cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defender Strategies In Domains Involving Frequent Adversary Interaction

Recently, there has been an increase in interest in applying game theoretic approaches to domains involving frequent adversary interactions, such as wildlife and fishery protection. In these domains, the law enforcement agency faces adversaries who repeatedly and frequently carry out illegal activities, and thus, do not have time for extensive surveillance before taking actions. This makes them significantly different from counter-terrorism domains where game-theoretic approaches have been widely deployed. This paper presents a game-theoretic approach to be used by the defender in these Frequent Adversary Interaction (FAI) domains. We provide (i) a novel game model for FAI domains, describing the interaction between the defender and the attackers in a repeated game and (ii) algorithms that plan for the defender strategies to achieve high average expected utility over all rounds.
Inter- and intra-speaker variation in French schwa

Quantitative constraint-based theories of optionality typically aim to model the frequency with which an individual speaker’s grammar maps one input onto various output forms. But existing studies in this area use population-level frequency data as a proxy for the frequencies produced by an individual speaker’s grammar. This practice is problematic for three reasons. First, population-level variation could result from aggregation over individuals with differing categorical behavior, not individual variation at all. Second, some theories predict that individuals with identical relative constraint rankings/weights can produce those outputs with different frequencies, while others predict uniform frequencies across speakers; these prediction cannot be tested without individual-level data. Third, if indeed individuals differ in their output frequencies, population-level averages may disguise true patterns of individual variation. This paper addresses these shortcomings through a corpus study of optional schwa deletion in French. We find that individual speakers do in fact show variable omission of schwa. We also find variation between speakers in the frequency of schwa’s appearance. Taken together, these results confirm that for French schwa, formal theories are correct to ascribe variation to a single speaker’s grammar, and they favor theories that decouple the means of producing variation from the account of output frequency.
The shoreline distribution and degradation of tilapia carcasses, Salton Sea, California: Taphonomic implications

Abstract The Salton Sea is a hypersaline, closed lake system in southern California, USA. Episodic fish kills led to bloating and floating fish bodies that were driven onto the shoreline by wind shear. The documented taphonomic destruction of the stranded fish carcasses includes the distribution of the fish parts after desiccation and disarticulation mainly by wave-induced transport with possible minor component of wind transport on the upper shoreface. Carcass decay is divided into five taphonomic categories 1 through 5. Category 1 represents whole pliable fish, recently washed onto the shoreline while category 5 incorporates longer-term destruction into ultimately single, isolated skeletal elements. High water, strand line deposits are delineated by the presence of categories 3 through 5 mixtures. The general trend, in 2012 was observed to be considerable bone disarticulation away from the shoreline because categories 1 and 2 were present in the swash zone; the influx of fresh fish carcasses recharged the shoreline. During 2013, the absence of new 1 and 2 categories arriving to the shoreline enhanced wave action to further break down categories 3 and 4 ultimately into category 5. In addition, isolated bone elements segregate according to density differences, typically on low-gradient beaches. Wave and wave-induced current action coupled with beach topography controls distribution of the various fish bones. As an actualistic model, the Salton Sea implies that shore-parallel complete to partial fish carcass concentrations are more shoreward and isolated skeletal elements more distal.
Lipid-induced degradation in biocompatible poly(Styrene-Isobutylene-Styrene) (SIBS) thermoplastic elastomer

The thermoplastic elastomer Poly(Styrene-block-Isobutylene-block-Styrene) (SIBS) is highly biocompatible, which has led to its use in several commercially-available implants. However, lipid-induced degradation has been previously identified as a primary cause of failure in long-term SIBS implants subject to mechanical loading. Thus, understanding the mechanisms and extent of lipid-induced damage and the role of styrene-isobutylene ratio and molecular weight is critical to improving longevity of SIBS-based implants in order to fully exploit the biocompatibility advantages. Samples of four different SIBS formulations were fabricated via compression molding, immersed to lipid saturation contents from 5 to 80% by weight, and tested in uniaxial tension, stress relaxation, and dynamic creep modes. Degradation mechanisms were investigated via infrared spectroscopy, chromatography, and microscopy. No evidence of lipid-induced chemical interactions or chain scissoring was observed. However, a decrease in tensile strength, loss of dynamic creep performance and faster relaxation with increasing lipid content is attributed to strong internal straining. The magnitude of these losses is inversely proportional to both molecular weight and styrene content, suggesting that selection of these variables during the design phase should be based not only on the mechanical requirements of the application, but the expected degree of lipid exposure.
Ray Tracing and Modal Methods for Modeling Radio Propagation in Tunnels With Rough Walls

