abundant shrub species during the first 15 years following clearcutting and burning.
Coital behavior in dogs. IX. Sequelae to "coitus interruptus" in males and females.

Abstract During normal mating male and female dogs form a genital lock during which the penis is so swollen within the vagina that the pair cannot separate until detumescence begins. After a normal lock (15 min +) most males and females are relatively calm and inactive. In some case a lock is broken within a few minutes after insertion and when this occurs the subsequent behavior of both sexes may undergo a sudden change. Most females become exceedingly hyperactive and sexually aggressive toward the male. In the same circumstances some males exhibit a phantom lock. For 5–15 min they stand nearly motionless in the posture assumed during a normal lock. The back is arched, tail fully erect and rhythmic ejaculatory contractions occur. Under these conditions males show little or no response to exteroceptive stimulation. The neurophysiological basis for the reactions of both sexes is discussed.
A Critical Role for the Inflammatory Response in a Mouse Model of Preneoplastic Progression

The tumor microenvironment, which includes inflammatory cells, vasculature, extracellular matrix, and fibroblasts, is a critical mediator of neoplastic progression and metastasis. Using an inducible transgenic mouse model of preneoplastic progression in the mammary gland, we discovered that activation of inducible fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (iFGFR1) in the mammary epithelium rapidly increased the expression of several genes involved in the inflammatory response. Further analysis revealed that iFGFR1 activation induced recruitment of macrophages to the epithelium and continued association with the alveolar hyperplasias that developed following long-term activation. Studies using HC-11 mammary epithelial cells showed that iFGFR1-induced expression of the macrophage chemoattractant osteopontin was required for macrophage recruitment in vitro. Finally, conditional depletion of macrophages inhibited iFGFR1-mediated epithelial cell proliferation and lateral budding. These findings show that inflammatory cells, specifically macrophages, are critical for mediating early events in an inducible transgenic mouse model of preneoplastic progression.
RKKY interactions between nanomagnets of arbitrary shape

The RKKY interaction between well-separated magnetic particles in a nonmagnetic metallic matrix is calculated. It turns out that the net interaction can be mapped onto an RKKY interaction between two point-like effective moments. The effective moments exhibit a strongly oscillating dependence on the particle's size, shape, and orientation, but their magnitudes are governed by scaling laws. As a rule, magnetostatic interactions tend to suppress the RKKY effect in particles larger than about 1 nm. Surface roughness leaves the effective-moment picture unaltered but tends to yield a moderate reduction of the effective moments. The results are discussed in the context of magnetic recording, spin-glass magnetism, and cluster physics.
Bulk Glass-Forming Metallic Alloys: Science and Technology [1998 Mrs Medal Award Lecture, Presented at Symposium Mm]

The paper begins with some brief remarks about the history and background of the field of bulk glass-forming metallic alloys. This is followed by a discussion of multicomponent glass-forming alloys and deep eutectics, the chemical constitution of these new alloys, and how they differ from metallic glasses of a decade ago or earlier. The development of bulk glass forming alloys has led to interesting studies of the deeply undercooled liquid alloys, which are made possible by the exceptional stability with respect to crystallization. Recent advances made in this area will be illustrated by several examples. The paper continues with a discussion of some of the physical properties of bulk metallic glasses. Mechanical properties are specifically discussed. Some interesting potential applications of bulk metallic glasses will be mentioned.
Reduction of Physiological Stress Using Fractal Art and Architecture

The author reviews visual perception studies showing that fractal patterns possess an aesthetic quality based on their visual complexity. Specifically, people display an aesthetic preference for patterns with mid-range fractal dimensions, irrespective of the method used to generate them. The author builds upon these studies by presenting preliminary research indicating that mid-range fractals also affect the observer's physiological condition. The potential for incorporating these fractals into art and architecture as a novel approach to reducing stress is also discussed.
Cultural Influences on Infant Feeding Practices

