cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interpreting and Negotiating Language Policy at the Local Level: A Case Study from Catalan-Speaking Spain

A les Illes Balears, on dos idiomes oficials (espanyol i catala) coexisteixen, s'han realitzat moviments per incrementar el paper de les llengues estrangeres (angles, en particular) a costes de l'idioma regional minoritari, catala. Aquest article presenta els resultats d'un cas d'estudi que investiga les politiques linguistiques en una escola secundaria de Batxillerat Internacional (IB en angles) a les Illes Balears. Les dades van ser recollides per mitja d'entrevistes i observacions de classes. Els resultats suggereixen que, mentre l'escola mante un grau d'autonomia sobre la seva politica linguistica, els contextos locals, historics, socials, politics, i ideologics impacten la promocio del catala a la sala de classes. Els resultats tambe il·lustren la complexa interaccio entre la implementacio de la legislacio governamental, la negligencia de l'organitzacio de batxillerat internacional, i la interpretacio i negociacio de la creacio de politiques per part de l'equip escolar a nivell de la sala de classe i fora d'ella.
A 65-nm 10-Gb/s 10-mm On-Chip Serial Link Featuring a Digital-Intensive Time-Based Decision Feedback Equalizer

A digital-intensive on-chip serial link achieving a 10 Gb/s data rate over a 10-mm interconnect was demonstrated in a 65-nm GP process. A three-tap half-rate feed-forward equalizer was implemented for signal pre-emphasis in the transmitted block. On the receiver (RX) side, a two-tap half-rate time-based decision feedback equalizer was employed to cancel out inter-symbol interference noise. A 215 – 1 pseudorandom binary sequence generator and an in situ bit error rate (BER) monitor were designed for bit stream generation and convenient eye-diagram measurements. The measured energy efficiency of the transmitter and RX was 31.9 and 45.3 fJ/b/mm, respectively, for a data rate of 10 Gb/s. A BER less than 10−12 was verified for an eye width of 0.43 unit interval.
Initial validation of the Nine Item Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake disorder screen (NIAS): A measure of three restrictive eating patterns

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating or feeding disorder characterized by inadequate nutritional or caloric intake leading to weight loss, nutritional deficiency, supplement dependence, and/or significant psychosocial impairment. DSM-5 lists three different eating patterns that can lead to symptoms of ARFID: avoidance of foods due to their sensory properties (e.g., picky eating), poor appetite or limited interest in eating, or fear of negative consequences from eating. Research on the prevalence and psychopathology of ARFID is limited by the lack of validated instruments to measure these eating behaviors. The present study describes the development and validation of the nine-item ARFID screen (NIAS), a brief multidimensional instrument to measure ARFID-associated eating behaviors. Participants were 455 adults recruited on Amazon's Mechanical Turk, 505 adults recruited from a nationally-representative subject pool, and 311 undergraduates participating in research for course credit. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence for three factors. The NIAS subscales demonstrated high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, invariant item loadings between two samples, and convergent/discriminant validity with other measures of picky eating, appetite, fear of negative consequences, and psychopathology. The scales were also correlated with measures of ARFID-like symptoms (e.g., low BMI, low fruit/vegetable variety and intake, and eating-related psychosocial interference/distress), although the picky eating, appetite, and fear scales had distinct independent relationships with these constructs. The NIAS is a brief, reliable instrument that may be used to further investigate ARFID-related eating behaviors.
Peacekeepers, Cred, and the Street: Police, Protesters, and Contradictions in Peacework

Drawing upon qualitative data gathered during protests at the 2008 Republican National Convention, secondary sources of Black Lives Matter, and Trump and anti-Trump rallies, I examine the collectiv...
Management of Appendicitis

The vermiform appendix, once thought to be a vestigial organ in humans, is a true diverticulum of the cecum (containing all layers of the colonic wall from mucosa to serosa) whose orifice is located at the base of the cecum, just caudad to the ileocecal valve where the three tenia coli converge. The average length of the appendix in adults is 9 cm, and the upper limit of normal for the transverse diameter is considered 6–7 mm. Although the base of the appendix is an anatomic constant, the tip can migrate to a retrocecal (64%), subcecal (32%), preileal (1%), postileal (0.5%), or pelvic position (2%). The appendiceal artery, a terminal branch of the ileocolic artery, courses through the mesoappendix and usually terminates at the appendiceal tip. We now know that the lymphoid pulp containing B and T lymphoid cells in the appendiceal lamina propria plays an active role in secretion of immunoglobulins, especially IgA and that the appendix likely also serves as a depot for normal colonic flora that may play a particular role in preventing C. difficile colitis following antibiotic exposure.
Infrared Spectra of Carbons X. The Spectral Profile of Medium-Temperature Chars