At the ultrahigh frequencies common to portable radios, tunnels such as mine entries are often modeled by hollow dielectric waveguides. The roughness condition of the tunnel walls has an influence on radio propagation, and therefore should be taken into account when an accurate power prediction is needed. This paper investigates how wall roughness affects radio propagation in tunnels, and presents a unified ray tracing and modal method for modeling radio propagation in tunnels with rough walls. First, general analytical formulas for modeling the influence of the wall roughness are derived, based on the modal method and the ray tracing method, respectively. Second, the equivalence of the ray tracing and modal methods in the presence of wall roughnesses is mathematically proved, by showing that the ray tracing-based analytical formula can converge to the modal-based formula through the Poisson summation formula. The derivation and findings are verified by simulation results based on ray tracing and modal methods.
Online Optimization for Markets and the Cloud: Theory and Practice

Internet applications provide interesting dynamic environments for online optimization techniques. In this talk, I will discuss a number of such problems in the context of online markets, and in serving cloud services. For online markets, I discuss problems in online advertising. Online ads are delivered in a real-time fashion under uncertainty in an environment with strategic agents. Making such real-time (or online) decisions without knowing the future is challenging for repeated auctions. In this context, I will first highlight the practical importance of considering "hybrid" models that can take advantage of forecasting, and at the same time, are robust against adversarial changes in the input. In particular, I discuss our recent results combining stochastic and adversarial input models. Then I will present more recent results concerning online bundling schemes that can be applied to repeated auction environments. In this part, I discuss ideas from our recent papers about online bundling, stateful pricing, bank account mechanisms, and Martingale auctions. For problems on the cloud, I will touch upon two online load balancing problems: one in the context of consistent hashing with bounded loads for dynamic environments, and one in the context of multi-dimensional load balancing. Other than presenting theoretical results on these topics, we show how some of our new algorithmic techniques have been applied by Google and other companies, and confirm their significance in practice.
The world looks better together: How close others enhance our visual experiences

People derive a number of benefits from sharing experiences with close others. However, most research on this topic has been restricted to forms of sharing involving explicit socializing, including verbal communication, emotion expression, and behavioral interaction. In two studies, these complexities were eliminated to find out whether merely experiencing visual stimuli (photographs) simultaneously with a close other—without communicating—enhances people's evaluations of those stimuli relative to coexperiencing the same stimuli with a stranger or alone. Compared to when viewers were alone, visual scenes were enhanced (better liked and seen as more real) when coexperienced with a close other and were liked less when coexperienced with a stranger. Implications for close relationships are discussed.
Comparison of commercially-available preservatives for maintaining the integrity of bacterial DNA in human milk

Abstract Background Inhibiting changes to bacteria in human milk between sample collection and analysis is necessary for unbiased characterization of the milk microbiome. Although cold storage is considered optimal, alternative preservation is sometimes necessary. Research aim/question The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of several commercially-available preservatives with regard to maintaining bacterial DNA in human milk for delayed microbiome analysis. Specifically, we compared Life Technologies' RNAlater® stabilization solution, Biomatrica's DNAgard® Saliva, Advanced Instruments' Broad Spectrum Microtabs II™, and Norgen Biotek Corporation's Milk DNA Preservation and Isolation Kit. Methods Aliquots of 8 pools of human milk were treated with each preservative. DNA was extracted immediately and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 wk, during which time milk was held at 37 °C. The V1–V3 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced. Changes in bacterial community structure and diversity over time were evaluated. Results Comparable to other studies, the most abundant genera were Streptococcus (33.3%), Staphylococcus (14.0%), Dyella (6.3%), Pseudomonas (3.0%), Veillonella (2.5%), Hafnia (2.0%), Prevotella (1.7%), Rhodococcus (1.6%), and Granulicatella (1.4%). Overall, use of Norgen's Milk DNA Preservation and Isolation Kit best maintained the consistency of the bacterial community structure. Total DNA, diversity, and evenness metrics were also highest in samples preserved with this method. Conclusions When collecting human milk for bacterial community analysis in field conditions where cold storage is not available, our results suggest that Norgen's Milk DNA Preservation and Isolation Kit may be a useful method, at least for a period of 2 weeks.
Programming Second Language Reading

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an investigation of some possibilities for building up a reading program in a systematic way, so that at the end of a four-year high school sequence, the students could be prepared to read unabridged, unadapted, and unglossed modern literary works of moderate difficulty. The audio-lingual approach to second language teaching provides students with two indispensable prerequisites for the development of real reading power. The first of these is the mastery of the sound system. The second prerequisite to the development of true reading power is the automatic and direct understanding of the structural patterns of the language from seeing their written representations. The requirements of programmed instruction are simple and logical: (1) the desired terminal behavior must be clearly specified; (2) the material must be organized and presented so that progress is made by a sequence of small steps, each one made easier by the mastery of the last one; and (3) the student must have the opportunity to test himself at every step in the program.
Therapeutic and prognostic significance of PARP-1 in advanced mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome.

