cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantum Statistical Inference

Can quantum probability theory be applied, beyond the microscopic scale of atoms and quarks, to the human problem of reasoning from incomplete and uncertain data? A unified theory of quantum statistical mechanics and Bayesian statistical inference is proposed. QSI is applied to ordinary data analysis problems such as the interpolation and deconvolution of continuous density functions from both exact and noisy data. The information measure has a classical limit of negative entropy and a quantum limit of Fisher information (kinetic energy). A smoothing parameter analogous to a de Broglie wavelength is determined by Bayesian methods. There is no statistical regularization parameter. A priori criteria are developed for good and bad measurements in an experimental design. The optimal image is estimated along with statistical and incompleteness errors. QSI yields significantly better images than the maximum entropy method, because it explicitly accounts for image continuity.
Shape and position of the node and notochord along the bilateral plane of symmetry are regulated by cell-extracellular matrix interactions.

The node and notochord (and their equivalents in other species) are essential signaling centers, positioned along the plane of bilateral symmetry in developing vertebrate embryos. However, genes and mechanisms regulating morphogenesis of these structures and their placement along the embryonic midline are not well understood. In this work, we provide the first evidence that the position of the node and the notochord along the bilateral plane of symmetry are under genetic control and are regulated by integrin a5b1 and fibronectin in mice. We found that the shape of the node is often inverted in integrin a5-null and fibronectin-null mutants, and that the positioning of node and the notochord is often skewed away from the perceived plane of embryonic bilateral of symmetry. Our studies also show that the shape and position of the notochord are dependent on the shape and embryonic placement of the node. Our studies suggest that fibronectin regulates the shape of the node by affecting apicobasal polarity of the nodal cells. Taken together, our data indicate that cell–extracellular matrix interactions mediated by integrin a5b1 and fibronectin regulate the geometry of the node as well as the placement of the node and notochord along the plane of bilateral symmetry in the mammalian embryo.
Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Abundance and Distribution after Prescribed Fire Reintroduction to Florida Scrub and Sandhill at Archbold Biological Station

Abstract Historically, Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) occurred in fire-maintained habitats; however, many of these areas have been fire-suppressed. Herein, we examine the spatial distribution of Gopher Tortoises 17–18 years after fire reintroduction to a fire-suppressed area. Our study took place at Archbold Biological Station (ABS) in south-central Florida. Fires were suppressed at ABS from 1927 until 1985, at which time fire was reintroduced to this area. During 2002 and 2003, we surveyed Gopher Tortoise burrows in 17 burn units of sandhill and scrubby flatwoods with varied fire histories. Using density of active burrows as an indicator of Gopher Tortoise density, Gopher Tortoise burrow densities were highest in recently and frequently burned areas. Because fire influences habitat structure, we also gathered information on the amount of canopy cover and bare ground at each study site. Density of active Gopher Tortoise burrows increased with bare ground and decreased (but not significantly so) wi...
Adaptive Tuning of Numerical Weather Prediction Models: Simultaneous Estimation of Weighting, Smoothing, and Physical Parameters

Abstract In Wahba et al. it was shown how the randomized trace method could be used to adaptively tune numerical weather prediction models via generalized cross validation (GCV) and related methods. In this paper a “toy” four-dimensional data assimilation model is developed (actually one space and one time variable), consisting of an equivalent barotropic vorticity equation on a latitude circle, and used to demonstrate how this technique may be used to simultaneously tune weighting, smoothing, and physical parameters. Analyses both with the model as a strong constraint (corresponding to the usual 4D-Var approach) and as a weak constraint (corresponding theoretically to a fixed-interval Kalman smoother) are carried out. The conclusions are limited to the particular toy problem considered, but it can be seen how more elaborate experiments could be carried out, as well as how the method might be applied in practice. The authors have considered five adjustable parameters, two related to a distributed coeffici...
Cystic Tuberculosis of the Proximal Tibial Metaphysis with Associated Involvement of the Epiphysis and Epiphyseal Plate

Two cases of cystic tuberculosis in children with involvement of the proximal tibial metaphysis, epiphyseal plate, and epiphysis are presented. In each case, curettage of the abscess with removal of sequestra combined with drug therapy and immobilization have led to arrest of the disease. In each case, the organism showed resistance to streptomycin when first encountered. Symmetrical growth of the tibia has continued despite known penetration of the epiphyseal plate. The value of surgical extirpation of the osseous lesion combined with drug therapy in these examples of cystic tuberculosis is apparent.
How) Can We Manage the Trustworthiness of Security Infrastructures and Services