It is frequently found that when various organic materials are pyrolyzed at temperatures in excess of about 550°C, the infrared spectra of the chars assume similar, almost identical, profiles. That would indicate that the chars had become almost or completely spectroscopically and chemically indistinguishable and unrelatable to their precursors. Some results of pyrolyses of cellulose-based and similar oxygen-containing precursors, as well as precursors not containing oxygen, are considered. The spectral profiles, and the spectral changes preceeding and leading to them, are described and discussed.
Hippocampal place cell dysfunction and the effects of muscarinic M1 receptor agonism in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that disproportionately impacts memory and the hippocampus. However, it is unclear how AD pathology influences the activity of surviving neurons in the hippocampus to contribute to the memory symptoms in AD. One well-understood connection between spatial memory and neuronal activity in healthy brains is the activity of place cells, neurons in the hippocampus that fire preferentially in a specific location of a given environment (the place field of the place cell). In the present study, place cells were recorded from the hippocampus in a recently-developed rat model of AD (Tg-F344 AD) at an age (12-20 months) at which the AD rats showed marked spatial memory deficits. Place cells in the CA2 and CA3 pyramidal regions of the hippocampus in AD rats showed sharply reduced spatial fidelity relative to wild-type (WT) rats. In contrast, spiking activity of place cells recorded in region CA1 in AD rats showed good spatial fidelity that was similar to CA1 place cells in WT rats. Oral administration of the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist VU0364572 impacted place cell firing rates in CA1 and CA2/3 hippocampal regions, but did not improve the spatial fidelity of CA2/3 hippocampal place cells in AD rats. The results indicated that, to the extent the spatial memory impairment in AD rats was attributable to hippocampal dysfunction, the memory impairment was more attributable to dysfunction in hippocampal regions CA2 and CA3 rather than CA1.
Complete Genome Sequence of Listeria monocytogenes DFPST0073, Isolated from Imported Mexican Soft Cheese.

ABSTRACT The genome of Listeria monocytogenes strain DFPST0073, isolated from imported fresh Mexican soft cheese in 2003, was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Reads were assembled using SPAdes, and genome annotation was performed using the NCBI Prokaryotic Genome Annotation Pipeline.
Managing Urban Wildlife Habitat at the Local Scale

Homeowners and managers of municipal properties can make a significant contribution to urban wildlife conservation in backyards, neighborhood common areas, or local parks. Although only 2.8 % of the earth’s surface, the urban land base comprises more than 41.5 billion ha, yielding ample space to create and maintain habitat for wildlife. A majority of the urban land base lies in suburban and commercial developments, where individual home or business owners have local control over many of the factors (e.g., establishment and maintenance of vegetation in the landscape) that influence wildlife habitat. Herein, I provide a road map to successful management of wildlife habitat at the local scale, beginning with several guiding principles that should hold true in nearly every urban area around the globe. I describe key challenges to managing local habitat patches in the urban landscape and strategies that should improve the likelihood the habitat is managed appropriately for target wildlife. Most of these approaches involve protecting or restoring vegetation communities. Where vegetation has been mostly or entirely replaced by the built environment and associated impervious surfaces, opportunities to manage habitat locally will be limited. On the other hand, where large expanses of natural area were protected, relatively low levels of management may be required to conserve wildlife. Because every habitat patch has a unique management history, vegetation composition and structure, and surrounding context, each deserves a unique plan for its conservation. Finally, I address strategies to mitigate the potential detrimental effects of human structures that are common in urban areas (e.g., windows, communication towers, and power lines).
Teaching American Detective Fiction in the Contemporary Classroom

This chapter outlines one possible approach to a semester-long survey course in American detective fiction. The course includes a framework and beginnings unit on Edgar Allan Poe, a hardboiled unit on Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, a hardboiled revisions unit on Sue Grafton and Walter Mosely, a forensics unit on Patricia Cornwell, Jeffrey Deaver, and Kathy Reichs, and a postmodern unit on Paul Auster, Henry Chang, and Michael Chabon. Central themes of the course include modes of knowing, gender, and adaptation. Ultimately, the chapter suggests an approach to teaching a survey course that provides both an in-depth look into a genre and a larger engagement with the concerns of twentieth- and twenty-first-century American fiction.
Fine Processing

This article first presents a series of concerns about the concept and field called persuasive technology, including an overly broad focus on technology instead of computation, and a focus on ends instead of means. As a possible solution, an alternative perspective is offered, dubbed fine processing, which is modeled after the concept of belles lettres.
Negative tuberculin skin test result predicts all-cause mortality among tuberculosis patients with HIV and diabetes comorbidity.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine if a negative tuberculin skin test (TST) result is associated with increased risk of mortality during tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study among patients aged ≥15 years with culture-positive TB reported to the Georgia State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System from 2009 to 2014. TST positivity was defined by the US Centers for Disease Control guidelines. All-cause mortality during TB treatment as well as HIV, diabetes, and end-stage renal disease status were collected from surveillance data. Log-binomial regression was used to estimate adjusted risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results Among 1186 culture-confirmed TB patients, 780 (65.8%) with a valid TST and TB treatment outcomes were eligible. Nearly one-third (242/780) had a negative TST result, and 5.6% died during treatment. The highest risk of death was observed among patients with a negative TST and HIV (12.5%) and a negative TST and diabetes (15.4%). Adjusting for confounders, the risk of death among patients with a negative TST was significantly greater compared with those with a positive TST (adjusted risk ratio 2.33 95% confidence interval 1.23–4.43). Conclusions A negative TST was associated with more than twice the risk of mortality during TB treatment after adjusting for immunosuppressive conditions.
Demystifying IEC 62368-1: Types of Persons