While mycosis fungoides (MF) is typically an indolent malignancy, it may infrequently undertake an aggressive course. We used proteomic analyses to identify a biomarker of the aggressive course of MF. Results of this investigation demonstrated that PARP-1, heat-shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 1 like (HSAP1L), Hsp70 member 1A (HSPA1A), ATP-depending RNA helicase (DDX17) and the α-isoform of lamina-associated polypeptide 2 (TMPO) had higher expression in aggressive disease versus non-aggressive. Moreover, PARP-1 was overexpressed in patients with early stage of MF who developed later an aggressive disease. PARP-1 was evaluated as a new target for therapy, demonstrating the selective dose-dependent cytotoxic effect of PARP inhibitors on Sezary cells in comparison with non-malignant lymphocytes. In conclusion, we believe that PARP-1 may serve not only as a biomarker at initial biopsies for a disease that may become aggressive but also as a new therapeutic target of advanced MF and Sezary syndrome.
A Nitrone Dipolar Cycloaddition Strategy toward an Enantioselective Synthesis of Massadine.

An enantioselective route to the C,D-bicycle of massadine is reported. Enantiopure intermediates were generated by a single stereoselective reduction using the Corey–Bakshi–Shibata reagent. This initial stereoinduction was translated into the five contiguous stereocenters of the massadine D-ring by a synthetic route that features a diastereoselective and stereospecific Ireland–Claisen rearrangement of a trianionic enolate followed by a diastereoselective nitrone dipolar cycloaddition of a highly electron-poor oxime.
Body-brain co-evolution using L-systems as a generative encoding

We co-evolve the morphology and controller of artificial creatures using two integrated generative processes. L-systems are used as the common generative encoding for both body and brain. Combining the languages of both into a single L-system allows for linkage between the genotype of the controller and the parts of the morphology that it controls. Creatures evolved by this system are more complex than previous work, having an order of magnitude more parts and a higher degree of regularity.
An Overview of the Ecosystem Management Decision-Support System

By way of introduction, this chapter provides a general overview of the Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system, including a brief account of its development history, key factors that have motivated its development, and more central topics such as concepts, principles, and functionality. We conclude the chapter with discussions on applications involving multiple spatial scales, ways in which the technology can support the modern planning process, critical design factors behind the relative success of the system, and experiences drawn from design and use of the system.
On Utilization of Structural Information to Improve Identification Accuracy

The so-called identification problem is that of estimating unknown constant system parameters of dynamic systems. The computation of maximum likelihood is known to be nontrivial and is full of various pitfalls [1]. The Koopmans-Levin algorithm for system identification, which was first discussed in the context of dynamic systems by Levin [2], has been found to be very efficient computationally as compared to the iterative type of algorithms since it only involves the solution of algebraic equations and a very simple eigenvalue problem [3][4]. This method can be motivated through the derivation of the maximum likelihood estimate but is not the true maximum likelihood estimate as claimed by Levin. It has been shown to yield (strongly) consistent estimates under very general conditions on the observation noise and simple restrictions on the systems properties as well as input characteristics. In particular, if the observation noise is Gaussian, then the estimates are known to be close approximations to those obtained via the method of maximum likelihood [3][4].
Deployment Characteristics of "The Edge" in Mobile Edge Computing

The envisioned capabilities of mobile edge computing are predicated on a delivery infrastructure with capacity, ubiquity, robustness, and capabilities to serve a country-wide user base. In this paper, we present an empirical study of key aspects of mobile edge infrastructure toward the goal of understanding their current characteristics and identifying future deployments. We start by analyzing a dataset of over 4M cell tower locations in the US. We evaluate the geographic characteristics of deployments and highlight how locations correspond to population density in major metropolitan areas and in rural areas. We also show how deployments have been arranged along highways throughout the US. Our analysis highlight areas where new deployments would be warranted. Finally, we analyze how cell tower deployments correspond to current major data center locations and assess how micro servers might be deployed to improve response times and to better serve customers.
Tropism for Spasmolytic Polypeptide-Expressing Metaplasia Allows Helicobacter pylori to Expand Its Intragastric Niche