1. Suzinne Pak-Gorstein, MD, PhD, MPH* 2. Aliya Haq, MS, RD† 3. Elinor A. Graham, MD, MPH* 1. *Harborview Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash 2. †Harborview Medical Center, Children and Teens Clinic, and Women, Infant, and Children Nutrition Program, Seattle, Wash After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Provide examples of specific cultural beliefs and traditions that affect infant feeding practices. 2. Describe the influence of acculturation in the United States (US) on infant feeding practices among immigrant mothers. 3. Recognize the problem of infant overfeeding among particular groups. 4. Outline a culturally sensitive approach to elicit personal and cultural beliefs regarding infant feeding and to provide effective infant feeding counseling for mothers from different cultural backgrounds. “… all different cultures, whether in a tropical village or in a highly urbanized and technologically sophisticated community, contain some practices and customs which are beneficial to the health and nutrition of the group, and some which are harmful. No culture has a monopoly on wisdom or absurdity.” Jellife D . Child Nutrition in Developing Countries: A Handbook for Fieldworkers. Washington, DC: United States Public Health Service; 1968 Healthy infant feeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding and delayed introduction of complementary foods, are promoted by health clinicians as well as by numerous national and international organizations. However, mothers base their infant feeding decisions on an array of factors, including their experiences, family demands, socioeconomic circumstances, and cultural beliefs. As the number of children from immigrant families in the US increases, more pediatric clinicians are working not only with families of color who have a long heritage of living in the US spanning many generations, but also with families new to the US whose cultural backgrounds are markedly different from their own. Health professionals are faced with a growing challenge to appreciate the cultural beliefs influencing infant feeding practices for both recent immigrants as well as for resident US ethnic groups. Discussions regarding infant feeding often are the initial interaction between clinician and mother and, as such, are important in building a foundation of trust and rapport …
Rich content sharing in mobile systems using multiple wireless networks

There has been an increasing popularity of applications deployed on mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets. Many of them, e.g., YouTube [1], Pandora [2], Facebook [3] and etc, require access to the Internet for content sharing while running, and contribute a huge amount of data traffic sent through cellular networks [9], which causes cellular networks currently to be overloaded. Moreover, it is predicted that mobile data traffic will increase very fast in the next few years [9]. As a result, many cellular network providers are putting a lot of effort to seeking solutions for improving their network capacity, e.g., upgrade their infrastructure, as well as decide to move away from unlimited data plans to less flexible charging models [4]. In this paper, we address the problem of efficient rich content sharing from/to mobile devices by proposing practical approaches that provide high delivery performance, reduce cellular data traffic, and release the pressure of cellular networks' heavy load on mobile users and cellular network services providers. Our approaches [13--16] all share a common technique: using complementary networks, such as WiFi, WiFi ad hoc or Bluetooth, equipped in most modern mobile devices to offload data traffic previously planned to be transmitted over cellular networks. For each proposed approach, we prove its feasibility by testing it on an Android based testbed and evaluate its performance and scalability using simulations.
Too Much of a Good Thing

The immune system is trained to recognize pathogens and protect the host from disease. However, our body’s first line of defense—the inborn innate immune response—is relatively non-specific. It provides immediate protection against infection and is conserved across species, but even the innate immune response can go wrong if left unfettered. When this happens, people develop autoinflammatory disorders, which are characterized by intense episodes of inflammation. The innate immune response reacts even though it has never encountered antigens, with potentially disastrous effects. In two studies, Romberg et al . and Canna et al .—using careful clinical, genetic, and molecular detective work—separately identified patients with a new syndrome of recurrent fevers, gastrointestinal inflammation, and evidence of systemic autoinflammation. Both groups identified de novo gain of function mutations in NLRC4 , an important inflammasome protein with caspase-activating and recruitment domains. Typically, NLRC4 is activated in the presence of flagellin-associated pathogens such as Pseudomonas and Salmonella . These NLRC4 mutations, without any obvious microbial activation, resulted in spontaneous and increased production of caspase-1 cleavage products, inflammasome complex formation, and interleukin-1 family cytokines (IL-1β and IL-18) with evidence of pyroptosis, a proinflammatory form of cell death. These studies also identified a subset of life-threatening autoinflammatory diseases that could be treated with existing IL-1-blocking therapeutics. The discoveries of these patients with features of autoinflammation involving NLRC4 highlight the importance of regulating the complex interactions of the immune pathways, and how abnormal activation can lead to pathology. The exact contribution of NLRC4 mutations to heightened inflammasome activation needs to be further explored. The next generation sequencing technologies used in these studies will continue to be instrumental in discovering disease-causing mutations in otherwise unknown and uncharacterized diseases, especially when combined with astute clinical acumen to identify these cases. N. Romberg et al ., Mutation of NLRC4 causes a syndrome of enterocolitis and autoinflammation, Nat. Genet . 10.1038/ng.3066 (2014). [[Abstract]][1] S. W. Canna et al., An activating NLRC4 inflammasome mutation causes autoinflammation with recurrent macrophage activation syndrome. Nat. Genet. 10.1038/ng.3089 (2014). [[Abstract]][2] [1]: http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v46/n10/abs/ng.3066.html [2]: http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v46/n10/abs/ng.3089.html
Systemic lupus erythematosus.