The product safety standard for electronic equipment IEC 62368–1 expands on the concept of three classes of persons to be protected. A new reader familiar with older standards, such as IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065 which are to be replaced by IEC 62368–1, may not appreciate the distinction between the different classes of persons or how they differ from other standards. This paper introduces the concepts of types of persons described in IEC 62368–1 and expands on what the terms mean and how they apply.
Identifying Exceptional Responders in Randomized Trials: An Optimization Approach

In randomized clinical trials, there may be a benefit to identifying subgroups of the study population for which a treatment was exceptionally effective or ineffective. We present an efficient mixe...
Area-level Socioeconomic Environment and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Youth.

INTRODUCTION Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the most important markers of cardiometabolic health and is a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality across the lifespan. However, little is known regarding the relationship of area-level socioeconomic environment on cardiorespiratory fitness during childhood and adolescence. PURPOSE To examine the relationship between area-level socioeconomic environment and cardiorespiratory fitness in a diverse sample of school-age youth; and to determine the extent to which grade level, sex, race/ethnicity, and student poverty status moderate this relationship. METHODS South Carolina FitnessGram data for school year 2015 to 2016 were obtained for 44,078 youth. Cardiorespiratory fitness was determined using Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run or 1-mile run/walk test. Area-level socioeconomic environment was expressed as a composite index score at the census tract level using data from the American Community Survey. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were conducted, controlling for individual-level characteristics and nesting within schools and districts. Interaction terms were then introduced to the model to examine their effect of multiple sociodemographic moderators. RESULTS Approximately half of the sample had inadequate cardiorespiratory fitness for health. The odds of achieving the Healthy Fitness Zone for cardiorespiratory fitness decreased by approximately 25% to 34% with increasing deprivation of the area-level socioeconomic environment, after controlling for covariates. The association between area-level socioeconomic environment and cardiorespiratory fitness also varied significantly by sex, grade level, and race/ethnicity subgroups. CONCLUSIONS Cardiorespiratory fitness was positively associated with area-level socioeconomic environment; however, the relationship varied by demographic characteristics. These results highlight the importance of examining the influence of area-level socioeconomic environment on health across the life span. Additional research is needed to explore how area-level socioeconomic environment may impact evidence-based efforts to improve youth cardiorespiratory fitness levels.
Evapotranspiration feedbacks shift annual precipitation-runoff relationships during multi-year droughts in a Mediterranean mixed rain-snow climate

Abstract. Focusing on the headwaters of the California's Feather River, we investigated how multi-year droughts affect the water balance of Mediterranean mixed rain-snow catchments. Droughts in these catchments saw a lower fraction of precipitation allocated to runoff compared to non-drought years. This shift in precipitation-runoff relationship was larger in a surface-runoff-dominated than in a subsurface-flow-dominated catchment – 39 % and 18 % less runoff, respectively, for a representative precipitation amount. The performance of the PRMS hydrologic model in these catchments decreased during droughts, particularly those causing larger shifts in the annual precipitation-runoff relationship. Evapotranspiration (ET) was the only water-balance component for which predictive accuracy during drought vs. non-drought years was consistently different. Besides a systematic bias during all years, the model tended to relatively overestimate drought ET and to underestimate non-drought ET. Modeling errors for ET during droughts were somewhat correlated with maximum and minimum annual temperature as well as changes in sub-surface storage (r = −0.45, −0.57, and 0.23, respectively). These correlations point to the interannual response of ET to climate, or climate elasticity of ET, as the likely driver of the observed shifts in precipitation-runoff relationship during droughts in Mediterranean mixed rain-snow regions; underestimation of this response caused increased modeling inaccuracy during droughts. Improved predictions of interannual variability of ET are necessary to support water-supply management in a warming climate and could be achieved by explicitly parametrizing feedback mechanisms across atmospheric demand for moisture, ET, and multi-year carryover of subsurface storage.
Survivability of Wild-Type and Genetically Engineered Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP1 with Different Temperature Conditions:

Introduction: Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP1 is a thermophilic strain of cyanobacteria that has an optimum growth at 57°C, and according to previous analysis by Yamaoka et al, T elongatus BP1 ca...
Design and validation of a device for the mechanical stimulation of bioengineered 3D neo-tissue constructs