Background & Aims In patients with chronic Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection, parietal and chief cell atrophy in the gastric corpus, a process known as spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM), increases the risk for progression to cancer. The relation between H pylori and these metaplastic changes is unclear. We investigated whether H pylori localizes to regions of SPEM. Methods We developed an in situ adherence assay in which we incubated H pylori with free-floating tissue sections from the gastric corpora of mice; we assessed H pylori distribution along the gastric unit by immunofluorescence. We analyzed the interactions of H pylori with tissue collected from mice with acute SPEM, induced by high-dose tamoxifen. We also evaluated how adhesin-deficient H pylori strains, chemical competition assays, and epithelial glycosylation affected H pylori adhesion to SPEM glands. Mice colonized with the mouse-adapted PMSS1 strain were analyzed for H pylori colonization in vivo during tamoxifen-induced SPEM or after decrease of stomach acid with omeprazole. Results Compared with uninjured glands, H pylori penetrated deep within SPEM glands, in situ, through interaction of its adhesin, SabA, with sialyl-Lewis X, which expanded in SPEM. H pylori markedly increased gastric corpus colonization when SPEM was induced, but this proximal spread reversed in mice allowed to recover from SPEM. Decreasing corpus acidity also promoted proximal spread. However, H pylori penetrated deep within corpus glands in vivo only when sialyl-Lewis X expanded during SPEM. Conclusions Helicobacter pylori differentially binds SPEM glands in situ and in mice, in large part by interacting with sialyl-Lewis X. Our findings indicate that H pylori expands its niche into the gastric corpus by promoting and exploiting epithelial metaplastic changes that can lead to tumorigenesis.
Peter Boghossian—What comes after postmodernism?

Postmodernism shifted us away from objective Truth and Enlightenment values like free inquiry, open expression, progress, and scientific methodologies. It valorized notions of subjectivity and live...
Interphase Morphology between a Solid-State Electrolyte and Lithium Controls Cell Failure

The interfaces between many solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) and lithium metal are (electro)chemically unstable, and improved understanding of how interfacial transformations influence electrochemical degradation is necessary to stabilize these interfaces and therefore enable a wider range of viable SSEs for batteries. Here, the (electro)chemical reaction processes that occur at the interface between Li1.4Al0.4Ge1.6(PO4)3 (LAGP) electrolyte and lithium are studied using in situ transmission electron microscopy and ex situ techniques. The reaction of lithium with LAGP causes amorphization and volume expansion, which induce mechanical stress and fracture of the SSE along with a massive increase in impedance. The evolved interphase has a nonuniform morphology at high currents, which causes accelerated chemo-mechanical failure. This work demonstrates that the current-dependent nature of the reaction at the SSE/Li interface plays a crucial role in determining chemo-mechanical degradation mechanisms, with implic...
Agent-Based Modeling of Feeder-Level Electric Vehicle Diffusion for Distribution Planning

Faced with a rapidly growing electric vehicle (EV) load, distribution planners need a methodology to forecast when and where these loads will likely appear on specific distribution feeders. This paper proposes a new diffusion forecasting approach for residential EV and charging stations using agent-based modeling. Residential EV adoption is treated as a multi-criteria decision making problem modeled via analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The customer adoption model CANE is developed considering customer characteristics including car age, EV attractiveness valued using logistic regression, neighbor influences and customer economics. Distribution feeder topology is combined with property geographic information system (GIS) parcels and household travel survey data to determine geographic and electric locations for EV and charging stations. A Monte Carlo method is utilized to obtain the most likely outcome of the stochastic vehicle decision-making process and perform model calibration. The proposed diffusion forecasting approach is demonstrated using actual distribution feeder data. Using the diffusion results, EV impact on system annual peak, energy, losses, transformer aging and feeder upgrades is evaluated using quasi-static time-series power flow analysis. Case analyses are presented that examine the effect of EV price and charging station placement on EV diffusion and distribution feeder impact.
Named Data Networking based File Access for XRootD

We present the design and implementation of a Named Data Networking (NDN) based Open Storage System plug-in for XRootD. This is an important step towards integrating NDN, a leading future internet architecture, with the existing data management systems in CMS. This work outlines the first results of data transfer tests using internal as well as external 100 Gbps testbeds, and compares the NDN-based implementation with existing solutions.
New Training System Based on the Discovery of Subperiosteal Transmission of Pressures Between Joint Capsules.

BACKGROUND A new training and rehabilitation methodology called Sanomechanics® is presented based on a recent discovery of the anatomical system called Floating Skeleton System (FSS) responsible for redistributing contact pressures in the joint capsules and thus minimizing the loads on joint cartilages. MATERIALS AND METHODS The main idea behind the Sanomechanics® methodology (SMM) is that when this system of subperiosteal pressure transmission is disrupted, the overloading of cartilages may occur leading to trauma, osteoarthritis and other related pathologies. Conversely, if functioning of the FSS is adequately restored and continuously maintained, the pathological developments can be effectively stopped. RESULTS Analysis of existing training systems using mind-body approach revealed that they are lacking the understanding of a physiological mechanism of their success or failure in training. It is postulated that maintaining/restoration of transmission of pressure between the joint capsules is necessary component of preventing overloading of joint cartilages occurring in military training and operations and in civilian life. Visualization of this concept has been suggested as a key element to the SMM training system. CONCLUSIONS The FSS provides for a guidance for development of scientific approaches to the training and rehabilitation techniques. The SMM is balanced mind-body training system, which can help U.S. Servicemen and Servicewomen be better prepared for extreme load during their service.
Perfectionism, Economic (Dis)incentives and Political Coercion