(1981). Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Clinical and Experimental Dialysis and Apheresis: Vol. 5, No. 1-2, pp. 93-99.
Communicating in the intercultural classroom

Different cultures misunderstand each other because they have varying views on basic human problems that each society must solve in order to continue as a coherent whole: their relation to authority, the relationship of individuals to society and between genders, and their ways of resolving conflict, including controlling aggression and expressing feelings. The paper considers one example of how a lack of intercultural knowledge can lead to difficulty in the classroom. It discusses collective versus individual societies and particularism versus universalism.
Template based control of hexapedal running

In this paper, we introduce a hexapedal locomotion controller that simulation evidence suggests will be capable of driving our RHex robot at speeds exceeding five body lengths per second with reliable stability and rapid maneuverability. We use a low dimensional passively compliant biped as a "template" - a control target for the alternating tripod gait of the physical machine. We impose upon the physical machine an approximate inverse dynamics within-stride controller designed to force the true high dimensional system dynamics down onto the lower dimensional subspace corresponding to the template. Numerical simulations suggest the presence of asymptotically stable running gaits with large basins of attraction. Moreover, this controller improves substantially the maneuverability and dynamic range of RHex's running behaviors relative to the initial prototype open-loop algorithms.
A theoretical physicist’s journey into biology: from quarks and strings to cells and whales

Biology will almost certainly be the predominant science of the twenty-first century but, for it to become successfully so, it will need to embrace some of the quantitative, analytic, predictive culture that has made physics so successful. This includes the search for underlying principles, systemic thinking at all scales, the development of coarse-grained models, and closer ongoing collaboration between theorists and experimentalists. This article presents a personal, slightly provocative, perspective of a theoretical physicist working in close collaboration with biologists at the interface between the physical and biological sciences.
Module-Based Modeling of Cyber-Physical Power Systems

In this paper we present a module-based modeling of electrical power grids. Each (group of) component(s) is defined as a module and its dynamics is represented in terms of its local variables and the interconnection variables between the module and the system network. Therefore, it is possible to specify the performance sub-objectives of each module for a given range of variations in interaction variables and to ensure that the local sub-objectives are met through local sensing and actuation. The specifications are implemented through an interactive cyber-based protocol between the local modules and the network operator. The network operator defines bounds on the interaction variables. Individual modules, in turn, adjust their own localcontrol to meet local performance specifications for the given bounds on the interaction variables. Sufficient conditions on network properties are derived under which this interactive protocol between the network operation and themodules converges to a system-wide stable operation. The proposed interactive protocol could be used for incorporating into future electric power grids high penetration of distributed generation resources, and this is illustrated on a simple example.
Moraxella lacunata Septic Arthritis in a Patient with Lupus Nephritis

Moraxella lacunata is a rare, usually commensal gram-negative rod most commonly associated with eye infections. We report a unique case of noniatrogenic M. lacunata bacteremia and septic knee arthritis in a patient with class III-IV lupus nephritis and speculate on the association between invasive Moraxella infection and renal impairment.
Editorial Column—On Methods, Disciplines, and Applications