Abstract A mechanical stimulation device for cell-seeded scaffolds was designed and manufactured to provide control of dynamic compressive loading on biomimetic 3D neo-tissue constructs for enhanced tissue regeneration. Despite emerging evidence implicating the importance of mechanical forces in directing cellular differentiation and dental tissue formation, the role of variable mechanical stimuli in developing dental tissue has not been fully investigated. The device described here was designed to be easily cleanable by technicians and scientists between individual tests providing repeatable displacement of gels for their experiments. Increased extracellular matrix production of temporomandibular joints (TMJ – the joints that connect the jawbone to the skull) was observed while under loading by the device and the device is capable of providing compression as low as 0.01 mm of the desired displacement. Force calibration and sterilization testing were also performed to validate the functional requirements and device performance. The preliminary results show that the resulting device can deliver up to 2 kPa of dynamic compressive pressure to bioengineer cell-based constructs, and that ethanol sterilization is sufficient to maintain a sterile environment in long term tissue culture. In this paper, we introduce a device to mechanically stimulate bioengineered tissue formation, which could be used for a variety of applications in regenerative medicine.
Multi-agent Trajectory Prediction and Generation with Topological Invariants Enforced by Hamiltonian Dynamics

We present a planning framework for decentralized navigation in dynamic multi-agent environments where no explicit communication takes place among agents. Our framework is based on a novel technique for computationally efficient multi-agent trajectory generation from symbolic topological specifications. At planning time, this technique allows an agent to generate a diverse set of potential future scene evolutions in the form of Cartesian, multi-agent trajectory representations. The planning agent selects and executes the next action assigned to it from the evolution of minimum cost. The proposed strategy enables an agent to maintain a smooth and consistent navigation behavior that is robust to behaviors generated by heterogeneous agents and to unexpected events such as agents with changing intentions. Simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in responding to such situations and its potential for real-world applications in crowded environments.
Exclusion of plant viruses by certification and quarantine programs

Abstract Certification and quarantine programs are the mainstay for protection against virus diseases and other graft-transmissible diseases. Protection against these diseases can be complicated if the virus has vectors or other means of spread. Quarantine programs allow for avoidance or exclusion of pathogens to prevent the introduction or spread to adjoining areas if the pathogen is introduced. Certification programs, with the concurrent quarantine and clean stock programs, especially in clonally propagated crops, provide a method to safely import germplasm, clean the germplasm from graft-transmissible pathogens, recover local germplasm that are graft-transmissible pathogens and pathogen-tested, and to make the pathogen-tested germplasm available to be used by commercial industries. Quarantine programs are discussed. A case study of a failed quarantine program in Florida to eradicate citrus canker is presented, and the lessons learned from this program are discussed.
Deep mutagenesis in the study of COVID-19: a technical overview for the proteomics community.

The spike (S) of SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) engages angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on a host cell to trigger viral-cell membrane fusion and infection. The extracellular region of ACE2 ...
Thalamic neurometabolite alterations in patients with knee osteoarthritis before and after total knee replacement.

ABSTRACT The weak association between disability levels and "peripheral" (ie, knee) findings suggests that central nervous system alterations may contribute to the pathophysiology of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Here, we evaluated brain metabolite alterations in patients with KOA, before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Thirty-four presurgical patients with KOA and 13 healthy controls were scanned using a PRESS sequence (TE = 30 ms, TR = 1.7 seconds, voxel size = 15 × 15 × 15 mm). In addition, 13 patients were rescanned 4.1 ± 1.6 (mean ± SD) weeks post-TKA. When using creatine (Cr)-normalized levels, presurgical KOA patients demonstrated lower N-acetylaspartate (NAA) (P 0.05), irrespective of metric. In addition, patients demonstrated postsurgical increases in Cr-normalized (P < 0.001), but not water-referenced mIns, which were proportional to the NAA/Cr increases (r = 0.61, P < 0.05). Because mIns is commonly regarded as a glial marker, our results are suggestive of a possible dual role for neuroinflammation in KOA pain and post-TKA recovery. Moreover, the apparent postsurgical normalization of NAA, a putative marker of neuronal integrity, might implicate mitochondrial dysfunction, rather than neurodegenerative processes, as a plausible pathophysiological mechanism in KOA. More broadly, our results add to a growing body of literature suggesting that some pain-related brain alterations can be reversed after peripheral surgical treatment.
Optically-Triggered Optical Limiters for Short-Wavelength Infrared Sensor Protection

We report experimental and numerical developments extending the operating range of vanadium dioxide based optical limiters into the short-wavelength infrared. Pixelated sensor elements have been fabricated which show optically-triggered limiting of a 2.7 µm probe.
Tapan Sarkar: Losing a Dear Friend and a Wonderful Colleague is Very Painful