May a government attempt to improve the lives of its citizens by promoting the activities it deems valuable and discouraging those it disvalues? May it engage in such a practice even when doing so is not a requirement of justice in some strict sense, and even when the judgments of value and disvalue in question are likely to be subject to controversy among its citizens? These questions have long stood at the center of debates between political perfectionists and political neutralists. In what follows I address a prominent cluster of arguments against political perfectionism—namely, arguments that focus on the coercive dimensions of state action. My main claim is simple: whatever concerns we might have about coercion, arguments from coercion fall short of supporting a thoroughgoing rejection of perfectionism, for the reason that perfectionist policies need not be coercive. The main body of the paper responds, however, to several neutralist challenges to this last claim.
Simulation infrastructure for modeling large scale neural systems

This paper describes the Large-scale Edge Node Simulator, a problem solving environment for the implementation of large scale models of neural systems. This work was motivated by the absence of adequate modeling tools for this domain. The object-oriented Large-scale Edge Node Simulator was developed after a rigorous requirements analysis for this class of simulations. An example use of this environment for a complex neural simulation of cortical plasticity is presented. It is shown that the Large-scale Edge Node Simulator is capable of meeting the challenges of simulating large scale models of neural systems.
Virtual Ligand Screening Against Comparative Protein Structure Models

Virtual ligand screening uses computation to discover new ligands of a protein by screening one or more of its structural models against a database of potential ligands. Comparative protein structure modeling extends the applicability of virtual screening beyond the atomic structures determined by X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy. Here, we describe an integrated modeling and docking protocol, combining comparative modeling by MODELLER and virtual ligand screening by DOCK.
Molecular Mechanisms in Information Processing1

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the molecular mechanisms in information processing and includes neural coding, provides evidence for molecular mechanisms, and molecular hypotheses. Introduction of the computer as a model for the brain would, superficially, seem to accentuate the physical nature of neural function further. The computers do not have to be electronic; they can work on mechanical, hydraulic, optical, and many other principles. However, in living systems, computation is done by chemical means, as exemplified by the genetic code. Similar processes take place in the nervous system where the decision made by the neuron to fire or not to fire is the outcome of molecular computation, and the behavioral response to a stimulus is the overall result of such computations by many thousands of these units wired together in intricate circuits. A survey of the three main approaches show that only the results of the bioassay methods are sufficiently specific for suggesting the existence of a molecular code; two other promising techniques, using immunological identification of neural proteins and DNA–RNA hybridization are still in the preliminary stage. Thus, the bioassay method has provided with means for guiding the isolation, purification, and identification of the substances, which may represent the molecular code of acquired information.
Reinventing the engine

Glass-blowers have known for centuries that a heated vessel can generate sound. Thermoacoustic energy conversion can now be made as efficient as energy conversion in an internal-combustion engine — a feat that has been accomplished in a device with no moving parts.
FAAH−/− Mice Display Differential Tolerance, Dependence, and Cannabinoid Receptor Adaptation After Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Anandamide Administration

Repeated administration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of Cannabis sativa, induces profound tolerance that correlates with desensitization and downregulation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the CNS. However, the consequences of repeated administration of the endocannabinoid N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine (anandamide, AEA) on cannabinoid receptor regulation are unclear because of its rapid metabolism by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). FAAH−/− mice dosed subchronically with equi-active maximally effective doses of AEA or THC displayed greater rightward shifts in THC dose–effect curves for antinociception, catalepsy, and hypothermia than in AEA dose–effect curves. Subchronic THC significantly attenuated agonist-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding in brain and spinal cord, and reduced [3H]WIN55,212-2 binding in brain. Interestingly, AEA-treated FAAH−/− mice showed less CB1 receptor downregulation and desensitization than THC-treated mice. Experiments examining tolerance and cross-tolerance indicated that the behavioral effects of THC, a low efficacy CB1 receptor agonist, were more sensitive to receptor loss than those of AEA, a higher efficacy agonist, suggesting that the expression of tolerance was more affected by the intrinsic activity of the ligand at testing than during subchronic treatment. In addition, the CB1 receptor antagonist, rimonabant, precipitated a markedly reduced magnitude of withdrawal in FAAH−/− mice treated subchronically with AEA compared with mice treated repeatedly with THC. The findings that repeated AEA administration produces lesser adaptive changes at the CB1 receptor and has reduced dependence liability compared with THC suggest that pharmacotherapies targeting endocannabinoid catabolic enzymes are less likely to promote tolerance and dependence than direct acting CB1 receptor agonists.
Proof of Discriminatory Intent under Title VII: United States Postal Service Board of Governors v. Aikens