In 2014, Service Science published 20 regular articles, 1 commentary, and 4 editorials. Overall, 56 manuscripts were submitted (through mid-October). Two special sections were published with select conference papers (in June). Three calls for papers for special issues were published (and two calls are still open; see http://pubsonline.informs.org/page/serv/callsfor-papers). In producing the journal this year, I relied on many volunteer editors, reviewers, and Editorial Board members who gave their time and expertise to help evaluate submissions. I received 103 reviews from 80 individuals. The names of all 2014 reviewers are listed in this issue, along with the current Advisory Board and Editorial Board members. I thank them all for their dedication and their continued support of Service Science. Since 2012, Service Science has published 64 refereed articles. These articles have drawn on a great variety of methods, disciplines, and application areas (see also Maglio and Breidbach 2014). There is so much variety that only a small proportion of the keywords associated with the articles were ever used by more than one article (see Figure 1). Service Science is broad by design (see also Maglio 2013b, a; Qiu 2012). Methods include modeling, simulation, optimization, experimentation, observation, and more. Disciplines include operations, marketing, strategy, computer science, information systems, economics, operations research, design, among others. Application areas include, but are not limited to, healthcare, education, information technology, hospitality and tourism, retail, government, and professional services. The current issue contains articles on service design, patient queuing, online retailing, Web service composition, hotel reputation, and the future of higher education.
Big Change Questions Will Educational Institutions, within their Present Structures, be Able to Adapt Sufficiently to Meet the Needs of the Information Age?

If addressed as stated, this is one of those questions to which no answer can keep you out of trouble. Responding with either a “yes” or a “no” only validates the question’s premises, and therein lies the problem. Two assumptions lurk embedded in the question that I would like to highlight and dissent from. First, the characterization of the present (and near future) as the Information Age: implicit here is the notion that the present is somehow qualitatively distinct from, utterly discontinuous with, whatever age is said to have come before, and poses its own unique “needs” requiring that we discard everything we thought we knew about how the social world works. Yes, information technologies now permeate life in the industrialized nations, altering the means through which we pursue many aims – answers are sought online rather than at the public library, teens converse via instant-messaging instead of the phone, “security” refers more often to thwarting electronic intruders than incarnate burglars and spies, etc. – but how deep do these changes go? What lies beneath the highly visible swirling of information all about us? The British scholars Kevin Robins and Frank Webster have addressed this theme repeatedly. (See, for instance, their 1999 book Times of the Technoculture, especially Chapter 4.) Information Age rhetoric tells us everything has changed, but beyond the gossamer, weightless flow of information, there are still rich and poor, powerful and marginalized, privileged and excluded. The struggle to shape the future may have shifted to different terrain, but the stakes are much as before. All the information in the world won’t keep your job from moving abroad, deflect the bullets of racially
Perceived Continuity of Occluded Visual Objects

The human visual system does not rigidly preserve the properties of the retinal image as neural signals are transmitted to higher areas of the brain Instead, it generates a representation that captures stable surface properties despite a retinal image that is often fragmented in space and time because of occlusion caused by object and observer motion The recovery of this coherent representation depends at least in part on input from an abstract representation of three-dimensional (3-D) surface layout In the two experiments reported, a stereoscopic apparent motion display was used to investigate the perceived continuity of a briefly interrupted visual object When a surface appeared in front of the object's location during the interruption, the object was more likely to be perceived as persisting through the interruption (behind an occluder) than when the surface appeared behind the object's location under otherwise identical stimulus conditions The results reveal the influence of 3-D surface-based represen...
Galantamine improved cognition and global functioning in vascular dementia or Alzheimer disease with cerebrovascular disease.

