cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Version space controlled genetic algorithms (VGA)

Demonstrates how the traditional genetic algorithm can be augmented by incorporating domain knowledge in the form of a version space into the structure. This hybrid inductive learning system is designed to handle problems in concept learning using the version space to control the search process that is performed by the genetic algorithm. In this hybrid system a new class of schemata is present called hyperschema. A theorem for hyperschema analogous to that for traditional schema is presented. This theorem demonstrates how the addition of domain knowledge in the form of a version space allow the hybrid system to exploit schemata of higher order and defining length via a hitchhiking effect. A prototype program that implements this approach is briefly described in pseudocode and the actual system is used to solve a problem in concept learning posed by Nilsson (1987). >
Combining Family Centeredness and Diversity in Early Childhood Teacher Training Programs

Family-centered care and responsiveness to diversity are issues of great import for early childhood special education teachers. Nevertheless, the research for these related areas is divided through...
In vivo rescue of defective memory CD8+ T cells by cognate helper T cells

The magnitude and efficacy of CD8 T cell memory may notably regress, especially if im- mune induction occurs in the absence of adequate CD4 help. This report demonstrates that this CD8 memory malfunction could be remedied if a source of cognate antigen-recognizing helper cells were provided during recall. The inability of adop- tive transfer of memory SIINFEKL-specific CD8 cells to reject tumors was overcome if recipients were primed for ovalbumin-specific helper cell responses. Additionally, animals primed for a SIINFEKL-specific memory response and incapa- ble of rejecting the tumor could regain protective immunity if given helper cells. This pattern of CD8 T cell functional rescue or reprogramming by helper cell transfer was replicated using a Her- pes simplex virus antiviral immunity system. Our results could mean that therapeutic vaccine ap- proaches could be designed to compensate situa- tions that have defective CD8 T cell function. J. Leukoc. Biol. 78: 879-887; 2005.
From Drafting to Modern Design Representation: The Evolution of Engineering Design Graphics

This paper briefly reviews the evolution of Engineering Design Graphics (EDG) from ancient times to the modern era. It reports on recent research concerning educational aspects of design representation and its transition from the immediate past dominated by engineering drawings to the current state based on solid geometric modeling. This research resulted in a current EDG curriculum model which is presented here in some detail. On-going trends in design representation are indicated which suggest that in the near future a designer will create a single computer-based product model to be used for all aspects of design, analysis, production, and maintenance. To keep abreast with these advances in design representation, curricular changes in Engineering Design Graphics are proposed which will foster implementation of Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) programs of the near future.
Kinetochore function is controlled by a phospho-dependent coexpansion of inner and outer components

It is widely accepted that the kinetochore is built on CENP-A–marked centromeric chromatin in a hierarchical order from inner to outer kinetochore. Recruitment of many kinetochore proteins depends on microtubule attachment status, but it remains unclear how their assembly/disassembly is orchestrated. Applying 3D structured illumination microscopy to Xenopus laevis egg extracts, here we reveal that in the absence of microtubule attachment, proteins responsible for lateral attachment and spindle checkpoint signaling expand to form micrometer-scale fibrous structures over CENP-A–free chromatin, whereas a core module responsible for end-on attachment (CENP-A, CENP-T, and Ndc80) does not. Both outer kinetochore proteins (Bub1, BubR1, Mad1, and CENP-E) and the inner kinetochore component CENP-C are integral components of the expandable module, whose assembly depends on multiple mitotic kinases (Aurora B, Mps1, and Plx1) and is suppressed by protein phosphatase 1. We propose that phospho-dependent coexpansion of CENP-C and outer kinetochore proteins promotes checkpoint signal amplification and lateral attachment, whereas their selective disassembly enables the transition to end-on attachment.
Robust techniques for organizing and retrieving spoken documents

Information retrieval tasks such as document retrieval and topic detection and tracking (TDT) show little degradation when applied to speech recognizer output. We claim that the robustness of the process is because of inherent redundancy in the problem: not only are words repeated, but semantically related words also provide support. We show how document and query expansion can enhance that redundancy and make document retrieval robust to speech recognition errors. We show that the same effect is true for TDT's tracking task, but that recognizer errors are more of an issue for new event and story link detection.
Autoscan-Invert: An Improved Scan Design without External Scan Inputs or Outputs

Autoscan is a design-for-testability approach proposed earlier that uses scan chains without external scan inputs or outputs in order to reduce the test application time and test data volume of scan. We describe three improvements to the basic autoscan design-for-testability approach based on the following observation. Under autoscan, due to the elimination of external scan inputs, the first flip-flop of a scan chain can only receive its value from the corresponding next-state line. Thus, its state cannot be controlled directly by a scan operation. In the improved autoscan approach, we allow the inverted next-state line to drive the first flip-flop of a scan chain during scan operations. We refer to the improved autoscan approach as autoscan-invert. We describe a scan synthesis procedure appropriate for autoscan-invert and present experimental results.
Herbicide Safener-Binding Protein of Maize Purification, Cloning, and Expression of an Encoding cDNA