It is a privilege presenting an invited paper in this special session of the IEEE-ICEAA Symposium dedicated to the scientific life of late Prof. Tapan Sarkar (1948-2021). I had many fruitful discussions with him on all kinds of EM topics including rapid evaluation of the Sommerfeld Half-Space Integral, Integral Equations and MoM, Near Field Measurement Techniques, etc. What I vividly remember is his zeal for always looking for out-of-the-box solutions in dealing with advanced numerical techniques and their practical implementations for antennas and scattering problems. Additionally we have shared some similar experiences in participating in enormous numbers of national and international conferences and presenting papers in the same sessions and contributing to many committee meetings together and the list goes on and on. We not only lost an exceptional researcher but also a dear friend.
Learnability of complex phonological interactions: an artificial language learning experiment

Learnability of complex phonological interactions: an artificial language learning experiment
Conceptualizing Information Technology in the Study of Information Systems: Trends and Issues

In this paper, we discuss trends in the published research of the information systems (IS) community. To do this, we draw on the existing IS literature to show that the conceptualization of information and communication technologies (ICT) also shapes the conceptualizations of information, people, level of analysis, and research method. For evidence, we draw on two sources of IS literature: the research articles from the journal Information Systems Research (ISR) and the books published by the International Federation on Information Processing (IFIP) Working Group on Information Systems in Organization and Society (WG 8.2). Our analysis of the literature published in these two venues shows substantial differences in the conceptualization of all five constructs and attributes. In particular, there is great diversity across all five constructs and attributes in the ISR literature. The IFIP WG8.2 literature also displays a broad approach to conceptualizing ICT. In contrast to the work in ISR, the work in IFIP WG8.2 publications is also characterized by a small range of and often nearly singular, approaches to information, people, level of analysis, and research method. Further, more than 55 percent of the articles provide little insight into the specifics of the ICT being discussed. Combined with the uses of social theories, intensive and theory-building approaches to research, and the focus on institutional levels of analysis, the IFIP WG8.2 literature may be difficult for other IS scholars to understand, even if it is more singular in its approaches. These findings suggest that the published IS literature may also be relatively inaccessible to scholars who work within the various subcommunities of this pluralistic scientific community. The diversity of approaches also means that the IS community, and scholars in other areas who might use IS research, would value work that theorizes the relationships among the various conceptualizations of ICT.
Is waist circumference per body mass index rising differentially across the United States, England, China and Mexico?

Is waist circumference per body mass index rising differentially across the United States, England, China and Mexico?
Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in 100 patients: a single center experience from the United States.

BACKGROUND The objective of the current study was to report a single-surgeon, single-center experience with 100 consecutive laparoscopic radical nephrectomies with intact specimen extraction, with the aim of evaluating the oncologic adequacy of the laparoscopic dissection from a technical standpoint and various parameters including the learning curve. METHODS Of the 140 laparoscopic radical nephrectomies performed at the study institution since August 1997, the initial 100 are evaluated herein. To evaluate the technical oncologic adequacy, comparison was made with 40 contemporary open radical nephrectomy specimens with regard to detailed radiologic (computed tomography scan) and pathologic data. RESULTS In the 100 patients studied (with a mean tumor size of 5.1 cm), the mean surgical time was 2.8 hours, the blood loss was 212 mL, the specimen weight was 554.3 g, and the hospital stay was 1.6 days. Complications occurred in 14 patients (14%) and were major in 3 (3%) and minor in 11 (11%). Two patients (2%) were converted to open surgery. There was no perioperative mortality. Over a mean follow-up of 16.1 months, there was no local or port site recurrence reported; 2 patients developed metastatic disease with 1 death occurring at 11 months. When evaluating the learning curve in the initial 50 versus the second 50 patients, a shorter surgical time (P = 0.02) appeared to be the only significant variable. On multivariate analyses, the only variables found to impact on surgical time were specimen weight (P < 0.001) and chronologic time period of surgery (P = 0.05). All laparoscopic specimens were extracted intact; surgical margins were negative for tumor in all 100 patients. All detailed radiologic and histopathologic parameters evaluated were nearly identical between the laparoscopic and open surgery groups. CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy with intact specimen extraction currently is a routine, effective, and efficacious treatment option for patients with T1-T3aN0M0 renal tumors. Although no long-term data were available as of last follow-up, the negative surgical margins achieved routinely in the current series provide encouraging surrogate evidence of the technical efficacy of laparoscopy from an oncologic standpoint. As such, at the study institution, laparoscopic radical nephrectomy with intact specimen extraction currently is the standard-of-care for patients with T1-3aN0M0 renal tumors measuring ≤ 10–12 cm in size. Cancer 2001;92:1843–55. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
The Origins of European Competition Law in Fin-De-Siècle Austria

In this essay I explore the Austrian origins of European competition law in order better to understand the forces that have shaped the subsequent development of these ideas and continue to influence their operation today. Analysis of the origins of these ideas also provides a valuable perspective on current competition law policies. The initial conceptions of competition law were responses to a specific problem, and they were based on historically-conditioned values, perceptions and expectations regarding the economic process, the role of government, the utility and dependability of language and the capacities of legal processes to influence behavior. To the extent that these values and perceptions remain powerful, the legal norms and procedures based on them deserved continued support. To the extent, however, that new knowledge and experience have rendered them invalid or inapplicable, that legal framework required critical reevaluation.
WAKE STUDY OF STIFFENING TRUSS AND BOX GIRDER