Source Citation Erkinjuntti T, Kurz A, Gauthier S, et al. Efficacy of galantamine in probable vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease combined with cerebrovascular disease: a randomised trial. La...
Enhancing TCP performance in networks with small buffers

TCP performance can be significantly affected when the buffer capacity at routers is small. This is possible when either many flows share the network or the bandwidth-delay product is large (e.g. satellite links). The behavior of various versions of TCP with respect to buffer capacity issues has not been studied in much detail. We investigate the behavior and performance of different TCP variants under small buffer capacity conditions. We recognize TCP pacing as a potential solution. However, instead of using TCP's sending rate as the dictating metric, we make use of the bandwidth-share estimate (BSE), maintained by TCP Westwood, to set the pacing interval. We call this newly proposed protocol paced-Westwood. We also show the need to scale BSE further to mitigate the effects of positive feedback in BSE. For this, we propose a further enhancement that we call /spl alpha/-paced Westwood that uses a scaling parameter /spl alpha/ to enforce convergence of BSE and the pacing interval. The proposed /spl alpha/-paced Westwood uses its BSE to space the packet bursts during the slow-start phase, resulting in a superior throughput in the troublesome low buffer capacity cases. With the help of simulations, we show that our enhanced TCP Westwood outperforms both unpaced as well as paced TCP NewReno under low buffer capacity networks.
Effects of Instruction on the Misconceptions About Programming in BASIC

AbstractRecent studies of beginning programmers have indicated that there are categories of misconceptions which students commonly have regarding the syntax and semantics of BASIC programming. The major purpose of this study was to determine if the common misconceptions which high school students have about syntax and semantics in the BASIC programming language can be decreased by specific instruction in the problem areas.
Cloud-Based Harvest Management System for Specialty Crops

Harvesting labor is a major cost factor in the production of specialty crops. Today accruing harvest labors is still done by hands, which is error-prone and costly. By integrating cloud-based web application with purposely designed labor monitoring devices (LMDs), we developed a harvest management system for monitoring and accruing harvest labors. The system comprises of two major components: an in-orchard data collection network collecting harvest data and transmitting them to a cloud-based labor managementsoftware (LMS); and, LMS processing harvest data and delivering results to users via a tablet-friendly web interface. Using a patented technology, the system accurately accrues harvest labor activities for multiple orchards, even under complex many-to-many employment relations. The system provides multi-fold benefits to stakeholders of specialty crop harvesting: a picker can be compensated accurately by the actual weight of the fruits he picked; and an orchard manager may monitor labor activities in real time and improve his orchard operation based on the analytical reports generated by the system. The dynamic resource allocation provided by a cloud computing platform ensures that the system can handle the fluctuating demand for processing real-time harvest data during and off harvest seasons. The design of the system is optimized for cloud computing, improving the access to orchard data while preserving their privacy for growers. A prototype of the system has been validated in field tests in United States' Pacific Northwest Region.
Computational steering for high performance computing: applications on Blue Gene/Q system

The traditional workflow in a high performance computing (HPC) simulation is to prepare the application's input, run the simulation, and visualize the simulation results in a post-processing step. By performing these steps simultaneously, significant development and testing time can be saved. Computational steering provides the capability to direct or re-direct the progress of an HPC application at run-time by modifying application-defined control parameters using a steering client application. In this paper, we discuss a computational steering framework for the Blue Gene/Q system that provides an innovative solution and an easy-to-use platform, which allows user(s) to connect to and interact with running application(s) in real-time from native desktop steering applications and/or mobile devices. This framework uses RealityGrid as the underlying steering library and adds several enhancements to the library to enable steering support for the Blue Gene systems. The Blue Gene supercomputer presents special challenges for remote access because the compute nodes reside on private networks. This paper discusses an implemented solution for remote steering of simulation applications running on a high performance computer system and describes the implementation challenges.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Problem Formulation and Ideation Skills Learned Throughout an Engineering Design Course