The Internet has become a vital communication infrastructure. However, the same Internet has also become the vehicle for many powerful malicious attacks (e.g., botnets) that could turn it into doing more harm than good. This has led to the development, and sometimes deployment, of various security infrastructures and services (e.g., PKI, DNSSEC and TPM). Unfortunately, it seems inevitable, at least for the many years to come, that malicious attacks would remain successfully. Therefore, it has become increasingly more important to be able to understand, model, and ultimately manage the trustworthiness of security infrastructures and services. In this talk the speaker will expose his view towards solving this challenging and important problem. Some initial results and open problems will be discussed as well.
Developing an evaluation tool for disaster risk messages

Purpose – Risk communication is a critical component of individual health decision making and behavior. In disaster situations, it is crucial that risk-related messages are communicated accurately and that they reach and inform target audiences about the steps they can take to protect their health. Despite a global recognition of the importance of risk communication in responding to disasters, there remains a dearth of evidence on how to evaluate the effectiveness of risk communication messages. The purpose of this paper is to develop and assess a pilot tool to evaluate the effectiveness of disaster risk messages. Design/methodology/approach – A pilot evaluation tool was developed using the existing risk communication literature. An expert assessment of the tool was conducted using an open-ended survey and a focus group discussion with 18 experts at the Public Health Agency of Canada in February 2013. Findings – The tool measures content, reach, and comprehension of the message. It is intended to be a qui...
The effect of treatment with growth hormone on fertility outcome in eugonadal women with growth hormone deficiency: report of four cases and review of the literature

Objective To highlight the clinical role of standard GH replacement treatment on fertility and pregnancy outcomes in four infertile eugonadal women with GH deficiency (GHD). Design Case report. Setting Department of endocrinology and infertility clinic, tertiary-care university hospital. Patient(s) Four normogonadotrophic, normoprolactinemic patients with long-standing infertility, affected by GHD. In two patients (aged 30 and 34 years) GHD was diagnosed after a brain injury. The third patient (age 30 years) had a primary empty sella, documented by magnetic resonance imaging of the pituitary. The last patient (age 28 years) underwent transsphenoidal surgery for Ratke's cyst. The LH and FSH responses to GnRH were normal in all four patients. Two of the four patients also had secondary hypoadrenalism and hypothyroidism. Intervention(s) Patients received recombinant human GH replacement therapy (0.9–1.8 mg/week) for 6–12 months until pregnancy was first indicated by biochemical markers (β-hCG) and later confirmed by transvaginal sonography. The GH therapy was discontinued after confirmation of pregnancy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Pregnancy. Result(s) All patients remained off treatment throughout pregnancy; they had uneventful pregnancies and term deliveries. The babies were healthy and normal in terms of length and weight. Conclusion(s) Our case studies confirm the important clinical role of the GH–insulin-like growth factor I system in oocyte fertilization and the beginning of pregnancy in a selected population of eugonadotrophic infertile women.
Transcriptional dynamics of bile salt export pump during pregnancy: Mechanisms and implications in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Bile salt export pump (BSEP) is responsible for biliary secretion of bile acids, a rate-limiting step in the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids and transactivated by nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR). Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the most prevalent disorder among diseases unique to pregnancy and primarily occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy, with a hallmark of elevated serum bile acids. Currently, the transcriptional regulation of BSEP during pregnancy and its underlying mechanisms and involvement in ICP are not fully understood. In this study the dynamics of BSEP transcription in vivo in the same group of pregnant mice before, during, and after gestation were established with an in vivo imaging system (IVIS). BSEP transcription was markedly repressed in the later stages of pregnancy and immediately recovered after parturition, resembling the clinical course of ICP in human. The transcriptional dynamics of BSEP was inversely correlated with serum 17β-estradiol (E2) levels before, during, and after gestation. Further studies showed that E2 repressed BSEP expression in human primary hepatocytes, Huh 7 cells, and in vivo in mice. Such transrepression of BSEP by E2 in vitro and in vivo required estrogen receptor α (ERα). Mechanistic studies with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), protein coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays demonstrated that ERα directly interacted with FXR in living cells and in vivo in mice. Conclusion: BSEP expression was repressed by E2 in the late stages of pregnancy through a nonclassical E2/ERα transrepressive pathway, directly interacting with FXR. E2-mediated repression of BSEP expression represents an etiological contributing factor to ICP and therapies targeting the ERα/FXR interaction may be developed for prevention and treatment of ICP. (Hepatology 2014;60:1992–2006)
HEIGHTS initial simulation of discharge produced plasma hydrodynamics and radiation transport for extreme ultraviolet lithography