A 1:64 scale model of the William Preston Lane, Jr., Memorial Bridge was studied in the wind tunnel to determine possible downstream effects on a parallel structure. The model was tested in smooth flow and in a grid-induced turbulent flow with the model held rigidly and also in a mounting allowing torsional oscillation. A 3.1 to 1 box member was also tested in rigid configuration only. For the stationary truss model in turbulent flow, at a downstream distance of about 10 bridge widths, the wake is random in nature with somewhat higher turbulence intensities. For the smooth flow, significant effects are still noticeable at a spacing of over 13 widths, the maximum distance tested. The same conclusions obtained for the box, although at greater spacings. For the oscillating model in turbulent flow, a small effect remains at maximum distance, while strong effects remain for smooth flow at the same location. Testing real problems in turbulent flow is recommended.
Terahertz dynamics in semiconductor quantum structures

The Terahertz part of the electromagnetic spectrum defines a gap in solid state technology. This is most apparent if one focuses on sources. In this presentation we review experiments with the UCSB free-electron laser that have revealed the rich phenomena related to photon assisted transport in semiconductor quantum transport devices and the use of quasi-optical arrays and waveguide structures to measure Terahertz admittance of electrically biased devices.
Modeling and verifying business interactions via commitments and dialogue actions

A variety of business interactions in open environments can be captured in terms of creation and manipulation of social commitments among the agents. Such interactions include B2B and B2C processes and contracts as realized via web services and other technologies. Also, the interaction protocols are formulated in terms of commitments to regulate agents' behaviors. However, such protocols can benefit from a stronger treatment of flexible interactions via dialogue actions to capture a rich variety of real-life business scenarios. This paper addresses the challenges of modeling and verifying business interactions using commitments and actions on such commitments augmented with dialogue actions to reconcile conflicts and reason about the validity of such commitments. We introduce the NetBill protocol taken from e-business domain to demonstrate the specification of a new class of formal protocols for agent negotiation. Finally, we use the MCMAS symbolic model checker to automatically verify this protocol against some given properties. We present the implementation and experimental results of this protocol and its verification.
Differences in Physical and Biochemical Properties of Thermus scotoductus SA-01 Cultured with Dielectric or Convection Heating

A thermophile, Thermus scotoductus SA-01, was cultured within a constant-temperature (65°C) microwave (MW) digester to determine if MW-specific effects influenced the growth and physiology of the organism. As a control, T. scotoductus cells were also cultured using convection heating at the same temperature as the MW studies. Cell growth was analyzed by optical density (OD) measurements, and cell morphologies were characterized using electron microscopy imaging (scanning electron microscopy [SEM] and transmission electron microscopy [TEM]), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Biophysical properties (i.e., turgor pressure) were also calculated with AFM, and biochemical compositions (i.e., proteins, nucleic acids, fatty acids) were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze the fatty acid methyl esters extracted from cell membranes. Here we report successful cultivation of a thermophile with only dielectric heating. Under the MW conditions for growth, cell walls remained intact and there were no indications of membrane damage or cell leakage. Results from these studies also demonstrated that T. scotoductus cells grown with MW heating exhibited accelerated growth rates in addition to altered cell morphologies and biochemical compositions compared with oven-grown cells.
rdgE: A Novel Retinal Degeneration Mutation in Drosophila melanogaster

We report isolating the Drosophila retinal degeneration E (rdgE) mutation. The hypomorphic rdgE1 allele causes rapid photoreceptor degeneration in light and a slower rate of degeneration when the flies are raised in constant darkness. The rdgE1 flies exhibited an electrophysiological light response that decreased with age, coinciding with the degeneration. This suggests that degeneration caused the loss of the light response. We determined that the ninaE (rhodopsin) mutation, but not norpA [phospholipase C (PLC)], slowed the rdgE-dependent degeneration. This was consistent with the light-enhanced degeneration, but revealed that the degeneration is independent of the PLC-mediated phototransduction cascade. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that rdgE1 photoreceptors exhibited a number of vesicular transport defects including unpacking/vesiculation of rhabdomeres, endocytosis of novel vesicles by photoreceptors, a buildup of very large multivesicular bodies, and an increased amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum. We determined that the rdgE null phenotype is a late embryonic lethality. Therefore, rdgE+ is required in cells outside of the retina, quite possibly in a large number of neurons. Thus, rdgE may define a mutational class that exhibits both light-enhanced retinal degeneration and a recessive null lethality by perturbing neuronal membrane biosynthesis and/or recycling.
Computing the symmetric ring of quotients