The Supreme Court will hear a case this Term involving the question of how intentional discrimination in employment can be proven. The case-United States Postal Service Board of Governors v. Aikens 1 involves a claim brought under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.2 Aikens charged the Postal Service with racial discrimination in denying him promotion to various managerial-level jobs. The D.C. Circuit ruled that he could make out a prima facie case of discrimination by showing that he possessed all known qualifications for the promotions, and had been passed over in favor of white candidates.3 The United States Department of Justice, representing the Postal Service, has asked the Court to rule that plaintiffs prima facie proof must demonstrate a "probability" of discrimination.4 In this case, where the plaintiff relied on comparative qualifications to show intent, the Government says that to make out this probability, plaintiff would have to provide evidence that he is more qualifed than the candidates chosen, in terms of whatever tangible and intangible factors may be taken into
Calibration of a system to collect visible-light polarization data for classification of geosynchronous satellites

In order to protect critical military and commercial space assets, the United States Space Surveillance Network must have the ability to positively identify and characterize all space objects. Unfortunately, positive identification and characterization of space objects is a manual and labor intensive process today since even large telescopes cannot provide resolved images of most space objects. The objective of this study was to calibrate a system to exploit the optical signature of unresolved geosynchronous satellite images by collecting polarization data in the visible wavelengths for the purpose of revealing discriminating features. These features may lead to positive identification or classification of each satellite. The system was calibrated with an algorithm and process that takes raw observation data from a two-channel polarimeter and converts it to Stokes parameters S 0 and S 1 . This instrumentation is a new asset for the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Department of Physics and consists of one 20-inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope and a dual focal plane system fed with a polarizing beam splitter. This study calibrated the system and collected preliminary polarization data on five geosynchronous satellites to validate performance. Preliminary data revealed that each of the five satellites had a different polarization signature that could potentially lead to identification in future studies.
The effects of periodontal treatment on diabetes.

ABSTRACT Background Diabetes mellitus and periodontal diseases are common chronic diseases in the United States. Periodontal infection may adversely affect glycemic control in people with diabetes. This article reviews the evidence regarding how treatment of periodontal diseases affects glycemic control. Types of Studies Reviewed The review consisted of a MEDLINE literature search to identify primary research reports on the relationship between periodontal therapy and changes in glycemic control. The review identified three randomized clinical trials and nine nonrandomized clinical follow-up studies. Results The strength, quantity and breadth of evidence are varied, precluding clear-cut guidance for determining whether treating periodontal infection has a beneficial effect on glycemic control. Despite the variation and limitations in the literature, evidence supports the concept that periodontal diseases can contribute to poorer glycemic control in people with diabetes. Although the evidence is not unequivocal, it provides sufficient support for additional investigations of the effect of preventing and treating periodontal infections on managing glycemic control. Clinical Implications Sufficient evidence exists to incorporate oral examinations and periodontal care in management regimens for people with diabetes. It is prudent to assess patients' glycemic control status and communicate the importance of referring patients with diabetes for thorough oral health evaluations and necessary care.
A Prospective Randomised Parallel Single-Blind Comparison of Oral Ciprofloxacin with Oral Cotrimoxazole in the Treatment of Respiratory Tract Infections in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease

The effectiveness of Ciprofloxacin was compared with that of cotrimoxazole in the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 65 patients were eligible for efficacy analysis and the cure rate (comprised of both complete and partial success responses) was 97.4% for ciprofloxacin-treated patients and 92.6% for patients treated with cotrimoxazole. 261 causative organisms were isolated from 216 patients valid for safety analysis, of which 4 (from 4 patients) were resistant to Ciprofloxacin and 70 (from 55 patients) were resistant to cotrimoxazole.
Field-induced dynamics in the quantum Brownian oscillator: An exact treatment

We consider a quantum linear oscillator coupled to a bath in equilibrium at an arbitrary temperature and then exposed to an external field arbitrary in form and strength. We then derive the reduced density operator in closed form of the coupled oscillator in a non-equilibrium state at an arbitrary time.
Lumbar Instability Adjacent to a Previous Fusion

Disc degeneration that occurs at the level adjacent to a previous fusion is known as adjacent segment degeneration (ASD). Altered biomechanical forces at the adjacent level motion segments may predispose to subsequent degeneration and pain, which may require further surgery consisting of decompression with or without an extension of the fusion. The rapid rise in the rates of lumbar spinal fusion over recent years suggests that ASD may become even more prevalent with time. Adjacent segment degeneration has served as the impetus for the development of motion-preserving alternatives for the treatment of degenerative disc disease, most notably total disc replacement (TDR). This article will highlight the diagnosis, etiology, risk factors, and treatment for lumbar instability adjacent to a previous fusion and discusses the potential role for total disc replacement in the prevention of ASD.
Gene expression profiles in mouse embryo fibroblasts lacking stathmin, a microtubule regulatory protein, reveal changes in the expression of genes contributing to cell motility