Discharge-produced plasma (DPP) devices have been proposed as a light source for EUV lithography. A key challenge for DPP is achieving sufficient brightness to support the throughput requirements of exposure tools for high-volume manufacturing lithography. To simulate the environment of the EUV source and optimize the output of the source, an integrated model is being developed to describe the hydrodynamic and optical processes that occur in DPP devices. The model includes both plasma evolution and magnetohydrodynamic processes as well as detailed photon radiation transport. The total variation diminishing scheme in the Lax-Friedrich formulation for the description of magnetic compression and diffusion in a cylindrical geometry is used. Several models are being developed for opacity calculations: a collisional radiation equilibrium model, a self-consistent field model with Auger processes, and a nonstationary kinetic model. Radiation transport for both continuum and lines with detailed spectral profiles are taken into account. The developed models are integrated into the HEIGHTS-EUV computer simulation package. Preliminary results of a numerical simulation of xenon gas hydrodynamics and EUV radiation output are presented for various plasma conditions.
Merging remote sensing data and national agricultural statistics to model change in irrigated agriculture

Over 22 million hectares (ha) of U.S. croplands are irrigated. Irrigation is an intensified agricultural land use that increases crop yields and the practice affects water and energy cycles at, above, and below the land surface. Until recently, there has been a scarcity of geospatially detailed information about irrigation that is comprehensive, consistent, and timely to support studies tying agricultural land use change to aquifer water use and other factors. This study shows evidence for a recent overall net expansion of 522 thousand ha across the U.S. (2.33%) and 519 thousand ha (8.7%) in irrigated cropped area across the High Plains Aquifer (HPA) from 2002 to 2007. In fact, over 97% of the net national expansion in irrigated agriculture overlays the HPA. We employed a modeling approach implemented at two time intervals (2002 and 2007) for mapping irrigated agriculture across the conterminous U.S. (CONUS). We utilized U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) county statistics, satellite imagery, and a national land cover map in the model. The model output, called the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Irrigated Agriculture Dataset for the U.S. (MIrAD-US), was then used to reveal relatively detailed spatial patterns of irrigation change across the nation and the HPA. Causes for the irrigation increase in the HPA are complex, but factors include crop commodity price increases, the corn ethanol industry, and government policies related to water use. Impacts of more irrigation may include shifts in local and regional climate, further groundwater depletion, and increasing crop yields and farm income.
Inter-relationship of the functional status question of the PHQ-9 and depression remission after six months of collaborative care management.

Abstract In collaborative care management (CCM) for depression, a restoration of premorbid functional status is as important as symptom reduction. The goal of this study was to investigate if the baseline functional status of the patient (as determined by the tenth question of the PHQ-9) was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes six months after enrollment into CCM and the interdependence of clinical outcomes on functional improvement at six months. One thousand eighty three adult patients who were enrolled in CCM for the diagnosis of major depression or dysthymia and had a PHQ-9 score of 10 or greater were retrospectively reviewed. Using a multiple regression model for clinical remission six months after enrollment into CCM; age, race and gender were not significant predictors of remission, however, being married was (OR 1.323 CI 1.013–1.727, P = 0.040). Patients in the Extremely Difficult category had an odds ratio of remission of 0.610 (CI 0.392–0.945, P = 0.028) at six months compared to the Somewhat Difficult group. Also, the odds of a patient achieving normal functional status at six months was highly correlated to clinical remission (PHQ-9 Depressed patients with worsening functional status at enrollment into CCM are less likely to achieve remission after six months, independent of all other variables studied. Also, improvement of a patient's functional status at six months was highly correlated with clinical remission.
Identifying effective mental health interventions for American Indians and Alaska Natives: A review of the literature.

The pursuit of evidence-based practice (EBP) within the mental health professions has contributed to efficacious clinical intervention for individuals struggling with mental health problems. Within the context of the EBP movement, this article reviews the treatment outcome literature for mental health interventions directed specifically toward American Indians and Alaska Natives experiencing psychological distress. Fifty-six articles and chapters pertaining to the treatment of Native Americans with mental health problems were identified, though the vast majority of these did not systematically assess outcomes of specified treatments for Native American clients under scientifically controlled conditions. Of just nine studies assessing intervention outcomes, only two were controlled studies with adequate sample sizes and interpretable results relative to the identification of EBP among American Indians and Alaska Natives. The advantages and limitations of EBP for treatment of Native American mental health problems are discussed.
Changes in Students' Science Ability Produced by Multimedia Learning Environments: Application of the Linear Logistic Model for Change

The purpose of this study was to measure changes in students' science proficiency produced by a multimedia learning environment, Astronomy Village: Investigating the Solar System, developed at Wheeling Jesuit University's Center for Educational Technologies with funding from the National Science Foundation. The inquiry-based design of Astronomy Village supports middle school students in learning fundamental concepts in life, earth, and physical science. Astronomy Village was compared to an alternative treatment that simulated elements of traditional science instruction using web site access to background materials and content in Astronomy Village. The results indicate sizable treatment effects for two groups of Astronomy Village students, as well as for the alternative treatment group. Differences in the treatment effect sizes among the three treatment groups reveal the relative merits of different approaches to using technology. The Linear Logistic Model for Change applied in this study is beneficial for comparing alternative uses of technology, since it separates effects due to treatments from natural trend effects and eliminates drawbacks of traditional statistical designs for pretest-posttest changes.
Examination of the Relationship between Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Expenditure and Price