Abstract We discuss and compute the symmetric Martindale ring of quotients for various classes of prime rings. In particular, we consider free algebras and group algebras.
1.2 GS/s Hadamard Transform front-end for compressive sensing in 65nm CMOS

In this paper we present a digitally assisted front-end that performs analog computation of the Walsh Hadamard Transform (WHT) for GHz ADCs using compressive sensing to reduce power. The circuit consumes 11.2 mW of power while sampling at 1.2 GHz. The achieved compression rate assuming an ideal ADC is 59.4% with a mean square error of 0.3%. Comparison with the Nyquist ADC shows that using the sub-Nyquist ADC with the proposed WHT front-end reduces power by a factor of about 6x.
SU-E-I-94: Correction to Improve X-Ray Focal Spot Measurements by Image Detector Blur Deconvolution

Purpose: To deconvolve the inherent blur of a standard flat panel detector (FPD) when measuring x‐ray focal spots and to evaluate the method for three focal spots and different magnifications. Methods: A 30 micron pinhole was used to get the images of three focal spots (small, medium and large) of an x‐ray tube using a FPD for different magnifications (3.16,2.66 and 2.16) implemented by varying the source to image distance. The tube parameters were kept low (50kVp) to avoid spurious effects like blooming, pinhole penetration, etc. The detector blur, characterized by its MTF was divided into the Fourier Transform of the focal spot images and Result inverse transformed to obtain a deconvolved focal spot spread function from which the full width at tenth maximum (FWTM) focal spot measurements were obtained and compared with those of the uncorrected original profiles. Results: We measured the corrected focal spot size for small, medium and large focal spot using FWTM to be 0.41mm, 0.57mm, and 1.54mm respectively. The corrected focal spot sizes demonstrated reduced values of up to 25%, 18% and .7% compared to the uncorrected for the small, medium, and large focal spots respectively. Also, we observed that the difference between the focal spot size before and after deconvolution increases with the decrease in magnification (smaller SIDs) supporting the fact that the effect of detector blur can be reduced significantly by using a higher magnification. Conclusion: For improved accuracy in x‐ray focal spot measurements, deconvolving the detector resolution characteristics can be used to get rid of the excessive blur which can also be minimized by using the maximum magnification possible. NIH Grant 2R01EB002873
Analysis of the Glyceride Structure of Cocoa Butter by Thermal Gradient Crystallization

Cocoa butter was separated into 43 fractions by crystallization in a thermal gradient. Similar fractions were pooled and converted into methyl esters which were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. The amount of cocoa butter separated into a pure glyceride type was 85%. No significant difference was found in the ratio of palmitic to stearic acid in the GSU2 and GS2U. In the GS2U, ternary and binary eutectic mixtures are predicted by the ideal solution theory. When the eutectics are taken into consideration, the individual glyceride composition of cocoa butter agrees well with the composition predicted by restricted random distribution. To test the ability of thermal gradient crystallization to separate GU3 and GS2U a sample of cocoa butter plus 10% triolein was analyzed. The apparent composition of the cocoa butter and triolein indieated that the GU3 and the GS2U separation was incomplete.
Object and event recognition for aerial surveillance

Unmanned aerial vehicles with high quality video cameras are able to provide videos from 50,000 feet up that show a surprising amount of detail on the ground. These videos are difficult to analyze, because the airplane moves, the camera zooms in and out and vibrates, and the moving objects of interest can be in the scene, out of the scene, or partly occluded. Recognizing both the moving and static objects is important in order to find events of interest to human analysts. In this paper, we describe our approach to object and event recognition using multiple stages of classification.
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS STUDY OF THE COLLISION-INDUCED DISSOCIATION OF THE METHYL NITRITE CATION

Abstract The crossed molecular beam method was used to measure scattering dynamics of the collision-induced dissociation of the methyl nitrite cation to form NO + plus methoxy radical at center-of-mass collision energies of 3.1, 19.8, and 39.8 eV. The collisional activation mechanism is impulsive at all these energies, with most probable scattering angles of 23°, 8°, and 5°, respectively. The average conversion of translational energy into internal energy is modest, about 0.6 ± 0.5 eV and is comparable to the thermochemical threshold for this process. The distribution of kinetic energies in the product ion is quite large and increases with increasing collision energy. Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus calculations of the rates of dissociation of the molecular ion were used to describe the dissociation of the molecular ion as a function of internal energy. Convolution of the breakdown graph, an energy distribution based upon Massey’s adiabatic criterion and kinetic energy release in the dissociation step satisfactorily rationalizes our experimental results. These results are combined with those from an earlier dynamics study of nitromethane cation to provide a general description of the role of isomerization in collision-induced dissociation occurring on their common potential energy surface.
Female patient self-diagnosis compared with emergency physician diagnosis of urinary tract infection.