Conventional syllabi of engineering design courses either do not pay enough attention to conceptual design skills, or they lack an objective assessment of those skills to show students’ progress. During a semester-long course of advanced engineering product design, we assigned three major design projects to twenty five students. For each project we asked them to formulate the problems in the Problem Formulator web-based testbed. In addition, we collected sketches for all three design problems, feasibility analyses for the last two, and a working prototype for the final project. We report the students’ problem formulation and ideation in terms of a set of nine problem formulation characteristics and ASU’s ideation effectiveness metrics respectively. We discuss the limitations that the choice of the design problems caused, and how the progress of a class of students during a semester-long design course resulted in a convergence in sets of metrics that we have defined to characterize problem formulation and ideation. We also review the results of students of a similar course which we reported last year in order to find common trends.© 2015 ASME
Materials for Engineers: Pottery and Concrete

Pottery was the first man-made material. The oldest known pottery is dated at 27,000 to 23,000 B.C. Pottery is made by shaping clay, drying it, and then firing it at an elevated temperature, which changes its chemical structure. Clay There are several forms of clay. All are aluminosilicates. Many contain other elements. Figure 16.1 shows the plate-like structure of kaolinite, Al 2 (Si 2 O 5 )(OH) 4 . Water absorbed between platelets allows them to slide easily over one another. Typical clays used for ceramics often contain other materials including ground quartz (SiO 2 ) and a flux such as a feldspar, which is an aluminosilicate containing Na + , K + , and Ca 2+ . Processing of Clay Products Clay is shaped either by pressing it into the desired shape or by slip casting . Slip is a suspension of clay in water made by adding a small amount of a deflocculant (often sodium silicate or soda ash), which allows the clay to be suspended in water. The slip is poured into a plaster of paris mold that absorbs water and causes the clay near the surface of the plaster to become solid. When this solid reaches the desired thickness, the mold is emptied and the resulting shape removed. Figure 16.2 illustrates the process. The shape is fired only after it is allowed to air dry. Some shrinkage occurs during air drying. After air drying, the shape is said to be green and must be handled with care because it has little strength. Next it is fired usually between 900 and 1400°C.
Preclinical pharmacokinetics, absolute oral bioavailability and anti-cancer activity of VN/14-1 in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells

C43 VN/14-1 is a novel retinoic acid metabolism blocking agent (RAMBA) in development for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer. VN/14-1 has been shown to be effective in letrozole resistant breast cancer cells as well as a number of other breast carcinoma cell lines. The objective of this study was to further explore the anti-cancer potential of VN/14-1, in an in vitro and in vivo model of prostate cancer. In order to pursue further development of VN/14-1 we also determined its oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics in rats. Effects of VN/14-1 were studied in hormone refractory human PC-3 prostate carcinoma cells. VN/14-1 was a potent inhibitor of PC-3 cell viability (IC 50 14.1 μM). Immunofluorescent staining with γ-H2AX revealed that VN/14-1 induced DNA damage in these cells. Treatment of PC-3 cells with AGN193109, a pan-RAR (retinoic acid receptor) antagonist revealed that VN/14-1 does not exert its effects via the RARs. In vivo , VN/14-1 significantly decreased tumor growth in a dose dependent manner in male SCID mice with PC-3 xenograft upon once daily subcutaneous administration. A dose of 5 mg/kg resulted in a 33% decrease and a 10 mg/kg dose resulted in a 50% decrease in tumor volume. Absolute oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of VN/14-1 was investigated in carotid cannulated SD rats upon a single oral (p.o.) or intravenous (i.v.) dose of 20 mg/kg. Serial blood samples were collected post dose with VN/14-1 and plasma VN/14-1 was quantitatively determined using a HPLC method with UV detection. VN/14-1 was rapidly absorbed upon p.o. administration reaching peak plasma concentration (C max ) within 0.5 h. Oral bioavailability of VN/14-1 was greater than 100%. C max obtained upon p.o. and i.v. dosing was 38.2 μg/mL (104.28 μM) and 107.3 μg/mL (292.93 μM), respectively. VN/14-1 was rapidly eliminated upon administration, displaying a short elimination half life of 1.41 h and 0.98 h upon p.o. and i.v. administration, respectively. Our results indicate that VN/14-1 is a potent anti-prostate cancer agent. Pharmacokinetic evaluation showed a favorable pharmacokinetic profile for VN/14-1 with good oral absorption and a high oral bioavailability indicating potential for development as an oral (preferred dosing route in patients) anticancer agent. Our results also indicate that further in vivo pharmacodynamic evaluations should be carried out with p.o. dosing of VN/14-1. Overall these results support further clinical development of VN/4-1 as a potential oral agent for the treatment of prostate and breast cancer.
Optimizing fertility potential in spinal cord injured men.