Objective: Examine the relationship between direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) expenditure and prescription drug price from 1997 to 2000 for the top 20 advertised drugs of 1998. Method: The 20 prescription drugs were selected based on DTCA expenditure for 1998 as published in Med AD News. Drug prices were determined using the average wholesale price. Trend graphs were plotted between DTCA expenditure and unit price. The correlation coefficient was calculated between percent change in DTCA expenditure and unit price between 1998 and 2000. Results: There was a negative nonsignificant correlation between the percent change in DTCA expenditure and unit price between 1998 and 2000. All drugs had an increase in price but only half of the drugs showed an increase in percent change in DTCA expenditure whereas, the other half had a decrease in DTCA expenditure. Conclusion: Even though every year the industry spends millions of dollars on DTCA of prescription drugs we cannot conclude that it influences drug prices.
Modeling and simulation approaches to developing human performance measures in nuclear industry

Human performance is a key component to the safe operation of nuclear power plants. Further, human performance is quite variable, and while some variability may be random, much of it may be attributed to factors that are difficult to assess. There is a need to identify and assess aspects of human performance that relate to plant safety and to develop measures that can be used to successfully assess human performance for purposes of research that can lead to technical basis for developing human factors review criteria.
Discrimination against females and minorities in microcomputer advertising

Advertisements in educationally oriented microcomputer journals were content analyzed for gender and racial stereotypes. Males appeared sig nificantly more often than females, and whites more often...
ABAQUS model for PCC slab cracking

To contribute towards the development of improved failure criteria for pavement systems that could potentially replace Miner's hypothesis in future pavement design guides, Hillerborg's Fictitious Crack Model can be used to simulate crack propagation in concrete pavement slabs, thereby dispensing with the need to conduct time consuming and expensive physical experiments in the laboratory and the field. Commercial finite element program ABAQUS is used for slabs assumed to rest on a dense liquid foundation, and to be loaded by an edge load. Both notched and unnotched slabs are considered, and the effects of various loading parameters, notch size, size of the loaded area, slab thickness and slab size are examined. A comparison is made between displacement and loading-controlled testing of the slabs.
Evidence for paternal transmission and heteroplasmy in the mitochondrial genome of Silene vulgaris , a gynodioecious plant

Gynodioecy refers to the co-occurrence of females and hermaphrodites in the same population. In many gynodioecious plants, sex is determined by an epistatic interaction between mitochondrial and nuclear genes, resulting in intragenomic evolutionary conflict, should the mitochondrial genome be maternally inherited. While maternal inheritance of the mitochondrial genome is common in angiosperms, few gynodioecious species have been studied. Here, the inheritance of the mitochondrial genes atpA and coxI was studied in 318 Silene vulgaris individuals distributed among 23 crosses. While maternal inheritance was indicated in 96% of the individuals studied, one or more individuals from each of four sib groups displayed a genotype that was identical to the father, or that did not match either parent. Given evidence that inheritance is not strictly maternal, it was hypothesized that some individuals could carry a mixture of maternally and paternally derived copies of the mitochondrial genome, a condition known as heteroplasmy. Since heteroplasmy might be difficult to detect should multiple versions of the mitochondrial genome co-occur in highly unequal copy number, a method was devised to amplify low-copy number forms of atpA differentially. Evidence for heteroplasmy was found in 23 of the 99 individuals studied, including cases in which the otherwise cryptic form of atpA matched the paternal genotype. The distribution of shared nucleotide sequence polymorphism among atpA haplotypes and the results of a population survey of the joint distribution of atpA and coxI haplotypes across individuals supports the hypothesis that heteroplasmy facilitates formation of novel mitochondrial genotypes by recombination.
Electrostatically embedded many-body method for dipole moments, partial atomic charges, and charge transfer

Fragment methods have been widely studied for computing energies and forces, but less attention has been paid to nonenergetic properties. Here we extend the electrostatically embedded many-body (EE-MB) method to the calculation of cluster dipole moments, dipole moments of molecules in clusters, partial atomic charges, and charge transfer, and we test and validate the method by comparing to results calculated for the entire system without fragmentation. We also compare to calculations carried out by the conventional many-body (MB) method without electrostatic embedding. Systems considered are NH3(H2O)11, (NH3)2(H2O)14, [Cl(H2O)6]−, (HF)4, (HF)5, (HF)2H2O, (HF)3H2O, and (HF)3(H2O)2. With electrostatic embedding, we find that even at the pairwise additive level a quantitatively accurate description of a system's dipole moment and partial charge distribution and a qualitatively accurate description of the amount of intermolecular charge transfer can often be obtained.
Sustainability in supply chain management how to execute the triple bottom line