Stathmin (STMN1) protein functions to regulate assembly of the microtubule cytoskeleton by destabilizing microtubule polymers. Stathmin over-expression has been correlated with cancer stage progression, while stathmin depletion leads to death of some cancer cell lines in culture. In contrast, stathmin-null mice are viable with minor axonopathies and loss of innate fear response. Several stathmin binding partners, in addition to tubulin, have been shown to affect cell motility in culture. To expand our understanding of stathmin function in normal cells, we compared gene expression profiles, measured by microarray and qRT-PCR, of mouse embryo fibroblasts isolated from STMN1+/+ and STMN1-/- mice to determine the transcriptome level changes present in the genetic knock-out of stathmin. Microarray analysis of STMN1 loss at a fold change threshold of ≥ 2.0 revealed expression changes for 437 genes, of which 269 were up-regulated and 168 were down-regulated. Microarray data and qRT-PCR analysis of mRNA expression demonstrated changes in the message levels for STMN4, encoding RB3, a protein related to stathmin, and in alterations to many tubulin isotype mRNAs. KEGG Pathway analysis of the microarray data indicated changes to cell motility-related genes, and qRT-PCR plates specific for focal adhesion and ECM proteins generally confirmed the microarray data. Several microtubule assembly regulators and motors were also differentially regulated in STMN1-/- cells, but these changes should not compensate for loss of stathmin. Approximately 50% of genes up or down regulated (at a fold change of ≥ 2) in STMN1-/- mouse embryo fibroblasts function broadly in cell adhesion and motility. These results support models indicating a role for stathmin in regulating cell locomotion, but also suggest that this functional activity may involve changes to the cohort of proteins expressed in the cell, rather than as a direct consequence of stathmin-dependent regulation of the microtubule cytoskeleton.
Interaction of oral phenytoin with enteral feedings

A 48-yr-old man with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, hypercalcemia, and brain metastases with seizures was treated with phenytoin. Constant nasogastric infusion with Osmolyte was begun for hydration and nutritional status, necessitating an increase in his phenytoin dosage. Adequate seizure control and phenytoin levels were obtained on this adjusted regimen. However, on the 16th hospital day, the patient pulled out his nasogastric tube and received two doses of phenytoin without Osmolyte. The patient became lethargic, and his phenytoin level was 53 micrograms/ml. The patient was placed on bolus nasogastric feedings and a lower dose of phenytoin administered between feedings. Adequate seizure control and appropriate phenytoin levels were obtained with no further problems. The recommended management of the phenytoin-enteral feeding interaction is to flush and clamp the nasogastric tube for 2 hr before and 2 hr after the phenytoin dose.
Acoustic wave propagation in horizontally variable media

An overview of the multipath expansion method of solving the Helmholtz wave equation to describe the underwater sound field for a fixed point source in a plane multilayered medium is presented. The approach is then extended to account for horizontal variations in bottom depth, bottom type, and sound speed in the stationary phase approximation. Comparisons of model results to a limited number of measured data sets and standard propagation codes are presented.
Effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on marine microalgal-invertebrate symbioses. II. The synthesis of mycosporine-like amino acids in response to exposure to UV in Anthopleura elegantissima and Cassiopeia xamachana

Abstract The response of two symbiotic associations, that between Anthopleura elegantissima and Symbiodinium californium , and Cassiopeia xamachana and S. microadriaticum , to artificial ultraviolet (UV) radiation (280–400 nm) was studied by analysis of the intact associations and of the partners in isolation. After 8 wk exposure to UV, the concentrations of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) were high in symbiotic A. elegantissima , but there was no significant difference in the concentrations of these compounds in anemones not exposed to UV and those that were exposed to UV. The concentration of MAAs was higher in aposymbiotic A. elegantissima exposed to UV than in those not exposed to UV. MAAs were neither detected in S. californium in culture, in the culture medium, nor in the algae freshly isolated from A. elegantissima . These observations suggest that the anemones are not obtaining MAAs from the algae, but probably from an exogenous source. By contrast, S. microadriaticum in culture releases three MAAs to the culture medium. Aposymbiotic scyphistomae of C. xamachana produced no MAAs even when exposed to UV, whereas symbiotic ephyrae and adult jellyfish, assayed after removal of the algae, contained the same three MAAs found in S. microadriaticum . Taken together, these data suggest that S. microadriaticum synthesizes MAAs and transports them to the host.
Amplification of elastic waves by a three dimensional valley. Part 1: Steady state response