Dichloroacetamide safeners protect maize ( Zea mays L.) against injury from chloroacetanilide and thiocarbamate herbicides. Etiolated maize seedlings have a high-affinity cytosolic-binding site for the safener [ 3 H]( R , S )-3-dichloroacetyl-2,2,5-trimethyl-1,3-oxazol-idine ([ 3 H]Saf), and this safener-binding activity (SafBA) is competitively inhibited by the herbicides. The safener-binding protein (SafBP), purified to homogeneity, has a relative molecular weight of 39,000, as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and an isoelectric point of 5.5. Antiserum raised against purified SafBP specifically recognizes a 39-kD protein in etiolated maize and sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), which have SafBA, but not in etiolated wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), oat ( Avena sativa L.), barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.), or Arabidopsis, which lack SafBA. SafBP is most abundant in the coleoptile and scarcest in the leaves, consistent with the distribution of SafBA. SBP1 , a cDNA encoding SafBP, was cloned using polymerase chain reaction primers based on purified proteolytic peptides. Extracts of Escherichia coli cells expressing SBP1 have strong [ 3 H]Saf binding, which, like binding to the native maize protein, is competitively inhibited by the safener dichlormid and the herbicides S -ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate, alachlor, and metolachlor. SBP1 is predicted to encode a phenolic O -methyltransferase, but SafBP does not O -methylate catechol or caffeic acid. The acquisition of its encoding gene opens experimental approaches for the evaluation of the role of SafBP in response to the relevant safeners and herbicides.
Superposition block coded modulation

In this paper, we introduce a novel superposition coded modulation (SCM) scheme that uses block codes as the component codes. The proposed scheme is termed as superposition block coded modulation (SBCM). An SBCM system example with very simple component codes is presented. The simulation results of the given example are shown through Rayleigh fading channel with interleaving, and perfect channel state information. It is demonstrated that SBCM schemes can achieve a good coding gain with low encoding and decoding complexity, and high UEP design flexibility, even with simple component codes.
Proton survivability measurements for candidate solar sail materials

Once thought to be difficult or impossible, solar sailing has come out of science fiction and into the realm of possibility. A solar sail is a thin membrane material that uses the momentum carried by photons, to propel spacecraft. These photons originate from the Sun, or can be beamed onto the sail with a laser. Any spacecraft using this method would need to deploy a thin sail that could be as large as many kilometers in extent. A perfectly reflective solar sail (R = 1) at a distance of 1 AU from the Sun experiences a light pressure of 9.1 muN/m. Radiation from a variety of sources exists in the space environment with protons and electrons primarily dominating the distribution. Practical sails must be resistant to the effects of long duration proton exposure. For this reason, sail irradiation research was initiated using 1 MeV protons because it represents the approximate upper limit for these particles in the Earth's radiation belts. Tested solar sail materials include aluminized Mylar, CP1, and aluminized CP2. These materials were chosen on the basis of application, availability, and manufacturability. Sail samples were exposed to a 1 MeV proton fluence of about 1013 mm-2 using a tandem pelletron accelerator at Alabama A&M University. The Mylar samples showed no observable damage as a result of the irradiation. However, a small amount of darkening was observed on the CP1 and CP2 samples. The CP1 and CP2 samples are much thicker than any of the tested Mylar. It is likely that the darkening was caused by the deposition of large amounts of energy into the CP1 and CP2, causing dislocation damage and sooty carbon formation in the polymer
The roles of cats and dogs in the transmission of Toxoplasma infection in Kuna and Embera children in eastern Panama

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between antibody status and various hypothesized risk factors for Toxoplasma gondiiinfection among two different Amerindian populations in eastern Panama. Following up on earlier research that we conducted, we now explore the role of dogs in the natural transmission of Toxoplasma,the role that dogs play in promoting transmission, the interactive effect of cats and dogs, and the accessibility of infective material to children. METHODS: In 1991, 10 Panamanian medical students conducted interviews and took blood samples from 760 Kuna and Embera children aged 2 through 12 years in the Upper Bayano River Basin and the San Blas Islands. Serologic assays were performed using direct agglutination. The data analyses in the 1990s included univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses, without regard to data on dogs. Further bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed in 2003 to examine the contribution of dogs. RESULTS: In communities with high Toxoplasmaantibody prevalence in children, logistic regression suggested that the factors predictive of antibody presence were: compacted soil floors of huts (P= 0.001), having a dog (P= 0.038), and the interviewer seeing a cat in the house (P= 0.049). Our results suggest that the villagers' dogs play a significant role in facilitating the transmission of Toxoplasma gondiito humans, most often in the presence of cats in the houses, and only in those communities with higher Toxoplasmas eroprevalence in children. CONCLUSIONS: Dogs may act as mechanical vectors, by rolling in foul-smelling substances and by ingesting fecal material. In areas of high Toxoplasma prevalence in children and where dogs and cats are plentiful, immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women should be warned of the possibility of acquiring Toxoplasma gondii from dogs as well as from soil contaminated by cats. People should be encouraged to wash their hands after contact with soil, dogs, or cats as well as before eating.
An Evaluation of 2 New Devices for Nasal High-Flow Gas Therapy