We will discuss the execution of sustainability in supply chain management. Firms need effective leadership to establish the vision of sustainability but the critical issue we've found in our work is execution. Therefore we discuss the following topics in relation to execution and conclude with a brief case study of the Sonoma Wine Company: situational stakeholder management, the role of NGOs, socially responsible investing and its influence on the firm, and cooperative competition in establishing environmental standards. With reference to the case study, we discuss many fronts along which sustainability management is executed in an integrated fashion.
Reconfigurable multi-agent robots with mixed modes of mobility

This paper focuses on eliminating mobility constraints inherent in current robot locomotion designs, by extending the robot's adaptability and range with mixed/multiple mobility modes. It is assumed that the robots navigates into a known and controlled environment, potentially equipped with smart structures in order to allow the free movement of the robot. The mechanical designs, kinematics analysis, and the sensor suite of the system are presented including experimental results. An approach to climbing using a modular serial-paired design and a minimal torque-based path-planning algorithm is also presented.
Effects of organism size and community composition on ecosystem functioning

We tested (1) if the size of dominant species influenced ecosystem functioning in food webs consisting of bacteria, algae, and protozoa; (2) whether those effects changed in importance through time; and (3) how those effects compared with differences in diversity among experimental food webs. We constructed food webs using two size fractions of organisms that differed in individual mass by approximately two orders of magnitude. We measured total biomass and respiration (total CO2 production) as two aspects of ecosystem functioning. We also compared these size-dependent patterns in functioning across two levels of species richness. Initially, organism size strongly influenced total community biomass. With time, however, biomass and respiration eventually converged in communities dominated by large or small species. We conclude that after sufficient time for community development any differences in ecosystem functioning resulted from differences in community composition, including species richness, but not the size of the dominant organisms.
Thoracolumbar spinal cord tolerance to high dose conformal proton-photon radiation therapy

Abstract Purpose To evaluate and understand the tolerance of the thoracolumbar spinal cord using equivalent uniform dose (EUD) and dose volume histogram (DVH) analysis after combined high dose photon–proton radiotherapy. Materials and methods A total of 68 patients were identified as having high dose radiotherapy, ⩾5900 cGy (RBE) in the region of the thoracolumbar spinal cord, defined as extending inferiorly to L2. Pathological diagnosis for patients in this review included chordoma (50 patients, 53.1%), chondrosarcoma (28 patients, 29.8%), osteosarcoma (3 patients, 3.2%), other sarcoma (11 patients, 11.7%), and other (2 patients, 2.1%). Patient data were reviewed retrospectively, detailed dose volume histogram data (DVH) were available for 23 patients. Composite plans and DVH were constructed for both pre-operative and post-operative radiation therapy courses in MIM-Vista software, as available. Dose constraints to the center and surface of the cord were 5400 cGy (RBE), and 6300 cGy (RBE) respectively, and patients receiving concurrent chemotherapy received an eight percent dose reduction. Spinal cord toxicity was recorded using the RTOG/EORTC late effects scoring system. Results Clinical and dosimetric data for each patient were analyzed. Median prescription dose was 7020 cGy (RBE), range (5940–7820 cGy (RBE)). Median follow-up was 12.9 months. Five-year overall survival for all patients in this group was 88.7%, 95%CI (74.7–95.2). One patient suffered from transient paralysis following stem cell transplant for treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome. Other reasons for spinal cord injury following treatment included: local disease progression, noted in 7 patients (10.3%), and direct result of surgery, noted in 8 patients (11.8%). Freedom from neurological injury (RTOG Grade 2 or higher) at 5 years was 92.9%(95%CI: 74.6–98.2), at 6 years was 80.9%(95%CI: 55.3–92.7), and at 8 years 80.9%(95%CI: 55.3–92.7). Conclusion Our clinical and dosimetric data suggest that the noted dose constraints are safe and acceptable with regard to spinal cord complications. Pre-existing disease characteristics, surgical complications, as well as tumor progression, appear to be more important factors when it comes to spinal cord toxicity.
Concepts of Value in Chinese Folklore

The concept of value is one of the central concerns of accounting theory. Various concepts of value have been proposed in the accounting literature, including book value, market value, deprival value, and the present value of future cash flows. All of these concepts of value are based on exchange values, either past, present, or future. From a broader viewpoint, competing theories of value have been debated in the western world from the time of Aristotle, who discussed the differences between exchange value and intrinsic value. The development of political economy in the 18th century saw the emergence of the labour theory of value which was subsequently elaborated upon by Marx in Capital. Because of the economic dominance of the western world, modern concepts of value have been based generally on the thinking of western economists. This cultural bias in western thinking has obscured the thinking of the Asian world which has dealt with alternative concepts of value. In this paper, we introduce a story by Pu Songling (1648-1714), a Chinese writer who collected folk stories at the beginning of the Qing dynasty. The story of the Pure Void Stone illustrates some of the concepts of value that have existed in Chinese thinking. In the story there is an emphasis on exchange value, however, the allegorical nature of the story suggests that exchange values are highly problematic and that intrinsic and spiritual values ought to be considered in addition to exchange values.
Solid State Ordering of Wholly Aromatic Copolyesters of Random Monomer Sequence