Abstract Background Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common emergency department (ED) complaint and self-diagnosis may be possible. Objective The objective was to compare female patient self-diagnosis compared with emergency physician (EP) diagnosis of UTI. Methods This was a prospective cohort study in a single urban ED. Women aged 18–64 years with a chief complaint of UTI, urinary frequency, or dysuria who presented to an urban academic ED were enrolled in a convenience sample fashion. Patients completed a written four-question survey by an ED greeter before triage. Charts of respondents were reviewed for demographic, laboratory, and EP diagnosis. Results Fifty women were enrolled; 100% of patients who were approached participated in the study. Mean age was 33.7 years (standard deviation 13.8). Forty-three patients (86%) had a history of UTI. Forty-one patients (82%) thought they had a UTI on the index visit. Thirty patients (60%) preferred to buy over-the-counter antibiotics for their symptoms instead of seeing a doctor. Fifteen patients (30%) identified a specific antibiotic they would take. Of the 41 patients who thought they had a UTI, 25 (61%) were given that diagnosis. Of the 30 patients who would have preferred over-the-counter antibiotics, 20 (67%) were actually prescribed them. Agreement between EP and women's final impressions was low (κ = 0.11). Conclusions There was poor agreement between EP diagnosis and self-diagnosis of UTI. In our ED population, women should be encouraged to seek medical attention to confirm the diagnosis.
Response of Waterbirds to Number of Wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, U.S.A.

Abstract We examined the relationship between number of wetlands and occurrence of five waterbird and one waterfowl species in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, USA, from 1980-2000. Data from 13 Breeding Bird Survey routes provided an index to regional density and distribution of Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), Black Tern (Chlidonias niger), American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Sora (Porzana carolina), and American Coot (Fulica americana), while 69 segments from annual Waterfowl Breeding Ground Population and Habitat Surveys provided an index to regional wetland availability. Numbers of wetlands and birds varied among years, and density and distribution of all six species showed a strong positive correlation with number of wetlands. Correlations were weaker when the number of wetlands was lagged one year, suggesting that waterbird distributions shift in response to water availability rather than respond locally. Spatial and temporal variation of water...
A thermoanalytical investigation of the thermal deaquation of BaCl2-2H2O AND BaBr2-2H2O

Abstract The thermal deaquation reactions of BaCl 2 -2H 2 O and BaBr 2 -2H 2 O were studied by TG, high sensitivity DTA, and open and sealed tube DTA. In each of the TG curves, only two mass-losses were observed. The DTA curves, however, were more complex in that more than one peak was observed for each deaquation reaction. An attempt was made to interpret the DTA deaquation peaks and also to determine the ΔD H of the water evolution process for both compounds.
Loss of p53 function accelerates acquisition of telomerase activity in indefinite lifespan human mammary epithelial cell lines

We describe novel effects of p53 loss on immortal transformation, based upon comparison of immortally transformed human mammary epithelial cell (HMEC) lines lacking functional p53 with closely related p53(+) lines. Our previous studies of p53(+) immortal HMEC lines indicated that overcoming the stringent replicative senescence step associated with critically short telomeres (agonescence), produced indefinite lifespan lines that maintained growth without immediately expressing telomerase activity. These telomerase(-) 'conditionally immortal' HMEC underwent an additional step, termed conversion, to become fully immortal telomerase(+) lines with uniform good growth. The very gradual conversion process was associated with slow heterogeneous growth and high expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57(Kip2). We now show that p53 suppresses telomerase activity and is necessary for the p57 expression in early passage p53(+) conditionally immortal HMEC lines, and that p53(-/-) lines exhibit telomerase reactivation and attain full immortality much more rapidly. A p53-inhibiting genetic suppressor element introduced into early passages of a conditionally immortal telomerase(-) p53(+) HMEC line led to rapid induction of hTERT mRNA, expression of telomerase activity, loss of p57 expression, and quick attainment of uniform good growth. These studies indicate that derangements in p53 function may impact malignant progression through direct effects on the conversion process, a potentially rate-limiting step in HMEC acquisition of uniform unlimited growth potential. These studies also provide evidence that the function of p53 in suppression of telomerase activity is separable from its cell cycle checkpoint function.
A novel strain sensor using carbon nanotubes-organic semiconductor matrix composite on polymeric substrates

In this study, strain sensors consisting of a pentacene-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite layer are fabricated on flexible substrates, Kapton polyimide films, employing Wheatstone bridge configuration. The sensors were characterized with bending at 45° with respect to the bridge bias direction for two different bending radii of 50, and 40mm that corresponds to strains of 1, and 1.25 %, respectively. It was noted that the output signal of the sensors is substantially enhanced with the addition of CNTs, resulting from the improvement in conductivity of the sensing active layer. This strain sensor using CNTs-organic semiconductor matrix composite as the active layer fabricated on flexible substrates is expected to possess better reliability as compared with conventional metallic foils and inorganic semiconductor strain sensors because of their low Young's modulus (~5GPa). For instance, the high Young's modulus of micro crystalline silicon (~200GPa) limits its applications for sensors when fabricated on polymeric substrates due to the large modulus mismatch between them.