Steady state scattering of incident P, SV, SH and Rayleigh waves by general non-axisymmetric three dimensional dipping layers is investigated by using an indirect boundary integral equation method. Material of the half-space and the layer is assumed to be linear, weakly anelastic, homogeneous and isotropic. Systematic comparisons between three dimensional and two dimensional models demonstrate that the validity of a two dimensional approximation for a given basin shape may be affected strongly by changes in azimuthal angle of incidence, type of incident wave and frequency. The discrepancies of two dimensional modelling appear to be much more pronounced for the case of an incident SH wave. Another important feature of the results is the existence of strong coupling between P/SV and SH modes, which has no correspondence in two dimensional models. Such off-azimuthal mode conversions are particularly strong for an incident SH wave.
NONLINEAR DIFFUSION IN METABOLIC SYSTEMS

Some general properties of the solution of the diffusion equation are deduced for the steady-state, spherically symmetric system. On the basis of these developments some results of N. Rashevsky (Bull. Math. Biophysics,11, 15, 1949) are discussed and the results of a previous investigation (Hearon,Bull. Math. Biophysics,12, 135, 1950b) are extended to more general conditions. In particular these extensions apply to the flow of a soluteagainst its concentration gradient, the nonzero gradient of an inert metabolite, and theaccumulation or exclusion of an inert metabolite in a metabolic system.
ARITHMETIC TRACES OF NON-HOLOMORPHIC MODULAR INVARIANTS

We extend results of Bringmann and Ono that relate certain generalized traces of Maass–Poincare series to Fourier coefficients of modular forms of half-integral weight. By specializing to cases in which these traces are usual traces of algebraic numbers, we generalize results of Zagier describing arithmetic traces associated to modular forms. We define correspondences and . We show that if f is a modular form of non-positive weight 2 - 2 λ and odd level N, holomorphic away from the cusp at infinity, then the traces of values at Heegner points of a certain iterated non-holomorphic derivative of f are equal to Fourier coefficients of the half-integral weight modular forms .
A “picture” is worth a thousand experiments

Crystal structures of the assemblin proteinase should contribute to the development of new drugs against cytomegalovirus.
Referent effects in the magnitude estimation scaling of frequency expressions for response anchor sets : An empirical investigation

The effects of the base referent or standard stimulus on the scale values obtained in the magnitude estimation scaling of 34 frequency expressions was investigated using 208 subjects and two different referents ("sometimes" and "fairly many times"). MANOVA and ANOVA findings indicated that the two referents yielded statistically significant differences in scale values, and t tests of differences between the current and previously obtained scale values supported this conclusion. Finally, the scale values produced by the two referents led to the selection of different sets of 5-point response anchors, suggesting that the divergence in results was also of practical importance. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.
Shear-wave splitting and reservoir crack characterization: the Coso geothermal field

Abstract This paper aims to improve current understanding of the subsurface fracture system in the Coso geothermal field, located in east-central California. The Coso reservoir is in active economic development, so that knowledge of the subsurface fracture system is of vital importance for an accurate evaluation of its geothermal potential and day-to-day production. To detect the geometry and density of fracture systems we applied the shear-wave splitting technique to a large number of high-quality seismograms from local microearthquakes recorded by a permanent, 16-station, down-hole, 3-component seismic array running at 480 samples/s. The analysis of shear-wave splitting (seismic birefringence) provides parameters directly related to the strike of the subsurface fractures and their density (number of cracks per unit volume), and, consequently, is an important technique to outline zones of high permeability. Three major fracture directions N10–30W, N0–20E, and N40–50E, of which the first and the second are the most prominent, were identified from the seismograms recorded by the 16-station down-hole array. All orientations are consistent with the known strike of local sets of faults and fractures in local wells and at the surface, as well as with previous analyses of seismic anisotropy in the region. The high quality of the recordings has allowed us to launch an unprecedented investigation into the characteristics of the temporal variations in crack polarization and crack density in a producing geothermal environment. Preliminary results point to significant temporal changes in shear-wave time delays, probably influenced by temporal changes in crack density within a period of 5 years (1996–2000). They are tentatively interpreted as due to a local ∼3% increase in shear-wave velocity in the southwestern part of the field during 1999.
Mass spectra of benzenesulfonylhydrazides

The mass spectrometry of substituted benzenesulfonylhydrazides (X.C6H4.SO2NHNH2) has been studied, with X = p-CH3, H, p-CH3O and p-Br. The intensities of [XC6H4SO2]+ and [XC6H4]+ follow the Hammett relationship [In(Z/Z0) =ρδp+] with ρ of 0.375 and 2.37, respectively.
Nondestructive Characterization of PEC-Backed Materials Using the Combined Measurements of a Rectangular Waveguide and Coaxial Probe

A novel one-port probe technique, which combines the measurements of a rectangular waveguide and coaxial probe to nondestructively yield the permittivity and permeability of a PEC-backed material, is presented. A brief description of the derivation of the theoretical probe reflection coefficients, necessary for permittivity and permeability extraction via numerical inversion, is provided. Experimental characterization results of a PEC-backed magnetic material are presented to validate the proposed approach. Error analysis is also undertaken to quantify the new technique's sensitivity to common experimental errors.