X-ray diffraction and computer molecular modeling methods are being used to investigate the ordering of random sequence copolyesters when cooled for the nematic melt. Data will be presented for the copolymers prepared from p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid. The non-periodic diffraction patterns arising from the random monomer sequences are also indicative of the presence of limited three dimensional order. For both polymer systems, we can generate the qualitative feature of the x-ray data using models in which short non-identical segments of 10–12 monomers on adjacent chains are approximately in register at their center. Molecular mechanics calculations show that these non-identical sequences can be packed on the observed hexagonal lattice with only small energy differences when compared to analogous homopolymer structures. Data will also be presented showing how x-ray diffraction can be used to follow transesterification of copoly(HBA/HNA) in the nematic melt.
Action of ammonia on pneumococcus and mechanism of capsule staining

exert an inhibitory action on the pneumococcus and thus further account for the popular and apparently beneficial action of these salts in colds and bronchitis. To test this more careful experiments were made. The following is representative: N/2 solutions of ammonium hydroxide, chloride, acetate, lactate and nitrate were prepared. The salts of ammonia were made up by taking the same amount of NH4OH and adding equivalent amounts of the acids and making up to a proper volume to make the solutions exactly N/2. One c c. of each of these contained 0.0085 gm. NHg. Their action along with that of N/2 NOOH was tested by adding 1 c c. of the
Machining of Cordierite Ceramics by CO2 Laser

Cordierite ceramics sintered with an addition of aluminum titanate were cut and pierced by pulsed CO2 laser. Effects of average beam power and thickness of workpiece plates on maximum cutting speed were examined. Piercing behavior such as minimum value of average beam power for piercing and diameters of holes were also examined. It is concluded that cordierite ceramics can be cut and pierced by CO2 laser without serious failures, which are often observed during laser machining of structural ceramics such as Al2O3, SiC and ZrO2. The machined surfaces are covered with glassy layers.
The Haring Indexes of Local Business Conditions

T HERE ARE two Haring Indexes of Local Business Conditions. They differ in only one respect-the use of different bases. The original Haring Index uses a moving base with the base (Ioo) for each month being the same month of the preceding year. The second Haring Index, which is called the Long Term Haring Index, uses a more conventional fixed base-the monthly average for the five-year period 1935-I939. The two Haring Indexes differ far more from other indexes of business conditions than they do from each other. Practically all other indexes of business conditions are based on selected factors of physical production of goods and the movement of goods as expressed by car loadings. Probably the most widely used of these indexes is the Federal Reserve Board's Index of Industrial Production which is based on 85 series of industrial production items. Business Week and the New York Times base their indexes also on physical production each using about half a dozen series. Each also adds the car loadings factor. The war has necessitated the revision of all of these indexes, because the War Production Board's orders absolutely stopped production of so many items.
Episodic growth and relative shoot:root balance in loblolly pine seedlings

Leaf, root and stem systems of loblolfy pine seedlings are characterized by a seasonal periodicity in growth, during which they alternate in spurts of activity. Despite this periodicity, the aflometric coefficient describing the ratio of the relative growth rates of leaf to root remains constant for at last the first two years of development. In part, constancy results from the inability of variation in the allocation of growth increment during brief periods to change a proexisting structure accumulated over the life of the seediing. In additian, alternating periotfs of leaf, root and stem growth may represent the action of feedback mechanisms which oper3:e to maintain an adaptive balance lxtwetn organ - systems.
Epidemic trend analysis of mumps in Jiangxi province,2008-2012

Objective To analyze the epidemic trend of mumps in Jiangxi Province from 2008 to 2012,and to provide evidence for formulating a countermeasure of disease prevention and control. Methods Data of mumps collected from National Notifiable Disease Reporting System during 2008 to 2012 were analyzed through descriptive epidemiological method. Results The reported cases of mumps in Jiangxi Province showed an upward trend and the incidence increased obviously from 2008 to 2012. The annual incidence of mumps began to rise in February,and reached the peak on May and June,then dropped to the level of beginning of the year on September and October. Pingxiang city and Jingdezhen city had higher incidence than others. Most cases were males. Meanwhile,the majority of patients were students, pre-school children and scattered children. Conclusion The incidence of mumps in Jiangxi Province increased in recent five years. The outbreaks of disease in school were the main cause of the seasonal fluctuations. Vaccination based on comprehensive prevention and control measures should be strengthened in mumps prevention and control.
"ye word kis lang ka hai bhai?" Testing the Limits of Word level Language Identification