BACKGROUND: The traditional nasal cannula with bubble humidifier is limited to a maximum flow of 6 L/min to minimize the risk of complications. We conducted a bench study of 2 new Food and Drug Administration-approved nasal cannula/humidifier products designed to deliver at flows > 6 L/min. METHODS: Using a digital psychrometer we measured the relative humidity and temperature of delivered gas from each device, at 5 L/min increments over the specified functional high-flow range. RESULTS: The Salter Labs unit achieved 72.5-78.7% relative humidity (5-15 L/min range) at ambient temperature (21-23°C). The Vapotherm device achieved 99.9% relative humidity at a temperature setting of 37°C (5-40 L/min). CONCLUSIONS: Both devices meet minimum humidification standards and offer practical new treatment options. The patient-selection criteria are primarily the severity of the patient9s condition and cost.
A reliable neuromime representation of fatigue based mutual inhibition

In this study a pair of VLSI-based artificial neurons with built in fatigue are used to realize mutual inhibition. Each artificial neuron is nominally self-excitatory with a single inhibitory input driven from the activation of the other neuron. The fatigue feature of each cell weakens its response over the duration of the complementary cell's activation. This allows the inactive cell to recover and thus inhibit its counterpart. Using this representation of mutual inhibition results in stable oscillations with a wide range of flexibility and control. Parametric analysis of network frequency indicates that this type of reciprocal inhibitory network is more profoundly affected by fatigue properties than the rate of individual cell self-excitation. >
Succinate dehydrogenase activity regulates PCB3-quinone-induced metabolic oxidative stress and toxicity in HaCaT human keratinocytes

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their metabolites are environmental pollutants that are known to have adverse health effects. 1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-benzo-2,5-quinone (4-ClBQ), a quinone metabolite of 4-monochlorobiphenyl (PCB3, present in the environment and human blood) is toxic to human skin keratinocytes, and breast and prostate epithelial cells. This study investigates the hypothesis that 4-ClBQ-induced metabolic oxidative stress regulates toxicity in human keratinocytes. Results from Seahorse XF96 Analyzer showed that the 4-ClBQ treatment increased extracellular acidification rate, proton production rate, oxygen consumption rate and ATP content, indicative of metabolic oxidative stress. Results from a q-RT-PCR assay showed significant increases in the mRNA levels of hexokinase 2 (hk2), pyruvate kinase M2 (pkm2) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (g6pd), and decreases in the mRNA levels of succinate dehydrogenase (complex II) subunit C and D (sdhc and sdhd). Pharmacological inhibition of G6PD-activity enhanced the toxicity of 4-ClBQ, suggesting that the protective function of the pentose phosphate pathway is functional in 4-ClBQ-treated cells. The decrease in sdhc and sdhd expression was associated with a significant decrease in complex II activity and increase in mitochondrial levels of ROS. Overexpression of sdhc and sdhd suppressed 4-ClBQ-induced inhibition of complex II activity, increase in mitochondrial levels of ROS, and toxicity. These results suggest that the 4-ClBQ treatment induces metabolic oxidative stress in HaCaT cells, and while the protective function of the pentose phosphate pathway is active, inhibition of complex II activity sensitizes HaCaT cells to 4-ClBQ-induced toxicity.
GETRAN: A Generic, Modularly Structured Computer Code for Simulation of Dynamic Behavior of Aero- and Power Generation Gas Turbine Engines

The design concept, the theoretical background essential for the development of the modularly structured simulation code GETRAN, and several critical simulation cases are presented in this paper. The code being developed under contract with NASA Lewis Research Center is capable of simulating the nonlinear dynamic behavior of single- and multispool core engines, turbofan engines, and power generation gas turbine engines under adverse dynamic operating conditions. The modules implemented into GETRAN correspond to components of existing and new-generation aero- and stationary gas turbine engines with arbitrary configuration and arrangement. For precise simulation of turbine and compressor components, row-by-row diabatic and adiabatic calculation procedures are implemented that account for the specific turbine and compressor cascade, blade geometry, and characteristics. The nonlinear, dynamic behavior of the subject engine is calculated solving a number of systems of partial differential equations, which describe the unsteady behavior of each component individually. To identify each differential equation system unambiguously, special attention is paid to the addressing of each component. The code is capable of executing the simulation procedure at four levels, which increase with the degree of complexity of the system and dynamic event. As representative simulations, four different transient cases with single- and multispool thrust and power generation engines were simulated. These transient cases vary from throttling the exit nozzle area, operation with fuel schedule, rotor speed control, to rotating stall and surge.
Prospective study of caffeine consumption and risk of Parkinson's disease in men and women