Over the past 3 decades significant therapeutic inroads have allowed spinal cord injured men to achieve biologic paternity. Prior to the introduction of electroejaculation in the mid-1980’s, men with spinal cord injury were considered “hopelessly infertile”. With the application of semen retrieval techniques such as electroejaculation (used to achieve the first reported pregnancy by a quadriplegic male) 1 and penile vibratory stimulation 2 these patients are now “potentially fertile”. Additionally, the coincident application of assisted reproductive technology to these couples has yielded pregnancy rates similar to those in able-bodied subfertile cohorts. 3 Thus the field of Reproductive Rehabilitation has evolved to complement the traditional areas of Sexual Rehabilitation and Bladder Rehabilitation of spinal cord injured men. Along with the realization of these reproductive milestones, advances have also progressed in the description of spermatogenesis 4 and semen quality following spinal cord injury. 5-8 This article by Leduc is emblematic of the spectrum of effort during the development of Reproductive Rehabilitation. The authors have applied various medical, technical and surgical methods with and without assisted reproductive techniques to optimize pregnancy rates to 64% of their spinal cord injured population. 9 These results and those of other centers dedicated to the quality of life of spinal cord injured men are testimony to the fertility potential of men
Mass-Mediated ‘Direct Democracy’

Participation has undoubtedly been the weakest sphere of activity in the legal-democratic nation-state. For, though the representative institution allowed for the expansion of democracy from the small city-state to the large nation-state, direct democratic participation in decision-making was eliminated.
Reactive Virtual Environment System: LivingWorlds multi-user world

We describe a VRML browser-and-server system that we developed to support the LivingWorlds specification for multi-user environments. Since the browser supports VRML version 2.0 with quality-of-service (QoS) control, the LivingWorlds module was implemented by using the VRML 2.0 Java application interfaces. We discuss the concept of designing systems with QoS control, and the problems encountered and solutions reached in actually implementing a LivingWorlds client-server system.
Level of visual acuity necessary to avoid false-positives on the HRR and Ishihara color vision tests.

PurposeMinimizing false-positives (FPs) when evaluating color vision is important in eye care. Identification of plate 1 (demonstration plate) is often considered a way to avoid FPs. However, few s...
Association of adverse childhood experiences with lifetime mental and substance use disorders among men and women aged 50+ years.

Background Given growing numbers of older adults with mental and substance use disorders (MSUDs), this study examined the association between ten types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and lifetime MSUDs among those aged 50+. Methods Data (N = 14,738 for the 50+ age group) came from the 2012 to 2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Using multivariable binary logistic regression analyses, we examined relationships between ten ACEs and six lifetime MSUDs (major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety, post-traumatic stress, alcohol use, drug use, and nicotine use disorders). Gender differences were examined using tests of interaction effects and gender-separate logistic regression models. Results Of the sample, 53.2% of women and 50.0% of men reported at least one ACE. For both genders, parental/other adult's substance abuse was the most prevalent (22.6%), followed by physical abuse, and emotional neglect. Child abuse and neglect and parental/other adult's mental illness and substance abuse had small but consistently significant associations with MSUDs (e.g., odds ratio = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.12-1.46 for parental/other adult's substance misuse and MDD). Although the relationship between total number of ACEs and MSUDs was cumulative for both men and women, the associations of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and parental separation/divorce with MSUDs were stronger among men. Conclusions This study underscores the significant yet modest association between ACEs and lifetime MSUDs in late life. More research is needed to investigate why ACEs seem to have greater effects on older men and to discern the sources of gender differences in ACEs' effects.