Language identification is a necessary prerequisite for processing any user generated text, where the language is unknown. It becomes even more challenging when the text is code-mixed, i.e., two or more languages are used within the same text. Such data is commonly seen in social media, where further challenges might arise due to contractions and transliterations. The existing language identification systems are not designed to deal with codemixed text, and as our experiments show, perform poorly on a synthetically created code-mixed dataset for 28 languages.We propose extensions to an existing approach for word level language identification. Our technique not only outperforms the existing methods, but also makes no assumption about the language pairs mixed in the text a common requirement of the existing word level language identification systems.This study shows that word level language identification is most likely to confuse between languages which are linguistically related (e.g., Hindi and Gujarati, Czech and Slovak), for which special disambiguation techniques might be required.
The Neuronal Protein GAP-43 Associates with Microtubules and Lipid Rafts in Platelets and Megakaryocytes and Is Involved in Platelet Genesis

Abstract Abstract 2201 GAP-43 (neuromodulin) is a membrane-associated protein involved in neurite outgrowth, pathfinding and branching during development where it regulates neurotransmitter release and endocytosis, and plays a role in cytoskeletal signal transduction at the nerve ending. We have found GAP-43 to be expressed in platelets and megakaryocytes (MK) as evidenced by immunoblot and flow cytometry analysis. Immunofluorescence shows that GAP-43 localizes intracellularly as discrete punctuate structures mostly near the marginal microtubule (MT) coil of platelets and along the MT bundles in MKs and proplatelets. In contrast to neuronal cells where GAP-43 is associated with their detergent insoluble F-actin cytoskeleton, it is mostly soluble in platelets unless the platelets are first treated with taxol, a drug that stabilizes MTs. MT disruption with nocodazole or by chilling decreases the amount of GAP-43 in the detergent-insoluble cytoskeleton and disturbs its localization in proplatelets. GAP-43 colocalizes in platelets and MKs with the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked lipid raft marker Thy-1 and Cherry-PH PLC-delta1 (pleckstrin homology domain of phospholipase C-delta1) that stains membrane rafts. Since GAP-43 overexpression in MKs diminishes proplatelet formation, it appears to play a negative role in thrombopoiesis. Together, the data shows that GAP-43 is associated with MT and lipid rafts and suggests a role in signaling reactions between these two components to modulate proplatelet elaboration. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
ATPS-79NOVEL MITOCHONDRIAL BASED CHEMOTHERAPY USING GLIOMA SPECIFIC MITOCHONDRIAL TARGETED DRUGS.

We demonstrate that monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) levels in glioma are far higher than in control brain, and that levels of MAO-B correlate with tumor grade. Monoamine oxidases are able to oxidize a wide range of N-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine substrates into their respective N-methyl-pyridinium cations (P + -). We have designed a range of methyl-tetrahydropyridine (MP-) compounds that undergo MAO-B specific oxidation from the neutral pro-Drug/Dye species into mitochondrial targeting lipophilic compounds. Coupling methyl-tetrahydropyridine to the neutral fluorophore Bodipy, via a linker, produces MP-Bodipy. In vitro we show that this compound is rapidly converted into the mitochondria targeting cation P + -Bodipy by MAO-B. The conversion of MP-Bodipy into P + -Bodipy is abolished by preincubation with the MAO-B specific inhibitor, Selegiline, and mitochondrial accumulation of P + -Bodipy can be reversed by using an uncoupling agent. MP-Bodipy is a highly specific probe in glioma xenografts in flank and in intracranial tumor models. This targeting of MAO-B overexpression should facilitate fluorescence-guided surgery allowing neurosurgeons to identify gliomal infiltration boundaries during tumor resection. Using a nitrogen mustard moiety (MUS) in place of the dye gives rise to a MAO-B specific MP-MUS/P + -MUS (pro-Drug/Drug) pair; a gliomal specific chemotherapeutic that targets glioma mitochondria via an attack on mitochondrial DNA. MP-MUS is highly effective in selectively damaging gliomal mitochondria, and leads to an alteration of cancer cell phenotype in the few cells that survive in vitro and in vivo. MP-MUS effectively treats primary gliomal xenografts in both flank and intracranial tumor models. In an intracranial xenograft model, over 50% of all animals are completely tumor free with only three treatments of MP-MUS, without causing any significant toxicity in tissues. The others all have minimal tumor left. A wide range of mitochondrial toxins can be coupled to the MAO-B specific MP-/P + - pair allowing us to optimize our drugs for an individual glioma.
Illicit juvenile weapon possession: The role of serious sanctioning in future behavior