Results of case-control studies and of a prospective investigation in men suggest that consumption of coffee could protect against the risk of Parkinson's disease, but the active constituent is not clear. To address the hypothesis that caffeine is protective against Parkinson's disease, we examined the relationship of coffee and caffeine consumption to the risk of this disease among participants in two ongoing cohorts, the Health Professionals' Follow-Up Study (HPFS) and the Nurses' Health Study (NHS). The study population comprised 47,351 men and 88,565 women who were free of Parkinson's disease, stroke, or cancer at baseline. A comprehensive life style and dietary questionnaire was completed by the participants at baseline and updated every two to four years. During the follow-up (10 years in men, 16 years in women), we documented a total of 288 incident cases of Parkinson's disease. Among men, after adjustment for age and smoking, the relative risk of Parkinson's disease was 0.42 (95% CI: 0.23-0.78; p for trend < 0.001) for men in the top one-fifth of caffeine intake compared to those in the bottom one-fifth. An inverse association was also observed with consumption of coffee (p for trend = 0.004), caffeine from noncoffee sources (p for trend < 0.001), and tea (p for trend = 0.02) but not decaffeinated coffee. Among women, the relationship between caffeine or coffee intake and risk of Parkinson's disease was U-shaped, with the lowest risk observed at moderate intakes (1-3 cups of coffee/day, or the third quintile of caffeine consumption). These results support a possible protective effect of moderate doses of caffeine on risk of Parkinson's disease.
Recognizing Evoked Potentials in a Virtual Environment

Virtual reality (VR) provides immersive and controllable experimental environments. It expands the bounds of possible evoked potential (EP) experiments by providing complex, dynamic environments in order to study cognition without sacrificing environmental control. VR also serves as a safe dynamic testbed for brain-computer interface (BCI) research. However, there has been some concern about detecting EP signals in a complex VR environment. This paper shows that EPs exist at red, green, and yellow stop lights in a virtual driving environment. Experimental results show the existence of the P3 EP at "go" and "stop" lights and the contingent negative variation (CNY) EP at "slow down" lights. In order to test the feasibility of on-line recognition in VR, we looked at recognizing the P3 EP at red stop tights and the absence of this signal at yellow slow down lights. Recognition results show that the P3 may successfully be used to control the brakes of a VR car at stop lights.
Phosphorylation by the β-Catenin/MAPK Complex Promotes 14-3-3-Mediated Nuclear Export of TCF/POP-1 in Signal-Responsive Cells in C. elegans

In C. elegans embryos, a Wnt/MAPK signaling pathway downregulates the TCF/LEF transcription factor POP-1, resulting in a lower nuclear level in signal-responsive cells compared to their sisters. Although the β-catenin WRM-1 is required for POP-1 downregulation, a direct interaction between these two proteins does not seem to be required, as the β-catenin-interacting domain of POP-1 is dispensable for both POP-1 downregulation and function in early embryos. We show here that WRM-1 downregulates POP-1 by promoting its phosphorylation by the MAP kinase LIT-1 and subsequent nuclear export via a 14-3-3 protein, PAR-5. In signal-responsive cells, we also detect a concurrent upregulation of nuclear LIT-1 that is dependent on Wnt/MAPK signaling. Our results suggest a model whereby Wnt/MAPK signaling downregulates POP-1 levels in responsive cells, in part by increasing nuclear LIT-1 levels, thereby increasing POP-1 phosphorylation and PAR-5-mediated nuclear export.
DSP technology for a hands-free cellular phone in a car

We present the development results of an acoustic echo canceller (AEC) and adaptive noise suppresser used for hands-free car phones using the Texas Instruments' TMS320C5x fixed point DSP processor. A hands-free cellular phone using DSP technology provides full-duplex communication with speech enhancement in a noisy car environment. Thus, our AEC system was designed for an adverse car environment. The implementation and design trade-off of an acoustic echo canceller on a 16-bit fixed point DSP microprocessor caused by the automotive environment, are discussed.
Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity of Dioxins and Related Compounds: Cross-Species Comparisons

AbstractDevelopmental toxicity to TCDD-like congeners in fish, birds, and mammals, and reproductive toxicity in mammals are reviewed. In fish and bird species, the developmental lesions observed are species dependent, but any given species responds similarly to different TCDD-like congeners. Developmental toxicity in fish resembles “blue sac disease,” whereas structural malformations can occur in at least one bird species. In mammals, developmental toxicity includes decreased growth, structural malformations, functional alterations, and prenatal mortality. At relatively low exposure levels, structural malformations are not common in mammalian species. In contrast, functional alterations are the most sensitive signs of developmental toxicity. These include effects on the male reproductive system and male reproductive behavior in rats, and neurobehavioral effects in monkeys. Human infants exposed during the Yusho and Yu-Cheng episodes, and monkeys and mice exposed perinatally to TCDD developed an ectodermal...
Application of a Proactive Risk Analysis to Emergency Department Sickle Cell Care