Abstract Although existing literature has well-examined basic weapon carrying trends for juveniles, little is known about weapon carriers’ differential experiences with serious sanctions including suspension, expulsion, or juvenile adjudication. It is unknown what types of weapon carriers are more likely to be subject to these sanctions or the effect of these sanctions on future behavior. The present study addresses these gaps in the literature using data obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Results indicate that seriously sanctioned weapon carriers are associated with a delinquent and risky lifestyle while other weapon carriers largely avoid these problem behaviors. Both groups, however, bring weapons to school equally often. Findings indicate that weapon carriers with gang membership are less likely to carry weapons to school or work in adulthood or own a handgun in adulthood if they avoid serious sanctioning. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.
MRI use for atrial tissue characterization in arrhythmias and for EP procedure guidance

We review the utilization of magnetic resonance imaging methods for classifying atrial tissue properties that act as a substrate for common cardiac arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation. We then review state-of-the-art methods for mapping this substrate as a predicate for treatment, as well as methods used to ablate the electrical pathways that cause arrhythmia and restore patients to sinus rhythm.
Ranking the Leading Risk Factors for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is rare in well-controlled epilepsy. However, SUDEP is a common cause of death in drug resistant epilepsy. Over the last 30 years, multiple cohort and population studies have identified clinical risk factors associated with an increased risk for SUDEP. In this review, SUDEP risk factors from major cohort and population-based studies are identified. We rank the leading SUDEP risk factors by Odds Ratios and Relative Risk Ratios. The incidence of SUDEP is also evaluated in special clinical situations, including antiepileptic drug treatment, epilepsy surgery, devices, and assignment to placebo in clinical trials. A ranking of the top risk factors could help clinicians identify patients at highest risk for SUDEP so that interventions could be individually tailored to reduce risk.
In-vitro characterization of canine multipotent stromal cells isolated from synovium, bone marrow, and adipose tissue: a donor-matched comparative study

The dog represents an excellent large animal model for translational cell-based studies. Importantly, the properties of canine multipotent stromal cells (cMSCs) and the ideal tissue source for specific translational studies have yet to be established. The aim of this study was to characterize cMSCs derived from synovium, bone marrow, and adipose tissue using a donor-matched study design and a comprehensive series of in-vitro characterization, differentiation, and immunomodulation assays. Canine MSCs were isolated from five dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture. All 15 cMSC preparations were evaluated using colony forming unit (CFU) assays, flow cytometry analysis, RT-PCR for pluripotency-associated genes, proliferation assays, trilineage differentiation assays, and immunomodulation assays. Data were reported as mean ± standard deviation and compared using repeated-measures analysis of variance and Tukey post-hoc test. Significance was established at p < 0.05. All tissue samples produced plastic adherent, spindle-shaped preparations of cMSCs. Cells were negative for CD34, CD45, and STRO-1 and positive for CD9, CD44, and CD90, whereas the degree to which cells were positive for CD105 was variable depending on tissue of origin. Cells were positive for the pluripotency-associated genes NANOG, OCT4, and SOX2. Accounting for donor and tissue sources, there were significant differences in CFU potential, rate of proliferation, trilineage differentiation, and immunomodulatory response. Synovium and marrow cMSCs exhibited superior early osteogenic activity, but when assessing late-stage osteogenesis no significant differences were detected. Interestingly, bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2) supplementation was necessary for early-stage and late-stage osteogenic differentiation, a finding consistent with other canine studies. Additionally, synovium and adipose cMSCs proliferated more rapidly, displayed higher CFU potential, and formed larger aggregates in chondrogenic assays, although proteoglycan and collagen type II staining were subjectively decreased in adipose pellets as compared to synovial and marrow pellets. Lastly, cMSCs derived from all three tissue sources modulated murine macrophage TNF-α and IL-6 levels in a lipopolysaccharide-stimulated coculture assay. While cMSCs from synovium, marrow, and adipose tissue share a number of similarities, important differences in proliferation and trilineage differentiation exist and should be considered when selecting cMSCs for translational studies. These results and associated methods will prove useful for future translational studies involving the canine model.
Should Antitrust Go Beyond “Antitrust”?:

Numerous observers, from all sides of the political spectrum, have proposed alternatives to economic efficiency as objectives for antitrust enforcement and decisions. A list includes fairness, ineq...
Free-Space Haptic Feedback for 3D Displays via Air-Vortex Rings

With recent developments in 3D display interfaces, which are now capable of delivering rich and immersive visual experiences, a need has arisen to develop haptic-feedback technologies that can seamlessly be integrated with such displays -- in order to maintain the sense of visual realism during interactions and to enable multimodal user experiences. We present an approach to augmenting conventional and 3D displays with free-space haptic feedback capabilities via a large number of closely-spaced air-vortex-ring generators mounted along the periphery of the display. We then present our ongoing work on building an open-source system based on this approach that uses 16 vortex-ring generators, and show how it could serve as a multimodal interactive interface, as a research tool, and as a novel platform for creative expressions.