Introduction: Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) often seek care in emergency departments (EDs) for severe pain. However, there is evidence that they experience inaccurate assessment, suboptimal care, and inadequate follow-up referrals. The aim of this project was to 1) explore the feasibility of applying a failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) in two EDs examining four processes of care (triage, analgesic management, high risk/high users, and referrals made) for patients with SCD, and 2) report the failures of these care processes in each ED. Methods: A FMECA was conducted of ED SCD patient care at two hospitals. A multidisciplinary group examined each step of four processes. Providers identified failures in each step, and then characterized the frequency, impact, and safeguards, resulting in risk categorization. Results: Many “high risk” failures existed in both institutions, including a lack of recognition of high-risk or high-user patients and a lack of emphasis on psychosocial referrals. Specific to SCD analgesic management, one setting inconsistently used existing analgesic policies, while the other setting did not have such policies. Conclusion: FMECA facilitated the identification of failures of ED SCD care and has guided quality improvement activities. Interventions can focus on improvements in these specific areas targeting improvements in the delivery and organization of ED SCD care. Improvements should correspond with the forthcoming National Heart, Lung and Blood-sponsored guidelines for treatment of patients with sickle cell disease. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(4):446–458.]
Multimodality Neuromonitoring in Pediatric Neurocritical Care: Review of the Current Resources

Brain insults in children represent a daily challenge in neurocritical care. Having a constant grasp on various parameters in the pediatric injured brain may affect the patient’s outcome. Currently, new advances provide clinicians with the ability to utilize several modalities to monitor brain function. This multi-modal approach allows real-time information, leading to faster responses in management and furthermore avoiding secondary insults in the injured brain.
Replicated Computational Results (RCR) Report for “BLIS: A Framework for Rapidly Instantiating BLAS Functionality”

“BLIS: A Framework for Rapidly Instantiating BLAS Functionality” by Field G. Van Zee and Robert A. van de Geijn (see: http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2764454) includes single-platform BLIS performance results for both level-2 and level-3 operations that is competitive with OpenBLAS, ATLAS, and Intel MKL. A detailed description of the configuration used to generate the performance results was provided to the reviewer by the authors. All the software components used in the comparison were reinstalled and new performance results were generated and compared to the original results. After completing this process, the published results are deemed replicable by the reviewer.
Abstract 563: Mechanisms of VEGFR3-Dependent Pathological Lymphangiogenesis

Vascular remodeling, i.e., the growth and/or enlargement of both blood and lymphatic vessels, is tightly associated with inflammatory diseases, such as chronic airway inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowl disease, and chronic inflammatory skin psoriasis. The lymphatic system collects extravasated fluid, macromolecules, and immune cells from tissues and returns them to the blood circulation. While VEGFR2 and its ligand VEGF-A functions as master regulators of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, VEGFR3 is critical for lymphangiogenesis. These conclusions are based on observations in genetically modified mice for VEGFR3 and its ligands. VEGFR3 is expressed on the blood and lymphatic endothelium during development, and is restricted to the lymphatics in the adult. Extensive studies have thus far focused on the role of VEGFR3 in lymphangiogenesis during development, however the function, regulation and intracellular mediators of the VEGFR3-dependent pathways in pathologic formation of lymphatic vessels during diseases remain poorly characterized. Our recent studies have identified two critical intracellular mediators, AIP1 and Bmx, in regulating VEGFR3 expression and activity. Genetic deletion of AIP1, a Ras-GAP protein, delays developmental lymphangiogenesis in neonatal skin and mesentery, and mounts weaker VEGF-C-induced cornea lymphangiogenesis. Deletion of Bmx, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, has no effect on developmental lymphangiogenesis but blunts pathological lymphangiogenesis in mouse models. Mechanistically, AIP1 and Bmx sequentially regulate different steps during the VEGFR3 activation. AIP1 constitutively binds to VEGFR3 and enhances VEGFR3 endocytosis and stability. Bmx is not expressed in developmental lymphatics but is induced in response to pathological stimuli such as ischemia, and associates with an active form of VEGFR3 to regulate its downstream signaling without an effect on receptor phosphorylation. I will report the most recent progress as to how AIP1 and Bmx coordinately regulate VEGFR3-dependent lymphangiogenesis.
Parsing the Visual Rhetoric of Office Dress Codes: A Two-Step Process to Increase Inclusivity and Professionalism in Legal-Workplace Fashion

Legal employers expect attorneys in their offices to use the ethos of personal appearance to project an image of competence to clients. This expectation is largely unspoken, however, and polling and anecdotal evidence alike show that in today’s workplace, employers are frustrated with the level of professionalism demonstrated by new employees. The goal of this article is to encourage open conversations about workplace fashion as it relates to an attorney’s professional identity. It is in both the employer’s and employee’s interests to clarify employer expectations and empower new members of the legal profession to adopt a personal sense of style that projects competence, leadership, and professionalism, without subtracting out the self. Professional style and ethos, not conformity, should be the goal of office dress codes. This article is written from the perspective of a legal writing professor and advocates an approach to building a positive office culture by training new lawyers to parse the message of unwritten dress codes and participate in drafting inclusive office policies that accommodate disparate cultural, racial, and gender experiences. By making the unconscious conscious through open communication about employer goals and employees’ professional identities, biases can be overcome and new attorneys prepared for a profession where choice of dress projects an instantaneous message about an individual’s business judgment.
Software aspects of earth observation

The Earth Obse~ation Systems planned for 1990 through 201 5 confronts software developers with significant challenges. Evolving from systems of earlier decades these new design concepts are no longer single spacecraft with ground station, but rather are constellations of multiple satellites and networked ground stations of hundreds of installations. Additionally, sensors will continue to grow more sophisticated, and scientific progress will involve combinations of data fused from diverse temporal, spatial and spectral sources. The software aspects for these new systems are more challenging than ever before. Changes are needed in software development strategies, in providing more capable tools, and in establishing more effective standards if economic factors are to be contained.
Time to Apprehension and the Correlates of Warrant Closure

To understand how offenders are caught, past research has focused on case closures, which combines the identification and apprehension of a fugitive. However, there is a gap in applied research concerning duration to apprehension and variation in time to capture by crime. This study examined the days to close arrest warrants using administrative data containing 1.3 million cases. A Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that sex crimes involving contact or encompassing child pornography/exploitation, kidnapping, sex offender registration violations, and warrants involving assaults or an armed/dangerous notation had the strongest relationships to warrant closure. The results illustrate the prioritizing of cases involving sex offenders and violent offenders, as well as underscoring a need for future research on time to warrant closure.
Television News and the Supreme Court: “The Supreme Court Decided Today …” – or Did It?

“Every time Dan Rather says ‘The Supreme Court today upheld … ’ I want to smack him. … He has got to know better. He's been around too long.” Toni House, Public Information Officer, U.S. Supreme Court Throughout our narrative we have documented at many junctures that the Supreme Court is a uniquely invisible institution in the eyes of the American public both in a relative as well as in an absolute sense. As Gregory Caldeira notes, numerous studies have demonstrated that “there is only a shallow reservoir of knowledge about … the Court in the mass public. … Few … fulfill the most minimal prerequisites of the role of a knowledgeable and competent citizen vis-a-vis the Court” (1986: 1211). At any given moment if the average American were queried about any decisions the Court had rendered in its current or past term, the questioner would likely come up largely empty. Considerable research documents “that many Americans little recognize or little remember the Court's rulings. On open-ended questions that probe for specific likes or dislikes about Court rulings, only about half (or fewer) … can offer an opinion on even the most prominent Supreme Court decisions” (Marshall, 1989:143). The lack of public information about the Court extends beyond its decisions, per se, to a similar lack of familiarity with the justices who comprise the Court. Thus, in one study, fewer than 10 percent of the public could name the Chief Justice of the United States while, somewhat ironically, more than a quarter of the populace could recognize the name of Judge Wapner of the People's Court television fame (Morin, 1989).
Starting at the beginning: The natural numbers

In this text, we will review the material you have learnt in high school and in elementary calculus classes, but as rigorously as possible. To do so we will have to begin at the very basics - indeed, we will go back to the concept of numbers and what their properties are. Of course, you have dealt with numbers for over ten years and you know how to manipulate the rules of algebra to simplify any expression involving numbers, but we will now turn to a more fundamental issue, which is: why do the rules of algebra work at all? For instance, why is it true that a(b+c) is equal to ab + ac for any three numbers a, b, c? This is not an arbitrary choice of rule; it can be proven from more primitive, and more fundamental, properties of the number system.
The effect of electrode configuration on the electric strength of hexane

In our investigation of the mechanism of electric breakdown in liquids, we have endeavored to measure a value for the electric strength that is characteristic of the liquid itself; ideally, that value which is free from the influence of all external factors such as electrode composition, surface condition, and configuration. However, because the influence of such factors as these cannot be completely removed, we have attempted to hold them constant throughout our investigations by using a particular size of stainless steel hemispherical electrodes, whose polished surfaces have been prepared in a controlled manner. Our success in doing this is attested by the fact that this system of electrodes has yielded very reproducible results and made possible correlations of the electric strength with the molecular structure of two homologous series of liquid hydrocarbons(1,2).
Fluid Reasoning Mediates the Association of Birth Weight With ADHD Symptoms in Youth From Multiplex Families With ADHD.

Objective: We tested mediation of birth weight and ADHD symptoms by multiple biologically plausible neurocognitive functions and evaluated familiality of observed indirect effects. Method: 647 youth from 284 multiplex families with ADHD completed the Arithmetic, Digit Span, Vocabulary, and Block Design subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). Multiple mediation tested WISC subtests as mediators of birth weight and multi-informant ADHD symptoms. Familiality of indirect effects was estimated via moderated mediation comparing conditional indirect effects across siblings concordant and discordant for ADHD. Results: Controlling for IQ and demographic factors, Arithmetic uniquely mediated birth weight and ADHD symptoms. Conditional indirect effects through Arithmetic did not differ across ADHD concordant and discordant siblings. Conclusion: These cross-sectional findings support previous prospective longitudinal research implicating Arithmetic (i.e., fluid reasoning) as a preliminary cau...
The shrinking role of chemotherapy in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The therapeutic landscape of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has changed significantly since the first targeted therapy, rituximab, was approved for the treatment of symptomatic patients.Areas covered: Multiple monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) that target the B-cell receptor (BCR) and BCL-2 pathways are now approved treatments for CLL patients. Recent and emerging clinical data investigating the use of targeted therapies in the treatment of CLL patients will be reviewed. The changing role of cytotoxic chemotherapy in the treatment of the CLL patient as a result of the increasing availability of novel targeted therapies will be discussed.Expert commentary: Use of novel therapies is progressively shifting much of the treatment of CLL patients towards a targeted therapeutic approach. Increasing availability of targeted agents such as SMIs will likely reduce the role of cytotoxic chemotherapy in the treatment of both front-line and relapsed/refractory ...
Quality of Care for Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes: What Should Be the Status Quo?

Nearly 13 million people in the United States have coronary artery disease (CAD), and more than 750,000 deaths are attributed to this disease each year [1]. Although there have been substantial therapeutic advances in the treatment of CAD in the past decade, these new therapies and approaches to care are not being systematically applied across the health system. Guidelines developed by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) promote the systematic application of an evidence-based approach to the management of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Clinical practice guidelines written by expert panels synthesize research findings from randomized clinical trials and observational studies as well as consensus opinion. Such guidelines can be useful for the practitioner because they distill a large and potentially overwhelming body of research and knowledge into clinically practical and relevant approaches to care. Through explicit statements that a therapy is “useful and effective” (ie, a class I recommendation), guidelines provide one framework for defining quality medical care. Importantly, the practice of evidence-based medicine, facilitated by clinical practice guidelines, has been associated with better patient outcomes [2–4]. However, resistance to adoption of guidelines in daily medical practice remains. Guidelines may be construed by physicians as a threat to their autonomy by placing “cookbook” constraints on the art of medicine [5,6]. Agrowing body of scientific literature, including the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) report Crossing the Quality Chasm [7], reports that deviations from evidence-based guideline recommendations are common in daily practice, particularly among sociodemographic subgroups of patients. As the following case study illustrates, these nationwide gaps in treatment always begin with an individual patient.
91 : Homotypic T–T synapses promote collective CD8+ T cell differentiation through exchange of IFN gamma

Immunization and infection result in the differentiation of T cells, such that they acquire effector capabilities and convert into a memory pool capable of rapid response upon re-exposure. CD8+ T cells are functionally heterogeneous, but yet respond as a “whole”. During the course of an immune response, CD8+ T cells search for their cognate peptide on the surface of an APC. CD8+ T cells become activated, swarm and arrest on DCs. This results in both long-lived and dynamic “clusters” of T cells. We provide evidence that CD8+ T cells interact with each other during clustering events. CD8+ T cells form T–T synapses to exchange information. IFN gamma (IFNg) produced by CD8+ T cells during clustering is necessary for CD8+ T cell differentiation, but exogenous “soluble” IFNg did not rescue for lack of clustering. Furthermore, IFNg signalling in response to cytokines is reduced when T–T contacts were restricted, suggesting that T–T synapses are required for IFNg signalling in primed CD8+ T cells. We are now investigating the relationship between the kinetic of IFNgR expression and T cell clustering. Preliminary experiment suggests that receptor down-regulation after TCR triggering allows for T cells to become more sensitive to IFNg secreted at T–T synapse compared to IFNg secreted in the milieu. All together, we conclude that close T–T contacts provide a site for directional delivery of cytokine but also potentiate their capacity to respond, helping them mutually differentiate.
Optimal Bidding Strategies: An Empirical Conjectural Approach

Abstract The optimal bidding strategy for a generation company is a complex decision making problem involving numerous uncertainties. Generally, all market participants attempt to refine their strategies to earn greater profit. Success in the market requires not only successful forecasting of demand and other market conditions but also anticipating rival behaviours. The main objective of this paper is to suggest one use of historical data for purposes of strategic bidding. A conjectural model based on the market clearing process is presented. In this model, participants estimate a mark-up function for their competitors in the market. Based on these estimates, an optimal bid is found. Numerical examples highlight the methodology.
Evaluating Financial and Operational Performance in the Airline Industry

From its earliest beginnings in the years following World War II, the commercial airline industry has grown into an essential component supporting economic growth, trade, investment, and tourism throughout the world. This case includes short profiles for four airlines—United, Southwest, Spirit, and Japan Airlines—including descriptions of each company's operations strategy, history, and financial situation. A series of exhibits provides income statement and balance sheet information for each airline for the years dated 2012, 2013, and 2014. This case is suitable for management students who have already been exposed to the basics of accounting and operations management decision making. It builds business intuition that integrates concepts from the courses of operations, accounting, and finance. As such, it is appropriate for use in an operations course or an introductory finance/accounting course. Students examine the financial statements of the four competitor airlines and calculate the financial ratios that make up the return on equity for each. Then they critically evaluate the links between each company's financial ratios and its unique operations strategy and financial situation. As a result, students can understand the effects that strategic operations management and financial decisions can have on financial statements and important financial ratios—and gain the insights one can by examining the equivalent ratios of close competitors. Excerpt UVA-OM-1535 Apr. 21, 2015 Evaluating Financial and Operational Performance in the Airline Industry Industry Background From its earliest beginnings in the years following World War II, the commercial airline industry grew into an essential component supporting economic growth, trade, investment, and tourism throughout the world. The industry initially featured mostly state-owned players (and many countries continued to employ national carriers for their perceived strategic importance), but the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 welcomed in an era of U.S. competition that helped combat monopolistic concerns such as artificially high ticket prices, high barriers to entry, and slow response times. The legislation increased competition dramatically by eliminating fare and route regulations, resulting in lower ticket prices and ever-decreasing passenger perks, but it also led to waves of airline mergers and bankruptcies, which harmed investors and pressured airline workers. . . .
Accelerating bacterial growth detection and antimicrobial susceptibility assessment in integrated picoliter droplet platform.

There remains an urgent need for rapid diagnostic methods that can evaluate antibiotic resistance for pathogenic bacteria in order to deliver targeted antibiotic treatments. Toward this end, we present a rapid and integrated single-cell biosensing platform, termed dropFAST, for bacterial growth detection and antimicrobial susceptibility assessment. DropFAST utilizes a rapid resazurin-based fluorescent growth assay coupled with stochastic confinement of bacteria in 20 pL droplets to detect signal from growing bacteria after 1 h incubation, equivalent to 2–3 bacterial replications. Full integration of droplet generation, incubation, and detection into a single, uninterrupted stream also renders this platform uniquely suitable for in-line bacterial phenotypic growth assessment. To illustrate the concept of rapid digital antimicrobial susceptibility assessment, we employ the dropFAST platform to evaluate the antibacterial effect of gentamicin on E. coli growth.
Machine Learning in Cardiac CT

This review covers the basic principles of machine learning (ML) and current applications in the subspecialty of cardiac imaging at computed tomography in diagnostic radiology. This review covers recent publications for automated image processing, diagnostic and prognostic support, as well as novel integrations of ML into extant imaging applications in advanced cardiac computed tomography. Where available, ML algorithms are compared to current gold standards and descriptions of the nature and value of the advances are described. Machine learning in clinical imaging is considered by many to represent one of the most promising areas of research and development in diagnostic radiology. Sophisticated Machine Learning systems like IBM’s Watson have captured the public’s attention in their ability to mimic human capacity for pattern recognition in extremely large data sets. There are numerous recent research publications utilizing Machine Learning algorithms to either automate processes or improve diagnosis or even create entirely new forms of evaluation previously considered out of reach for cardiac CT imaging.
Modulation of aerodynamic force on a 2D elliptic body via passive splitter pitching under high turbulence

Abstract The mean and fluctuating aerodynamic force on an elliptic body of infinite aspect ratio with hinged splitters were experimentally studied under high incoming turbulence for various angle of attack A o A of the body, Reynolds numbers and splitter length. High-resolution load cell was used to measure the mean and unsteady lift and drag forces of the body; whereas a hotwire anemometry was employed to characterize the incoming turbulence and get insight on the wake flow. Results show that the attached splitters reduce the lift and drag coefficients for A o A well beyond stall. Interestingly, the splitter length did not play a noticeable role on the mean aerodynamic force; this parameter just induced minor effects on the fluctuation counterpart. Such phenomenon appear to be inherently related to the background turbulence levels. Compared to the bare body, the force coefficients exhibit stronger dependence on Reynolds number due to the dynamics induced by the splitter pitching. In general, the force fluctuations are dominated by the natural frequency of the setup under the high turbulence. The joint distribution of the instantaneous lift and drag forces reveals that under sufficiently high A o A , the vortex shedding dominates the force fluctuations along the major axis of the body; whereas the splitters can efficiently dampen the vortex shedding and mitigate the overall force fluctuations.